We’ve just returned from a weeks break in Marrakesh. We’re regular visitors here and every time we go I wonder where my images might come from. I needn’t have worried, I came back with far too many pics for one post.

A new adventure on this trip was an excursion into the High Atlas Mountains. We booked the trip through Air BnB (who knew) and the itinerary included a Berber breakfast, and a visit to a Berber market. That was followed by a hour and a half hike along mountain trails for a view of North Africas highest mountain, Mount Toubkal, before a Tagine cooked dinner at our guides, aunts house. We then had to hike to views of impressive waterfalls, a call into a rug souk and then home.

The breakfast stop wasn’t that memorable and we only stopped there so that we could buy skin care products from the woman’s co-operative. We didn’t stay too long before moving onto the Berber Saturday market. That really was worth a stop. I could have spent all morning here but unfortunately we had a lot to cram in.

It ended up being a whistle stop tour of the market. We raced around without stopping at any stalls. One of our party critiqued this during a de-brief with our guide at the end of the day. We all agreed that we’d have happily sacrificed anything else on the tour for more time at the market.

Our race around the market over we drove on into the mountains and some fantastic scenery. Our drop off point was at the base of stone swich backs, climbing gradually up to a high point where our guides aunts house was situated, overlooking mount Toubkal.

I really enjoyed the hike. It wasn’t that strenuous and terrific views opened up at every turn in the path. Lunch was good and really did feel authentic. We stopped for about an hour before making our was down a steep slope to the base of the waterfalls that were on our route back to the bus. The falls were a disappointment as the water levels were low and the viewing points were blocked off.

Next stop was the Berber rug shop but by the time we reached there I think everyone’s enthusiasm for a sales pitch was waning. However the shop keeper was a really comical guy. Once he twigged most of us on the tour were English he adopted a mock London cockney accent – think Dick Van Dyke’s character, Bert in Mary Poppins. Yes, that bad but funny at the same time.

Once we got back to the bus we had one more viewing point stop before the hour or so drive back the Marrakesh. I seem to have written a lot of negatives throughout the blog but overall I really enjoyed the excursion. The walk through the mountains alone was worth the trip. Some of our group paid as little as £9 for the day. An absolute bargain for that price.

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All images: ©Stephen Hyde 2007-2025 – All rights reserved.