Premium Hiking and Trekking in Morocco





Hike and trek Morocco’s Atlas Mountains and Atlantic coastline, staying in high-end riads and hotels along the way
Morocco is home to diverse landscapes, rich culture, delicious cuisine and layered history. On this nine-day Premium hiking adventure, you can hike and trek through the Atlas Mountains, travel through semidesert landscapes to the Atlantic coastline in Essaouira, and stay in comfortable, traditional riads and hotels along the way. From mountain views to the wide, open ocean, you’ll hike and trek to experience some of the best bits of this amazing country with an expert local leader by your side. You’ll also take a cooking class with a local host and enjoy some homecooked meals within the community, giving you a unique insight into the heart of this country from the eyes of those who live here.
Start: Marrakech, Morocco
End: Marrakech, Morocco
- Duration
- 9 days
- Group size
- 1 to 12
- Minimum age
- 15 years old
- Style
Basix: Simple accommodation, local transport and lots of free time
Original: Tourist-class hotels, some meals included and a great mix of included activities and free time
Comfort: Comfortable accommodation, with a relaxed pace of travel and many included meals and activities
Premium: Our best accommodation, exclusive inclusions and our most experienced leaders
- Premium
- Theme
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- Walking & trekking
- Physical rating
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Our best hand-picked accommodation and the highest level of service
The must-see highlights, plus authentic experiences only available on Premium trips
Trips led by our most experienced and top-rated local leaders
Why you'll love this trip
- Start and finish your trip in bustling Marrakech, the home of your Feature Stay accommodation at Riad La Cle D’or – a luxurious riad in the heart of the medina.
- Experience the diversity of guided hikes and treks through Morocco – you'll take trails through the Atlas Mountains, then head through the semi-desert landscape to the Atlantic Ocean for a coastline hike in Essaouira.
- Stay in the very heart of the Atlas Mountains in the Aurocher Hotel, where your room opens out onto breathtaking views of the mountainous terrain and forests of pine trees.
- Hike through traditional Amazigh villages and soak in the views of the High Atlas mountain scenery near Imlil and Ouirgane. Along the way, you’ll enjoy picnics with a view – full of fresh, local ingredients.
- Get a local insight into authentic Moroccan culture with a cooking class, bread making demonstration, herbal tea demonstration and a few home-cooked meals with local hosts.
Itinerary
Salaam Alaikum! Welcome to Morocco. You’ll be picked up from the Marrakech airport by a local representative and taken to your riad (a traditional Moroccan house or palace), where your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. If you arrive early, why not visit the Marjorelle Gardens, luxuriate in a hammam or see Marrakech from above on a hot air balloon ride. After the meeting, head out into the bustling streets of Marrakech’s old medina for a welcome dinner at the Bidaya Rooftop restaurant, which sits high up in the heart of the activity. Later tonight, walk back through the lively Djemaa el-Fna – one of the largest public spaces in the world – on the way to your Feature Stay at Riad Cle D’ or. This gorgeous riad has everything you could want from traditional Moroccan accommodation. In the heart of the medina, you can chill out in your beautifully decorated room or treat yourself to a spa and hammam treatment.
- Riad Cle D'Or (Feature Stay) or similar (1 night)
- Dinner
- Complimentary Arrival Transfer - Marrakech
- Marrakech - Welcome Meeting
- Marrakech - Welcome Dinner at the Bidaya Rooftop restaurant
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.
This morning after breakfast, you’ll head out for a half-day tour of the medina including Djemaa el-Fna to experience it again in the daylight. Taste the delicious local orange juice here, then visit Bahia Palace and the nearby souks, including a rug shop and some high-quality spice shops. Have lunch in the medina, then drive by private vehicle across the plains and up to the small village of Oukaimden (1550m) in the Atlas Mountains. This is Morocco's premier ski resort (and the highest ski resort in Africa), but in the warmer months this area is one of country’s best trekking destinations. With its rocky plateaus, picturesque landscapes and deep red cliffs dominating the landscape, your trekking adventure really begins when you hit the mountains. Your hotel tonight sits ideally placed in the mountains, with towering red rock cliffs on one side and a verdant green pine forest on the other – the perfect spot to relax and take in the views before you start hiking.
- Hotel Aurocher or similar (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Half day Marrakech Medina guided tour and lunch
- Marrakech - Fresh orange juice tasting at Jemaa El Fna
- Oukaimeden Observatory visit - Free
Your travel time today is approximately 1.5 hours
Take the short drive to the starting point of today’s hike – lace up your boots and, after a short climb, it’s a relatively easy hike to the nearby mountain pass. Along the way, soak in the panoramic views of the surrounding High Atlas Mountains and pass through small Amazigh villages. Enjoy a picnic lunch on the mountain, then circle back down to your comfortable hotel for a free afternoon. Maybe stretch out your muscles with some yoga or meditation. If you’re craving a bit more activity, why not explore the nearby area on foot. After dinner tonight, enjoy the art of preparing herbal tea with handpicked herbs from the hotel garden with your local host, savouring the flavours as you learn about the health and wellness benefits.
- Hotel Aurocher or similar (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Atlas Mountains - Herbal Tea Making Demonstration
- Atlas Mountains (Oukaimden) - Half day guided hike and picnic lunch
Your hiking time today will be approximately 3 to 4 hours or 13.2 km with an elevation gain of about 900m.
This morning, it's time to pack up and head deeper into the Atlas Mountains. Say goodbye to Oukaimeden and drive through the ruggedly beautiful scenery to the mountain village of Imlil (1740m), travelling through the heart of the mountain range through valleys, small villages and farms of apple, walnut and cherry trees. When you arrive at the comfortable hotel, check-in, then head out for today’s hike to the village of Aremd. The mostly uphill hike in the Toubkal National Park takes you through surprisingly green scenery as you follow the almost dry river paths upwards. When you arrive, sit down for a home-cooked lunch with a local family. Later, continue along the trail up to the village of Sidi Chamharouch, the very same trail that eventually leads to the summit of North Africa’s highest mountain, the towering Mount Toubkal (4167m).
- Atlas 4 seasons or similar (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Atlas Mountains - Sidi Chamharouch guided hike and home cooked lunch
Your hiking time today will be approximately 4 hours or 7 km.
Your travel time today is approximately 1.5 hours.
Embark on today’s trek early this morning, heading from Imlil through the Tiziane Valley and immersing yourself in the natural beauty and cultural richness of the High Atlas Mountains. This is more challenging hike with a couple of ascents, but the surrounding scenery is well worth the effort. You’ll ascend to the highpoint of this tour, the Tizi N'Tamatert Pass (2279 m) where you'll enjoy several panoramic vistas of the nearby Tachdirt Valley, surrounding mountains, and the trail you've hiked up. Take a break and enjoy a picnic with view. Carry on through small villages and rocky landscapes before returning to Imlil for another home-cooked lunch and a bread making demonstration in a local’s home. This afternoon, you’re free to relax and take in the scenic views of the surrounding mountains.
- Atlas 4 seasons or similar (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Imlil- Bread baking and Home cooked lunch
- Atlas Mountains - Tizian valley guided hike and picnic
Your hiking time today will be approximately 6 hours or 12 km with an elevation gain of about 1100 m.
This morning, leave the Atlas Mountains behind and head down to the foothills and sweeping plains of the west country. Witness the landscape change to arid semi-desert, where Morocco's famed Argan trees thrive, all the way to the coastline. Arrive in gorgeous Essaouira – a city where the medina brushes up against the Atlantic Ocean. After a few days spend hiking and trekking it's time for a more sedate change of pace. Get to know this laidback city during a guided tour with a local who will help you navigate the maze of market stalls and narrow streets while sharing insights on local life in one of North Africa's most attractive locations. Pass the harbour filled with colourful boats and explore the fish souk. Explore the Jewish Quarter, then visit a local silver cooperative (where you might like to pick yourself up a souvenir). This afternoon is free to explore this lovely city at your own pace.
- Riad Mimouna or similar (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Guided tour of Essaouira
Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours.
After breakfast at your riad, grab your walking shoes and drive to the nearby Diabat Beach. A dramatic change from hiking in the mountains, this morning’s hike is quite gentle, taking you along the cliffs, sand dunes and shorelines of Essaouira. Soak up the beautiful sweeping views over the Atlantic and look out for the many birds that gather near the small streams that weave through the sand from the Oued El Kassab River. Along the way, learn about the local history of the area at the buried ruins of Dar Sultan Palace – once the home of a king, this palace has been battered by sandstorms and ocean winds over the years. The ruins are now one with the sand dunes. At the end of your hike stop in for a refreshing drink at the iconic Jimi Hendrix Cafe where the legendary musician is said to have chilled out during the 1960s. Return to Essaouira and join your leader for a seafood lunch before a free afternoon. There are so many options here - relax, go horse riding on the beach, take a surfing lesson, visit the hammam and get a massage or maybe rent a quad bike – the choice is yours.
- Riad Mimouna or similar (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Essaouira - Seafood Market Lunch
- Essaouira - Atlantic Coast guided hike
- Jimi Hendrix Café visit
- Essaouira - Horse Riding - MAD300
- Essaouira - Hamam - Free
- Essaouira - Amazigh Massage - MAD400
Your hiking time today will be approximately 2 to 3 hours.
Enjoy a free morning to further explore or relax in laid back Essaouira, then return by private vehicle back to bustling Marrakech. Arrive with plenty of time to freshen up, then head out with your group for an included dinner to celebrate your last night of an inspiring hiking adventure. You’ll dine at the renowned El Fassia Restaurant – since its opening in 1987, this iconic city restaurant dedicated itself to employing and training local women only. Tonight, you’ll stay at your Feature Stay riad again – hang out on the rooftop after your easy walk home or book yourself into the spa to make the most of your last night.
- Riad Cle D'Or or similar (Feature Stay) (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Marrakech - Farewell dinner
Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.
Your trip ends today after breakfast and you’re free to leave at any time after check-out. If you’d like to extend your stay in Marrakech, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.
- Breakfast
- Marrakech - Hot Air Balloon Ride - MAD1999
- Marrakech - Tajine Cookery Class Urban Adventure - MAD640
- Marrakech - Heart of the Atlas Mountains cycling day trip with lunch - MAD2000
Inclusions and activities
8 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 6 dinners
Private minibus, walking
Riad Feature Stay (2 nights), Comfortable hotel (4 nights), Comfortable riad (2 nights)
- Arrival airport transfer
- Tipping for accommodation, activities and transport
- Daily breakfast and signature local meal experiences
- 24/7 on-ground support
- Complimentary Arrival Transfer - Marrakech
- Marrakech - Welcome Meeting
- Marrakech - Welcome Dinner at the Bidaya Rooftop restaurant
- Half day Marrakech Medina guided tour and lunch
- Marrakech - Fresh orange juice tasting at Jemaa El Fna
- Atlas Mountains - Herbal Tea Making Demonstration
- Atlas Mountains (Oukaimden) - Half day guided hike and picnic lunch
- Atlas Mountains - Sidi Chamharouch guided hike and home cooked lunch
- Imlil- Bread baking and Home cooked lunch
- Atlas Mountains - Tizian valley guided hike and picnic
- Guided tour of Essaouira
- Essaouira - Seafood Market Lunch
- Essaouira - Atlantic Coast guided hike
- Jimi Hendrix Café visit
- Marrakech - Farewell dinner
- Oukaimeden Observatory visit - Free
- Essaouira - Horse Riding - MAD300
- Essaouira - Hamam - Free
- Essaouira - Amazigh Massage - MAD400
- Marrakech - Hot Air Balloon Ride - MAD1999
- Marrakech - Tajine Cookery Class Urban Adventure - MAD640
- Marrakech - Heart of the Atlas Mountains cycling day trip with lunch - MAD2000
We’re in the process of figuring out how much CO2-e this trip generates. In the meantime, learn more about our climate commitment.
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Before you book you should know
- While this is a relatively low altitude trip (maximum sleeping altitude is 1740m) you’ll need a good level of fitness for the hiking portion of this trip, as you will be walking up six hours a day some days. You’ll ascend and descend uneven trails, so it’s recommended you use hiking poles.
- Summer temperatures can be very hot, especially on trails that have little or no shade. It’s essential to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Please consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season.
- To get to the best hiking trails in the region you’ll cover a lot of distance on this trip, but all in the comfort of our private vehicle.
- In 2025, Ramadan will take place from 16 February to 18 March. Travelling during this holy month can be a rewarding cultural experience, however some regular services may not be available during the daytime, such as restaurants or coffee bars, and occasionally travel can be disrupted by events. Your leader will adjust the itinerary accordingly, but please consider your travel arrangements carefully before booking travel for this period.
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.
Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.
We've sourced our accommodation very carefully and picked the best possible hotels in line with the Intrepid style of travel, but please note that service and accommodation in Morocco may be different to western standards.
OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.
TWIN SHARE / MULTI SHARE BASIS
Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multishare basis. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than en suite (even if you paid for single room supplement!)
MOUNTAIN HUT
Accommodation in Base Camp is simple but clean and atmospheric. You will be sharing a room with other trekkers and bedding is similar to a large bunk bed platforms, however, it is spacious and comfortable. Dining rooms and other facilities are also shared with other climbers.
HEATING
Mountain Huts on this trip have very limited heating options as this would be a major financial and environmental strain. It's also a case of energy supply and timing provisions, which is limited in some places. Please be prepared for cold nights and cold showers.
HOT WATER:
Similarly as with the heating, hot water is sometimes sporadic in mountain guesthouses. Please be ready for cold showers.
CHECK-IN TIME
Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination.
PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION
If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.
Riad Cle D'Or
157 Derb Rahala Kasbah, Marrakech – Morocco
Marrakech
MOROCCO
Dates and prices
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