Join in the three-day festival at El-Kelaa M'Gouna in Morocco for song and dance, feasting, souk-like markets and a chariot procession through a shower of rose petals.
Photo © iStock/johncopland
Location
El-Kelaa M’Gouna, Morocco
Dates
Mid-May (dates very depending on harvest time)
Description
In the dry folds on the High Atlas mountains, approaching the Sahara, there’s an unexpected place called the Vallee des Roses where, in spring, the entire area is awash with pink Persian roses. In the small town of El Kelaa M’Gouna, roses nestle among the hedgerows so that they’re not immediately visible, but they are the town’s lifeblood, from their cultivation through to the production of rosewater.
The flowers are harvested in mid-May, an event celebrated in the colorful and sweet-smelling Rose Festival, which draws around 20,000 people to the small town. The three-day festival is a time of song and dance, feasting, souk-like markets and a chariot procession through a shower of rose petals. There’s also a beauty pageant of sorts, with a Miss Rose crowned each year.
Essentials
There is only a handful of hotels in El-Kelaa M’Gouna, so you may need to stay in Skoura or Ouarzazate, and travel up the Dades Valley for the festival.
Other Local Attractions
The rosewater factories in town are open for tours, and you can buy almost any rose product, from cream and soap to rosewater, in a number of shops (beware of synthetic products made in Casablanca). If you have your own transport, head out into the Vallee des Roses, where the walking is excellent in spring.
More Info: Moroccan National Tourist Office
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