Atlas Mountains Day Trip From Marrakech

The High Atlas rises less than an hour's drive south of Marrakech, and on a clear winter morning you can see its snowy peaks from the city's rooftops. A day in the mountains is the perfect counterweight to the souks: fresh air, walnut trees, terraced fields and Amazigh villages built in stone and earth into the slopes.

The earthquake and the mountains today

On 8 September 2023 a powerful earthquake struck the Al Haouz province, with its epicentre in the mountains south-west of the city. Villages around Imlil, Asni, Ouirgane and further along the Tizi n'Test road were badly damaged, and thousands of people died. Reconstruction has since rebuilt or repaired most homes, the trails and guesthouses have reopened, and tourism is one of the main ways the valleys earn a living. Visiting is welcome and helps. The great 12th-century mosque at Tinmel, one of the most important monuments in Morocco, was largely destroyed and is still being rebuilt, so check whether it can be seen before planning a trip around it.

Imlil and the Toubkal valley

Our first choice for a day trip. Imlil is a village at the foot of Jbel Toubkal, the highest mountain in North Africa at 4,167 m. From here, easy walks with a local guide lead up through the villages of Aroumd or around the Imnane valley, with lunch at a terrace guesthouse. You won't climb Toubkal in a day. That takes two, with a night in a mountain refuge.

The Ourika valley

The closest and busiest valley, following a river lined with cafés on stilts. At Setti Fatma you can scramble up to a series of small waterfalls. It's pleasant and easy, but touristy, especially on summer weekends when half of Marrakech comes to cool off.

Ouirgane and the Agafay

Ouirgane is a quieter valley with a lake and a few rural lodges, good for a slow day. On the way back, the Agafay is a stony plateau of bare hills often sold as "the desert near Marrakech". It isn't sand dunes, but camel rides and sunset dinners there are popular. For real dunes, you need two or three days and a trip to Merzouga or Zagora.

How to go

Hiring a car and driver for the day, arranged through your riad, gives the most freedom. Shared group tours are cheaper and fine for Ourika. For walks around Imlil, book a local mountain guide, which keeps the money in the villages. Driving yourself is possible but mountain roads are narrow and busy with trucks.

Pack layers even in summer: Imlil is about 1,700 m up and noticeably cooler than the city. Our what to wear guide has a list, and the itinerary shows how to add a mountain day.