Private Day Trip from Marrakech to Imlil with Berber Lodge Lunch and Local Guide

Yes, it is one of the best day trips from Marrakech into the High Atlas. Imlil is the last village the road reaches, at about 1,800 metres, at the foot of Jebel Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa. You walk through walnut groves and terraced fields still farmed by hand, visit a Berber home and have lunch on a lodge terrace facing the mountains, all within about two hours of Marrakech.

Walk with a local guide through the walnut groves and terraced fields above the village, towards Aroumd, the last hamlet before the high mountain; see the waterfall on the way if the season allows; visit a Berber home for mint tea; and have lunch on a lodge terrace facing the Atlas. Mules can be hired for part of the way. Climbing Toubkal itself takes at least two days.

The trip lasts approximately 8-9 hours, with pickup in the morning from your hotel in Marrakech and return by evening.

Yes, that is exactly this trip. Imlil is about 65 km from Marrakech, close to two hours of mountain road each way. Your driver picks you up at your accommodation in the morning, you spend the day walking and having lunch in the valley, and you are back in Marrakech in the evening.

By road, through Asni and up the Mizane valley: about 65 km and close to two hours. Shared grand taxis run via Asni, usually with a change and a wait. On this private trip your driver takes you door to door, and brings you back whenever you are ready.

About 65 km, close to two hours of mountain road each way, through Asni and the Mizane valley.

With us, the private day trip starts at 35 EUR per person for a group, and 144 EUR if you travel alone. That price covers the whole day: your own vehicle and driver from your door in Marrakech, the local guide in Imlil and lunch at the Berber lodge. No change in Asni, no waiting, and you head back when you are ready.

Yes. A traditional Moroccan lunch is included in the price, cooked to order by a local family and eaten looking down the valley. Tagine, bread baked the same morning and seasonal fruit. Tell us at booking if anyone is vegetarian or has an allergy.

Moderate, and entirely up to you. Count 2 to 3 hours of walking on stony mountain paths, with some climbing. Your guide sets the pace and shortens or extends the route on the day, so the walk suits families and anyone comfortable on uneven ground.

Yes. A waterfall lies on the paths above the village, on the way towards Aroumd. If the season and your pace allow, your guide can include it in the walk.

On this trip you do not need to: a local guide from the valley is included and walks with you all day. Mules can be hired on the spot for anyone who would rather ride part of the way, children included.

Closed walking shoes with grip, water, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. Bring a jacket in any season: at 1,800 metres the air is cooler than in Marrakech and it drops quickly once the sun goes behind the ridge.

Spring, from April to June, and autumn, from September to October, are the most pleasant for walking. Summer is hot in Marrakech but noticeably cooler in the valley. In winter the peaks are snow-capped and beautiful, but the air is cold and the higher paths can be icy in January and February, so the walk stays lower.

Yes, the trip is private, so you can request to customize the itinerary with your guide.

Yes. This trip is sold from one traveller, at €144 for the day with the vehicle, the driver, the local guide and lunch all to yourself. The price per person then falls as the group grows, down to €35 each for a party of 14 to 17.

At a family-run Berber lodge in Imlil, on a terrace facing the valley and the Atlas peaks. The family cooks for your party when you arrive: tagine, bread baked the same morning, seasonal fruit and mint tea. It is included in the price. Tell us at booking if anyone is vegetarian or has an allergy.

Yes. Imlil is an Amazigh (Berber) village, and the first language is Tachelhit; Arabic is widely spoken too. Your guide, who lives in the valley, translates during the visit to the Berber home and along the way.

No. Toubkal rises to 4,167 metres and needs at least two days with an overnight at the refuge, so it cannot be done between morning and evening. What you do here is walk the lower paths of the same valley, the ones that lead towards Aroumd and the foot of the massif, and see the summit from below.