High Atlas Mountains: 3-Day Hiking & Berber Villages from Marrakech

Three days in the High Atlas: from Marrakech's medina to Berber guesthouses at 7,400 feet

You're picked up from your Marrakech hotel at 8:30am and driven to Imlil, where you meet your guide and mule team. Over three days you walk through mountain valleys, stay in two Berber family guesthouses, and eat meals cooked on-site. The longest day is six to seven hours. The highest point is a pass at 2,400 meters. You return to Marrakech by early evening on day three.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel and trek to Tinerhourhine

• Pickup from Marrakech hotel
• Drive to Imlil village
• Meet guide and mule team
• Hire trekking poles if needed
• Begin trek through valleys
• Pass Tamatert village
• Lunch at Tizi n’ Tamatert pass
• Trek to Tinerhourhine village
• Dinner and overnight in gite

Day 2: Hike from Tinerhourhine to Aït Assa

• Breakfast at gite
• Walk through Imnane Valley
• Stop at Ikkiss village
• Trek to Tizi n’Aguersioual
• Lunch at Matate
• Continue to Aït Aïssa village
• Dinner and overnight in gite

Day 3: Return trek and drive to Marrakech

• Breakfast at gite
• Leave for Tizi Oussem
• View from Tizi Mzik pass
• Descend to Mzik village
• Lunch at Mzik
• Return to Imlil
• Drive back to Marrakech
• Drop-off at hotel or central location

The experience

The medina of Marrakech moves at a certain speed: vendors calling, motorbikes weaving, the heat pressing down. Then you drive south for two hours and step into silence. The High Atlas Mountains rise in front of you, and the village of Imlil sits beneath Jebel Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa, waiting. This is where the 3-day hiking tour begins: not with a grand summit push, but with a private guide, a mule team to carry your gear, and a path that descends into valleys instead of climbing. You walk about four hours on day one, passing through lush terrain (streams, pine and walnut groves, the occasional Berber hamlet) before reaching the gite in Tinerhourhine, where you sleep in a family guesthouse and eat dinner cooked by people who live there.

Day two is the longer walk: six to seven hours through the Imnane Valley, with a lunch stop at Matate at 2,000 meters elevation. The guide stops when villagers appear, and you learn how Berber life works, not as a performance, but because you are passing through their daily routine. You reach Aït Aïssa by evening and stay in another gite. The third morning you climb to the Tizi Mzik pass at 2,400 meters, where the view opens across the whole range, then descend back to Imlil and the waiting vehicle. By six in the evening you are back at your Marrakech hotel. The whole trip (transport, guide, two nights' accommodation, most meals) is included. You only pay extra if you want to hire trekking poles in Imlil.

What makes this different from a day hike is the pace. You are not rushing to a summit and back. The mules carry everything, so you walk with just water and a camera. The gites are basic (family-run, no frills), but that is the point. You eat what the household cooks, sleep where trekkers have slept for years, and wake to the sound of the valley instead of traffic. The guide is local and speaks English. The group stays small (minimum two people per booking). Weather changes fast in the mountains, so you need proper boots and layers, but the walks are moderate, not technical. If you have reasonable fitness and want to see the High Atlas without summiting Toubkal or spending a week in the hills, this is the shape of the trip.

What’s included

Your three days include air-conditioned vehicle transport from and to your Marrakech hotel, a local English-speaking hiking guide, mule team to carry luggage, two nights' accommodation in family guesthouses in Berber villages, breakfast, lunch, and dinner on all three days, and a private vehicle for the return journey. Trekking poles are available to hire in Imlil for an additional cost.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:30 and 09:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Youth (10 to 15 years) · Child (5 to 9 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupUp to 9

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Marrakech Day Trips

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to walk in the High Atlas without arranging your own transport, hiring a guide separately, or committing to a week-long trek: the three-day format and included logistics mean you step out of Marrakech and into the mountains without planning the details yourself.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (10 to 15 years); Child (5 to 9 years); Infant (under 5): free.

How fit do I need to be for this hike?

Moderate fitness is required. The walks are 4 to 7 hours per day on mountain paths, with elevation gain but no technical climbing. Most people who walk regularly can manage it.

What's included and what do I pay extra for?

Included: hotel pickup and return, private guide, mule support, two nights' gite accommodation, and most meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner). You pay extra only if you want to hire trekking poles in Imlil.

How high do we go?

The highest point is the Tizi Mzik pass at 2,400 meters (7,874 feet). You do not summit Toubkal. The trek stays in the valleys and passes.

What are the gites like?

Basic family-run guesthouses in Berber villages. Clean beds, simple meals, no hot showers or electricity in some rooms. Comfort is modest, but that is part of the experience.

What should I bring?

Comfortable walking boots, sunscreen, sunhat, warm layers for evenings, and a light pack with water and camera. Trekking poles can be hired in Imlil for a small fee.

How many people are in the group?

Minimum two people per booking. Groups are kept small, and you have a private guide.

What if I'm vegetarian?

Vegetarian meals are available. Let the operator know when you book.

When does the tour operate?

Year-round, in all weather. The mountains can be cold and wet in winter. Spring and autumn are ideal.