The Souss Valley is a region of southern Morocco, starting roughly 120 miles south of Marrakesh and stretching down to the border with Algeria, across to the Atlantic coast and finishing just north of Agadir. This area has historically been fertile and politically important, although that significance has waned now and it is a largely untouched part of Morocco in terms of tourism. Many package holidays venture to Agadir, which is why we at Holiday Architects don’t usually recommend this as a stopover for our clients to discover authentic Morocco, but outside of this city you have verdant countryside, laid-back little beach towns, and virtually deserted Anti-Atlas villages painted in all hues of orange.

Taroudant, one of the principal towns in the region and a former capital of Morocco, boasts imposing ramparts and a kasbah, souks and tanneries, but without the scale and dense humanity of Marrakesh or Fez. This alone makes Taroudant an attractive place to spend time, and a good base for exploring the Souss Valley.

On the shores of the Souss just north of Agadir you have the coastal gem of Taghazout, a village that draws in visitors due to the excellent surf you’ll find rolling in from the Atlantic. Therefore, there are quite a few trendy, small hotels in the village and plenty of places to eat and drink at in the evenings – one of our favourite spots on the coast in this region for sure.

Inland, wilderness awaits with miles and miles of little more than rocky landscapes and argan trees, with traditional settlements dotted through. Souss-Massa National Park is among the best highlights, alongside the palm groves and kasbah at Tioute and other-worldly painted rocks a Tafraoute. This is Morocco for travellers who want off-the-beaten-track adventure.