Two of Morocco’s loveliest valleys, joined by a single trail. Over three unhurried days you cross the High Atlas from Imlil to the Ourika Valley — through cherry and walnut orchards, over the Tizi N’Tacheddirt pass at 3,000m, and down through Berber hamlets to the waterfalls of Setti Fadma.
No summit bid, no altitude worries, nothing technical. Just a genuine mountain crossing at your own pace, with nights in village guesthouses and every meal cooked for you along the way.
High Atlas · Guided Trek · 3 Days
Two of Morocco’s loveliest mountain valleys joined by a single trail. No summit bid, no altitude drama, just a genuine crossing of the High Atlas that can be walked in any season.
Picture two of Morocco’s loveliest mountain valleys joined by a single trail, and you have this itinerary. Over three unhurried days, the Imlil to Ourika Valley trek threads its way between Imlil and the Ourika Valley without ever climbing above roughly 3,000 metres. There is no summit bid and no altitude drama here, just a genuine crossing of the High Atlas that can be walked in any season.
On Day One, the path leaves Imlil (1,740m) and winds through fragrant orchards and the Imnane Valley before reaching the first overnight stop at Tacheddirt, around 2,300 metres up. Day Two brings the trip’s one real effort: the climb over the Tizi N’Tacheddirt pass at roughly 3,000 metres, rewarded with sweeping views across the range, followed by a descent to Timichi. The final day follows the Ourika Valley itself, passing through a string of Berber hamlets on the way to Setti Fadma, where a waiting car returns you to Marrakech.
Rated Easy-Moderate, this 3 day Atlas Mountains trek suits families and first-time trekkers alike. Pricing from €205 per person includes a licensed mountain guide, mule support for luggage, two nights in village guesthouses, and every meal along the way.
Trip Snapshot
A quick overview of the key details that matter most.
Duration
Two nights on the trail
Highest Point
Tizi N’Tacheddirt pass
Price From
Per person, all-inclusive
Best Season
Never climbs too high
The Route
From the orchards of Imlil at 1,740 metres, up over the Tizi N’Tacheddirt pass, and down through the Ourika Valley to Setti Fadma. One climb, one long descent, and three comfortable days in between.
Imlil 1,740m → Tacheddirt ≈ 2,300m → Tizi N’Tacheddirt ≈ 3,000m → Timichi → Setti Fadma, in the Ourika Valley. Total ascent is spread comfortably across two days, and the third is downhill throughout.
In Pictures
The route in order, from the orchards of Imlil and the Tizi N'Tamaterte pass to the Berber hamlets of the Ourika Valley and the waterfalls of Setti Fadma. Swipe through the trail, and select any photo to open it full size.
Who It Suits
Of all the multi-day routes on offer, this is the one best suited to beginners.
The opening day is a leisurely walk of around five hours through orchard country, with nothing steep and nothing technical. The only real test comes on Day Two at the Tizi N’Tacheddirt pass, and even that stays within reach of anyone with an ordinary level of fitness. From there, the third day is essentially a gentle downhill stroll through the valley.
There is no altitude sickness to worry about, no exposed scrambling, and no pressure to reach a summit.
A Good Fit For
Children aged ten and up
First-time hikers
Families trekking together
Anyone wanting the Atlas without a technical climb
The Idea
Not every High Atlas Mountains trek has to end at Toubkal’s 4,167-metre summit. This one takes a different path, linking two of Morocco’s most striking valleys, Imlil and Ourika, through cherry orchards, walnut groves, high mountain passes, and a chain of Berber villages where daily life still unfolds at its own pace.
Nights are spent in village guesthouses over home-cooked meals, and the trek concludes in the well-known Ourika Valley at Setti Fadma. It is the High Atlas experience minus the altitude concerns, and because it never climbs too high, it can be walked at any time of year.
Day by Day
This is a private trek, so the daily plan can be adapted to your pace. Every stop below can be adjusted on request.
Marrakech → Imlil (1,740m) → Tizi N’Tamaterte → Tacheddirt (≈ 2,300m)
Approx. 5 hours walking · +560m ascent · overnight in a guesthouse
Transfer. The day begins with a morning pickup at your Marrakech hotel, followed by a roughly one-hour scenic drive into the foothills to Imlil (1,740m), gateway to Toubkal National Park. There you will meet your licensed mountain guide and the mule team that carries the luggage.
On the trail. The walk heads east through orchards of cherry, walnut, and apple trees, arguably the prettiest stretch of the Imlil Valley. A gentle climb leads to the Tizi N’Tamaterte pass, with views back across the Imnane Valley and the Berber villages scattered over its slopes. From there, roughly another hour of walking through Wanskra and along the riverbank brings you into Tacheddirt.
Overnight. A guesthouse in Tacheddirt (≈ 2,300m), a traditional Berber village tucked into a high valley beneath snow-capped peaks. Expect simple, comfortable rooms, warm blankets, a home-cooked dinner, and near-total silence after dark.
Tacheddirt → Tizi N’Tacheddirt (≈ 3,000m) → Laabbassen → Timichi
Approx. 6 hours walking · +700m / −1,000m · overnight in a guesthouse
The climb. After breakfast, the trail climbs steadily southeast to the trek’s high point, the Tizi N’Tacheddirt pass at roughly 3,000 metres. The reward is a sweeping panorama of the High Atlas range, snow-capped summits on every side, and the valleys you are about to descend into laid out below.
The descent. A two-hour descent over rocky terrain leads down to Laabbassen, a quiet Berber hamlet where mountain air and silence are the main features. Lunch is taken here before the trail continues northeast, dropping further down the valley to Timichi.
Overnight. Dinner and a night’s rest at a family guesthouse in Timichi village. From here, the route enters the Ourika Valley.
Timichi → Tiourdiou → Anfli → Tadrart → Setti Fadma → Marrakech
4–5 hours walking · downhill · drive back to Marrakech
Into the valley. The last day opens with an easy, eastward, downhill walk through a succession of Berber villages in the Ourika Valley. The route passes through Tiourdiou, Anfli, and Tadrart, each a small cluster of stone-and-clay houses along the riverbank, where children wave from doorways and women can be seen washing clothes in the river, a scene that has changed little over the centuries.
Journey’s end. Past Agadir N’Ait Boulmane, the trail reaches Setti Fadma, the well-known village at the head of the Ourika Valley, celebrated for its waterfalls and riverside cafés. After lunch here, there is time to explore before your driver takes you back to Marrakech, arriving in the early evening. Trek complete.
What to Expect
Everything listed below is already part of the price from €205 per person.
A licensed mountain guide for the full three days
Mule support, so your luggage is carried the whole way
Two nights in village guesthouses, at Tacheddirt and Timichi
Every meal along the way, home-cooked in the villages
Hotel pickup in Marrakech and the transfer to Imlil
The return drive from Setti Fadma to Marrakech
Book Your Trek
A private guided trek at your own pace, with a licensed local guide, mule support, guesthouse nights, and all meals included.
per person, all-inclusive
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