IMLIL & ATLAS MOUNTAINS DAY TRIP
Escape the heat of Marrakech and drive into the High Atlas Mountains. Ride a mule and pass Berber villages and enjoy the stunning views of the countryside. Enjoy a traditional lunch in a Berber house and take a short walk with your guide before driving back to Marrakech.
Atlas mountains and an Imlil day trip are one of the most spectacular day trip from Marrakech if you desire to get out of the city and delve into the authentic and rural side of Morocco. We will start our Imlil day trip at 09-am from Marrakech with a 4WD vehicle or minivan for 1:20 hours drive south up the Moulay Brahim Gorges, and the Berber village of Asni very popular for its weekly market every Saturday then to Imlil Crossing a vibrant green valley that stays fresh and lush even during the hottest days of the summer. Imlil is a small village in the foothills of the highest mountains in Morocco Toubkal mountain. Imlil is the centre to hire mountain guides and mules due to its unique position and its connection to several Berber villages and a very popular start point of treks and hikes for climbing Toubkal mountain highest peak in North Africa. Arrival to Imlil here we shall leave our vehicle to take mules for around 40 minutes towards the south to the Berber village of Aroumd (Aremd) (1910m) set in the upper level foothills of the Western High Atlas mountains, a main trailhead with streams and paths branching out in all directions to get our lunch which will be served in a Berber house in the village of Aroumd. Afterwards, you can take a short walk before we return to Marrakech.
What’s special about Imlil Day trip
One might ask, what’s the difference between Ourika valley and Imlil day trip, and it is a smart question, so here is your answer: Ourika is a very touristic attraction among travel agencies, foreigners accustomed to Morocco, and locals, you would struggle to find a parking spot in Ourika during hot days and maybe wait in line for each difficult hike which is not that bad after all. Second, The hike in Ourika is relatively short and demands quite some effort since you’re doing it on foot, while in Imlil, you will ride the mules from the village of Imlil up to Aroumd where you’ll have lunch, and our host has guides that will accompany you and guide the mules all the way, this gives you a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the experience, the scenery, the ride and the discussions and not be exhausted. The mule ride is also a big help for the photography fanatics because you’re not watching each step you take in the rocky road and you can focus on taking some extra pictures. Imlil is also less touristic so it’s quite rare that you encounter other tourists especially during the hike from Imlil to armed except maybe for some professional hikers taking a challenge against the Mount Toubkal.
Saturday’s local market in Asni, Bio shopping Moroccan way
If you have the chance to do this trip on a Saturday, your driver will stop in Asni village and take you in a tour through the local weekly market of Asni, find your way through the crow of local Berbers pouring from all the surrounding villages to exchange goods and animals and buy fresh vegetables, fruits and meat for their homes. You can take pictures but discretely because, in Morocco, no one likes to find their faces on Facebook or Times Magazine in the next morning,
Lunch in a Berber house? it makes a difference!
While in Ourika, you’ll have lunch in a restaurant whether it’s included in the price or you pay it by yourself on the spot, in Imlil, lunch is automatically included and it’s not in a restaurant, we are a wonderful local family and offer our clients an awesome lunch on an open terrace with an extremely wide view over the whole valley. After lunch, a tea break is a must to help you digest before taking a small walk through a different path and ride the mules again whenever you feel like it, and the return trip to Marrakech.
Highlights
• Explore the Valley of Imlil with an expert local guide
• Discover traditional Berber villages and have mint tea with a local Berber family
• See the 13,6665-foot Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa
• Choose to drive, walk, or ride a mule to the Aremd Village, and enjoy a traditional Berber lunch
• Travel up to the Atlas Mountains, and go on a camel ride
• Visit the home of a Berber family to learn more about their culter
Meeting Point:
• Pick up from the agreed meeting point in Marrakech city, For customers staying deep in the Medina many riads do not have access by transports so Mount Toubkal driver will park nearby and come to get you.
• You will be dropped off at At your hotel/ Airport, Station or wherever you want in Marrakech, Mount Toubkal driver can call your accommodation to meet you if needed.
