The High Atlas Mountains
The mountains are close to Marrakech, but the road changes quickly: valleys, villages, terraces, and passes where you understand why a local driver matters.
What stands out
Why this place stays with people
- Ourika Valley
- Tizi n'Tichka pass
- Berber villages
- Walnut groves and weekly markets
Best time to go
Good most of the year. Winter can bring snow higher up, which is beautiful but changes the road plan.
From the driver's seat
A mountain day can be simple and relaxed, or it can become part of a longer road toward the desert.
Visitor guide
Your guide to Mountains
How long to stay
A day trip from Marrakech for Ourika or Imlil. Two or three days for Ait Bougmez or proper walking.
Getting there
The High Atlas starts about an hour south of Marrakech.
Worth seeing
- The Tizi n'Tichka pass across the High Atlas
- Imlil and the views of Jbel Toubkal, North Africa's highest peak
- The Ourika Valley and its waterfalls
- The green fields of the Ait Bougmez valley
- The Ouzoud waterfalls
Good to know
- Mountain weather changes quickly. Dress in layers, even on a warm day in Marrakech.
- Snow can briefly close the high roads in winter. I watch the forecast and plan around it.
- Wear shoes with grip. Village paths are steep, stony and often wet.
- Ask before photographing people, especially women and children in the villages.
Routes through here
Ways to make it part of the trip
2 Days · 1 Nights2-Day Zagora Desert Tour from Marrakech
Two Days to Zagora$230–$310 per person · accommodation included
3 Days · 2 Nights3-Day Merzouga Desert Tour from Marrakech
Three Days to the Dunes$390–$530 per person · accommodation included
3 Days · 2 Nights3-Day Marrakech to Fes Desert Tour via Merzouga
The High Atlas Crossing$420–$580 per person · accommodation includedMountains, your way
Tell me when you're coming
Send your dates and who's travelling, and I'll suggest the best way to fit it into your trip.