Imlil to Ourika Traverse: 3-Day Atlas Trek
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- Duration
- 3 Days / 2 Nights
- Tour type
- Private
- Tour category
- Mountain Tours
- Availability
- All year. Because the route holds below 3,000m it stays clear of high-altitude snow. Winter is colder and there may be snow on the pass, but the route stays walkable. Spring and autumn are the ideal months.
- Languages
- English, French, Spanish
- Difficulty
- Easy
A crossing rather than a there and back. Walk out of Imlil, over the Tizi N'Tacheddirt at around 3,000 m, and down the length of the Ourika Valley to Setti Fadma.
About this tour
A crossing rather than a there and back. Walk out of Imlil, over the Tizi N'Tacheddirt at around 3,000 m, and down the length of the Ourika Valley to Setti Fadma.
Tour highlights
- A high point at the Tizi N'Tacheddirt pass, around 3,000m, with the whole route deliberately held below 3,000m and no summit attempted
- Crossing the range on foot, Imlil to the Ourika Valley, with Setti Fadma as the finish
- Setti Fadma at the end of the Ourika Valley, with its waterfalls and the cafes along the river
- Cherry, walnut and apple orchards underfoot in the Imlil Valley
- Two nights in Berber village guesthouses, Tacheddirt at roughly 2,300m and Timichi
- The Berber villages of the Imnane and Ourika valleys: Wanskra, Laabbassen, Tiourdiou, Anfli, Tadrart and Agadir N'Ait Boulmane
- Mules carrying the luggage the whole way
- A licensed bilingual mountain guide, which the route requires
- Departures all year, and a route that suits beginner hikers and families with children of 10 and up
- Every meal included, 7 in all, plus water
Route at a glance
3 Days / 2 Nights · Marrakech (morning hotel pickup); trekking starts at Imlil, 1,740m → Ourika Valley
- Marrakech (morning hotel pickup); trekking starts at Imlil, 1,740m Starting point
- Toubkal National Park
- Ourika Valley
About this tour
A traverse rather than a loop: over three days you walk clean across the High Atlas from Imlil into the Ourika Valley, with no summit on the plan and nothing on the route above 3,000m. A morning pickup in Marrakech and an hour on the road bring you to Imlil (1,740m), inside Toubkal National Park, and Day 1 heads east, through orchards of cherry, walnut and apple, over the Tizi N’Tamaterte pass and on to Tacheddirt at roughly 2,300m.
Day 2 takes you to the highest ground of the trek, the Tizi N’Tacheddirt pass at about 3,000m, then down past Laabbassen to Timichi.
Day 3 is downhill valley walking the whole way, through Tiourdiou, Anfli and Tadrart in the Ourika Valley to Setti Fadma with its waterfalls, and then the road back to Marrakech. Graded Easy-Moderate and non-technical, it runs all year and works for beginners, and for families whose children are fit and aged 10 or over; the price takes in the transfers, mule support for luggage, a licensed bilingual mountain guide, both village guesthouse nights and full board running to 7 meals plus water.
Day by day itinerary
Print this itinerary- Day 1 of 4
Marrakech to Imlil (1,740m) to Tizi N'Tamaterte to Tacheddirt (approx. 2,300m) - Orchards and the Imnane Valley
5 hours trekking. Elevation gain +560m. You are collected from your Marrakech hotel in the morning and driven an hour through the foothills to Imlil (1,740m), inside Toubkal National Park, where your licensed mountain guide and the muleteers meet you. The trail turns east through the cherry, walnut and apple orchards of the Imlil Valley and rises steadily to the Tizi N'Tamaterte pass, where you can look back over the Imnane Valley and the Berber villages sitting in it. Another hour of walking carries you through Wanskra and along the river into Tacheddirt. The night is spent in the Tacheddirt village guesthouse at roughly 2,300m, a traditional Berber village high in its valley with snow-capped peaks in sight: plain rooms, thick blankets, dinner cooked in the house.
- Day 2 of 4
Tacheddirt to Tizi N'Tacheddirt (approx. 3,000m) to Laabbassen to Timichi - Over the pass, with the range laid out
6 hours trekking. Elevation change +700m / -1,000m. Breakfast first, then a steep climb southeast to the highest ground of the trek, Tizi N'Tacheddirt at around 3,000m, where the High Atlas opens up and snow-capped summits stand on every side. A 2-hour drop down a rocky pass brings you to Laabbassen, a Berber village, and that is where the picnic lunch is eaten. From there the path runs northeast down the valley to the village of Timichi. Dinner and the night are spent in the Timichi village guesthouse, which is a Berber family's own home.
- Day 3 of 4
Timichi to Tiourdiou to Anfli to Tadrart to Setti Fadma to Marrakech - Down the Ourika, village by village
- Day 4 of 4
5 hours trekking, downhill the whole way as the Ourika Valley opens out. After breakfast the walk carries east and downhill, gently, through a run of Berber villages in the Ourika Valley: Tiourdiou, then Anfli, then Tadrart, each one a small huddle of stone and clay houses set along the river. The route passes Agadir N'Ait Boulmane and reaches Setti Fadma, which closes the Ourika Valley and is known for its waterfalls and the cafes beside the river. Lunch is taken there, with time left to look around. Your driver then returns the group to Marrakech, reaching the city in the early evening. There is no overnight; Day 3 closes the trek.
What's included
Included
- Air-conditioned transfers, Marrakech to Imlil at the start and Setti Fadma to Marrakech at the end
- A licensed bilingual mountain guide
- Mules to carry your luggage
- Night 1: a village guesthouse in Tacheddirt
- Night 2: a village guesthouse in Timichi
- Every meal on a full-board basis (7 meals plus water)
Not included
- Your own hiking kit
- Snacks and personal spending
- Tips for the guide and muleteers (at your discretion)
- Travel insurance (we recommend it)
What to bring
- Hiking boots
- Sunscreen
- Sleeping bag
- Hat
- Phone & charger
Frequently asked questions
What does this trek involve?
Three days crossing the High Atlas from one valley to the next, Imlil through to Ourika, with Berber villages, mountain passes and cherry orchards on the way. No summit is attempted and the route holds below 3,000m.
What is the difficulty?
Easy-Moderate. Day 1 is a gentle 5 hours, Day 2 runs to 6 hours and includes a pass at around 3,000m, and Day 3 is an easy 4 to 5 hour valley walk. It suits families with children of 10 and over, and beginners.
Does it run all year?
Yes. Holding below 3,000m keeps the route clear of high-altitude snow. Winter is colder and snow can lie on the pass, but the route stays walkable; spring and autumn are the ideal months.
How does it differ from a Toubkal trek?
It is another thing altogether. There is no summit attempt, the route stays below 3,000m and the focus is on the landscape and Berber life. Toubkal treks such as the 4-Day Mount Toubkal Summit Trek from Marrakech aim for 4,167m instead. This route is for travellers who want Atlas scenery and none of the altitude stress.
What does the price cover?
The transfers, a licensed guide, the mule, 2 nights in guesthouses at Tacheddirt and Timichi, and every meal on full board. From EUR 195.
What will it cost?
From EUR 195 per person for a party of 14 to 17. Two travellers pay EUR 300 each, one traveller alone EUR 470. Everything is included apart from personal gear.
Which villages does the route pass through?
Tacheddirt, where the first night is spent, then Laabbassen, then Timichi for the second night, and after that the Ourika Valley villages of Tiourdiou, Anfli and Tadrart, ending at Setti Fadma.
Does it work for families?
Yes, it is among the most family-friendly treks in the range: 4 to 6 hours a day, nothing technical, guesthouses in the villages and no ground above 3,000m. Fit children of 10 and over can do it.
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