Fes, Morocco· Concierge · Mon–Sat · 09:00–18:00 GMT+1
Tafraoute · Photo: rob Stoeltje, CC BY 2.0
Tafraout sits in the Ameln valley of the Anti-Atlas, ringed by granite boulders that glow pink and orange in low light. In 1984 the Belgian artist Jean Vérame painted some of them, and the colour has weathered to ochre. Almond trees blossom on the valley floor in late January. Fes-based trips reach it on the Agadir leg.
Tafraout lies in the far south, off the Agadir leg rather than the imperial north: a Sous-Massa village at roughly 1,200 m in the Ameln valley of the Anti-Atlas, about 152 km south-east of Agadir. It sits at the convergence of five valleys, surrounded by rounded granite inselbergs that glow pink and orange in low light — some of which were famously painted in bright abstract colours in 1984 by Belgian artist Jean Vérame, and the paint has since weathered to a terracotta and ochre patina across several acres of rock. The valley floor is a palm, argan and almond oasis; in late January and early February the almond trees cover the hills in white and pink blossom, transforming the landscape for two to three weeks. The Ameln valley behind the town holds some twenty-six Berber villages connected by mule tracks, and the surrounding granite massif offers multi-day trekking routes through one of the least-visited parts of the Atlas system.
In 1984, Belgian artist Jean Vérame painted over 18,000 tonnes of granite boulders south of Tafraout in cobalt blue, red, violet and white. Over forty years the paint has weathered to earth tones on the rock surface but remains clearly visible at the 'Pierres Bleues' site — an extraordinary open-air artwork embedded in the Anti-Atlas landscape.
From late January to mid-February, the almond trees of the Ameln valley produce one of Morocco's most striking seasonal spectacles: white and pale-pink blossom covering the hillside terraces against the ochre granite. The annual Almond Blossom Festival in Tafraout draws Moroccan and international visitors each February.
Twenty-six traditional Berber villages line the north slope of the Ameln valley, connected by mule tracks above the palm oasis. A half-day walk links Oumesnat (the most visited, with a traditional house museum), Afella Ighir and Tagadirt — a route through Anti-Atlas vernacular architecture with no tourist infrastructure.
The pink granite massif around Tafraout offers multi-day trek routes through the Anti-Atlas — quieter and lower than the High Atlas, with night-stops in Berber gîtes and the summit of Jbel Lkst (2,359 m) as a rewarding objective for fit walkers.
Trips we build around Tafraout. Tell us which one fits and we'll write the days and quote them for your group.
2 days
A private two-day route from Agadir into the Anti-Atlas: the painted rocks, Ameln valley village walk and a night in the pink-granite oasis.
3 days
A February private road trip from Agadir through Taroudant to Tafraout for the almond blossom peak, returning via the Souss valley.
Getting there. About 2h30 (152 km) south-east of Agadir on the N12 via Biougra; the road is scenic but winding through the Anti-Atlas
Best for. Photographers, trekkers, travellers seeking off-the-beaten-track Anti-Atlas
Festival. Almond Blossom Festival — typically third week of February; exact date varies by bloom
Combine with. Taroudant (2h north) and Tiznit (1h30 north-west) on an Anti-Atlas loop
Read next. Fes for Couples: A Romantic Guide to the Medina; High Atlas Mountains Day Trip from Marrakech: Imlil, Ourika & What to Expect; Is Volubilis Worth Visiting, and How Do You Do a Meknes & Volubilis Day Trip from Fes?.
The places closest to Tafraout, easy to join on one private route.
Read these before you add Tafraout to a trip.
