Rose Festival Morocco & the Valley of Roses 2022
In April, a few weeks before the start of the Kalaat M”Gouna Rose Festival – also called Moussem of Roses or Morocco Rose Festival – Moroccan women start picking the precious rose petals in the Atlas Mountains in what we call the Valley of Roses. Nearly 1,000 tons will be harvested to be distilled into premium rose water. The valley which extends over several tens of km and provides one of the most beautiful landscapes in southern Morocco. I highly recommend you walk its paths in April early in the morning when the roses bloom and exhale their perfume mixed with the scents of almond trees in bloom. It will be one enchanting walk that you will never forget.
The Valley of the Roses Festival – The Moussem of Roses
Once the harvest of roses is done, thousands of Internationals and Moroccans come to attend the Moussem of roses – or rose festival – and discover the perfumes and cosmetic products made from the distillation of rose petals. In Morocco, Moussem is either a religious celebration or an opportunity to strengthen the bonds of the tribe.
The Moussem of roses of Morocco usually starts the second week of May and lasts 3 days, usually from Friday to Sunday. Dates are not known well in advance as they depend on weather conditions and on when roses bloom and are ready to be harvested. I would recommend starting to check around the end of March or early April when harvesting has usually started.
At this festival, the inhabitants put on their finest clothes and spray each other with rose water and rose petals. The ceremony includes traditional singing and dancing Ahidous – the dance of the bees. Every year, a single woman will be elected Miss of the Roses for the day. She will parade on a gorgeous flowery and decorated float, accompanied by music and songs.
The Moroccan rose festival 2022 edition: The second week of May and lasts 3 days, usually from Friday to Sunday.
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