Have you heard of the jibāl al-ʾaṭlas? Maybe the Atlas Mountains sounds more familiar to you? If it doesn’t you head there as soon as possible! As North Africa’s highest mountain range, this climber, adventurer and trekker’s paradise is a 2,500 kilometer (1553.4 mile) natural wall, separating the Atlantic and Mediterranean coastline from the Sahara Desert.
From Morocco to Tunisia, passing by Algeria, the Atlas reaches its highest point in the southern Moroccan region known as the High Atlas. This peculiar area is just one of the places not to miss if you go in this part of the world. With magnificent landscapes and snowy, rocky mountain peaks, uncountable waterfalls and oases neighboring the wide and wild Saharan desert, this is the home to great adventures and expeditions! In this article, we’ll focus on 8 of these tours that’ll make you fall in love with the area!
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1. Marrakech to Atlas Mountains & 4 Valleys - Day trip (from USD 74.77)
This tour will lead you to the valleys that make the Atlas region such a wonderful place. From Marrakech, your small group will follow an experienced guide, who’ll help you first discover the magnificent Ourika Valley and its impressive waterfalls, through a long and relaxing walk. Oukaimden Valley, the second point of your exploration, will lead you up to the high and secluded Berber land from where, lost in the mountain, you’ll be able to gaze at the Toubkal Mount (the highest peak of Maghreb, culminating at some 13,665 feet / 4,165 meters).
In the Asni Valley, famous for its vegetation and flora, you’ll enjoy resting, tasting the local fruit and enjoying the surrounding scenery! This is an intense day-trip worth taking while staying around Marrakech.
Marrakech: Atlas Mountains and 5 Valleys Day Tour with Lunch
Duration: 8.0 hour
2. Ourika Valley full-day tour: Atlas Mountains (from 33.64 USD)
As said before, the Ourika Valley, in the High Atlas Mountains, is one of the most beautiful areas of the region and so it’s worth thinking about this full-day tour from Marrakech, entirely focused on the discovery of this magnificent space. From the Wadi River and the amazing waterfalls around to the green and fertile flora contrasting deliciously with the orange of the rocks to the traditional Berber lifestyle, from camelback riding to carpet making, you’ll get closer to the true essence of the region.
As you go further into the mountains, you’ll stop by a traditional village along the river, until you arrive at Setti Fatma, an amazing village built at the foot of a set of mind blowing waterfalls, streaming from the mountains. This is a nice ending to a busy day of exploration!
Ourika Valley full-day tour: Atlas Mountains
Price: from 33.64 USD
Duration: 1 day (approx.)
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3. Atlas Mountains & Sahara Desert private 4-day tour (from USD 1018.58)
Prepare yourself for a “once in a lifetime” experience, with this 4-day tour through the High Atlas Mountains and the Moroccan Desert! This experience will be a mind blowing encounter with this unique part of the world. First, starting from Marrakech, your driver will lead you to the High Atlas Mountains, passing by and visiting the famous Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, before continuing to one of the southernmost cities: Ouarzazate. After gazing at the beautiful “1000 Kasbahs Road” and discovering Kalaat M'Gouna, known as the “Capital of Roses”, you’ll arrive at Dades Gorge, where you will continue your expedition the following day.
The Dades Valley will blow your mind on the second morning before you go for lunch in the awesome Todra Gorge. Then, you’ll enter the desert, crossing the “Gateway to the Sahara”, Erfoud, to carry camel to the fantastic dunes of Merzouga, before setting up your bivouac for a night-out in the desert. The third morning, after an unreal sunrise, you’ll head for the Palmerie of Tafilalet and the town of Rissani, where you’ll explore the ancient capital of the Alaouite Sultans. Passing by many dramatic mountain chains through the Anti-Atlas area, crossing Berber villages and magnificent valleys, you’ll then arrive back in Ouarzazate for your last day, where you’ll spend visiting the city’s Kasbah and the famous Film studios before returning to normal life.
From the dramatic High Atlas Mountains’ scenery and the road of 1000 Kasbahs to the breathtaking Draa Valley and a camel ride over the stunning dunes of Merzouga to a traditional Berber-like night out in the desert, these four days will change something inside you and will be memorable for a long time!
From Marrakech: Atlas Mountains and Sahara Desert 4-Day Tour
Duration: 4.0 day
4. Day trip to Atlas Mountains from Marrakech with optional visit to Takerkoust Lake and Kik Plateau (from USD 76.0)
Travelling through the scenic and magnificent mountains of the High Atlas in a 4x4 or minivan, you’ll discover the wonders of the Ourika Valley, the Oukaimeden Valley, and the fertile orchards of the Asni Valley, during this day-trip from Marrakech. You’ll gaze at Takerkoust Lake and the high Kik Plateau.
You’ll also learn about Argan oil extraction and learn about the local women’s traditional labor. Moreover, the Asni Valley will treat you with its tasteful almonds, peaches and walnuts and you’ll get fairly close to the true lifestyle of this amazing Moroccan region.
Atlas Mountains and 4 Valleys Guided Day Tour from Marrakech
Duration: 7 hours 30 minutes
5. Ouarzazate and Ait Benhaddou day trip through the Atlas Mountains from Marrakech (from 133.48 USD)
On this day-trip from Marrakech, you’ll go through the Atlas Mountains to visit two of Morocco’s desert’s jewels: the towns of Aït Benhaddou and Ouarzazate. Starting from Marrakech and passing by the stunning Tizi-n-Tichka mountain pass at 2,260 meters (7,415 feet), you’ll first visit the wonderful UNESCO-listed Kasbah of Aït Benhaddou, before carrying on to Ouarzazate at the edge of the Sahara desert.
During your trip, you’ll learn about the traditional lifestyle and history of the region and will discover the rich film industry that has made the region one of the most famous filming location in North Africa.
Ouarzazate and Ait Benhaddou day trip
Price: from 133.48 USD
Duration: 12 hours (approx.)
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Tip from Content Creator
Visiting Ait Benhaddou felt like being lost in the middle of what seemed like nowhere! You’ll also feel like you’ve stepped onto a movie set, which is no surprise seeing as so many popular shots have been taken here for productions such as Game of Thrones, Gladiator, The Mummy, and Lawrence of Arabia.
6. Marrakech to Merzouga 3-day desert safari (from USD 107.17)
This 3-day tour is unmissable if you’re looking for a lifetime experience in Morocco! The desert, the mountains, the sand, and the camels are all some of the features to make your journey an amazing one! From Marrakech to Merzouga, you’ll spend a night out in the desert and enjoy the sunset while riding camels on the fantastic Erg Chebbi Dunes. You’ll discover the wonderful Kasbah of Ouarzazate, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ait Ben Haddou, the Boumalne Dades and the impressive Dades Canyons.
You’ll also drive through the “Road of 1001 Kasbahs” to the small oasis town of Tinghir, before heading to the dramatic Todgha Gorge and much, much more! In brief, you’ll surely spend three of the best days of your life on this unique tour!
From Marrakech: Merzouga 3-Day Desert Safari with Food
Duration: 3.0 day
7. 3-day guided quad tour - Lake Ifni trek in Atlas with homestay (from USD 680.0)
On the first day of this tour, you’ll drive by quad the 114 kilometers (70 miles) between Ait Ben Haddou and Tidili! Driving through this beautiful region in a quad is worth experiencing! The scenery around the Atlas Mountains will exceed your expectations and your journey to Lake Ifni on the second day will not be less amazing. Here, you’ll get the opportunity to really experience the mountain, by walking and climbing through the wonderful area for an entire day of Moroccan awesomeness!
3-Day Guided Quad Tour - Lake Ifni Trek in Atlas with Home stay
Duration: 3 days
8. Full day Errachidia to Dades Gorge (from 333.70 USD)
This journey will lead you both to the Ziz Valley, an oasis rich with a million palm trees, and to Erg Chebbi’s wonderful sand dunes! Through this full-day trip, you’ll experience camelback riding across the desert, sand boarding down the dunes, quad biking and much more. Discovering wonderful places such as the fossil city of Erfoud, Rissani, the ancient capital of Tafilalt, the Dades Valley or the Tinghir and Todra stunning gorges, your journey will drive you to the wild desert of Merzouga, where you’ll spend one of the best nights of your life, sleeping like a Berber nomad. Full of diverse experiences and activities, this great tour will please all kind of travelers, willing to discover Moroccan wonders!
Full day Errachidia to Dades Gorge
Price: from 333.70 USD
Duration: 2 days (approx.)
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Discover the High Atlas!
With these 8 great tours, you’ll get plenty of opportunities to truly discover and experience the true essence of Morocco, traveling across the wonderful High Atlas and Sahara region!
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