Adventure travel blog: Tourdust locally-sourced cultural & adventure travel

The Atlas Mountains

ben on 3rd May 2012 | 6 comments

With snow-capped peaks, lush valleys & traditional mud-built Berber villages, the Atlas Mountains offer superb trekking and a wonderful respite from the madness, heat and noise of Marrakech. Read on for our guide to accommodation in the Atlas Mountains, trekking options and weather.
Trekking & Tailor-made Atlas Mountains
Email your enquiry to us at help@tourdust.com or call us on 0203 291 2907.

We are open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm.

The High Atlas Mountains are the most easily reached section of the Atlas Mountains and arguably the most spectacular, the High Atlas Mountains, are only a 2 hr drive from Marrakech centred around the trail head town of Imlil and peak of Toubkal. This guide is primarily concerned with this area.

The area can be reached in a (long) day trip from Marrakech. However given the 2 hr drive each way, we would rather recommend staying overnight. Multi-day treks are a wonderful way to experience the landscape and traditional Berber culture, or you can simply relax on the rooftop terrace of a charming mountain guesthouse and take in the views over a good book and a few gentle short walks.

Accommodation in the High Atlas Mountains

Since the arrival of the (deservedly) legendary Kasbah Du Toubkal, the Atlas Mountains have built a reputation for indulgent and stylish hotels. Kasbah Bab Ourika stands out for pure indulgence and majestic situation. Douar Samra wins the charm award hands down with a wonderfully earthy rambling village property with a just-so shabby chic. And whilst the Kasbah Du Toubkal is woefully over-priced considering the size of rooms, the superb terraces, lounges and views pull together to create an superb stay.

Hotels are clustered around three broad areas, the Ourika Valley, Ouirgane and Imlil. The Ourika Valley is closest to Marrakech located in the foothills of the Atlas range. It is an incredibly picturesque valley, but is much more densely populated and heavily frequented by tourist coaches. Generally speaking we don't recommend this area with the exception of Kasbah Bab Ourika, a very high class boutique hotel that occupies a prominent hill in the heart of the valley. The Ouirgane area has a number of good options including Chez Momo and the more remote Dar Tassa. If you are trying to avoid the heat of summer and or you are keen on walking then the Imlil Valley is our favoured choice, the scenery is most dramatic, temperatures are a little cooler and the village is at the heart of a wonderful network of walking trails.

#1. See our guide to hotels and guesthouses in the Atlas Mountains: Atlas Mountains accommodation

Trekking in the High Atlas Mountains

Basing yourself in a hotel (or even on a day trip from Marrakech) there are several good day walks possible in the Imlil area and the near-bye Ouirgane National Park. The area around Imlil offers walks to neighbouring high passes or up to the shrine on the main trail to Toubkal, whilst Ouirgane and Ourika offer less dramatic more low key scenery and gentler walking.
Trekking & Tailor-made Atlas Mountains
Email your enquiry to us at help@tourdust.com or call us on 0203 291 2907.

We are open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm.

A nicely balanced itinerary might include 2 to 3 nights in Douar Samra (or Kasbah Du Toubkal if you can afford it) with one or two day walks and plenty of time to soak up the views from the roof terraces and gardens. It is quite feasible to walk on your own, but trails aren’t marked and guides are very good, relatively in-expensive and highly recommended.

A multi-day trek really is the best way to experience the mountains. Most hotels reside in relatively modernised villages, but on a multi-day trek you can explore more traditional mud-built Berber villages, some beautiful valleys and high mountain scenery. All our multi-day treks include a guide, cook (who will prepare a cooked picnic lunch on the trail, dinners and breakfast all from delicious fresh ingredients) and mules to carry your gear.

Two to three day valleys treks are not dis-similar to the concept of a Nepalese tea-house trek. These treks are designed with a lighter itinerary (typically 4-5 hrs max walking per day), stay overnight in traditional village gites and where possible your guide will take you for tea in a village home. These treks avoid the more difficult high passes staying below 3000m, making them perfect for winter and for those whose primary objective is enjoyment rather than testing peaks and passes.

Toubkal can be climbed on treks from 2 days up to 6. We don’t recommend the 2 day route as it heads up and back down via the same, over-trafficked route. In three days, you can summit Toubkal and enjoy the wonderful scenery of the Azzaden Valley. In four or five days, there is also time to explore the more remote valleys and villages. The 6 day Toubkal Circuit is the ultimate Atlas Mountain trek, taking a broad circle around Toubkal, reaching the remote and striking high alpine areas around Lak D’Ifni.

It is worth noting that you will need a good sleeping bag (it gets cold at night at altitude), waterproofs and good walking shoes or boots if you are planning on going on a multi-day trek.

Accommodation on multi-day treks usually involves some combination of camping, village gites (guesthouses) and mountain huts (where necessary). Gites are traditional village homes that serve as an inn for guests and can be a wonderful cultural experience. Rooms are very simple and there are bare bones shared bathrooms. If you’d rather not experience the shared facilities, then we can offer two to three day treks staying at the Azzaden trekking lodge, a three (en-suite) bedroom village outpost of the Kasbah Du Toubkal in the Azzaden Valley.
- #1. See our collection of treks in the Atlas Mountains: Trekking in the Atlas Mountains
- #2. See our guide to climbing Toubkal: Guide to climbing Toubkal
- #3. See details of accommodation on trek in the Atlas Mountains: Gites, huts and camping in the Atlas Mountains
- #4. See a customer’s detailed review of the Toubkal Circuit: Customer’s account of a Toubkal Circuit trek
Weather in the Atlas Mountains

The Atlas Mountains offer a typically warm, dry and sunny climate that makes them a perfect year-round destination. However trekkers need to be aware of snow and freezing temperatures at high altitudes in winter:

Spring (April - May) & Autumn (Sep - October) are unarguably the optimum time to visit, with perfect temperatures and the added bonus of spring growth and autumn colours.

Summer (July - August): In summer the high Atlas Mountains offer a cool respite from the 40 degrees C plus temperatures in Marrakech. The valleys of the High Atlas around Imlil typically experience temperatures in the range of low 30 degrees C during the height of the day, with the lower altitudes of the Ourika Valley and Ouirgane National Park hotter (often too hot for walking). There is a risk of afternoon thunder storms and heavy rain.

Winter:(November - March): Expect mild day time temperatures (10-20 degrees C), cooler night-time temperatures (down to 5 degrees at Imlil, and well below zero at altitude on Toubkal) with the high passes and peaks thick with snow cover. If you are planning a multi day trek, please note that during these months, crampons and ice axes are required for any treks above 3000m.
- #1. See our guide to trekking in the Atlas Mountains in winter: winter trekking in the Atlas Mountains
- #2. Detailed forecast for Imlil and Toubkal: Mountain Weather Forecast
Trekking & Tailor-made Atlas Mountains

We have a deep knowledge of the Atlas Mountains so get in touch for advice and tailor-made travel arrangements including the Atlas Mountains.

Ben, Tourdust Morocco Expert

Email your enquiry to us at help@tourdust.com or call us on 0203 291 2907.

We are open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm.
The Sahara Desert: Erg Chebbi vs Erg Chegaga

Anna on 8th April 2012 | 1 comment

One of the absolute highlights of a trip to Morocco is seeing the vast Saharan sand dunes and camping under the stars. In Morocco, you have the choice between two broad areas where you can visit proper dunes; the Erg Chebbi dunes near to Merzouga and the Erg Chegaga dunes close to M'hamid. Both sets of dunes offer a fantastic experience and both involve betweeen 8 - 10 hours in the car. Choosing which dunes to visit depends on your other plans in Morocco and where else you intend to visit. Whichever one you choose, there is nothing quite like watching the sunset in the peace of the desert.

Erg Chebbi

The better known of the two sets of dunes, Erg Chebbi is the more established and as a consequence is more developed. It's ease of access is a bonus - the drive to Merzouga is long - apporximately 10 hours, but there are places of interest to visit along the way, such as Ait Ben Haddou, Dades Valley, the Valley of the roses and Todra Gorge. The excursion out to Erg Chebbi is possible in 3 days / 2 nights, but we strongly advise that you take your time over at least 4 days / 3 nights and enjoy the sites along the way. Once you reach Merzouga, it is a 2 hour camel trek out to a camp in the dunes. Camps vary in size and location but be warned that they don't tend to be particularly isolated, so you may well hear the beat of another camp's drums drifting across the dunes. This doesn't necessarialy ruin the experience, but it does take away from the wilderness feel. The real bonus of Erg Chebbi is that it can be nicely fitted into an itinerary involing Marrakech & Fes as it sits about half way between the two.

Erg Chegaga

Erg Chegaga is a much younger destination, as owing to border disputes with Algeria, tourists have only been visitng since the 1990's. That said, it is becoming more popular and there are more camps than there used to be. As far as solitude is concerned, however, it still has the upper hand over Erg Chebbi. The journey from Marrakech is about 9 hours, but the last two have to be by 4X4 as the road is not sealed once you pass the gate way town of M'hamid. The journey down to Erg Chegaga is fascinating, You can add a visit to Ait Ben Haddou along the way and then follow the Draa Valley and the many oases & crumbling Kasbahs dotted along the way. Once you reach the small town of Mhamid, you can continue on to one of the camps on the dunes, or you can trek by camel direct from there. The dunes themselves are not as big as out at Erg Chegaga, but the desert is somehow more vast and wild here. Erg Chegag offers the chance for some true wild camping and saves you a couple of hours in the car. It is perfectly possible to manage a visit to Erg Chegaga in 3 days, but we recommend visting the dunes and then spending time in one of the palm groves and at Ait Ben Haddou as well.
Marrakech

Anna on 8th April 2012 | 3 comments

Marrakech has got to be one of my favourite cities. The atmosphere in the main square never fails to electrify me. Whether it's eating dinner at one of the food stalls, watching the sunset from a roof top terrace over-looking the Koutoubia or wandering amongst the snake charmers, story telllers and acrobats I always find myself heading there in the evenings whenever I visit. Whilst you can use taxis and horse drawn carriages to get around, I prefer to navigate the medina by foot. I love stumbling across parts of the souks I have never seen before and getting ridiculously lost. only to emerge an hour later back where I started! The cultural sites are also not to be sniffed at, with big hitters such as the Palais el Badi and the Bahia Palace and, further out of town at the Majorelle Gardens. Travelling there recently with my children, I have seen the city from a new perspective, discovering a fantastic ice cream stand in the Djemaa el Fna and a lovely roof top cafe in the souks, a perfect place to rest weary shopping feet and listen to the evocative call to prayer interspersed with the sounds of horns beeping and traders shouting. Every time I visit, I try to take one photo that encapsulates Marrakech and what it means to me. So far, I've not quite managed to bring it all to life in one shot, but I hope you enjoy some of my favourites.
Essaouira Accommodation - Casa Lila

Anna on 8th April 2012 | 0 comments

There are several accommodation options in Essaouira, with quite a few upmarket hotels. Our favourite is Casa Lila, a riad in the medina that can only be described as 'coastal chic.' The French owners have lovingly refurbished their riad to a high standard, with relaxing and unpretentious rooms meant to provide a romantic and cosy atmosphere. There are 10 en-suite rooms which are laid-out over three floors with plenty of communal areas, including a cosy lounge, a roof terrace and lounging terraces. For those who are in need of pampering, there is a hammam on site.

Breakfast is included in your stay and is usually enjoyed on the roof terrace, where you can hear the roar of the waves.

Children cannot be accommodated in the standard rooms, but there is a lovely family apartment with two bedrooms, a bathroom and lounge with fireplace.
A family holiday in Morocco - 6 year old's point of view

Anna on 8th April 2012 | 0 comments

We took our three children aged 6, 4 & 3 to Morocco on a trip to Marrakech and then out to the desert. Our six year old kept a journal of our holiday and has kindly agreed for me to publish it here (with a few spelling corrections).

Tuesday

I am 6 years old and I went to Morocco with my Mummy, Daddy and 2 sisters. We went on a plane to get there and we had pancakes at the airport. I watched a film on the plane and did colcour by numbers. Then we went to our hotel, which is called a riad. Then we went to the square and lots of people offered us toy snakes but we didn't want them. It was very noisy - there was lots of drumming. Then I heard the calling for prayer. The man at the top of the mosque sang for people to come to pray, it disn't sound like singing we do at school. I had pizza for dinner.

Wednesday

I had breakfast on the roof! Today I drove over a huge mountain. After driving over a mountain I stopped at Ait Ben Haddou. I climbed buildings that looked like enormous sand castles and they were made of sand, mud and straw. I climbed a great stone hill. If you wanted some exercise it was fun.

Thursday

Today I had breakfast by the pool. I loved the view of the pool. I went in the pool and me and Mummy were the only ones in it. We went for a walk and saw lots of cacti and palm trees and Daddy said we were in an oasis. An oasis is a patch of desert where there is lots of water and crops can grow as in the other part of the desert only cacti can grow. We were given peacock feathers.

Friday

Today I had breakfast by the pool. I had bread, hot chocolare, jam, banana and apple. We had a very long drive throug the rocky desert. First we drove through the rocky desert and then past a few mountains. We stayed at a guest house and our room was in a tent. Nancy the owner showed us her house and paintings. She is an artist. She gave us some post cards that she has painted. After dinner, the men taught me African drumming.

Saturday

Today I had breakfast and cake because it was my sister's birthday and there was lots of drumming. The cake was fantastic. I loved the bongo drumming. In the afternoon we went in Bobo's car to get to a camp in the Sahara. I saw loads of camels. I even saw a baby one. Eventually we arrived at our camp. It was the sandiest place 'd ever been to! There was a brilliant dress up dolls game. Daddy went sand boarding and Mummy read her book. We climbed up a sand dune that was like a mountain. I liked rolling down the dunes. Then Daddy and I found some bones. The camp was so nice, the beds were very comfy.

Sunday

After breakfast we got the car back to Nancy's guest house. After we had a few biscuits we went on camels to another camp in the desert. I went on a white camel, it kepy trying to eat everything. It was very bumpy but I liked it. When we got to the camp, we climbed a huge sand dune and I slid down,. We told stories around the fire. There were no loos, so we had to wee in the desert!

Monday

Today we woke up in a tent. We had breakfast and did more sliding down the dunes. Then we went back on the camels. We found some shells because there used to be a river but it is all dried up now. When we got back we had a long drive back to a hotel with a swimming pool.

Tuesday

Today we had a long drive through the mountains to get back to Marrakech and went to the square and we saw sheep's brains. People eat them in Morocco. We also saw snake charming.

Wednesday

We went home in an aeroplane.

To see suggested itineraries for a family holiday to Morocco, please take a look here.