Home to dramatic scenery, traditional Berber villages and often surprisingly verdant valleys, the Atlas Mountains are a beautiful and extensive mountain range just an hour from Marrakech. The High Atlas offers fantastic trekking for all abilities, including up North Africa’s highest peak, Mount Toubkal, an area peppered with rustic villages.
The High Atlas is North Africa’s tallest mountain range. It’s just one of several sections that make up the wider Atlas Mountain region, but the Berber name, which translates to Mountains of Mountains, says everything you need to know.
At the same time, lower-lying areas of the country are bathed in sunshine. So you can watch as the sunlight filters through a courtyard in Marrakech in the morning, then peer down from a wind-whipped, snowy precipice the very same day. Why not consider a multi-centre stay, travelling between Marrakech and Essaouira, whilst including a visit to the Atlas Mountains? Whatever you’re looking for, call our Destination Specialists who can help you to create the perfect tailor made Atlas Mountains holiday package.
The best time to visit the Atlas Mountains is between October and April, although the higher you ascend the cooler it can get in the winter months. Walking is best undertaken in the autumn and spring months although low level walks are pleasant through the winter months too.
"Organise a visit with some lunch at the Kasbah du Toubkal. This can be a day trip from Marrakech, or from the Kasbah Tamadot Hotel."
"Spend 2 or 3 nights at the Kasbah Tamadot and completely relax in the beautiful dramatic surroundings of the Atlas Mountains. A contrast to Marrakech's thriving medina."
Moroccan cuisine is typically a mix of Berber, Arabic, Andalusian, and Mediterranean cuisines with slight European and sub-Saharan influences. Lamb is a popular meat, and dishes abound with subtle spices and intriguing ingredients such as dates and apricots. Here are a few of our favourite local dishes to try:
Tajine is a slow-cooked stew made with a blend of ingredients such as chicken, lamb, beef, fish or vegetables, stewed with spices and dried fruit and served with couscous and breads.
M’hanncha is sometimes known as the ‘Moroccan snake’ or ‘snake cake.’ It’s a dessert made up of a whirl of coiled filo pastry — hence the name. The pastry is rolled out to form a long tube and filled with almond paste, flavoured with orange flower water and pistachio; cinnamon is then sprinkled onto the cooked filo.
Couscous is originally from Morocco and typically served with meat or vegetable stew. Traditionally it’s prepared on the Muslim holy day (Friday) and for special occasions, but you can find it at most restaurants and cafes.
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