Atlas Mountains and Imlil: Private Day Trip from Marrakech

Duration: Full day, approximately 8 hours
Tour type: Private Tours
Tour category: Mountain Tours
Availability: Runs daily, all year. The Asni Berber market is held on Saturdays only, so it is Saturday departures that include it.
Languages: English, French

Overview

An hour and a half from Marrakech the air changes. Walk out of Imlil through walnut terraces to a waterfall, then eat a three-course Berber lunch with the valley below you.

Tour highlights

A one-to-two hour guided hike out of Imlil through Toubkal National Park
Waterfalls reached by way of mountain streams and walnut terraces
A traditional Berber lunch of three courses, eaten on an Imlil terrace that faces Mount Toubkal
An hour on a camel across the Agafay Desert, on every departure
The Kik Plateau viewpoint, 360-degree panoramas and snow-capped peaks when the air is clear
Mint tea and bread baked at home, with a Berber family up in their mountain house
A photo stop at Lalla Takerkoust Lake, the High Atlas standing behind
The weekly Asni Berber souk on Saturday departures, with spices, textiles, livestock and produce
A private Toyota Land Cruiser with air conditioning, and a bilingual driver-guide

About this tour

A full day in the High Atlas, out of Marrakech in your own Toyota Land Cruiser, air conditioned, with a bilingual driver-guide. It opens with an hour on a camel across the Agafay stone desert, then runs to Lalla Takerkoust Lake and climbs the Kik Plateau, where the mountain view opens out 360 degrees. A Berber family takes you into their mountain home for mint tea, bread and olive oil before you reach Imlil at 1,740 m. There a local mountain guide walks you for one to two hours inside Toubkal National Park, past waterfalls and walnut terraces. Lunch is three Berber courses eaten on a terrace that faces Mount Toubkal. The way back to Marrakech goes by the Moulay Brahim Gorge and through Asni village, with hotel drop-off by 17:00. On Saturdays the departure also takes in the weekly Berber market at Asni.

Itinerary

Print this itinerary

Marrakech - Agafay Desert - Lalla Takerkoust Lake - Kik Plateau - Berber village (Asni) - Imlil - Toubkal National Park - Marrakech

Your driver is at your Marrakech hotel at 09:00, with a private Toyota Land Cruiser and the air conditioning already running. The road runs southwest through farmland that thins out and turns barren as you come into the Agafay stone desert, with photo stops at the best of the viewpoints, rocky lunar ground in front of you and the Atlas peaks along the horizon. At the Agafay base a camel is waiting, and you ride it for an hour through rocky hills, dry riverbeds and a lot of quiet. From there it is a short run to Lalla Takerkoust, an artificial lake held in the Agafay hills with the mountains behind, worth stopping at for the view.

The road then climbs to the Kik Plateau, a high viewpoint that opens out 360 degrees over the Atlas ranges, the terraced valleys and the Berber villages scattered below. On a clear day the snow-capped peaks run all the way to the horizon. Next a Berber family opens their traditional mountain house to you. Mint tea, brewed fresh, and bread made at home come out on the terrace while your guide translates their stories about mountain life, farming and the seasons. On Saturdays the weekly Berber market at Asni village is added to the day, and locals come to trade spices, handcrafts, livestock and produce.

Imlil comes in the afternoon. At 1,740 m it is the Atlas Mountains' base village and the way into Toubkal National Park, all stone houses and terraced gardens with the Toubkal massif filling the skyline. Your local mountain guide is waiting here. The walk that follows lasts one to two hours through the Toubkal Valley, past terraced walnut groves, mountain streams, small hamlets and waterfalls under the peaks. The path is well-worn, the pace is set to suit you, and the difficulty is easy to moderate with nothing to climb or scramble. Afterwards it is a Berber home in Imlil for lunch, three courses: Moroccan salad, then tagine or couscous, then fresh fruit and mint tea. It is eaten on a terrace over the valley, Mount Toubkal behind all of it.

The drive home takes a different road, by way of the Moulay Brahim Gorge and Asni village, and runs about 1.5 hours. You are back at your hotel by 17:00, after roughly 8 hours out.

What's included

Included

A private Toyota Land Cruiser, air conditioned
A bilingual driver and guide, English
French
The camel ride in the Agafay Desert, 1 hour
Tea, bread
olive oil tasting in a Berber village
The guided walk in Toubkal National Park
A 3-course traditional lunch in a Berber home at Imlil
Hotel pickup
drop-off

Not included

Drinks other than the tea and water provided
Anything you choose to tip your guide
Personal expenses

What to bring

Layers, with a fleece or a light jacket among them, since Imlil sits well above Marrakech and stays cooler even in summer
Proper walking shoes with grip, for the trails and the uneven village paths
Long trousers, which make the hour on the camel a good deal more comfortable
A hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
One more warm layer in winter, for the higher ground
Cash. Cards are no use at the Saturday souk, nor for small purchases on the route

Good to know

Price table (price per person): 1 person EUR 160; 2 people EUR 95; 3 people EUR 75; 4 people EUR 60; 5 people EUR 55; 6 people EUR 50 (marked Best Value)
The hike is rated easy to moderate: one to two hours along well-worn paths, with nothing to climb and nothing to scramble, and the guide setting the pace to suit you
Lunch happens in family-run Berber homes. A vegetarian tagine or couscous can be arranged if you mention it when booking
Carry cash for the villages. Neither the Saturday souk nor small purchases take cards
Mountain routes call for insured vehicles, and the guides and drivers are fully licensed
Imlil sits about 65 km (40 miles) out of Marrakech, roughly 1.5 hours by road
Temperature guidance: Imlil, at 1,740 m, runs about 8 to 10C colder than Marrakech. Winter (Dec-Feb) brings valley highs of about 8-14C, nights below freezing and snow up on the peaks; spring and autumn sit at 15-22C; and in summer Imlil holds about 24-30C while Marrakech goes past 35C
Best time to go: spring, March to May, and autumn, September to November

Frequently asked questions

How far is it from Marrakech to the Atlas Mountains?

The High Atlas takes up the whole southern horizon from Marrakech. Imlil is about 65 km (40 miles) out, roughly a 1.5-hour drive. Since the route runs by way of the Agafay Desert and Lalla Takerkoust Lake and up onto the Kik Plateau, that time counts as part of the day rather than dead transfer.

Are the Atlas Mountains visible from the city itself?

Yes. On a clear day you can see the range from almost anywhere in Marrakech, and it looks sharpest through the cooler months, when the peaks carry snow. The Menara Gardens and the Medina rooftop cafes are the classic vantage points. Summer haze usually swallows it by midday, so look early. Getting to the mountains takes about 90 minutes.

How hard is the hike?

Easy to moderate. One to two hours along well-worn paths, with nothing to climb or scramble. Your guide adjusts the pace to you. Walking shoes are recommended.

What should I wear for a day in the Atlas Mountains?

Layers and sturdy shoes. The mountains run noticeably cooler than the city, above all at altitude and first thing in the morning. Bring a fleece or a light jacket, walking shoes with grip, and a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. In winter add one more warm layer for the higher ground, where snow is possible.

Does this trip work with children?

It does. This is among the gentlest routes on offer. Any child who can walk for about an hour will manage it, and the camel ride and the Berber village tend to be the parts they remember.

How is this different from the Ourika Valley trip?

This one heads for Imlil and the foot of Mount Toubkal, taking in the Agafay desert, then the Kik Plateau, on the way, a full day in the mountains with a guided hike and lunch. MTT's Ourika Valley day trip works a separate valley altogether, built around the Setti Fatma waterfalls and the Berber villages along the river, on gentler ground and at a slower pace.

Can I see a Berber market on this day trip?

Yes, though the traditional market only happens on a Saturday, so pick a weekend departure if it matters to you. Local families come there to trade produce, spices, textiles and livestock. On any other day the market is not held, though the traditional mint tea ceremony still goes ahead.

When is the best time of year to go?

The trip runs all year, though spring, March to May, and autumn, September to November, are the sweet spot, with mild temperatures, valleys in bloom and clear mountain views. Summer is hot in Marrakech and fresher up high. Winter turns colder, with occasional snow up on the high peaks, so pack extra layers.

How cold does it get in the Atlas Mountains?

Reliably cooler than Marrakech, by roughly 8-10C at Imlil (1,740 m). Winter (December-February) brings valley highs of about 8-14C, nights below freezing, and snow up on the peaks. Spring and autumn days sit at 15-22C. In summer Imlil holds around 24-30C while Marrakech passes 35C. Take a warm layer for the early start and for lunch out on the terrace.

Guest reviews

No reviews yet

Be the first to tell others how it went.