Marrakech and Atlas mountains holiday in Morocco
Create your own adventure with a bespoke Atlas Mountains and Marrakech holiday in Morocco, staying in a stylish trekking retreat. With abundant trails in the area, a hammam to soak tired legs and the chance to walk with local Berber guides, it’s the ideal way to explore the High Atlas peaks.
Stay in one of the Atlas Mountains’ premier trekking hotels Perfect base to explore many scenic mountain trails Optional walks with local Berber guides Soothe tired muscles in the community hammam Enjoy superb Moroccan cuisine Spend a few days in Marrakech, staying in a stylish riad
Price
€699To€795 excluding flights
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More info
Trip reference: BYOBB.
From €699 per person (land only).
Extra nights:
from €144 per person (Kasbah) and
from €79 per person (Marrakech).
Prices based on 2 people sharing.
Includes:
Private transfers, half board at the Kasbah
B&B in Marrakech.
Description of Marrakech and Atlas mountains holiday in Morocco
This fantastic Atlas Mountains and Marrakech holiday in Morocco allows you to hike trails from a secluded mountain retreat, then spend time exploring one of North Africa’s most thrilling cities, with a private transfer between and the option to stay as long as you like in either location.
It’s a case of choosing your own adventures as you decide how many nights to spend in the mountains or the city. However, most people naturally lean towards more time in the mountains, amid stunning scenery and with the traditional hospitality of the local Berber community to enjoy.
Your accommodation will be on a half board basis in the High Atlas – hearty mountain fare perfect if you’ve built up an appetite while trekking, with picnic lunches provided. In Marrakech, you’ll stay on a bed-and-breakfast basis, the better to discover the city’s superb culinary scene.
This trip focuses on a handsomely restored kasbah in the mountains – once the summer retreat of a local chief, it fell into ruins and has now been brought back to life as a luxurious hotel. Luxury here means comfortable rustic simplicity, and the warmth of the surrounding community. A small accommodation levy that all guests must pay has been used to build a village hammam (where guests are welcome to spend time and get to know local people) and a school for 80 children, as well as the region’s first ambulance.
Trails in the area are well-marked and vary in challenge so as long as you have a decent level of fitness you’ll have little difficulty. The famous Toubkal Trek, which leads to the summit of North Africa’s highest peak, Mount Toubkal, begins right on the doorstep.
For those who would like to combine their trekking with a deeper exploration of the culture and traditions of the High Atlas Mountains, you can also add on walks accompanied by a local Berber guide. Whether you want to know the significance of a particular flower or what life is like at these higher elevations, there’s no-one better to ask.
Map
Price information
€699To€795 excluding flights
Convert currency:
Trip reference: BYOBB.
From €699 per person (land only).
Extra nights:
from €144 per person (Kasbah) and
from €79 per person (Marrakech).
Prices based on 2 people sharing.
Includes:
Private transfers, half board at the Kasbah
B&B in Marrakech.
Departure information
This trip can be tailor made at a time to suit you and can be adapted to suit your interests, budget and requirements as necessary
Travel guides
High, Middle and Anti-Atlas - Morocco's mountain range divides the country.
Our Morocco travel guide whisks you into a rainbow of raucous colours and enlightening Islamic culture.
Holiday information
Top tip:
You can hire an expert local guide, drawn from the Berber community, and learn firsthand about life in the mountains.
Trip type:
This is a tailor made tour so you can go for as many days as you like, and trekking routes can be adapted to your abilities.
Activity level:
You'll want a decent degree of fitness for mountain trekking but there are trails of varying difficulty.
Accomm:
Stay in one of the Atlas Mountains' most prestigious trekking retreats. A restored kasbah, traditional and immensely comfortable.
Meals:
Half board basis in the kasbah, delicious and traditional Morocco mountain cuisine.
B&B in Marrakech
Included:
Accommodation and board basis as above, airport transfers, private transfer to Marrakech.
Indigenous communities:
This trip benefits the Berber community through the creation of new employment opportunities and community projects. Local Berber guides are hired for their indigenous knowledge; Revenues raised from these services provide a sustainable source of income for the Berber Peoples. 5% of revenue from this trip goes to the Education for All Morocco Limited and The Association Bassins d’Imlil. This provides accommodation and care to girls from remote mountain communities in the High Atlas mountains, enabling them to further their education through the Moroccan state system and provides key services such as ambulances.
Reviews
11 Reviews of Marrakech and Atlas mountains holiday in Morocco
4.5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed on 08 May 2024 by Jo Sanderson
My wonderful guide, Latifa. She could not have done more, she kept me safe on the most hairy mule paths and paid meticulous attention to detail to ensure all my expectations were met. There will never be words to thank her. The views were out of this world. Read full reviewReviewed on 02 Apr 2024 by Kate Risley
Book it. You won’t regret it!... 10/10. We’ll be back! Read full reviewReviewed on 01 May 2023 by Poppy Squire
It was one of the best holidays we have ever had! Read full reviewReviewed on 19 Oct 2022 by Margaret Andrwes
All of it! We had a most memorable holiday and found it to be a wonderful experience. Enjoyed everything, it was a very busy schedule packed with interesting adventure. Read full reviewReviewed on 23 Mar 2018 by Amanda and Niall Briggs
This was our first visit to Morocco so all of it was memorable - new experiences, sights, sounds and tastes. We were made to feel so welcome by the staff at the Kasbah du Toubkal and at the Riad des Yeux Bleus... Read full reviewReviewed on 04 Nov 2018 by Philippa Charteris
We absolutely loved our stay in The Kasbah at Imlil. The staff, accommodation, setting, food and atmosphere was fabulous. We had 2 days of glorious walking with incredibly informative and entertaining Berber guides who all spoke an impressive number of languages. Read full reviewReviewed on 24 Mar 2017 by James Morison
Waking up and looking out over our balcony at Mount Toubkal was the most memorable. Excellent - a really nice mix of the Atlas mountains and Marrakech. Read full reviewReviewed on 18 May 2016 by Fiona Waldon
Marrakech is a very exciting busy city great fun for a couple of days but it was lovely to enjoy the peace and beauty of the mountains after. Read full reviewReviewed on 30 Mar 2016 by Kirsty Syder
We had a wonderful time, saw many beautiful sights, ate excellent food and experienced a new culture. Read full reviewResponsible Travel
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) holiday so that you can travel knowing we've worked to maximise the benefits of your holiday to local people and places, and minimise any negative impacts.
Planet
1. Village labourers used traditional building techniques and local materials in its construction, with everything having to be carried in by hand or on the backs of mules. Power tools could not be used, as electricity didn't arrive in this remote region until 1997.Perched on an imposing outcrop 1820 metres above sea level, the kasbah crowns Imlil Valley with its population of around 5000 mostly subsistence farmers, whose own fields and walnut, cherry and apple orchards flourish below.
2. Trying to reduce plastic waste. Please help us to make this a reality.
As in many countries, Morocco has a waste disposal problem which here in the inhabited Toubkal National Park can be more noticeable. Rubbish, particularly plastic rubbish, that does not decompose, is one of the main culprits.
Accordingly, we are trying to reduce the use of plastic bottles at the Kasbah, as we believe these are unnecessary. We are in the very privileged situation of having safe spring water as our water supply, so we are instigating a new system at the Kasbah based on 2 of the R’s, Reduce and Rethink in relation to plastic water bottles.
Our ultimate aim is that we and our guests will not be a source of plastic water bottle waste. We believe this is possible, as we have a source of safe drinking water and hence bottled water serves no useful purpose.
A NOTE ABOUT ANIMAL WELFARE: We work closely with “SPANA” a British charity working for the Protection of Animals abroad.
We only use mules whether ours or hired in that are in good health have Spana bits, are loaded with 60 to 80 kg of baggage and muleteers are discouraged/banned from riding when the mules are loaded. We worked with Spana to produce this website www.imlilvalley.com and associated pdf brochure for use by everyone involved in tourism to encourage good practice in several area’s of sustainable tourism including mule welfare.
People
1.Education for All Morocco Limited EfAM is a charity established in 2006 by Discover Ltd. and other friends in Marrakesh. EfAM was set up to build boarding houses near to secondary schools in Morocco, providing accommodation and care to girls from remote mountain communities in the High Atlas mountains, enabling them to further their education through the Moroccan state system. Primary education in Morocco is compulsory and readily available to both boys and girls between 7 and 14 years old. However, it is unusual for girls in the High Atlas mountains to continue their education beyond primary level. This is because the nearest secondary school may be over 20km away, and impractical to travel to each day. Many families do not have the financial resources to support their daughters through secondary education. Those that do may lack a family network near to a secondary school to whom they can entrust their daughter. Girls from these communities deserve the opportunity to continue their education.“We believe that if you educate a girl, you begin to educate the next generation.”
Education for All and Discover Ltd. organise community work and service projects through which you and your students can make an essential contribution to our ongoing work in Morocco. We have already built 3 boarding houses, which between them accommodate over 100 girls. Through fund raising and practical community work or service projects.
2. all our invoices will incur a 5% charge this is in favour of the local Village Association “Association des Bassins d’Imlil” and Education For All. The Association Bassins d’Imlil covers the whole of the surrounding valleys. This association provides the ambulance that you see in Imlil which provides a service to the local population and visitors, other community projects that have been undertaken include the rubbish clearance system and the provision of the village Hammam. Education For All helps provide college education for girls from the rural High Atlas.
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