
Trip Ref #8470
DURATION
LOCATION
ANNUAL LEAVE
SEASON
GROUP SIZE
MEETING POINT
ACCOMMODATION
Homestay
DIFFICULTY
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
Imi Oughlad to Tiziane
Hiking
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 2
Springs and forests
Hiking
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 3
Berber life
Hiking
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 4
Back to Marrakech
Hiking
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.
Included
Guides
Experienced, English speaking mountain guide
Accommodation
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
Day 1
Day 2 – Day 3
Day 4
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.
What is the accommodation like?
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.
If you request additional accommodation in Marrakech before or after your trek, you will 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, however, all are chosen for their excellent reputation, location, beautiful decor and welcoming service.
Upgrades
Because of the style of accommodation, private upgrades are not available on this trip.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Central Marrakech or Marrakech Airport
08:30 / 10:00
Ends
Marrakech Airport or Central Marrakech
16:30 / 17:30
Transfers
You'll be picked up on arrival, or from your hotel in the city and dropped off in either central Marrakech or back at the airport in time for departure.
Travel options
There are regular flights to Marrakech from airports across the UK and Europe.
What about all the carbon?
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.
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?
- Sturdy hiking boots or hiking shoes (broken in)
- Personal toiletries
- Towel
- Warm layers including gloves and a hat
- Sun protection
- Small backpack to carry daily items
- Flashlight or headlamp
- Raingear (jacket and trousers),
- Water bottle or hydration bladder
- Sleeping bag liner
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
The views and terrain were amazing, our guides were extremely accommodating, food was great and bountiful. The accommodation was better than I'd expected!
Everything about this trip was incredible. Lovely hiking routes. Stunning views of the mountains daily. Basically nobody else on the trails and got to observe Berber culture first hand. The food was delicious. And most importantly the local guides (Mohamed and team) were really lovely and knowledgeable. I can't recommend enough.
Up there with one of the best hiking trips I've ever had, the guides were wonderful, views spectacular, the whole experience well planned.
The whole experience - the scenery, our guide Mohamed and the muleteers were just amazing, friendly and cheerful. They did everything with smiles, which made me feel so warm and welcomed in Morroco!
Great walking, good food, stunning scenery, easy-going and knowledgeable guides.
Beautiful country, guides and team were a great company, very experienced and supportive, exactly the right level of physical challenge, felt very special as saw no other trekkers until the final day.
Everything was great.
The trip was amazing - the scenery was beautiful, walks were varied and a satisfying level of challenge, food was very good (and plentiful) and our guides looked after us so well.
Everything was great - routes, guides, food, scenery, group, even the weather!
The views, the guides (Hussain and Hassan), the difficulty level, the food and the company were great.
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
You can leave luggage you don't need in Marrakech, your host will store it safely.
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.
Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.
Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing.
Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness.
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.
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