Morocco is an overwhelming place. Walking through one of the Medinas in Fes or Marrakech, or even a smaller city, can feel intimidating at best, and downright sensory overload at worst. It is amazing, but sometimes, one just needs a break.

So waking up here at Riad Atlas Panorama in the village of Imlil is a refresh and reset that has me smiling. And gazing out the window of my room to see the morning sun on Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains doesn’t hurt my mood in the least.

The Atlas Mountains stretch across North Africa, from Morocco in the west to Tunisia in the east. With peaks of more than 13,000 feet, it is the rain shadow formed by this massive range that gives rise to the dryness of the Sahara Desert to the south. To the north, the green Mediterranean climate that makes up the majority of the land area of Morocco.

Here in Morocco, the Atlas Mountains are actually three sub-ranges that largely sit in lines going east to west. The northernmost are the Middle Atlas Mountains, rolling green hills and some rocky crags that can reach about 10,000 feet, though most are considerably shorter. The southern band is called the Anti Atlas Mountains. Most of the high points in this sub-range sit at about 8-9,000 feet, with a climate significantly more arid, lying just adjacent to the Sahara. And between those are the High Atlas Mountains, where I find myself today.

The High Atlas Mountains contain the highest peaks of North Africa, with Toubkal hitting more than 13,600 feet. (Yes, you can ski in Morocco, despite most people having the images of the country being just desert.) And these mountains really do divide the country, with the overwhelming percentage of rain falling to the north. And for those who need some time out of the cities and don’t just want to brave the sand dunes of the Sahara with the other tourists (click here to read more about the Sahara), a visit here could be in good order.

In Imlil, I am sort of at the base of Toubkal, and even in May, I can see snow in the mountains above my lodge when the clouds clear. The air is cool, dry, and fresh, and while there are still a considerable number of visitors (mainly locals, it would appear, getting out of Marrakech for a few days), it is quiet in a way only the mountains can be. A pot of mint tea served by the window, and a view over a valley with an adjacent village, and I am at peace, a rarity for me in Morocco.

Only a fifteen or so minute walk from my lodge is a small waterfall, providing a pleasant break from the serenity of my room and view. Locals splash, and I watch and smile.

The Atlas Mountains were mainly created when the African and European continents collided, the same tectonic activity that produced the Alps and Pyrenees. (The Anti Atlas Mountains have more in common with the Appalachians of North America, and date back to the splitting of Pangea.) This seismic activity has produced some large earthquakes (like a devastating one in 2023 just outside Marrakech) and some fault lines that filled in with rivers and streams, which then cut gorges in the stone of the mountains.

There are a number of gorges to explore in the High Atlas Mountains, but Todra Gorge is considered one of the prettiest and is the one I choose. The red-brown of the rock towering above me is breathtaking, and while not as serene as my Imlil retreat, it adds a layer to the beauty of the Moroccan mountains.

Before coming to Morocco, I was like most others, my preconceptions about the country being that it was beaches and deserts, with little in between. But after having experienced the Atlas Mountains, I want to put that mistake to rest. From the cedar forests and Barbary macaque monkeys of the Middle Atlas Mountains to the snowy summits of the High Atlas and the dark rocky peaks of the Anti Atlas, this country has a diversity of climate zones that far exceeded what I thought would be possible. It is a pleasant surprise, and one of my biggest takeaways from a trip full of unexpected delights.

A mountain retreat isn’t what one would typically associate with a country like Morocco. But if, after being overwhelmed by the souks and Kasbahs, you need a day or three away, visiting the Atlas Mountains for a hike or a rest could be just what you need. I know it was for me.

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