Questions about cycling the Tessaout Valley

A big thank you to Lazarou for all the info you share in this forum! I'm passionate about Morocco, which I cycled through back in 2009. Last year, my wife and I explored the High Atlas by tandem. Completely smitten, we're heading back in April (Anti Atlas) and May (High and Middle Atlas), still on our tandem. Do you have any info on the track between Amezri and Ali Ait Nito? Are the river crossings in the Tessaout still there? It's not easy to navigate with a loaded tandem... especially if the river level is high due to this year's heavy snowmelt!

Thanks in advance for any tips you might have, and best wishes for health in this new year!

Hello, thanks for your good wishes. From Amezri to Ichbaken, the route that was poorly paved has turned into a dirt track. From Ichbaken, a road has been opened on the heights overlooking the riverbed to avoid the track that runs through it. The road or track ends at Ait Hamza via Talat N'Tazert. The roughly 5 km section along the heights to Ait Ali N'Ito still hasn’t been built, so you’re forced to take the track through the riverbed. It’s passable if it’s dry. From Ait Ali N'Ito, there’s a road to visit the famous village of Megdaz, then back to continue on the paved road to Toufghine via Fakhour and Ifoulou.

A huge thank you for your detailed info! We’ll decide based on the water level in the Tessaout wadi. Otherwise, we’ll do like in 2009—but with a bike, it’s way easier than with a tandem!! Thanks and best regards.

Hi there, If you're going in May, I might be able to give you some tips since I'll be in that area at the end of April...

Hi there, Thank you so much... we’re planning to do the Tizi Oulaoun route from Aguerd to Amezri and arrive at Ait Ali Nito (Assounfou gîte) on May 1st. Your suggestion sounds great—thanks in advance for the info! We’d really like to avoid crossing the oued multiple times. Best regards and happy trekking in Morocco!

Hi Olivier, We’d been in touch about the Tessaout river. We’re planning to cross it in early May with a pretty loaded tandem bike… If you have any info on the water level, we’d really appreciate it!!! Thanks in advance, best regards, Daniel

Hi there, I’m currently in Skoura and took advantage of a beautiful sunny day to drive my 4x4 through the Ait Afane Valley to Amezri and back. The water level in the Tessaout at the Amezri bridge is quite high. I asked a local in Amezri about the trail conditions for the section that follows the riverbed after Ichbaken. He confirmed that the track is passable. It crosses the wide dry section to the left of the river. Hope this info helps you plan your ride!