Western High Atlas Circuit Trek 6 Days | Six Passes — Remote Valleys — Berber Villages
6 Days/ 5 Nights
Most trekkers in the High Atlas follow one of a handful of well-worn routes. This six-day western circuit is something different: a deep, sustained traverse of the valleys, passes and villages that lie west and south of Imlil — terrain that sees a fraction of the foot traffic of the Toubkal approaches and rewards those who make the effort with a rawer, quieter and arguably more authentic experience of mountain Morocco.
Beginning at Imi Oughlad on the edge of the western foothills, the route climbs through the Moulay Brahim gorge country, crosses six distinct mountain passes, threads through the remote valleys of the Assif n'Aït Oussaden and descends into communities where the rhythms of daily life — the shepherds, the women carrying firewood, the goatherds moving their flocks between seasonal pastures — continue as they have for centuries. Nights are spent in Berber gites and bivouacs. Meals are cooked from scratch on the trail. The mountains are very much in charge.
Tour Duration: 6 days
Starting time 08:00
Walking grade:
Challenging
Itinerary
Day 1: Marrakech → Imi Oughlad → Tizi n'Tachte → Tiziane
An early departure from Marrakech for the drive south, winding up through the Moulay Brahim gorge and the upper valleys to arrive at the western High Atlas trailhead of Imi Oughlad (1,450m). The great peaks of the Toubkal massif loom immediately to the east as you meet your Berber muleteer crew and shoulder your day pack.
The morning's hike heads north-west, climbing steadily on switchback mule tracks through fields of corn, pine forest and juniper to arrive at the Tizi n'Tachte (2,000m) — your first pass and a first glimpse back down over the Imlil and Aït Oussaden valleys. A further half hour brings you to Imi n'Ifri and a well-earned field picnic. The afternoon descends south-west along a dirt track beside the Assif n'Aït Oussaden river to arrive at the beautiful red clay terraced village of Tiziane (1,750m).
Overnight: Gite or bivouac, Tiziane (1,750m) | Duration: 5–6 hrs | Distance: ~14 km | Ascent: ~800m | Descent: ~500m
Day 2: Tiziane → Tizi n'Tagrhourte → D'knt
After breakfast, the trail follows the Assif n'Aït Oussaden valley upward through walnut groves — some of the oldest and most beautiful in the Atlas — climbing to the Tizi n'Tagrhourte at 1,995m. Beyond the pass, a rare and welcome stretch of almost flat terrain leads to the Assaka spring, set in an atmosphere of extraordinary silence: a natural pause point for a field picnic.
The afternoon descends along the forest edge, the trail winding through juniper and pine before arriving at the Berber village of D'knt (also known as Agouns n'Assoul) at 1,870m — a small, self-sufficient community where dinner is cooked from local ingredients and the night is spent in a simple gite or bivouac under a clear Atlas sky.
Overnight: Gite or bivouac, D'knt (1,870m) | Duration: 5–6 hrs | Distance: ~13 km | Ascent: ~700m | Descent: ~580m
Day 3: D'knt → Tizi n'Tagdalte → Tizi Oussem
A morning of sustained, rewarding climbing through walnut groves and fields of corn and barley, the trail gradually gaining height past shepherds, goatherds and the women of the mountain communities bent under twenty-kilogram loads of firewood and dried herbs — a reminder of just how physical daily life remains at altitude in the Atlas.
The crossing of the Tizi n'Tagdalte brings a descent through juniper forest to a small spring: a cool, shaded spot for a picnic and a rest. The afternoon unwinds on winding tracks, dropping steadily to the village of Tizi Oussem (1,850m), then climbing briefly to the summer village of Tamsoult above it — a beautiful elevated resting point for the night.
Overnight: Gite or bivouac, Tamsoult summer village (above Tizi Oussem) | Duration: 6 hrs | Distance: ~14 km | Ascent: ~750m | Descent: ~770m
Day 4: Tizi Oussem → Tizi Mzzik (2,500m) → Imlil
The morning opens with a walk to the small waterfall at the Azib Tamsoulte — a peaceful, photogenic pause before the day's main undertaking: the crossing of Tizi Mzzik at 2,500m, the highest pass of the entire circuit.
The ascent is steady and the effort is real, but the panorama that opens up from the top — the Ait Mizan Valley spread below, the scattered rooftops and walnut trees of Imlil visible in the distance, the great summits of the Toubkal massif filling the eastern horizon — is among the finest viewpoints in the western High Atlas. The descent into Imlil follows the main Toubkal valley path, arriving at Morocco's most celebrated mountain trailhead in good time for lunch.
Overnight: Guesthouse, Imlil (1,740m) | Duration: 5–6 hrs | Distance: ~12 km | Ascent: ~650m | Descent: ~760m
Day 5: Imlil → Tizi n'Tamaterte (2,279m) → Wanskra
Leaving Imlil (1,740m) after breakfast, the trail heads east along winding mule tracks with the High Atlas ridgeline rising steeply on either side. The morning's climb to the Tizi n'Tamaterte pass (2,279m) is steady and consistent, the views expanding with every hundred metres gained. At the top, a panorama of Jbel Oukaimeden (3,268m) and the surrounding Atlas peaks unfolds — the perfect spot for a picnic lunch.
The afternoon descent drops into the beautiful Imnane Valley, a greener, more sheltered world than the heights above, and arrives at Wanskra village as the light begins to soften.
Overnight: Local gite, Wanskra village | Duration: 5–6 hrs | Distance: ~11 km | Ascent: 539m | Descent: 279m
Day 6: Wanskra → Tizi n'Aguersiwal (2,000m) → Imlil → Marrakech
The final day of the circuit begins with a descent through the Assif Imnane Valley, passing through a series of small Berber hamlets where the valley narrows and the trail runs close to the river. The morning's ascent to the Tizi n'Aguersiwal pass (2,000m) is the last significant climb of the trek — shorter than the passes of earlier days but no less rewarding.
The descent to Aguersiwal village provides the setting for a final scenic lunch before the trail follows the Imlil river bed back to Imlil, where the trek concludes. After farewells with the mountain crew, the drive back to Marrakech through the Atlas foothills feels both too short and entirely right.
Trek concludes in Imlil; drive to Marrakech | Duration: 6 hrs | Distance: ~13 km | Ascent: 260m | Descent: 520m
Tour Details
Price includes
- Experienced English-speaking mountain guide for all 6 days
- Berber muleteer crew for luggage transport and camp support throughout
- 5 nights accommodation in gites, bivouacs and Imlil guesthouse
- All meals on trail: picnic lunches, dinners and breakfasts
- Private vehicle transfer from Marrakech to Imi Oughlad (Day 1) and from Imlil to Marrakech (Day 6)
- Bottled water and trail snacks
Not Included
- Travel insurance (required — please arrange before travel)
- Personal trekking equipment (full kit list provided on booking)
- Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages
- Tips for guide, muleteer crew and gite hosts
- Any meals or accommodation not listed above
