👀 If you’re researching for an Atlas Mountains tour in Morocco and trying to narrow down the best guide for your trek or hike, then look no further. We found the best local tour guide (who is now a good friend)!
Escaping the chaos of Marrakech, into the Atlas Mountains is a must… especially if you’re an outdoor traveller, or you’re craving an authentic Morocco experience. Visiting the Atlas Mountains, is a perfect opportunity to experience firsthand the local Berber culture and customs. And that is what lead us to research further… in the process finding one of the most incredible local Berber guides – Ahmed Zin.
I’m going to start this review by pointing out, that our tour with Ahmed and Trek Atlas was not a compensated tour of the Atlas Mountains. Nor will you find any affiliate links to Trek Atlas in my post below.
I’m simply here to tell others about the once in a lifetime experience we had… and to share Ahmed’s story… so that you too, may have the same experience that we did.
In the beginning, we’d researched online and found many operators selling Atlas Mountain tours. But the communication we received from Ahmed, gave us an immediate feeling of confidence. Little did we know at the time, it would come to be the beginning of a lifetime friendship and connection to the people of Morocco.
🗣️ But I’ll tell you more below… so read on for our full review of Trek Atlas. Then when you’re convinced, go ahead and book your Atlas Mountains tour in Morocco – you’ll be SUPER glad you did!
Table of Contents
Why We Recommend a Trek Atlas Tour
🥾 It’s a private tailored tour that also caters for families and kids
🗣 Communication is excellent, quick and easy
🚪 The tour is door to door and only 90 minutes from Marrakech
🏔️ Ahmed the guide is local Berber, from the village and he took us off the beaten track
💰 Value for money is fantastic in relation to other tours
🌱 There is a strong commitment to sustainable tourism with Trek Atlas
👀 Read more reviews for Trek Atlas here on TripAdvisor
The Story of Ahmed Zin & Trek Atlas
(☝️📹 Ahmed and I wanted to share a little more information about his village at the base of the Atlas Mountains – this short video is an introduction to who he is and the beautiful scenery in and around his village.)
I knew we were in good hands minutes after our arrival in Imlil to meet Ahmed our guide at the restaurant. As I walked in, the restaurant staff glanced over my shoulder and saw Ahmed. Then immediately they said – “the best tour guide in the Atlas Mountains.”
Enter Ahmed! To fully appreciate how lucky we were to find Trek Atlas you need to hear some of the background story for Ahmed Zin and Chris James. A large part of how they met, and their story contributes greatly to how Trek Atlas came to be.
Ahmed Zin: A Guide Born in the Mountains
Born in the small village of Aroumd in 1977, Ahmed knows the Atlas Mountain range and beyond like the back of his hand. His father was born there, he was born there, his two daughters and three sons were too. Aroumd is the last village before you begin ascending up into the Atlas mountains. It’s a Berber village, with a population of 1700. It’s small and beautiful, and very traditional for the region.
Ahmed went to Koran school until he was 16 and from a young boy was preparing for life as an Imam. However, with school a large expense on the family, it soon became more important for him to begin work. And from that point onwards he began working on the family farm.
In his time off he took up extra work as a muler (guiding the mules up the Atlas Mountains), soon moving up to a cook-hand. During this time, he committed himself to learning new languages including, French & English. Then when he’d saved enough he began studying to be a guide with the Royal Moroccan Federation of Skiing and Mountaineering.
Ahmed was driven, he had a goal and his heart was set on working as a guide taking tours on the Atlas Mountains. Over the following ten years Ahmed worked as a guide across several tour providers. And then in 2008, a hiker, Chris James arrived in Morocco for a group tour, fortunately (for both of them) Ahmed Zin was his guide.
😎 And this is where the story gets really cool!
How Trek Atlas Tours Was Founded
Chris James from England, a retiree in his 60’s, arrived to trek the Atlas Mountains. His six day tailored hike was a Moroccan hike of a lifetime, but also the beginning of a great friendship between Ahmed and Chris. On his return home, Chris wanted to help Ahmed and offered to set up a website on his behalf.
This was the beginning of Trek Atlas Tours and Ahmed’s opportunity to proudly share his beautiful Atlas Mountains! These days Ahmed, sees Chris not as a friend, but family. He says that he is where he is because of Chris.
I don’t know about you… but this story spoke to me of integrity! Above all else, I love supporting small local businesses, and so I knew I had to share the background story of Trek Atlas.
My friendship with Ahmed & family
These days, Chris has stepped back from running Ahmed’s website to enjoy retirement. But meanwhile I’m helping here creating website content, and sharing his story, which continues to help his visibility online.
Consequently, Ahmed and his family have become incredible friends… family you might say! So much so that every year I now bring a women’s tour to Morocco, the highlight of our trip naturally being the Atlas Mountains.
Of course Ahmed is our tour guide every year!
And so I get to visit his family and watch his children growing up… and I feel a sense of belonging in his beautiful mountainside village of Aroumd. I also feel a deep sense of gratitude, for the wonderful way in which the world works to connect people across different countries and cultures. It’s kismet 💗
Atlas Mountains Tour Options & How to Book
There are several Atlas Mountain tour options to choose from. Ahmed helps you decide if you need some guidance. But I’ve listed them for you below to help.
Then read on for my review of our 2 day tour into the Atlas Mountains, one that we initially did on our first visit to Morocco as a family. And subsequently, one that I have perfected and replicated with my Women’s Tours every year.
Ahmed also has several guides working for him these days… all lovely, local, friendly members of the community. I know because I’ve met them all. ☺️
Atlas Mountain Tour Options
🚖 Day Trip from Marrakech – read my dedicated guide
🥾 2 Days Tour – Aroumd Village & Toubkal Trail (my personal favourite)
🏔️ 2 or 3 Days Mount Toubkal – Summit at sunrise
🏔️🏔️🏔️ Multi Day Tour – Berber Villages, Valleys and Summit
🐪🌊🏔️ Multi-Day Combined Tour – Desert, Mountains & Coast
✍️ It’s also worth noting that Ahmed can tailor an experience to your preferences. Don’t hesitate to reach out to him and ask.
Atlas Mountain Tour Prices
Naturally tour prices to the Atlas Mountains depend on the number of people in your group, the type of tour and number of days you want, also on the season.
Private tour prices (approximately) – day trips 180 EUR (for 2 people); 2 day tours 450 EUR (for 2 people); Mount Toubkal between 250 to 300 EUR (pp, minimum 2); multi day tours quoted on request.
When booking with Ahmed and Trek Atlas his prices include – breakfast, lunch and dinners, transport to and from your pickup and drop-off destination, porters and extra guides, entrance to and from the National Park, and accommodation in a comfortable guest house (if staying overnight). The price per person will also be reduced with more than two people.
What’s most important to mention, is that Ahmed hires all staff from the local village – the cooks, the transport, the guest house owners. So when you book directly with him, you are essentially going straight to the source. In other words the profit goes directly to them, the village and the community. This is HUGE!
How to Book Your Tour with Trek Atlas
Simply get in touch with Ahmed and the rest is easy! Go directly to his website here at Trek Atlas and complete the enquiry form.
You’ll need to provide your information, size of group, dates and preferred tour option and then Ahmed will get in touch. When the details are finalised, you’ll be asked to pay a small deposit confirmation by bank transfer. Then the balance is due at the beginning of your tour.
Our First Experience – 2 Days Tour in the Atlas
The very first time we visited, we chose to keep it simple and went for a one night, two day tour to the Atlas Mountains. Partly due to time restraints and because we had heard others had struggled with the hike up to the summit at Mount Toubkal. Also, because we were unsure how the kids would cope and weren’t really prepared in terms of shoes and fitness.
Below are just some of the details and highlights of that first tour we ever did with Ahmed. As a family we are all determined to return to Morocco in the future, to go further into the mountains. I personally want to tailor a week long hike to see more of the Atlas Mountains and valleys.
Day one – Walk from imlil to ahmed’s village of Aroumd
Our first day included a walk from Imlil to Aroumd, Ahmed’s tiny Berber village further up the valley. But we didn’t take the route that the other tourists take from Imlil. This was the first thing we loved about Ahmed’s tour… where can, he takes you on the lesser trodden path. The one the locals take.
Arriving at the village in Aroumd and you step back in time. It feels wholesome in some way, and a privilege to be a part of. And as this is Ahmed’s village, you receive a very respected welcome.
After settling into our guest house, and a delicious lunch of egg tagine we had a tour of the village and Atlas Mountain valley. We ate the tastiest cherries from a secret white cherry tree, and agreed never to share its location. We walked the village, the river, the apple orchards, past the local hammam and up to Ahmed’s home.
Here we were welcomed for mint tea and freshly baked cake made by his eldest daughter. And from the terrace we sat enjoying our afternoon tea as we looked up towards the Atlas Mountains and Mount Toubkal. This spectacular view was what we were to hike the next day.
day 2 – Mount Toubkal Trail
On day two we set off early, well rested and eager to get moving for that closer view of Mount Toubkal. Passing through the registration office, your hike is noted with the authorities and away you go. At this point you begin to notice the hikers pouring through in large groups as they get ready for the summit.
But with this experience, you have the luxury of pausing when you like. For example stopping to enjoy a cold freshly squeezed orange juice on the side of the trail. Just soaking in all the sights and sounds at a leisurely pace.
We hiked in total just over two hours up to Sidi Chamharouch and the same back. The small village at the temple and the temple itself were very interesting to see. For lunch we sat at the top of a beautiful waterfall and then the kids went swimming before it was time to begin the trek down.
Door to Door Service
Transport on a private Atlas Mountain Tour is taken care of for you. Ahmed arranged a driver to collect us from our accommodation in Marrakech. And the fantastic thing about an Atlas Mountain tour from Marrakech, is it’s only 90 minutes to Imlil. The door to door service makes life easy-breezy getting to and from Imlil.
We were dropped off in Imlil, met by Ahmed and an after a quick mint tea we set off. A mule was arranged to carry our couple of overnight bags up to the village. From here it was just us, in nature with our guide.
Atlas Mountains with Kids – How They Coped
When we hike with our kids I always expect complaints for the first 30 minutes. In all honesty I did not hear “are we there yet” once. Ahmed gave our girls Berber scarves to wear, he gave them each a Berber name, he answered their hundreds of questions and helped them over streams. It was also lovely to have his son join us for the day’s hike.
I’ll never forget Ahmed’s advice for hiking with children. He said, whenever they’re beginning to show signs of defeat, he encourages them to turn back and look how far they’ve come, it’s the best motivator. I still use this hiking hack now!
Value for Money
So, the million dollar question… does Trek Atlas provide value for money. Well other than taking a dreadful commercial group tour, where you’ll find yourself rushed along the busy tourist trail, you won’t find better value for money.
As we mentioned, we emailed several tour groups and Trek Atlas came out trumps on budget. Not to mention, they were honest about the fees, transparent and there were no surprises or add-ons.
Sustainability Review
One of my favourite subjects of course is sustainability around tourism. And it’s clear that this is also of major importance to Ahmed.
He spoke of large cleanups around the village of Aroumd that take place after summer. Many domestic tourists flock to the pretty riverside edge to picnic in Aroumd, but sadly leave their rubbish behind. When summer finishes and the tourists leave, the villagers will clean up the mess. While it’s sad to hear this happens in such a beautiful spot, it’s reassuring to know that the village come together to remove it.
It’s also important to note that when you book a tour through Trek Atlas you are supporting small business and supporting local. By booking your Atlas Mountain tours directly through his website you are giving work to a guide, a muler, a cook, guest house and transport. This means money goes directly to helping a community that heavily relies on tourism and sidesteps corporate platforms whom take a significant percentage.
💦 On our Atlas Mountain Tour we used our trusty Lifestraw which we filled from the river. If you’d like to know more read our post on how we travel sustainably.
Plans for the Future
Ahmed began creating a guest house more than 6 years ago, obviously that all went on hold with Covid. But as tourism returned to Morocco, and his bookings slowly continue to increase, his guest house is nearly finished. And honestly, the views from his terrace don’t get any better.
He also hopes that some of his children will follow in his footsteps as tour guides on the Atlas Mountains. But it’s a very challenging career, as training to be a guide becomes more complex. Despite the difficult and expensive training, we are sure that if his children share his determination they will continue in his path.
It’s clear Ahmed is a major role model in his children’s life and it was obvious that they have great respect for him. Another reason to support the beautiful Zin family.
Booking a Tour with Trek Atlas
When you visit the Trek Atlas website you have the opportunity to browse the various tour options available. What we liked about his booking platform is that he makes recommendations based on the time of year you visit, your interests and number of days available. There are multiple hikes, destinations and services to choose from… be it snow, desert or mountain trekking.
So if you are considering an Atlas Mountains Tour, we thoroughly recommend Trek Atlas. You’ll be able to tailor your tour to your own trekking needs and you’ll leave Morocco with standout memories! Not to mention you are supporting an incredible guide and person… Ahmed and his tours of the Atlas Mountain is worth every penny.
And please tell Ahmed that Sharon from My Free Range Family said hi!
If you’d like to know more about the hiking trails and sights of the Atlas Mountains then read this post.
ALSO: read our in-depth and awesome guides for Marrakech, Fes, Chefchaouen or Essaouira!
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Hello Sharon,
I am in the process of planning a trip to Morocco next September to hike in the Atlas Mountains. I read with interest your review of Trek Atlas and was very impressed. I followed the link to the Trek Atlas website but have had trouble trying to submit an inquiry form. I get a message that says, “unable to send email”. My computer indicates that it is an unsecure website which may be contributing to the problem. Would you happen to have an email address or phone number for Trek Atlas?
Thank you for any help you can offer!
Hi Tim,
Thanks so much for your comment. I just tried sending a message through the inquiry form and it wasn’t working for me either. I’ve messaged Ahmed and Chris to let them know. In the meantime, you can email Chris on treks@trekatlas.com or Ahmed at zinahmed2000@yahoo.fr. I recommend you email both, as Chris can be busy at times. Happy trekking, and let me know if there is anything else I can do to help!
Thank you for your post – we have just done a day trip with Trek Atlas (although now I wish we had done an overnight tour). It’s always tricky when booking online but your guide really helped me make a decision.
Greetings Sharon. I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to write such a good article about Ahmed and his company. Because of you, I found them amidst the souk full of choices. We just got back from a five-day, four-night trek in the Atlas Mountains with an ascent of Mt. Toubkal. What a joy it was to just have the group be us (two clients), the guide (Lahsn) and our support man (Hamed), who made sure the bulk of our gear got from one gite/refuge to the next. Most of all, he fed us amazing Moroccan food in the most spartan of settings. Chicken tagine with cured oranges on a mountain pass? Yep. Everyday he surprised us with tasty and hot meals to keep us going. Ahmed and Chris were great to work with and they really went above and beyond helping us make some purchases that really needed some local know-who to make happen. Overall, I can’t echo your sentiments enough. Thank you!
And I can’t tell you how your comment makes my heart sing! I had goosebumps as I read your message. From your words, I am able to picture your experience as though I was there. And I know how grateful and proud Ahmed would have been to show you his mountains. Thanks so much for sharing your experience Dave 🤍
Hi Sharon, it was so nice to read your story. We went hiking with Ahmed and his guides and it was wonderfull :).
We did a tree day private tour and the guides did treat us very well. We felt safe all the time and we would recommend this to any mountain nature lover.
Having teo private guides and your food arranged! The price is definitely worth what you receive. 🙂
Thanks so much for your message Jori, it’s so reassuring to read these messages and to know that Ahmed continues to provided incredible tailored trips around his homeland. Isn’t it great to take away life-long memories from the Atlas Mountains ✨
Hi Sharon, thank you so much for sharing – we found Ahmed through your blog and my friend and I had the best experience hiking with him! It was the highlight of our trip. I’ll be sharing photos on my photogrpahy page soon.
Hi Anjali, thanks so much for your message! I’m thrilled to read your message and would love to see your photos… please share the link with me when you get the chance ☺️
We just did a 6 night mountain and desert tour with Ahmed and his guides after reading your blog earlier this year. It went really great overall and everyone was extremely friendly to the kids (treated them amazingly kind the entire time). I should mention we were two couples and actually did everything with a 4 year old, 2 year old, and 9 month old. The mountains were our favourite and where Trek Atlas really shined. The desert drives were long and although the scenery was unexpectedly beautiful the entire way, the route feels much more touristy and less intimate than the mountains (and there were big tourist buses everywhere).
Thanks for your message Ryan, it sounded as though it was a big trip with the littles! And I can imagine how you must have preferred the mountains… it definitely feels more off the beaten track… this area is also my favourite part of Morocco 🙂
Hi Ryan,
thanks for your comments. We are currently trying to plan a combined tour with Trek Atlas in December and I’m curious to know which itinerary you went on. After leaving the Atlas mountains did you visit Erg Chebbi or Erg Chigaga?
We’re keen to avoid the heavily touristy areas and are thinking Trek Atlas’s Camel Trek B might be the one to do https://trekatlas.com/treks/desert-tour-camel-trek-b
Any advice greatly appreciated!
Hi Celia, thanks for your enquiry. I can’t comment regarding Ryan’s experience, but from our experience of slow travel in Morocco for several months, I think the reality is there is a lot of tourism in both Chebbi and Chigaga. This is because everyone who visits Morocco, wants to experience the Sahara desert. Naturally the big tourist buses roll in. However given that Chigaga is a bigger drive, less tourists are inclined to go that far south. We lived in Tagounite for a month, which is just north of Chigaga and we loved it, and I don’t recall as many tourists during our stay there. I’ve just looked at the Itinerary Camel Trek B that you shared, and it seems like a good option to me if you are happy with the drive (which is stunning by the way). But I suggest you talk to Ahmed and get his opinion, he’d probably know better. Happy travel planning!
Thanks Sharon, so many decisions to make when you don’t have so much time! We’re in touch with Ahmed now, so planning away. Can’t wait for our time in Morocco and thank you so much for sharing your insights and practical advice- and for writing about Trek Atlas! We’re much happier to travel with a local company so our money stays in the country.
All the best for you and your family,
Celia
Hi, Sharon. I’m happy I found your article. sounds like a lovely experience! I just sent in an inquiry to see what’s possible.
I’m going to be in Marrakesh in July and thought a trip like this would be amazing. I see they now have a meditation option, too. Sounds v cool.
I was also considering going to one of the beaches, but…if time is too tight, I might opt for this over that. This sounds super special.
Hi Lisa, thanks for your message! I didn’t know about the meditation option… I’ll need to find out more about it and update the post xx
Hi Sharon – after reading your blog we booked a one day excursion with Ahmed (on July 3, 2023), We had very enjoyable day with a short hike from the village of Imlil to Ahmed’s village at the base of the Atlas mountains – our guide was Abdo – Ahmed’s nephew. Ahmed and his family are absolutely delightful. The trip was well planned and executed and the fresh cherries we picked from the family’s garden and the lunch cooked by Ahmed’s wife and daughter were delicious. I would highly recommend booking an excursion or trek with Trek Atlas as Ahmed is not only highly experenced, he is very committed to sustainable tourism and improving the skills and livelihoods of the local community. I’d love to experience one of the longer treks on offer. Next time!
Thanks for your message Julie, I’m so glad to hear about your experience with Abdo and that you ate cherries as we did! I also look forward to returning for one of the longer hiking experiences… one day 😉
I enjoyed your article. Which specific tour did you do? We would be going in January. Any advice on which tour for the Atlas mountains?
Thanks for your message Joanne! We tailored our trip to suit us as we were hiking with the kids. Following a few emails with Ahmed we narrowed in on a trip that worked for us, so I recommend that you reach out to Ahmed and give him an idea of your fitness levels and have him make recommendations. As ultimately it will depend on how much time you have, what you want to see and what your fitness levels are. There really are so many options 🙂 Hope this helps!
Hello! A friend and I are just wrapping up three weeks in Morocco and your blog posts and advice have been invaluable. Thank you for all the thoughtful tips across Morocco.
Most especially, we wanted to thank you for pointing us towards TrekAtlas (Ahmet Zin). The Atlas Mountain area is recovering, and they need the tourists to return.
Our Atlas trekking was the highlight of our trip (saying a lot given the a trip had so many amazing highlights). Ahmet handled logistics over WhatsApp, and then our wonderful guide Mohammed, two aids and two sweet mules guided us through the Atlas over seven days, trekking between villages, crossing two valleys, camping near streams, staying in rustic guest houses, and climbing Jbal Toubkal. We were told the route via Lake Ifni was unstable following the earthquake, so we took another path in. It was gorgeous. The green bounty and cold streams were unexpected. The apples (endless orchards!) were being harvested, and they were preparing to harvest the olives. Mohammed patiently answered a thousand questions, and shared his deep knowledge and love of the area. Our meals were amazing — better than so many restaurants in Marrakech. Toubkal was challenging (Mohammed extended it to two nights, appropriately assessing we couldn’t descend in one 10 hour day!). The trek was really customized for our capability and interests. We only wish we could come back in March and see it in the springtime with snow.
Thank you again for sharing your stories and advice with us!
I’m so glad to hear that travellers are returning to the area following the earthquake, and that you enjoyed your experience! I’m also thrilled to hear that you my post helped connect you with Ahmed 🙂
Hi Sharon,
Your blog has been extremely helpful with helping us plan our hiking trip on the Atlas Mountains. Would you please care to share Ahmed’s WhatsApp contact number please as we haven’t heard from either email addresses yet..
Many thanks,
Anushki
Hi Anushki! Thanks for your message… sometimes he is offline when trekking. I will send you an email with his WhatsApp number 🙂
Hi Anushki& Sharone.
I hope you are do doing well,
Yes sharone I was of lin yesterday so please can you send to Anushki my email.
Hi Sharon
Thanks to your website our family of 4 did a one day trek with Ahmed in the Atlas Mountains on 26 December 2023. Below is my feedback.
Ahmed was an amazing guide. Our one day private trek into the Atlas Mountains exceeded our expectations. From the moment we made contact with Ahmed he was responsive, helpful and reliable. Ahmed organised our transportation from our hotel in Marrakech to Imlil. Ahmed was knowledgeable, interesting, friendly, kind, easy to communicate with and created a memorable experience for all of us. He intuitively knew how to balance the interests of our group of mixed ages and interests. Our trek from Imlil to his Berber village passed through lovely scenery, walnut trees, other Berber villages, a waterfall and streams. He provided us with snacks along the way (local walnuts and dates trail mix) through beautiful and interesting scenery and ended the trek with the most delicious mint tea (water from the local spring) and a spread of lunch in his Berber family home that was delicious, generous and prepared with the utmost care. The atmosphere in the Berber village and the surrounding views was captivating. It was evident through Ahmed’s many interactions that he takes deep pride in his heritage and surroundings and that he cares for, involves and is respected by his entire community. This day was the highlight of our trip to Marrakech and we cannot recommend Ahmed highly enough as your guide. We nearly left this part of our trip out and in hindsight I am SO grateful that we didn’t – this will stay in our hearts and minds for a very long time. It is my understanding that he can tailor a trip for you based on any number of days and whether you would like to spend more time in the Atlas Mountains and/ or in the Sahara (the ‘real’ desert as he calls it!).
We were soooo happy to have landed on your brilliant blog and come across information on Ahmed and his brilliant trekking company. Thank you for taking such care to write up about it – it particularly appealed as you travel with children too! Our review below:
What a wonderful few days we had with Ahmed and his guides. We were a large group – 2 families with 6 children (5yrs – 14 yrs) between us – yet they embraced us warmly and we felt so well looked after every second of the trip. The guides were friendly, great fun, really chatty and insightful and were brilliant at encouraging our children along and letting them hop on and off the mules if their legs got weary or they felt overwhelmed. Our children are an energetic lot but they really loved riding on the mules! The whole trip was impeccably organised with every detail really well thought through. To experience the landscapes and people we met along the way is something that will stay with us for a very long time – absolutely stunning, incredibly special – it felt a real privelage. And the food! Oh my goodness, we were fed so well too – in fact the meals we ate whilst on the trek were the best meals we had all holiday! Without hesitation I would whole-heartedly recommend Ahmed and his company. At the end of our two weeks in Morocco we asked our children what the highlight was – every single one (us included) agreed the trek into the High Atlas Mountains was the best! Thank you!