A deeper trek away from the crowds: the Azzaden Valley, the Imnane valley and a high crossing into Ourika.
Six days of walking in the High Atlas, away from the crowds that gather on the main Toubkal trail. This route links the Azzaden Valley, the Imnane valley and the Ourika valley on old mule paths, crossing passes with views of the highest peaks in North Africa and spending the nights in village gîtes, a mountain hut and a guesthouse in Imlil.
It is a trek for people who love walking and want to see how mountain villages really work: terraced fields carved out of steep slopes, irrigation channels that share the snowmelt between families, summer pastures where shepherds live with their flocks, and the rhythm of daily life from the morning bread to the evening call to prayer.
The route has a beautiful shape. You start by crossing into the green Azzaden Valley and climbing to the summer pastures below the Tazaghart plateau, return to Imlil for a night of comfort, then head east over the Tamatert pass to Tacheddirt and finish with a high crossing into the Ourika valley. Each stage brings a new valley and a new landscape, and you finish on the other side of the range from where you started.
A licensed guide, a muleteer and mules accompany you throughout, and all meals are prepared for you.
This trek suits fit walkers who are happy with several consecutive days of 4 to 7 hours on mountain paths. No climbing experience is needed, and the highest point is the Tizi n'Tacheddirt pass at about 3,172 metres, so the altitude is moderate compared with the Toubkal treks.
It is ideal if you have a week, want to walk every day and prefer quiet trails and village life to summit bagging. If you want to include the summit of Toubkal, the 6‑day Toubkal trek follows the circuit around the massif and ends on the summit.
A sample itinerary for the 6-Day Hike in the Atlas Mountains. Your guide adapts it to the weather, the season and the group.
We collect you in Marrakesh in the morning and drive to Imlil (1,740 m). After meeting your guide and muleteer, you climb through walnut groves and juniper slopes to the Tizi n'Mzik pass (2,489 m), with views back over the Imlil valley and ahead into Azzaden. The descent leads into the valley to Tizi Oussem, one of its largest villages, where you spend the night in a gîte.
A beautiful walk up the Azzaden Valley follows the river past terraced fields and small hamlets to the Ighouliden waterfall, where water drops over a rock wall into a pool, a good place for a break. Above the waterfall you reach the summer pastures of Azib Tamsoult (about 2,250 m), below the cliffs of the Tazaghart plateau. You spend the night in a mountain hut, surrounded by peaks and with the sound of the stream outside.
You walk back down the valley and climb once more to the Tizi n'Mzik pass, this time with the light on the Imlil side. The afternoon descent brings you back to Imlil for a night in a guesthouse, with a hot shower, a comfortable bed and a chance to visit the village shops.
Today you head east, climbing through the village of Tamatert to the Tizi n'Tamatert pass (2,279 m) and descending into the Imnane valley. A gentle walk up the valley leads to Tacheddirt (about 2,314 m), one of the highest villages in the area, where you spend the night in a village gîte.
The longest climb of the trek leads from Tacheddirt to the Tizi n'Tacheddirt pass (about 3,172 m), with wide views over the High Atlas. The descent into the upper Ourika valley follows a stream through pastures and juniper woods to the village of Timichi, where you spend the night in a gîte by the river.
An easy final morning follows the Ourika valley down to Setti Fadma, with time to visit the waterfalls above the village. After lunch by the river you drive back to Marrakesh, about an hour and a half away.
The best seasons are April to June and September to October, when the weather is stable and the valleys are at their most beautiful: green and full of water in spring, golden and calm in autumn.
Summer is fine in the mountains but hot in the lower valleys, and the Azzaden waterfalls are smaller. In winter the high pass may be snowy and the route can be adapted to stay in the valleys.
Live forecast
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Forecast data from MET Norway / yr.no, CC BY 4.0. Summit figures are model estimates for 4,167 m. Mountain weather changes fast, so your guide makes the final call.
You stay in village gîtes in Tizi Oussem, Tacheddirt and Timichi, a mountain hut at Azib Tamsoult and a guesthouse in Imlil. Rooms are simple and usually shared, with mattresses and blankets; the hut is the most basic, so a sleeping bag is recommended for that night.
All meals are home-cooked Moroccan food prepared by your team or your hosts: hearty breakfasts, picnic lunches in beautiful spots and hot dinners of soup, tagine or couscous, with mint tea at every stop.
Every departure of the 6-Day Hike in the Atlas Mountains starts in Imlil, a mountain village at 1,740 m at the head of the Mizane valley, about 65 km south of Marrakesh. We collect you from your riad or hotel in Marrakesh in the morning; the drive takes around an hour and a half, crossing the Haouz plain and climbing through Tahanaout and Asni, where a big Berber market is held every Saturday, before the road follows the river up to Imlil.
If you are flying in, Marrakesh Menara airport is about 20 minutes from the medina, so most people arrive the day before the trek and spend a night in the city. If you are already in the mountains, for example staying in Imlil, Aroumd or Ouirgane, we can meet you there instead. Tell us where you are staying when you book, and we will confirm the pickup time the evening before.
The highest point is about 3,200 metres, so walk slowly and drink plenty on the high pass. Some descents are steep and rocky, so boots with ankle support and trekking poles are recommended.
Your guide carries a first-aid kit and a phone and knows the evacuation routes from each valley. Travel insurance covering trekking up to 3,500 metres is recommended.
Tipping is customary in the mountains and makes a real difference to the guides, muleteers and cooks who look after you. As a rough guide, many trekkers give around 10% of the trek price, shared between the team at the end of the trip. It is never compulsory; give what feels right for the service you received.
Bring Moroccan dirhams in small notes for tips, drinks and snacks bought on the way, and souvenirs in the villages. Withdraw cash in Marrakesh before the trek: card payments are rare in the mountains and you should not count on finding a cash machine.
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Read our notes on fitness, seasons and altitude, or the questions trekkers ask most.
April 2026
My four-day trek in the Atlas Mountains was unforgettable thanks to Yassin! Very friendly, he introduced me to Berber culture, its villages and its people, and showed me breathtaking landscapes, all while looking after my wellbeing and my meals. I couldn’t have done it without him! A big thank you!
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April 2026
I was in Morocco at the end of January and early February and wanted to go hiking in the Atlas Mountains. There are lots of trekking agencies and I didn’t know where to start, so I contacted several agencies by… Read the full review on Google
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February 2026
We did a two-day trek in the Azzaden Valley, returning to Imlil, with Youssef, and it was a wonderful experience… Read the full review on Google
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2025
Thank you for a wonderful adventure. Aziz was a brilliant guide, and so were the muleteers, and the food was very good. Thanks again to everyone for the organisation
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October 2026
A very good experience. A superb, very well organised outing with our guide Youssef! Very good communication with Mohamed! Toubkal in one day! Mission accomplished! I recommend it
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October 2026
We climbed Toubkal after completing the 10‑day grand tour of Toubkal. Nothing to fault in the organisation, from the pickup in Marrakesh to the return. Everything was perfect and just as we hoped. A special mention for the excellent cooking
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Can't find your question? Ask us on WhatsApp. We usually reply within a few hours.
No. It focuses on valleys and villages away from the main Toubkal trail.
Between 3 and 7 hours, depending on the stage.
No, nights are spent in gîtes, a mountain hut and a guesthouse.
It is best for people with some hiking experience, because of the consecutive days of walking.
April to June and September to October.
Yes, the route can be adapted to your time and fitness. Ask us for a custom itinerary.
Tell us when you'd like to go and who's coming. We reply with availability and a clear quote, usually within a day.
from €350 per person
Price estimate
An estimate only. We confirm the exact price with your quote.
See how the 6-Day Hike in the Atlas Mountains compares with our other treks, or let the quiz below suggest one.
Sort by:
| 2-Day Mount Toubkal Trek from Marrakech | 2 | Challenging | 4,167 m | Yes | €170 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-Day Mount Toubkal Trek | 4 | Moderate to challenging | 4,167 m | Yes | €250 |
| 6-Day Mount Toubkal Trek | 6 | Challenging | 4,167 m | Yes | €350 |
| 7-Day Mount Toubkal Trek from Marrakech | 7 | Challenging | 4,167 m | Yes | €450 |
| Mount Toubkal via Azzaden Valley | 3 | Challenging | 4,167 m | Yes | €195 |
| 3-Day Berber Villages & 3 Valleys Trek | 3 | Moderate | 2,489 m | No | €195 |
| 3-Day High Atlas Mountains Hiking Tour from Marrakech | 3 | Moderate | 3,172 m | No | €195 |
| 6-Day Hike in the Atlas Mountains | 6 | Moderate to challenging | 3,172 m | No | €350 |
| Imlil Village Day Trip from Marrakesh | 1 | Easy | 1,960 m | No | On request |
| 10-Day Morocco Tour: Toubkal, Kasbahs and Sahara | 10 | Moderate | 4,167 m | Yes | On request |
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