The Atlas Moutnains are an icon of the Kingdom of Light. Easily visited from Marrakech, you’ll find unique cultural experiences and incredible landscapes just a stone’s throw away.
This famous mountain range splits Morocco in two, with the arid Sahara to one side and the more Mediterranean climate to the north. Dramatic peaks shelter a unique mountain culture, the string of small villages and market towns home to the Amazigh people. There’s a host of tour operators and guides that offer authentic experiences with host families, easily the best way to learn about the culture of mountain life. Hiking is a favourite pastime of visitors too, with challenging terrain met with seriously stunning views. Tours from Marrakech incorporate both these experiences, though of course the longer the tour, the more intrepid the adventure.
These beguiling falls are a popular trip from Marrakech, a veritable oasis on the lusher side of the Atlas Mountains. Three falls cascade and drop to a middle plateau, swirling outward once more in one single drop. Located close to a friendly Amazigh village, you can enjoy a spot of lunch before visiting the site, where tours and hand-pulled rafts help you get the most out of your visit. It makes for a startling counterpoint before an excursion to the Sahara.
A town seemingly suspended in time, Moulay Idriss is a truly remarkable pilgrimage site. A clutter of stacked square buildings cling to the hill at the base of the Atlas Mountains, a white peak on an otherwise isolated landscape. The town was shut off to non-Muslims until 1912 and it was only in 2005 that they could overnight. Tourism has picked up very slowly, aiding the preservation of an old, peaceful way of life for centuries. This is, after all, the final resting place of Moulay Idris Al Akbar, great-grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.
This remote town is surrounded by contrasting landscapes. It is here that the High Atlas Mountains drop quite dramatically to meet the Sahara desert. The town itself is a great base for desert or mountain excursions, with a cosmopolitan feel owing to its star quality; Ouarzazate is the Hollywood of Morocco, filled with film studios. The ancient ksar Ait ben Haddou, the earthen-walled nearby town, has served as a backdrop for countless epics hosting ancient Egyptian pharaohs, marauding crusaders from the holy lands, gladiators and dragonborn queens. Explore this cinematic landscape, quite literally the stuff of fantasy.
Not far from Ouarzazate is this quite magical sight, one of Morocco’s grandest kasbahs. Built in the 17th century, the vast towers and walls, backdropped against lush palms and distant mountains, makes for a pretty stirring sight. The kasbah is now a living museum, offering a fascinating historic glimpse at Amazigh life.
This striking mudbrick ksar, a typical historic Moroccan fortress, looks suspended in time. And there’s good reason for this too; Aït Benhaddou has been dressed up time and time again, to become the cinematic starlet that it is. Used in Hollywood countless times, UNESCO protected, Aït Benhaddou is a captivating place filled with drama. Uncover this incredible hilltop fortress for yourself.
Head for the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs, a mountainous region that features craggy ravines, winding roads, old nomad routes and millenia of history. Dotted throughout the landscape you’ll find old mudbrick palaces and oases, with plenty of incredible hiking routes to explore. Todra Gorge will fill you with a sense of adventure, with vast walls sheltering the narrow waterway below.
You and your travel partner will spend four nights at the Palais Mirage d’Atlas, a sophisticated resort with boho vibes just a stone’s throw from bustling Marrakech. With £500 for travel expenses and transfers to and from the airport, all you need to worry about is how best to indulge in the luxe trappings of this stylish resort.
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