If you’re considering a trip to Morocco, you’re in good company. Last year, Morocco surpassed Egypt to become North Africa’s top tourist destination. According to UN tourism statistics, the number of visitors to Morocco increased by 20% from 2023 to 2024, reaching 17.4 million. Among its cities—including Casablanca, Fez, and Rabat—Marrakech stands out as the most sought-after destination for travelers.
While Marrakech hasn’t experienced full-blown overtourism just yet, signs such as larger crowds and rising prices are evident. Fortunately, there’s a simple way to escape the hustle and bustle. Just an hour’s drive from the vibrant city, the Atlas Mountains await, offering nature, adventure, and a unique culture—a perfect getaway for those looking to explore beyond Marrakech for a day or two.
The Atlas Mountains feature soaring peaks ideal for climbing—whether on foot, by bike, or on a donkey—as well as dramatic desert landscapes and numerous villages inhabited by indigenous Berber communities. Whether you opt for a guided tour, rent a car, or catch a bus, here’s what you can do once you arrive.
Things to See and Do
The Atlas Mountains are divided into three ranges: the High Atlas, the Middle Atlas, and the Anti-Atlas. The High Atlas is the most accessible from Marrakech, with Asni—its closest large village—just an hour away.
Hiking Adventures
The High Atlas boasts over 400 peaks, several exceeding 13,000 feet. The mountain range offers trails suitable for varying skill levels. Ascend Mount Toubkal, the tallest mountain in North Africa (13,665 feet), with a guide, or tackle a more scenic and challenging hike through Mgoun National Park, a UNESCO Global Geopark known for its stunning rivers, deep gorges, and striking mountain vistas.
Explore a Berber Village
Hiking with a guide often leads you to a Berber village at the end of your trek—typically the home of a relative. Visiting these villages offers an authentic glimpse into local culture. Berber families often welcome hikers into their homes, serving fresh mint tea and flatbreads baked in clay ovens.
Watch as the host prepares Moroccan mint tea using fresh herbs from their garden, skillfully pouring the mixture between a pot and glasses to ensure it’s well combined before serving in delicate glasses. Meanwhile, the host’s wife will flatten bread dough and bake it against the inside of her clay wood-fired oven. If you’re fortunate, you might also be treated to olives harvested from their trees and olive oil produced at the village’s communal stone mill.
The Atlas Mountains also once hosted several Jewish communities in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Although most Jewish Berbers departed Morocco in the 1950s and ’60s, a few villages remain, including Anraz—a picturesque ghost town of abandoned clay structures that you can explore with a local guide. It features a well-preserved synagogue, still used for holidays by Jews from Casablanca, and a historic cemetery.
Support Local Artisans
A visit to the Eve Branson Foundation Tamgounssi Weaving Centre in Tansghart is another highlight, where women learn the traditional crafts of embroidery and weaving. Observing the artisan weavers at work is captivating, and you can purchase their exquisite handmade rugs, tablecloths, and more.
Accommodation Options
For lodging, several local kasbahs are available, but if you prefer to redeem points, the Virgin Limited Edition Kasbah Tamadot in Asni is the premier choice in the Atlas Mountains. Following a closure due to damage from the 2023 earthquake, it reopened at the end of 2024, just in time for its 20th anniversary in 2025, after expanding from 28 to 42 rooms and adding a new restaurant and kids’ club.
Originally built in 1920, this kasbah was restored by an Italian businessman and later purchased by Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, who transformed it into a hotel in 2005.
The property boasts newly built, stand-alone riads featuring rooms adorned with local textiles, metalwork, and ceramics, along with private pools or hot tubs.
During its reopening, the hotel also unveiled a new restaurant under an expansive canvas tent, Assays, which serves Moroccan and Western cuisine, including a tasting menu accompanied by live Moroccan music on select nights. An outdoor patio restaurant overlooking the pool welcomes guests for lunch, serving meals that start with an array of Berber flatbreads.
Be sure to explore the hotel: indulge in a spa hammam treatment, play tennis on clay courts, take a tagine cooking class, and sip freshly prepared mint tea with Mohammad, an employee from Asni who has been with the hotel since 2005. The staff at Kasbah Tamadot are all Moroccan, so don’t hesitate to ask for their local tips—they’re invaluable.
Using Points for Booking
Rates at Kasbah Tamadot begin at $577 per night. Alternatively, you can redeem Virgin Red points starting at 140,000 points per night. After a minimum two-night stay, additional nights range between 70,000-85,000 Virgin points—one of the lowest redemption rates for Virginia Limited properties. To book, contact Virgin Limited Edition at (877) 577-8777 or email enquiries@virginlimitededition.com for availability and points rates.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club partners with all major credit card rewards programs, allowing you to sync your points across Virgin Red accounts once linked. (Note: Capital One miles transfer directly to Virgin Red.)
While the redemption rate isn’t the best, you can stretch your points by utilizing Chase Ultimate Rewards’ 25% transfer bonus to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, available until June 15.
Getting There
The nearest major airport to the Atlas Mountains is Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK), which is expanding its direct flight options from the U.S. that you can book with points and miles.
United’s Direct Flights to Marrakech
Last year, United Airlines launched seasonal direct flights from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to RAK, with the route resuming on October 25, 2025, and operating until March 28, 2026.
Using United MileagePlus miles, one-way economy tickets start at 42,200 miles, while business-class tickets begin at 180,000 miles (taxes and fees are minimal, about $5.60). United’s award pricing is dynamic, meaning you may need to use more miles during peak travel dates, while discounts may be available to United credit card holders and Premier elite members.
Delta’s Direct Flights to Marrakech
Delta Air Lines will also begin its direct seasonal service to Marrakech on October 25, 2025, from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), running through the end of April 2026.
To book a flight from ATL to RAK using Delta SkyMiles, expect one-way economy tickets to start at 48,000 miles, with Delta One tickets from 270,000 miles and a slight fee of about $5.60. Note that Delta’s awards are also dynamically priced, so higher mileage may be necessary during peak times, and discounts are often available for Delta credit card holders.
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