By air
Marrakesh (RAK), ~1.5 h to Imlil
Africa · Morocco
Atlas Mountains, Morocco
Berber villages and North Africa's highest peak
Getting there
Best time to visit
April to June and September to October — hiking weather
Don't miss
Toubkal
Imlil
The Ourika valley
The Tizi n'Tichka pass
Things to do
Trekking
The Imlil valley
A Berber homestay
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Fabrice Cadou · CC BY-SA 3.0
What to pack
Hiking boots, layers
A quieter corner
The Kasbah of Telouet
Questions travellers ask
When is the best hiking weather in the Atlas Mountains?
April to June and September to October. Bring hiking boots and layers.
How should I spend time in the Atlas Mountains?
Go trekking among Berber villages, explore the Imlil valley and stay in a Berber homestay. Toubkal, the Ourika valley and the Tizi n'Tichka pass are the big sights.
How far are the Atlas Mountains from Marrakesh?
About 1.5 hours from Marrakesh (RAK) to Imlil.
Are there hidden gems in the Atlas Mountains?
Yes, the Kasbah of Telouet. And for a meal, try tagines in village homes.
About Atlas Mountains
- Mountains
Where it is
The Atlas Mountains stretch across Morocco towards Algeria and Tunisia, and their highest section, the High Atlas, rises south of Marrakesh to Jebel Toubkal, at about 4,167 m the highest peak in North Africa.
History
Amazigh peoples have lived in the Atlas for thousands of years, farming terraced valleys and moving their flocks between summer and winter pastures. Kasbahs and fortified granaries guarded the valleys and passes, and in the early 20th century the Glaoui family controlled the Tizi n'Tichka route from their kasbah at Telouet.
People
The mountains are home to Amazigh communities who speak Tashelhit in the High Atlas and Central Atlas Tamazight further north-east, and who grow walnuts, apples and barley on irrigated terraces. Mule trains, earth-built villages, woven carpets and mint tea are part of mountain life.
Known for
- Trekking to the summit of Jebel Toubkal
- Amazigh villages such as Imlil
- The Ourika Valley
- The Tizi n'Tichka pass
- The Kasbah of Telouet
Did you know?
The cedar forests of the Middle Atlas are home to the Barbary macaque, the only wild monkey found in Africa north of the Sahara.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.