High Atlas
We’ve compiled the best of the best in High Atlas - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. ANIMA Garden
This unique floral and sculptural garden is a must-visit attraction if you are in the area. Andre Heller, the renowned multi-media artist created this destination to bring together local flora and fauna with his avant-garde style. The garden is a delight to walk in and perfect for visitors of all ages. Stop for a drink or bite at the onsite cafe during your visit. A free shuttle is also included from Marrakech twice daily.
Douar Sbiti, Marrakesh-Safi, MoroccoSight Details
Rate Includes: 120 dh adults 60dh children under 11 free, Eid Holidays, Suggested and a must for shuttle service, adjusted hours during Ramadan -
2. Djebel Toubkal
You can unlock the adventurer inside by scaling this peak, the highest in North Africa. There are several ways to make the ascent, from hikes lasting several days to shorter options. The classic hike is a two- or three-day round-trip from Imlil. On Day 1, you hike to the foot of the mountain, which is an eight-hour walk, ascending at a moderate incline. There are two well-equipped refuges to spend the night that offer food and hot showers, as well as a campsite. On Day 2, you usually get up very early and leave in the dark to get to the first big pass for sunrise, and then push to the top. You can then can either return to the refuge for another night and trek back the next day, or walk straight out back down to Imlil. While anyone can hike Toubkal it is best if you have some training and are in physically good shape to make the journey. It is required by the government to have a licensed guide, and there are police checkpoints along the way. The road to Imlil is a left turn off the S501 (the Tizi-n-Test road that leads south from Marrakesh), just after Asni. The 17-km (11-mile) stretch is a spectacular expanse of scrub and cacti, which reaches out to the very foot of Ouanoukrim Massif.
Imlil, Marrakesh-Safi, Morocco -
3. Goundafi Kasbahs
Most of the massive Goundafi Kasbahs, strongholds of the Aït Lahcen family that governed the region until independence in 1956, have long since crumbled away. But just past the small village of Talat-n-Yacoub, look up. A great hulking red kasbah sits at the top of the hill, amid a scene that is today eerily peaceful, with hawks nesting among the scraps of ornately carved plaster and woodwork still clinging to the massive walls. Built as a counterpart to the original Goundafi redoubt in Tagoundaft, the kasbah is a compelling testament to the concentration of power in an era said to be governed "tribally." Locals say the hands of slack workers were sealed into the kasbah's walls during construction. There's usually not a tourist in sight. It's a rocky, although fairly easy, walk up to it. From the kasbah you can see the Tinmel Mosque to the south, across the juncture of the Nfis and Tasaft Rivers. Just southeast are the mines of Tasaft. The Ouanoukrim Massif (the group of big mountains at the center of the High Atlas Mountains) dominates the view to the north.
Marrakesh-Safi, Morocco -
4. Imi-n-Ifri
Up a 6-km (4-mile) piste above Demnate is the natural stone bridge Imi-n-Ifri, where the diminutive River Mahseur has carved out a tunnel inhabited by hundreds of crows. A path twists down through the boulders and under the "bridge," where stalactites and sculpted hollows dramatize the natural rock formations. Women come to bathe in the stream because it is said to bring them good luck, but the crows are considered harbingers of doom. The legend associated with these birds—a St. George and the Dragon–type saga in which a lovely maiden is saved from an evil genie who, when destroyed by the brave hero, dematerializes into crows—is told in several variations by imaginative guides.
Demnate, Béni Mellal-Khénifra, Morocco -
5. Kasbah Telouet
A formerly luxurious testament to the wealth of the Glaoui family, Kasbah Telouet is now in ruins but is still a wonderful place to explore. About five minutes south of Tizi-n-Tichka is the turnoff for the Glaoui Kasbah at Telouet. The road is paved but narrow, and winds from juniper-studded slopes down through a landscape of low eroding hills and the Assif-n-Tissent (Salt River). In spring, barley fields soften the effect, but for much of the year the scene is rather bleak. Inside, walking through dusty courtyards that rise to towering mud walls, you'll pass through a series of gates and big doors, many threatening to fall from their hinges. Different parts are open at different times, perhaps according to the whims of the guard. Most of the kasbah looks ravished, as most of the useful or interesting bits had been carried off when the Glaoui reign came to its abrupt end in 1956. This sense of decay is interrupted when you get upstairs: here, from painted wood shutters and delicately carved plaster arabesques to exquisitely set tile and broad marble floors, you get a taste of the sumptuousness the Glaoui once enjoyed. Because it was built in the 20th century, ancient motifs are combined with kitschy contemporary elements, such as traditionally carved plaster shades for the electric lights. The roof has expansive views.
Telouet, Drâa-Tafilalet, MoroccoSight Details
Rate Includes: Entry is free, but you should tip parking attendant and guardian of gate, Parking for kasbah is down a short dirt road across from nearby auberge Chez Ahmed -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Lalla Takerkoust Lake
This reservoir is around 80 years old and a very established feature of the region, built by the French during the protectorate period. The water level fluctuates depending on rainfall and snowmelt, as it is fed from the mountains above. There are a few Jet Skis and paddleboards available to rent and take on the lake, which is not illegal but still questionable, given that this is a working reservoir. Swimming is forbidden since there is no lifeguard, but it's not uncommon to see people taking a dip, especially in the hotter months when temperatures rise. The most popular activity here is simply walking around the lake, which affords lovely views of the region as well as the local birdlife.
Lalla Takerkoust, Marrakesh-Safi, 40000, Morocco -
7. Nectarome
Route de l'OurikaThe absolute pièce de résistance of any visit to the Ourika Valley is a trip to Nectarome, the region's first aromatic garden. It produces essential oils for massages, spas, and hammams in the classiest of hotels and riads back in Marrakesh. Started by two Moroccan brothers (one a biochemist, the other a pharmacist), it grows 50 species of aromatic and medicinal plants, all in 2.5 acres of beautifully maintained and colorful gardens. They pick the plants on-site, then extract, process, and bottle the oil in the top-secret perfume workshop. You can take a guided tour (80 DH) through the grounds and learn about the healing properties of each plant (lavender for rest; rosemary for blood circulation; thyme for digestion; geraniums for menopause, etc.), or wander on your own (20 DH). You can also have an essential-oils open-air pedicure in specially constructed basins dug into the ground (80 DH for 20 minutes) or bake your own Berber bread in one of three types of clay oven to accompany your breakfast (50DH). Whatever you do, don't miss the seven-plant tea infusion, taken in a garden gazebo or Berber tent, or the boutique, where you can buy the goods. Don't munch on the leaves of the oleander rose; they're pretty on the outside but poisonous on the inside. Two leaves are enough to kill a man.
Unknown0524-48–21–49Sight Details
Rate Includes: 20 dh self-guided 80 dh guided, Closed in August, reservations in advance for activities -
8. Paradis du Safran
A charming saffron farm located between Marrakesh and Ourika, Paradis du Safran is well worth a visit. The saffron itself is harvested in late October / early November depending on the weather and visitors to Morocco in this time should make a visit a must. You can also enjoy their barefoot sensory trail and relaxing garden space. Saffron tea is served to guests and if you contact in advance breakfast or lunch are also possible.
Km 31 Route Ourika, Marrakesh-Safi, Morocco06-28796979Sight Details
Rate Includes: Mondays and Tuesdays, Required, children under 12 not permitted -
9. Prehistoric dinosaur footprints
Kids and adults alike love treading in these giant tracks of both carnivorous and herbivorous dinosaurs that are estimated to be about 185 million years old. There are several dinosaur-footprint sites in the region, but the easiest to find are those in the village of Ibaklliwne. As the road leads into the Aït Bougmez hamlets, it splits in two—this is actually a double valley. Follow the right-hand branch, leading into Tabant, the main village complete with a couple of cement structures, a school, and an administrative building. Follow this track for about 1½ km (1 mile) past the schoolhouses into the village of Ibaklliwne, where you'll find the dinosaur footprints on the hillside.
Ibaklliwne, Ait Bougmez, Béni Mellal-Khénifra, MoroccoSight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
10. Salt Mines
It is worth negotiating the potholed road to the salt mines just off the Amizmiz road (stop at the turning for the Amizmiz road and walk the last part). For centuries, local people have produced salt here from the saltwater river that cuts through the area, but today's relatively low value of the once highly prized natural commodity has greatly endangered the livelihoods of the salt-mining families.
Ouirgane, Marrakesh-Safi, MoroccoSight Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sat. Usually only operational in warmer months -
11. Shrine of Haïm ben Diourne
Site of one of the few Jewish festivals still held in Morocco, this complex contains the tombs of Rabbi Mordekai ben Hamon, Rabbi Abraham ben Hamon, and others. The shrine, known locally both as the "tigimi n Yehudeen" and "marabout Juif" (House of the Jews in Arabic and French, respectively), is a large white structure. The moussem (pilgrimage festival) generally happens in May. Tip the gatekeeper after a tour—anything between 5 DH and 15 DH is fine.
Ouirgane, Marrakesh-Safi, Morocco -
12. Sidi Moussa Marabout
A 2½-hour walk from the base of the valley will take you to the steep slope of Sidi Moussa Hill. Here stands a circular earthen building, a shrine to the saint Sidi Moussa (Moussa means "Moses" in Arabic), which dates to at least 200 years ago. Sidi Moussa, revered for his skills in curing infertility, was buried here, and his tomb once attracted many visitors, although few still make the pilgrimage. Women thought to have fertility issues would leave a garment at the door and then spend the night inside. For a time the building was used as a collective granary before being restored by the Titmit Village Association. A guardian will serve you a glass of tea and give you a tour (pay him 20 DH minimum or 10 DH per person—all proceeds go to the Association).
Ait Bougmez, Béni Mellal-Khénifra, MoroccoSight Details
Rate Includes: Free; tour, 20 DH -
13. Tinmel Mosque
One of only two mosques in the country that non-Muslims may enter (the other is Casablanca's enormous Hassan II mosque), Tinmel sits proudly in the hills and is well worth a visit. Built by Ibn Tumart, the first Almohad, its austere walls in the obscure valley of the Nfis formed the cradle of a formidable superstate and was the birthplace and spiritual capital of the 12th-century Almohad empire. Today the original walls stand firm, enclosing a serene area with row after row of pale brick arches, on a huge scale built to impress. Admission to the mosque is free, but tip the guardian anything between 5 DH and 20 DH and he'll show you around and explain a little of the history.
Tinmel, Marrakesh-Safi, Morocco -
14. Tizi-n-Test
The Tizi-n-Test pass climbs up to a staggering 6,889 feet and provides extraordinary views to the north toward the mountain peaks and south toward the Souss valleys. It's a hair-raising road trip calling for low gears and snail-like speeds, but the views are worth every second.
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