Private Tour: Three Valleys and Atlas Mountains Day Trip from Marrakech

Your day trip begins in the morning with pickup from your Marrakech hotel or riad. Meet your private driver, buckle into your air-conditioned vehicle and head for the dramatic Atlas Mountains. Enjoy the majestic scenery on your 1-hour drive to Ourika Valley and take in its lush foliage and rushing waterfalls — a true desert oasis. You have the option of hiring a local guide to explore the area deeper (own expense).

Continue on to a local cooperative where women extract argan oil (a famous Moroccan oil used in cosmetics and food) and stroll in an aromatic garden filled with decorative and medicinal plants, before entering Oukaimeden Valley. Brave a secluded mountain road at an elevation of 5,900 feet (1,800 m), passing traditional stone Berber villages. Stop at an authentic local restaurant for lunch or opt for a more immersive cultural experience by having a lunch of tagine (a traditional stew), couscous and more with a Berber family (lunch at own expense).

Afterward, make your way to Asni Valley, situated high in the Atlas Mountains and full of apple, walnut, peach and almond trees. Take in the sights of Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in northern Africa at 13,665 feet (4,165 m).

Once you’ve explored the third valley, you’ll return to Marrakech. If you’ve chosen the extended option, continue into the Moroccan countryside for an additional hour. Visit the cobalt-blue Takerkoust Lake and then drive to the Kik Plateau, a distinctive limestone outcropping in the Atlas Mountains that offers wonderful views of the lush valleys below. Return to Marrakech and conclude your journey through Morocco’s countryside with drop-off at your hotel or riad in the late afternoon.