Why the Atlas Mountains are value a detour from Marrakech

If you’re planning a visit to Morocco, you are not alone. Final 12 months, the dominion dethroned Egypt as the highest tourism vacation spot in North Africa. In line with UN tourism knowledge, Morocco’s tourism numbers have been steadily rising, with a 20% leap from 2023 to 2024, when 17.4 million vacationers visited. Amongst of all its cities — together with Casablanca, Fez and Rabat — Marrakech ranks the hottest vacation spot in Morocco for guests.

Although Marrakech is not fairly struggling the full-blown results of over-tourism, some early indicators, together with crowds and better costs, persist. Fortunately, there’s a simple escape from the crowds out there in order for you a quieter journey. Lower than an hour’s drive from the bustling metropolis, the Atlas Mountains provide nature, journey and a singular tradition, making them a great detour vacation spot to get off the overwhelmed path from Marrakech for a day or two.

The mountains are residence to jutting peaks ripe for climbing (by foot, bike or donkey), dramatic desert landscapes and dozens of villages the place the indigenous Berber communities reside. Whether or not you rent one of many myriad tour firms providing excursions to the mountains, lease a automotive or snag a bus to the world by yourself, here is what to do when you arrive.

What to see and do

The Atlas Mountains have three sections: the Excessive Atlas (or simply Atlas), the Center Atlas and the Anti-Atlas (or Little Atlas) Mountains. The Excessive Atlas Mountains are essentially the most accessible from Marrakech, with the closest massive village of Asni nearly an hour’s drive away from Marrakech.

Go mountain climbing

The Excessive Atlas Mountains have greater than 400 peaks, with a number of over 13,000 toes. Nonetheless, the vary has quite a lot of trails with an assortment of ability ranges. Mount Toubkal, the very best mountain in northern Africa at 13,665 toes, will be trekked with a information. For a scenic, more difficult hike, strive a path via Mgoun Nationwide Park, a UNESCO International Geopark recognized for its scenic rivers, deep gorges and dramatic mountain surroundings.

Go to a Berber village

One motive to hike with a information is that they may usually convey you to a Berber village on the finish of your trek (usually a relative of theirs), which is an effective way to expertise the native tradition. Within the mountains, it’s common for Berber households to open their humble properties to hikers and vacationers, making contemporary mint tea and flatbreads of their clay ovens.

Witness the person of the home put together Moroccan mint tea, made with contemporary herbs normally grown of their backyard, by constantly pouring the combination between the pot and glasses to totally mix it earlier than serving the brew in dainty glasses. In the meantime, his spouse will flatten the bread dough and press it towards the within of her clay wood-fired oven to bake it. In case you’re fortunate, your hosts can also serve cured olives from their bushes and olive oil hand-pressed of their village’s communal stone mill.

The Atlas Mountains had been additionally residence to a number of Jewish communities within the late 1800s and early 1900s. Most Jewish Berbers from the Atlas Mountains left Morocco within the Nineteen Fifties and ’60s, however just a few villages stay, though they’re unpopulated. One is Anraz, a photogenic ghost city of deserted clay constructions, which you’ll be able to go to with a neighborhood information. There’s a well-kept synagogue — nonetheless used for holidays by Jews from Casablanca — and a preserved cemetery.

Store domestically made textiles

One other spotlight is a go to to the Eve Branson Basis Tamgounssi Weaving Centre within the village of Tansghart, the place ladies study to embroider and weave by hand to earn an unbiased dwelling. Watching the weavers on the loom is fascinating, and their lovely handmade rugs, tablecloths and different objects are additionally on the market.

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There are a number of native kasbahs to remain in, however if you wish to use factors, the Virgin Restricted Version Kasbah Tamadot in Asni is essentially the most luxurious choice within the Atlas Mountains. Like many buildings within the area, it sustained some injury in the course of the 2023 earthquake; after a seven-month closure, it reopened on the finish of 2024, simply in time for its twentieth anniversary in 2025. The renovation introduced the lodge from 28 to 42 rooms, including a brand new restaurant and youngsters membership.

The unique constructing, a kasbah first owned by a neighborhood governor after which an Italian businessman who restored it, dates again to 1920. Richard Branson, the founding father of the Virgin Group, purchased the property in 2000 and turned it right into a lodge in 2005.

Among the largest lodging are the newly constructed, stand-alone riads, which characteristic rooms embellished with native textiles, metalwork and ceramics. In addition they include personal swimming pools or scorching tubs.

When it reopened, the lodge additionally added a brand new restaurant underneath a large canvas tent. Assays serves Moroccan and Western meals, some nights providing a conventional Moroccan tasting menu accompanied by reside Moroccan music. There’s additionally an out of doors patio restaurant overlooking the pool for lunch, the place each meal begins with an array of Berber flatbreads.

Do go away time to discover the lodge: Take pleasure in a hammam therapy on the spa, play tennis on the clay courts, partake in a tagine cooking class and luxuriate in a glass of freshly ready mint tea with Mohammad, an worker from Asni who has been working right here since 2005. The entire workers at Kasbah Tamadot are Moroccan, so ask them for his or her native ideas — they’ve many.

Reserving with factors

Charges at Virgin Restricted Version Kasbah Tamadot begin from $577 per evening. However it’s also possible to redeem Virgin Crimson factors beginning at 140,000 factors per evening. After a minimal two-night keep, further nights price 70,000-85,000 Virgin factors. (This is among the lowest redemption charges out there for any Virgin Restricted property.) To e book, contact Virgin Restricted Version at (877) 577-8777 or e mail enquiries@virginlimitededition.com to substantiate availability and factors charges.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership companions with each main bank card rewards program, and when you hyperlink your Flying Membership account to your Virgin Crimson account, your factors will sync throughout the packages. (Notice: Capital One miles switch on to Virgin Crimson.)

Although that is not the finest redemption fee, you may make your factors go barely additional by benefiting from Chase Final Rewards’ 25% switch bonus to Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership, which runs via June 15.

Tips on how to get there

The closest main airport to the Atlas Mountains is Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK), which is seeing an enlargement of direct flights from the U.S. which can be bookable on factors and miles.

United direct flights to Marrakech

Final 12 months, United Airways launched seasonal direct flights between Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR) to RAK. That route resumes Oct. 25, 2025, and runs via March 28, 2026.