Hike Morocco's Atlas Mountains

This trip is a great combination of activity and relaxation. After an excellent guided tour of Marrakesh we were free to shop, visit local gardens (I recommend the Majorelle Gardens not far from the hotel) or relax by the pool. We were all keen to get into the mountains and they didn't disappoint. From our lovely village location our fantastic guide Abdelkabir Ait Lasri led us off on our daily walks with a characteristic "Yalla yalla, let's go". On the walks he kept the pace just right so somehow none of us ever felt either held back or left behind. His knowledge of geology added an extra level of interest to our mountain experience. Most impressive was that the week I went on this trip it was Ramadan so despite not eating or drinking all day, Abdel never failed to give 100% in making sure "everyone ok?" Always adding: "If you have any questions, I am here." The walks vary in length and as a group we did opt for the short version of the long walk on day 6, which nonetheless was still a pleasant six hour round trip along the river with a picnic (Moroccan style) lunch produced by our fantastic "chefcook". I met a lovely group of people on this trip and with Abdel at the helm there is nothing I could fault. I had a great time. Highly recommended.

This was an exceptionally cold trip with snow in the mountains and rain in the lowlands - something that was outside the experience of our group leader and other ‘locals’ that we met. There was just 4 days of snow and it coincided with our 4 days in the mountains! A guided tour of the old city of Marrakesh, and free time to look further, at the start of the trip, and more free time in Marrakesh at the end, with a good ‘filling’ of 4 days in the High Atlas Mountains, is a great sandwich to give an experience of this part of Morocco. Abdullah, our group leader, recommended excellent restaurants from which we were able to look out over the central square. It was unfortunate that the snow in the mountains curtailed our activities there. However in addition to the walks to and from the riad, we were able to make some enjoyable excursions. One to the top of one of the neighbouring mountains before there had been much snow, and an interesting morning walk along the valley when there was 6 inches of snow on the ground. We spent a day and a half confined to the riad when the snow storms prevented walks, and the group spent time reading, playing cards and scrabble, and participating in a ‘pub quiz’ compiled by one of the group. Despite the weather, it was a very convivial group. We were also able to take advantage of the Hammam. The riad has limited heating. However the riad staff made sure that the gas space heater was always on in the communal area when we were there – and they managed to find a second one as it was so cold. A gas lamp was also provided during the two power cuts. Despite fire wood being very limited in that area, the staff willingly provided sacks of wood for the upstairs woodfire. We also took advantage at night of the additional blankets available. The food prepared by the riad staff was excellent – and even though towards the end supplies were limited due to the roads into the mountains being blocked, they still managed to provide nourishing meals. All in all it was a great trip.

We had a wonderful week of complete contrasts - the busy-ness of Marrakech and the quiet of the Atlas mountains. The itinerary worked smoothly and was well balanced; there was nothing that I would change.

Our first Exodus adventure, and it certainly lived up to expectations. Every detail was taken care of, from pre-adventure packing lists, flights, transfers, accommodation, local guides, food and some very well organised walks in the High Atlas Mtns. We were blessed with a terrific host & coordinator, Ismail, who ensured we were well informed of activities - the length & difficulty of our walks and the expected time they would take - plus meals and departure times. Nothing was too much trouble for Ismail and he kept our group of 16 in constant good humour and united throughout the 8 days. The entire adventure exceeded our expectations - the sheer beauty and tranquility of the varied Moroccan landscapes, the kindness of the Berber and Moroccan people, the hamman experience, the hustle and constant movement, cacophony of sounds & myriad of smells & colours in Marrakech. We can't recall a time when we ate so well and slept so deeply. Morocco is a wonderfully safe, inviting place to visit. We would highly recommend this trip.

A very enjoyable trip split between cosmopolitan Marrakech and experiencing rural village life

A great trip with a combination of the madness of Marrakech and the quiet of the High Atlas. This was my first visit to North Africa and I loved the clear blue sky, the winter sunshine and the fresh air in the mountains. It was a real contrast with the vibrant city of Marrakech- both the old part of the city and the Ville Nouveau. The trip was nicely paced with a combination of group activities and time to explore the city. The walking in the mountains was really enjoyable- with two easier days and then a challenging long day.

Loved every minute of our Atlas Panorama trip. Good balance between city and village life. Lovely trekking routes. Great hospitality. The trip notes are accurate. Highly recommended.

This was a fantastic trip with great contrasts, from busy Marrakech with souks, palace, mosques to the quiet village up in the High Atlas Mountains. Our guide, Hamid, could not have been better!

This is a very good introduction to Morocco, Marrakech, remote village living and the high Atlas Mountains. You learn that Morocco is a Berber nation in the Arab world. It is also a very good example of Exodus's responsible tourism. Excellent local leader and drivers.

Although I am a little late posting this review as we went in September 2018, I have to say this was a brilliant trip . We had a superb guide in Hassan and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. The group bonded well from our first couple of days sightseeing in Marrakesh and then carrying on up into the High Atlas mountains. The Riad was very comfortable and cosy although did get very cold at night and we needed the extra blankets and the little heater provided in the rooms. The view from the room and balcony was superb and the food was excellent . The first two walks were fairly straightforward and the views of the mountains were quite amazing. We did the full 10 hr walk on the last day which was quite strenuous but had very unexpected flash flooding and Hassan did an amazing job getting us all down safely although we were always confident he would.

Great introduction to the AntiAtlas region of Morocco, based in a traditional riad with three days walking / trekking - all washed down with lashings of mint tea. All three walks were very different in duration (10, 5 and 17 miles!) and very diverse (considering they all started & finished from the village) but the views were always stunning.

A great mix of busy, bustling Marakech and remote mountain village life in Morocco. The village is completely off the beaten track. I believe there was one car in the village and lots of mules.The riad has incredible views, a great place to sit and relax. We arrived when the mountain villages had just received 50cm of fresh crisp snow. The area looked stunning, even if they were not the views we were expecting. The food at the riad was excellent. Similarly the hot picnics freshly cooked on the mountain side with wonderful locally produced ingredients were tasty examples of local Moroccan cuisine and were something I shall never forget. And I have developed a taste for Moroccan mint tea. Very tasty.

Nice trip, well divided between doing the touristy thing in colorful, bustling Marrakech and walking in the mountains. The difficulty level is somewhere between a 2 and a 3, rocky and uneven paths. Good shoes and walking poles, guys! Die hard walk enthusiasts may find the 3 days of walking not challenging enough. Food was freshly perpared, clean and tasty. The accomodation decent. Showers hot.

Great way to sample the exotic medina in Marrakech and the rich beauty of the High Atlas mountain.

Good trip, well organised and followed schedule as planned. Accommodation functional, clean and as described. I'm vegetarian and food could have been better, adding a few pulses to the dishes of a few vegetables would have been easy to do and been helpful.

I really enjoyed my visit to Morocco.On our 1st day a few of us visited the Jardin Marjorelle which was just up the road from the hotel. It was lovely and peaceful after our journey to the airport that morning.There is an interesting Berber museum there as well. 2nd day we had a guide who took us to explore Marrakech. Very colourful and interesting. We then travelled to the village on the 3rd day. The next few days were spent at the riad which was basic but fine. The next 3 days we spent trekking. We had wonderful views and we were provided with a delicious picnic each day transported on donkeys.The walking was not that difficult and the pace was leisurely.

The Atlas Panorama trip was just incredible. We had the chance to explore Marrakesh, with a tour guide to take us to the most beautiful sights and guide us around the markets. We then travelled into the mountains and stayed in the most hospitable village home, with wonderful fresh food provided each day, an expert guide and lots of breath-taking views. I definitely would recommend this trip!

Probably the best Exodus walking trip I have been on; incredibly well organised and paced, and a wonderful contrast between the very different delights of Marrakech and the Atlas Mountains.

Our time in the Atlas mountains was a wonderful experience and we all found each walk very different and the scenery was stunning. Our Riad was basic but comforatble with a balcony giving superb views. The food was all local produce and typical of the area, making the whole mountain experience very authentic. Our visit to the local Hamman was a highlight and local village ladies that assisted in the ritual all helped to make the afternoon a very special one. One slight concern was that our walking guide Hassan was spending hours in the hot temperatures without any food or water as it was Ramadan. We all felt concerned that he was dehydrated by the end of the day. A lovely kind and experienced guide. We added a few more days on to our holiday to relax which made the walking break into a holiday! A wonderful experience.

A well organised and smooth trip from booking to return back home. Stay in Marrakesh at the beginning and end of the trip was excellent. We were well looked after by our guide Hassan and the visit to the Medina and our free time was well balanced. Hotel Gomassine was clean and the staff very polite and helpful, Breakfast was plentiful and good, Plenty of shops and restaurants within walking distance for topping up with water supplies and food. Comfortable bus (air conditioning may not be working) for the trip to the mountain location but the ride gets bumpy once off the motorway - this is all offset by the amazing and wonderful scenery en-route. Such variable landscape and beauty. Good stopover points for refreshments and break. Walk to the Riad from Anmiter is exciting - new location and scenery. Twisting dirt track road and lovely scenery. Riad is basic accomodation but clean with great staff. Food is excellent! Daily organised walks will leave a memorable experience. Tough ascents but worth it. Carry plentiful water and energy snacks. Our guide Hassan had extensive local knowledge and the pace was reasonable for every level within our group. Walks started at 8 a.m. and mostly back before 4 p.m. Walking poles are very useful due to the nature of the terrain. Trip to the hammam is fun and refreshing. A really enjoyable trip!

This was our (Wife and I) first group trip so wasn't sure what to expect. Booking was easy. We flew out early on the non-group flights to get extra time in Marrakech and were greeted outside the airport by the Hassan who would be our guide for the week and a driver for the transfer to the hotel. After getting checked in Hassan took us to a local restaurant for lunch and our first (of many...) tagines of the week. Hassan gave us some advice about being in Marrakech, some ideas what to go and see and off we went. Next morning with the whole group having arrived we met after breakfast for a briefing by Hassan and then a half days guided tour, and an afternoon to ourselves to wander. The group was a real mix of people, but everyone seemed to get on fine. Next day we drove up to the mountains for our Riad for the next 4 days walking. As they say in the brochure, it's basic......but comfortable. A bit cold in the evenings....and mornings, but great views from the balcony and tasty food. The walking was great, perhaps a bit easier than I expected but stunning scenery. Was a little bit dissapointed on the last day when some people in the group decided they didn't want to do the longer 18 mile walk, so we all ended up doing a shorter 23 mile walk which was still very enjoyable and included the drama of the mule that got untied and ran back down the mountain. A four hour drive back to Marrakech on the Saturday morning, and we decided on a group meal Saturday evening which Hassan arranged. People started departing early Sunday morning, we had a flight back in the evening so we had another day exploring the Medina with it's souks and square. I would sum it up by saying I loved it.....already planning to go back and do the 2 week camping trip with the climb of MT Toubkal. Hassan is a great guide, really informative, funny and looked after us really well. To be honest, once you have spent a day or two in Marrakech, you have seen it all......but the mountains and the scenery (....and weather, apart from the wind) was amazing.

A superb trip. A good balance of time in the city amongst the hustle and bustle of the souks and night markets, to the remote and wonderful mountain villages.

Fantastic trip. Well organised from start to finish. Marrakech was a wonderful experience shared with a fun group. Our guide, Hassan made the walking in the mountains a pleasure with his knowledge and great sense of humour. I would recommend this trip to anyone wanting to experience a totally different landscape. Yalla!

From the moment we landed to the moment we left, Morocco unleashed a cacophony of colour, excitement and fun. The Hotel Gossamine was ideally situated in the modern district but only 15 minutes by bus from the historic main square and souk. We enjoyed street food in the square and European food close to the hotel. The banter when bartering in the souk was hilarious. By contrast the time spent in the Atlas was peaceful and the villages almost biblical in character, the scenery was stunning. We had the best of both worlds, definitely would return to Morocco.

A well-organised and well-balanced trip, which highlights the differences between the frenetic city of Marrakech with the tranquility of village life in the mountains. The terrain of the mountains is quite varied and a little challenging, so ensure you are well prepared!

The Atlas Panorama was a fantastic walking holiday - we went as a family of 5 aged 16 upwards and all enjoyed the experience. It is a good combination between a bit of city life and then remote and simple village life. The Gite is basic but was very clean and the food was delicious - also beautiful views. The picnics provided by the cooks were delicious. We thought it was a good balance of walking on each day and the guide was excellent.

On the one hand a wonderful sophisticated urban mix of frenetic souk sellers, beautiful palaces, peaceful gardens and mosques, crazy street life; and on the other a rural mountain village idyll with clean air, stunning views, rushing streams, mules and baby goats.

This was a great holiday - I arrived feeling exhausted, left feeling rested, but without the slovenly feeling that lying on a sun lounger gives you. The sun shone every day, the views were incredible, the people were great and I had a super time. Our group was quite mixed in ages, and only 4 out of the 14 knew each other, so if you are thinking of coming on your own, you would be in good company.

Great trip packed with variety from the hustle, noise and smells in Marrakech to the silence and beauty of the Atlas mountains

I can recommend this trek. It was my first trek and my first time camping for over 55 years. I found the whole experience a bit of a challenge at times but great fun, and a wonderful experience. The pace was fine. I was rarely out of breath. None of us suffered any altitude problems. The guide was superb in every way, as were his assistant, cook, and muleteers. The group were excellent company and supportive of each other. The food was great.