Mount M’Goun Trek: A Guide to Morocco’s Quieter 4,000 m Summit
Most people who come to Morocco to climb a mountain go to Toubkal. Fewer know about M’Goun (4,071 m), the second-highest peak in North Africa, a long whale-backed ridge in the central High Atlas above the Ait Bouguemez valley. The M’Goun trek is longer and wilder than Toubkal, you sleep in camps instead of a busy refuge, and on most days you share the trail only with shepherds and their flocks. Here is our local guides’ guide to it.
Quick answer: Mount M’Goun (4,071 m) is a non-technical but long trek in the central High Atlas. Most routes start in the Ait Bouguemez (Happy) Valley, about 5 hours’ drive from Marrakech, and take 4 to 6 days of walking with nights in camps. The summit day is the hardest part: around 9 hours of walking. The best season is June to October. Mules carry the bags, so you walk with a day pack.
Where Is Mount M’Goun?
M’Goun (also written Mgoun or Ighil M’Goun) rises in the central High Atlas, between the green Ait Bouguemez, the “Happy Valley”, to the north and the Rose Valley and the M’Goun gorges to the south. The area is part of the M’Goun UNESCO Geopark. Treks usually start from the Ait Bouguemez, around 210 km east of Marrakech. The drive takes about five hours, often with a stop at the natural bridge of Imi n’Ifri.
M’Goun or Toubkal?
Both summits are above 4,000 m and neither needs technical climbing skills in summer. The difference is the trip around them.
| M’Goun | Toubkal | |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 4,071 m | 4,167 m |
| Start | Ait Bouguemez valley (about 5 hours from Marrakech) | Imlil (about 1.5 hours from Marrakech) |
| Days walking | 4 to 6 | 2 to 5 |
| Nights | Camps and village guesthouses | Refuge or camp, guesthouses |
| Crowds | Very quiet | Busy in spring and summer |
| Best season | June to October | April to June, September to October |
If you have only a few days, Toubkal is the easier choice (see our Toubkal trek guide). If you have a week and want a real expedition feel, M’Goun is hard to beat.
The Route: A Typical M’Goun Trek
This is the route of our 8-day M’Goun trek from Marrakech, with five days on foot:
- Day 1 – Ait Bouguemez to Azib n’Ikiss (2,250 m): after the drive from Marrakech, a short walk up the Arous gorge to the summer pastures. About 2.5 hours, +450 m.
- Day 2 – Aghouri pass (3,400 m) to the Tarkdit plateau (2,900 m): a steady climb to the pass and the first view of the summit, then down a nomad path to camp. About 5 hours, +1,150 m / -500 m.
- Day 3 – Summit day: up to M’Goun (4,071 m) and down to the Oulilimt valley. About 9 hours, +1,171 m / -1,471 m. From the top you look over the High Atlas, the Anti-Atlas and the Rose Valley.
- Day 4 – Oulilimt valley to Ain Aflafal: an easy day along the river through a wild valley. About 5 hours.
- Day 5 – Tizi n’Ait Imi (2,900 m) to Tabant: back over the pass into the Happy Valley, with a last wide view of the M’Goun range. About 6.5 hours.
On the way back to Marrakech we stop at the Ouzoud waterfalls.
How Hard Is the M’Goun Trek?
We grade it moderate to hard. There is no climbing, but the summit day is long and steep, you spend several nights above 2,500 m and you walk five days in a row. You should be comfortable hiking 6 to 9 hours a day and have some experience of mountain walking. If you’d rather skip the summit, you can walk with the muleteers to the next camp on an easier path of about 5 to 6 hours and rejoin the group in the evening.
Best Time to Climb M’Goun
- June to October: the main season. The passes are usually clear of snow and the nomad families are up on the high pastures.
- July and August: hot in the valleys, but pleasant at altitude. Nights in camp are cool.
- November to May: snow is likely on the high passes and the summit. In these months we recommend the lower Happy Valley trek instead.
For other regions, see our month-by-month guide to trekking and cycling in Morocco.
What to Pack
- Broken-in hiking boots and comfortable camp shoes
- Warm layers: a fleece, a down jacket and a windproof/waterproof shell. Nights at 2,900 m can be cold even in summer
- Hat, gloves and a buff for the summit morning
- Sunglasses, sun hat and high-factor sunscreen
- A warm sleeping bag (comfort around 0 °C)
- Headlamp, trekking poles and a water bottle
- Day pack of 25 to 30 litres
Mules carry the camping gear and your main bag. Our team cooks all meals on the trek and provides mineral water.
Do You Need a Guide?
We strongly recommend it. The trails on the high plateaus are not marked, there is no phone signal on much of the route, and the weather can change fast. A licensed mountain guide also organises the muleteers, the camps and the food, which is most of the work on a trek like this. Our team is based in Azilal, at the foot of these mountains, and our founder Marouane trained at the mountain guide school in the Ait Bouguemez valley.
M’Goun Trek: Frequently Asked Questions
How high is Mount M’Goun?
M’Goun is 4,071 m (13,356 ft) high. It is the second-highest mountain in North Africa after Toubkal (4,167 m).
How many days do you need to climb M’Goun?
Plan 4 to 6 days of walking from the Ait Bouguemez valley, plus a day of travel each way from Marrakech. Our M’Goun trek takes 8 days from Marrakech, with 5 days on foot.
Is the M’Goun trek harder than Toubkal?
The summit itself is not harder, but the whole trek is longer and more remote, with several nights in camps and a summit day of about 9 hours. We grade it moderate to hard.
When is the best time to climb M’Goun?
June to October. Outside these months there is often snow on the high passes and the summit.
How much does a guided M’Goun trek cost?
Our 8-day M’Goun trek from Marrakech starts from 950 € per person, including the guide, mules and muleteers, meals during the trek, camps, guesthouse and hotel nights and transport from Marrakech.
Book Your M’Goun Trek
See the full day-by-day itinerary of our Climb Mount M’Goun trek, browse all our trekking tours in Morocco, or contact our local team to plan a private trek on your dates.
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Small groups or private tours from Marrakech · licensed local guides · 4×4 support or mules · reply within 24 hours.
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