Escape to the Atlas Valleys Day Trip &
Berber Village Immersion From Marrakech

Experience the livelihood traditional life of the Berber people and stunning Atlas Mountains views on this exciting trip to the three valleys in the Atlas Mountains. Explore the cascading water in Ourika valley and adore the Berber villages made of adobe and mudbricks in Oukaimeden valley and be in tune with the everyday life of the Berber people in Asni village and its fruit orchards and conclude your trip at Lalla takarkosst lake. This trip highlights the difference between Marrakech and the Berber villages around the city which sets Morocco apart as a unique touristic destination.

Your journey starts early in the morning in Marrakech. The driver will come to your riad or hotel and get ready to explore the magnificent Atlas Mountains and Berber villages. While on the drive, you will admire snow copped mountains and the Berber houses and farms. After one hour drive you arrive at Asni valley nestled at a high altitude in the Atlas mountains. Seize the opportunity to take pictures of the highest peak in North Africa at Toubkal peak and delight with the Almond, walnut and apple and cypress trees. You can notice how local people live in harmony with nature, especially the mountains. If you are lucky, depending on the day, there is a local market where you can see the traditional way of how the Berber people live and go about their lives and you can indulge in conversations with the locals and our Akaltours teammate will make sure that you have an immersive cultural experience with the locals.

Delight yourself with sights of almond, walnut, apple, and cypress trees. Next, you will explore Ourika valley with its beautiful seven waterfalls. Our local guide will fully discover the waterfalls. Notice the lush valley and marvel at the cascading water. On the way to the waterfalls, you will meet with the Berber people, men, women, kids who will salute you from time to time. This valley offers natural landscapes all of which around the Ourika river.

On the way back, you can have lunch with a local Berber family and savor a true homemade Berber lunch prepared by the Berber family. This is an authentic experience that Akaltours team recommends connecting you with the true essence of Morocco. You will learn about the Berber culture and their unrivaled hospitality.

Optionally for those of you who are not able to hike you can stay with the Berber family and watch how they go their everyday life or just sip some mint tea while marveling at the nature surrounding Ourika valley.

The next valley of your trip is Oukaimeden, it is the highest Ski resort in North Africa at 8500 feet. In the winter it’s a popular destination for skiing and snowboarding. Here you can watch the Berber houses made up of Adobe and mud and you can engage in with one of the local people about how they build these beautiful houses. You can take a short walk around the valley and if it’s in the winter, you can go skiing or just watch the snowcapped Atlas Mountains. Furthermore, you will discover Rock carvings that date back over 2000 years.

On the way back, you will stop at Lake Lalla Takrkost that is surrounded with olive groves and traditional Berber villages. It is a tranquil oasis on the edge of a river. You can a stroll around the village and you can chat with the locals, some of them will be harvesting their olives or just working on their fields. This place is serene and it’s an opportunity to take some photos, having all the elements that make for excellent photographic opportunities, such as in the river, land, sun and Atlas Mountains in the background.

You will return to Marrakech around 6:00 pm.