Hike Morocco's Anti-Atlas Mountains

The adventure begins in Agadir, a coastal city at the foothills of the Anti-Atlas Mountains. Usually around 6pm, you’ll say hello to your tour leader and fellow travellers at the hotel, where we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. Your tour leader then ensures a big Moroccan welcome over a group dinner together, which includes one soft drink each. Want to explore further? Secure pre-tour nights through your sales representative.

From Agadir, we drive inland to Taroudant where we enjoy a brief tour, including time for a coffee on the square. We have lunch in the oasis of Tiout before continuing onto Ighrem, a copper town that has survived for centuries on a trade of pots and water urns with the Saharan caravans. It lies on a plateau near the Tizi’n’Touzlimt pass (5,970ft/1,820m), where the road to Tata and the desert landscape meets the Anti-Atlas range. Here we start our trek into the mountains towards our camping spot for the evening, Tagragra No. 1. Our camping spot is perched on a plateau, so the sunrise tomorrow is well worth an early night. Drive time: Two hours

We have a long first day as we climb over a col and then a series of spurs before entering a broad valley. After a picnic lunch, we continue past an abandoned mine towards the head of the valley, eventually reaching the beautiful village of Amal. Finally, we cross over a pass for the final stretch of today’s walk (in the beautiful evening light) to the village of Tagdicht. Here we camp on a traditional threshing platform that lies between the many agricultural terraces and is just outside a village at the foot of Jebel Aklim.

Today is a steeper day’s walking. We climb Jebel Aklim (8,303ft/2,531m), one of the highest summits in the Anti-Atlas, for excellent views to the High Atlas and the extinct volcano of Jebel Siroua. The summit is reached via a high col and a series of spurs. Pausing for a scenic picnic lunch, we then descend to our camp at Tagragra No. 2. This area is one of the most remote in this range yet is still surrounded by Amazigh villages. During harvest, the valleys are full of brightly dressed women and children working in the field. We enjoy our picnic lunch on the summit of Jbel Aklim.

We travel from Tagragra through the wonderfully remote village of Irtem. Walking through these villages, we can chat with the Amazigh people, enjoy their friendly conversation (mainly through hand gestures and basic French) and gain true insight into their traditional way of life. We will enjoy a cup of mint tea with villagers. We arrive at our campsite close to the village of M’dint (City of Cats). Nestled in a valley of olive groves and trickling streams, the campsite is protected from the elements and provides a peaceful resting spot.

Leaving M’dint, we cross two cols, slowly weaving our way up the valley. The villagers are very friendly and, if we are lucky, we may get invited in to try mint tea and local delicacies. Passing through ancient olive plantations, we admire the irrigation channels before resting for a picnic lunch under the shady trees. Be sure to hunt out the small river for a soothing paddle! We work our way up the last pass of Tizgue for a steady uphill push, well worth it as we are rewarded with views of our entire route. Our campsite rests next to ancient argan trees and there is a natural series of rock pools where we can enjoy a swim and a wash as the sun sets.

We leave the Anti-Atlas Mountains in the early afternoon and travel north by minibus into Taroudant Province. This fertile region marks a clear shift in landscape, with irrigated plains and walled settlements replacing high mountain terrain. After check-in at our riad – either in the rural surroundings of Oulad Berhil or within the historic walls of Taroudant itself – there’s time to rest or head into Taroudant city (around 45 minutes from Oulad Berhil). Often described as a smaller-scale counterpart to Marrakech, Taroudant is known for its intact ramparts and working souks, where everyday trade continues much as it has for generations. There’s also the option to visit a local hammam before we come together for our final group meal of the trip. Drive time: 3hr to 3hr 30min