'I'm a travel expert - one destination wowed me and it isn't full of tourists'

An extremely beautiful, fragrant but little-visited valley is an adventure travel expert's favourite hidden gem.

Zina Bencheikh knows a thing or two about overlooked destinations. The Moroccanworked her way up through the ranks of adventure travel specialists Intrepid after joining the company in 2010, and now she is EMEA Managing Director.

Intrepid Travel specialises in taking small groups of holidaymakers who love to venture off the beaten track to some of the lesser-known, lesser-visited parts of the world. Zina sat down with the Mirror at the World Travel and Tourism Council summit in Romeat the end of September to share her top pick of an underrated destination.

"One of my favourites is when I went to an area of the Atlas Mountains called the Rose Valley. It is a valley that in April is all roses. It is beautiful. It is not very crowded, not very touristy. Mostly, you see locals. Even the taxis are rose. They are pink," Zina explained.

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The Rose Valley — or M'Gouna — is a breathtaking region of southeastern Morocco, located at the foot of the High Atlas Mountains and along the M'Goun River. As its name gives away, it is most famous for its abundant Damask rose cultivation and the annual Rose Festival, which is held in Kelaat M'Gouna.

The valley, a contrast of lush greenery against arid mountains, relies on the river for irrigation, supporting businesses that produce cosmetics and perfumes from roses. The intense bursts of floral colour against a surrounding backdrop of parched, dusty land is particularly striking.

"We go there on some of our most popular trips, on a women's trip," Zina continued. "There are no hostels so we stay in local women's houses. These are amazing women. The highlight from this trip, for me, is when we went on a walk for hours, to the middle of nowhere, to meet local nomads that have lived in the area for thousands of years, their lifestyle largely the same. These nomad families are making an income that is allowing them to support their livelihood."

Intrepid Travel offers a 13-day trip to the region, for from £1,244. It includes highlights such as travelling by camel across the Sahara Desert, time spent in two picturesque Moroccan towns, and guided tours of medinas, Roman ruins and settlements, as well as opportunities to take on activities including the traditional Amazigh activity of henna tattooing.

If you fancy making your own way to M'Gouna, then flying to Marrakech is the easiest way. From there, it's a 200-mile drive to the east. Flights from the UK to Marrakech are available from £17.

While the desert-dominated country is no hidden gem, attracting 17.4 million tourists last year, it has struggled to lure in similar amounts of holidaymakers as nearby Spain. Morocco's reputation as a 'safe' country has also been tarnished following the 2011 bomb attack which killed at least 10 foreigners.

But, it seems things are quickly changing. According to reports, The Moroccan Ministry of Tourism says the country has witnessed a significant surge in tourist arrivals, with the country welcoming 5.7 million visitors in the first four months of 2025.

Potentially reaping the benefits of rising anti-tourist sentiment in hotspots like Spain and Greece, this is a 23 per cent spike compared to the same period in 2024. "Welcoming an additional million visitors at the beginning of the year, a period traditionally considered slower, is a strong indicator for the tourism outlook for 2025," hailed Tourism Minister Fatim-Zahra Ammor. The politician says the momentum is a 'direct result' of pushing Morocco as a tourist destination while 'anchoring the sector's development in a sustainable and resilient manner'.

Most tourists flock to Marrakesh, the country's fourth-largest city, renowned for its busy market stalls that sell everything from handbags to spices. The city is also an architectural wonder, filled with stunning mosques and the acclaimed Jardin Majorelle, which was previously owned by fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.