DURATION
5 nights
LOCATION
Morocco
ANNUAL LEAVE
4 days off work
SEASON
Year-round
GROUP SIZE
Up to 14 people
MEETING POINT
Marrakesh Menara Airport
ACCOMMODATION
Classic
Traditional riad · Homestay
DIFFICULTY
Moderate
The elevation and long days can be tiring, so a moderate level of fitness and stamina is needed.
Explore the remote and peaceful landscape of the Atlas Mountains with the support of an experienced guiding team
Trek along cascading streams, ascend mountainsides, visit remote Berber villages and stay in traditional gite homes
Enjoy awesome views of Mount Toubkal - the highest peak in North Africa
Day 1
Explore the sights and sounds of Marrakech
Your host will meet you at the airport and take you to your traditional riad accommodation in Marrakech’s historic medina. You'll then get the chance to spend the day exploring the city’s colourful souks, wander the UNESCO-listed main square and indulge in some amazing Moroccan food.
Day 2
Imi Oughlad to Tiziane
Hiking
5hrs · 12km · 650m up · 350m down
Meet your fellow adventurers and drive to the trailhead in Imi Oughlad where you’ll meet your local support team. Hike along a dirt track and into the Moroccan countryside alongside your mule train. Enjoy a picnic lunch at 2000m and after a rest in the shade, continue to the picturesque, red clay village of Tiziane (1750m) where you’ll indulge in a delicious Moroccan dinner in a local gite.
Day 3
Springs and forests
Hiking
5hrs · 15km · 600m up · 700m down
Hike through walnut and cherry groves to the refreshing Assaka spring where you’ll relax over a picnic lunch. In the afternoon, gently descend along the forest edge to the traditional Berber village of D’knt or nearby Agouns n Assol (1870m) and enjoy a hot meal in another working Berber home.
Day 4
Berber life
Hiking
6-7hrs · 17km · 1000m up · 800m down
Hike to a freshwater spring, passing shepherds and goatherds tending their flocks and Berber women and children carrying firewood and herbs on their backs in the traditional way. Continue through an amazing landscape of steep, stacked agricultural terraces to the scenic village of Tamsoult (1850m) for another night in a traditional home.
Day 5
Back to Marrakech
Hiking
4-5hrs · 13km · 550m up · 650m down
Start the day with a scenic hike to a nearby waterfall and then continue up and over the Tizi n Mzik pass. At 2000m, this is the highest point on the trek! Enjoy the view and then descend through a shady valley of juniper and pine to the town of Imlil. Eat lunch while you stare at majestic Mount Toubkal – the highest peak in North Africa – then say farewell to your guide and support team and head back to Marrakech in time for onward travel or some more time in this beautiful country.
Day 6
Time to go home and rest those legs
Relax over your last Moroccan breakfast, explore the town some more if you have time, then transfer to the airport to catch your flight home.
Included
Guides
Experienced, English speaking mountain guide
Accommodation
2 nights in a Marrakech Riad, 3 nights in traditional Berber Gite homes
Meals
All your meals are included
Transfers
To and from the airport and everything in-between
Porterage
Mules to carry your luggage
Not Included
Flights to and from the meeting point
Tips for your guides
Personal expenses
Visas where required
Day 1
Traditional riad · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2
Homestay · Mixed dorm
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 3 – Day 4
Homestay · Mixed dorm
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 5
Traditional riad · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 6
Departure day
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Meals on this trek are fresh, healthy and distinctly Moroccan prepared by your Berber cook. For breakfast, expect bread and jam/butter, cookies, fruit, juice, coffee and milk. For lunch, expect salad, tomatoes, carrots, lentils or beans, rice or pasta, sardines or tuna, and fruit. For dinner meanwhile, expect soup, tajine, couscous, olives, nuts and fruit. Most dietary requirements can be catered for, just let your host know in advance.
Vegetarians, vegans and other dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for - please just request on your passenger info form
What is the accommodation like?
Marrakech
In Marrakech, you'll stay in a beautiful riad - traditional Moroccan houses with an interior garden or courtyard. The exact riad you stay in will be confirmed nearer the time based on availability and group size. All are chosen for their excellent reputation, location, beautiful decor and welcoming service.
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room can be booked for an extra charge (only for the Marrakech nights), see Optional Extras for the price. Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability).
The Atlas Mountains
You'll stay in local Berber homes known as a Gite d'Etape or just gite. Translating roughly as 'staging post,' these gites are home to Berber families who will be your hosts. Facilities are basic, but there's no better way to see the real Morocco.
Upgrades
Because of the style of accommodation, private upgrades are not available on this trip.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Marrakech Airport (RAK)
Arrive anytime on Day 1
Ends
Marrakech Airport (RAK)
Depart anytime on Day 6
Transfers
Private transfers between the airport and your Riad are included for any time (and day) you choose to arrive or depart.
Travel options
There are regular flights to Marrakech from airports across the UK and Europe.
Enjoy 12.5% Off Outdoor Gear
In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 12.5% discount to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.
What's provided?
- Sleeping bag (you can bring your own if you like)
What do I need to bring?
- Day-pack (for you to carry)
- Rucksack or duffle bag (for mules to carry)
- Sturdy hiking boots or hiking shoes (broken in)
- Personal toiletries
- Towel
- Warm layers including gloves and a hat
- Sun protection
- Flashlight or headlamp
- Raingear (jacket and trousers),
- Water bottle or hydration bladder
- Sleeping bag liner
- Walking poles (optional)
Pre/Post Trip Accommodation Double/Twin Room
Payable Before Departure
Pre/Post Trip Accommodation Double/Twin Room
… Per Night
Pre/Post Trip Accommodation Single Room
Payable Before Departure
Pre/Post Trip Accommodation Single Room
… Per Night
Optional Private Room Upgrade
Payable Before Departure
Optional Private Room Upgrade
…
I can’t recommend this trip enough! I went as a solo traveller and couldn’t have wished for lovelier people to hike with. The group dynamic was so much fun and everyone really looked out for each other. The guides were also incredible and made wonderful food for us every day - I’m a vegan and was catered for with no issues which I really appreciated. We got super lucky with the weather so it was shorts and t-shirts every day, but I think this was unusual for the time of year. The actual hiking was very well-paced with lots of breaks, and the views were absolutely incredible - beautiful and varied scenery every day. My advice is to bring baby wipes and hand gel as the mountain gites did not have loo roll or soap, and to bring thermals for the evening/night if you tend to get cold. Also maybe best to sort a SIM card if you want data in the mountains - I didn’t have any but it was nice to switch off for a few days!
My first trip with MBA and it didn't disappoint! The group dynamic was great and the hiking had a few ascents but was manageable and our guides made sure to go at a slow, steady pace. There were plenty of rest breaks. The food cooked for us was delicious and plentiful, the scenery was wonderful and the route we took was off the beaten path. Don't forget to bring hand wash/soap and toilet roll.
A fantastic holiday, amazing scenery, brilliant guide and overall the best experience ever!
An amazing trip. The guides were very friendly and knowledgeable, we were provided with freshly cooked food for every meal and they always had plenty of drinking water for us to refill while in the mountains. The trek was stunning with varied terrain and views. The group dynamic was the highlight of the trip, everybody looked out for each other so well. Would recommend taking cards/games for the evening as there was always plenty of time when returning from the trek. Highly recommend this trip and Much Better Adventure.
What a fantastic trip! Our guides Hussein and Ibrahim went above and beyond to make sure we were having the best experience and the group dynamic was wonderful. Each day we were provided with great food and stunning mountain views. The length of the trip was also pretty ideal, even though we were all sad when it ended. I would definitely recommend the trip to anyone who considers going!
A fantastic experience – I went as a solo traveller during February, supposedly the off-season for hiking, but the mountains were beautiful and the weather was brilliant. We were lucky enough not to get rain, just sunshine, cloud, and some light snowfall. During the four days we were hiking we didn’t meet any other hikers too.
I would definitely recommend this trip over doing just an ascent of Mount Toubkal. The scenery was much more varied, going through river valleys terraced with orchards, staying in Berber villages, ascending to mountain passes, and descending through gorges. You also stay at lower altitudes, so no need to worry about altitude sickness. Some prior training would be useful if you’re inactive – you do at least a couple of hours of incline a day, but the guides keep the pace slow, and stopped for breaks.
We were well looked after throughout the trip – airport transfers were well communicated beforehand and went without a hitch, the food whilst hiking was fantastic (with omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans all catered to), and the guides just couldn’t do enough to help us. The supplied sleeping bags were all clean and dry, as were the rooms we slept in.
To answer some questions we had beforehand: the gites have electricity and plug sockets to charge phones, showers (mostly hot), and sit-down toilets alongside squat toilets. There was no wifi in the gites, but we had a strong signal with 4G each night (look into getting a local SIM card or an eSIM). You can’t get Moroccan money (dirham) outside the country, so you have to get it after you arrive, but having some euros is also useful. And when it comes to tipping the guides and cooks, we all contributed to a single pot at the end which was later shared out between them (we gave roughly 400 dirham each).
My advice would be, if going in the winter, take some extra warm clothes and thermals for the evenings and nights – you’d be surprised how cold it can get, especially when the sun is hidden - and take a microfibre towel with you for the showers at the gites.
Also, if you can, add 2-3 days before/after your trip to explore Marrakech – it’s well worth it! If you intend to do some shopping as well, add a piece of hold luggage to the return flight – it’s easy enough to pick up a bag in Marrakech to hold your purchases (even a flimsy laundry bag can do, just get it wrapped up when you get to the airport).
The trip was incredible! The hosts couldn't do enough for us and the food they cooked each day was fantastic! The accomodation in the mountains was basic, but had everything we needed and there is electricity so you can even charge your phone :) There were 14 people on our trip and 10 of those were solo travellers, so definitley don't worry about going on your own!
Worth a try. Beautiful people, food and country. Have TOILET PAPER AT ALL TIMES. I will definitely return to Morocco. A great experience.
This was my second MBA trip. The Atlas Mountain trek was outstanding. The guides, hosts, drivers and entire team made the trip fantastic. The hike was beautiful and fulfilling. Don’t hesitate. Just go!
We had a fantastic time. The trip was organized very professional, the views were amazing and the hosts and fellow travelers were extremely friendly. On top of that, we got the best and fresh food that you can imagine. Highly recommended to all nature lovers!
We've crunched the numbers to work out the total carbon footprint of this trip, and plant enough trees to suck 2x as much back out the atmosphere.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 325kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal for 2023 to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
- A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. For every person booked with us since 2016 we’re planting enough trees to suck at least 2x more carbon out the atmosphere than is emitted by their trips. All native trees, as part of amazing projects that are re-foresting degraded land, tackling the biodiversity crisis and supporting local communities at the same time. We go further than that too, also funding re-wilding projects worldwide to help protect important keystone species from extinction. See the reforestation and re-wilding schemes we support. See our carbon action plan.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
You'll be following established trails but the elevation and long days can be tiring, so a moderate level of fitness and stamina is needed.
Sure can! Over 50% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
From April to October, daytime temperatures in the valleys are typically warm (25 - 30°C) but cool off considerably at night, and the higher you go, the cooler it gets. In the winter, daytime temperatures are still warm (10 - 20°C), but nighttime temperatures can drop below freezing. Afternoon storms are always possible in the Atlas Mountains during the summer months, but typically the winter months are wetter.
It rains a little in the valleys and snows on the peaks for a few days a month in the winter. Still, the amounts are small and generally, they don’t prevent anyone from enjoying the trek. The valleys are still warm and the snow on the high peaks makes the scenery that much more beautiful!
View detailed weather for the area here on Mountain Forecast
Mules will carry your main overnight luggage during the trek and you will need to carry your daypack with your daytime essentials (extra layer, snacks, water etc.). For the welfare of the mules, please ensure your main overnight luggage is in a soft-sided bag and weighs no more than 15kg.
Absolutely! We recognise that you may want to leave some of the kit you bring to Morocco somewhere safe before you start your trek. When you reach Imlil, you will be able to leave any non-essential items you don’t want to take with you at your local guide's base there.
Your host works with Muleteers who collaborate with local charity, Spana, (The Society for the Protection of Animals and Nature) on the AMI program (Aid to the Mules of Imlil). The charity provides training, guidance and incentives to mule owners to encourage and support good care for their animals in all aspects of their working lives. The program also provides a monthly clinic which offers free veterinary care to the animals and the distribution of humane tack.
We recommend checking out the country specific information here and also talking to a travel nurse.
For current advice about travelling in Morocco, have a read of the UK Foreign Office pages here.
Tips are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion but there is an expectation to tip for good service. Your guide will help with advice however we suggest a minimum of 150 - 200 Dirham per person.
Of course, you are free to tip more or less and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality - a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.
Ramadan will take place from 22nd March to 20th April 2023 and 10th March to 8th April 2024. The national holiday of Eid ul-Fitr will follow for 2-3 days. Ramadan is an Islamic festival where the religious do not eat or drink during daylight hours. While this is a really interesting time to travel, especially to witness celebrations where the fast is broken in the evenings, you can expect some business hours will be shortened, alcohol is not permitted during daylight hours and some restaurants will be closed during this festival period. Activities for local people tend to be limited during the day and the nights are very active in cities with lots of different foods being sold and consumed. Ramadan will not affect the inclusions on your trip although you should be aware that dinners will be served after locals break their fast in the evenings.
Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.
Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our adventures. Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure.
Your insurance policy should also include specific Covid-19 cover, including cancellation and curtailment cover if you, your travel companion or a close relative are diagnosed with Covid-19.
We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.
You're in good company. Our adventures are typically made up of a mix of solo travellers and small groups of two or three friends who simply love adventure, pushing themselves and meeting awesome like-minded people. See here for more info about our lovely bunch of Much Better Adventurers.
Want to book a private trip? Just tap ‘Private Group’ in the dates and prices tab.
Your trip is led by carefully curated local hosts and expert guides. See here for more info about the guides we work with.
Pay In Installments
You can choose to pay for this trip in as many installments as you like, with no interest or fees.
Full Financial Protection
Your money is safe. Every booking is fully financially protected.
