Region

High Atlas

Base in Imlil or the Ourika Valley for 2–3 nights; day-trip the passes from Marrakech only if you have a car and an early start.

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Key facts · Morocco

Best months: Apr–May, Sep
Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: Moroccan dirham
Language: Arabic and Tamazight
Plugs: C · E · 220 V
Time zone: UTC+1 most of the year

Month by month hereIn detail ↓

Rules in force · 8Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…

Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
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North Africa ↗Book Saharan nights (dunes, desert camps, oasis tours) between October and April; from May to September desert day temperatures regularly exceed 40 °C and many tours stop.
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Morocco ↗During Ramadan, do not eat, drink or smoke in the street in daylight; tourist restaurants and hotels still serve.

The High Atlas is the mountain wall an hour south of Marrakech: Toubkal (4,167 m), Berber villages, walnut terraces and the Tizi n'Tichka road to Ouarzazate. Most travellers sleep in Marrakech and come up for a day; sleeping in Imlil or the Ourika Valley buys you early trail starts and cool nights. Winter brings snow above roughly 2,500 m and a small ski lift at Oukaimeden; summer is the walking season at altitude but hot in the foothills.

Where to sleep

6 places in this region

Sleep base

ImlilCity guide
Trailhead for Toubkal and the Mizane valley; guesthouses, muleteers, guides.
Best Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Imlil →
Ourika ValleyCity guide
Lower, greener, easier road; Setti Fatma walks and riverside lodges.
Best Mar–May, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Ourika Valley →

Day trip

AsniCity guide
Saturday market town on the Tizi n'Tichka road, 45 min from Imlil.
Best Apr–May, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Asni →
OukaimedenCity guide
Ski lift and rock carvings; snow-dependent, roughly Dec–Mar.
Best Jan–Feb
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Oukaimeden →
TacheddirtCity guide
Village on the Toubkal circuit; reached on foot from Imlil or by 4x4 track.
Best Apr–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Tacheddirt →
AmizmizCity guide
Western foothills market town, quieter approach to the range.
Best Mar–May, Sep–Nov
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Amizmiz →

Plan the nights

How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags

Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags

Night sequences

2 nights: Imlil 2 nights: one valley walk, one Toubkal attempt or high pass
3 nights: Imlil 2 + Ourika Valley 1, driving the Tizi n'Tichka on the way out
4 nights: Marrakech 1 + Imlil 2 + Aït Ben Haddou 1, crossing the Tizi n'Tichka one-way

Summer afternoons in the foothills pass 35 °C (95 °F); start walks before 08:00.Summer afternoons in the foothills pass 35 °C (95 °F); start walks before 8:00 AM.Summer afternoons in the foothills pass 95 °F (35 °C); start walks before 08:00.Summer afternoons in the foothills pass 95 °F (35 °C); start walks before 8:00 AM.
Winter snow and ice close the Tizi n'Tichka and Oukaimeden road without much notice.
In December 2018 two foreign tourists were killed while camping in the range; travel in the villages is generally calm, but avoid isolated wild camping and take local advice.

Day-trips door to door

To	From	Door-to-door p50	Last return	Note
Imlil	Marrakech	90 min	check	Grand taxi or shared taxi from Bab er Robb area; no fixed timetable, agree the price first.
Ourika Valley	Marrakech	75 min	check	Road follows the river to Setti Fatma; weekend traffic is heavy.
Asni	Marrakech	70 min	check	Saturday is market day; buses and shared taxis run the Tizi n'Tichka road.
Oukaimeden	Marrakech	105 min	check	Chairlift runs only with snow and demand; check locally before going.
Aït-Benhaddou	Marrakech	210 min	check	Over the Tizi n'Tichka; better as an overnight than a round trip.

Bags between cities

Luggage can be left at your Marrakech hotel or carried by mule to Imlil guesthouses; there is no courier service in the valleys.

When to go

Months and weather

Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Only good-now countries

Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table

Country	JJan	FFeb	MMar	AApr	MMay	JJun	JJul	AAug	SSep	OOct	NNov	DDec
Imlil	×	×	ok	go	go	go	×	×	go	go	ok	ok
Ourika Valley	ok	ok	go	go	go	ok	×	×	go	go	ok	ok
Asni	ok	ok	ok	go	go	ok	ok	ok	go	go	ok	ok
Oukaimeden	go	go	ok	ok	ok	×	×	×	ok	ok	ok	ok
Tacheddirt	×	×	×	go	go	go	go	go	go	go	×	×
Amizmiz	ok	ok	go	go	go	ok	×	×	go	go	go	ok
Morocco (country-wide)	ok	go	go	go	go	ok	ok	ok	go	go	go	go

Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Climate strip

Month by month

Zone	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Foothills (Marrakech, Ourika, Asni)600–1,200 m	ok	ok	best	best	best	hot	hot	hot	best	best	ok	ok
High valleys (Imlil, Tacheddirt)1,700–2,500 m	cold	cold	ok	best	best	best	best	best	best	ok	ok	cold
Summits (Toubkal, Oukaimeden)above 3,000 m	cold	cold	cold	ok	ok	best	best	best	ok	ok	cold	cold

best: dry, mildok: workablehot: short walking windows

Foothills (Marrakech, Ourika, Asni): Pleasant spring and autumn; July–August is hot and dry.
High valleys (Imlil, Tacheddirt): Snow above about 2,500 m roughly December to March; trails clear from April.
Summits (Toubkal, Oukaimeden): Ice axe and crampons are needed in winter and early spring; afternoon storms are common in summer.

Best months for walking are April–June and September–October; the Toubkal refuge and many village guesthouses fill on weekends and Moroccan holidays.

Getting in and passes

Arrival times and regional passes

Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes

Get in

Door-to-door p50, 2026 estimate

From	To	How	p50	Note
Marrakech (RAK airport)	Imlil	Grand taxi or rented car via Asni	~1 h 30	No train or public bus to Imlil; shared taxis leave from the Bab er Robb area.
Marrakech (RAK airport)	Ourika Valley (Setti Fatma)	Grand taxi or car	~1 h 15	The easiest valley to reach without a guide.
Ouarzazate	Marrakech over the Tizi n'Tichka	Car or long-distance bus	~4 h	The pass tops out near 2,260 m; snow closures happen in winter.

Regional passes

Verdict first

Local guide for Toubkal

buy

Required by local authorities for summit attempts; arrange in Imlil, not in Marrakech.

Mule and muleteer

check

Useful for luggage on multi-day circuits; agree the daily rate in Imlil before setting off.

Oukaimeden ski pass

check

Only worth it when snow has fallen; the lift is small and conditions vary year to year.

Eat and move on

Regional food and where to go next

Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next

Regional food

Where and when it works

Dish	Where	Timing / trap
Tagine and couscous	Imlil and Ourika guesthouses	Dinner is usually fixed by the guesthouse; tell them in the morning if you want a packed lunch.
Berber omelette (with tomato and pepper)	Village cafés on the trails	Cooked in a small pan, often the only hot dish on the mountain menu.
Walnuts, almonds and apple products	Ourika Valley terraces	Sold at roadside stalls; the valley is known for its orchards.
Mint tea and msemen	Asni market, Saturdays	Market day is the best chance to eat with villagers rather than at a tourist café.

Go next

Marrakech

1 h 30 down from Imlil

The natural base before and after the mountains.

Aït-Benhaddou

planned

Over the Tizi n'Tichka, ~4 h from Imlil

Continue one-way toward Ouarzazate rather than doubling back.

Saharan Morocco

Via Ouarzazate and the Drâa or Dadès valleys

The mountains are the first leg of the classic desert crossing.

Marrakech and the High Atlas

Combined route

Use this if you want the city and the range planned as one trip.

Planning aids

Built from this guide's own data

Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…

Region in numbers

Not yet checked

Where to sleep: 2 bases
Day trips: 5, 1 h 10 to 3 h 30
Nights suggested: 2–4 nights
Ways in: 3 listed
Best months: No month is best in every zone

Going in…

Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.

Pick a month.

Plan your trip to Morocco Up to Morocco

Deep dive

Photos, reading and every source

Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources

Sources

officialMoroccan National Tourist Office
officialMoroccan National Railway Office (ONCF)
secondaryOpenStreetMap
secondaryWikivoyage: High Atlas, revision 5252730 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Ask about High Atlas

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