Five days · the Marrakech medina & the High Atlas

Marrakech and the Atlas for two: riads, a hammam and a night in Imlil

Q: Do you need to book the Jardin Majorelle ahead?

Yes. Tickets are sold online only, in timed 30-minute slots; the combined ticket for the garden, the Berber museum and the Musée YSL is 330 MAD. The YSL museum is closed on Wednesday. See the Majorelle day.

Reviewed Oct 24, 2026How we verify

Three nights in a riad in the medina and one in the mountains: tea above the spice square, the palaces and tombs of the southern medina, a private hammam, the Ben Youssef Madrasa and the cobalt walls of the Jardin Majorelle, then the road south to a kasbah at 1,820 m and a morning walk to Aroumd.

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5 days / 4 nights Mar–May · Oct–Nov Couples

Original illustration

The Koutoubia minaret over Marrakech with the snowy High Atlas behind — **The Koutoubia** · the minaret over Marrakech, with the High Atlas behind

The trip in 60 seconds

Trip at a glance

Who it’s for: A couple who want a slow city of courtyards and rooftops, one good hammam and a quiet night in the mountains
Route: Marrakech medina (three nights in a riad) → 64 km south by car to Imlil and the Kasbah du Toubkal (one night) → back to Marrakech
Best timing: March to May and October to November, when days are warm, not hot. Day 3 can’t be a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday
Pace: Easy to moderate: 2 to 5 km on foot a day in the medina, then a 15-minute uphill walk and a gentle valley walk in the mountains
Sleep: A riad inside the medina walls for nights 1 to 3; the Kasbah du Toubkal above Imlil for night 4
Getting there: Fly into Marrakech Menara (RAK), about 6 km from the medina. Cars stop at the medina gates, so ask the riad to meet you
Rough budget: Entry tickets come to about 1,680 MAD for two. The Kasbah du Toubkal is from €210 a room a night with breakfast from Nov 1, 2026, plus a 5% levy
Good to know: The Kasbah du Toubkal asks for a two-night minimum and takes single nights only when it has space, so ask when you book or add a second mountain night

Reviewed Oct 24, 2026How we verify

Illustration: a bird’s-eye view looking south from the Marrakech medina and the Koutoubia minaret toward the snowy Atlas, with the five-day route in order: Day 1 the medina at dusk, Day 2 palaces and a hammam, Day 3 Jardin Majorelle, Day 4 by car via Asni to Imlil, Day 5 a walk to Aroumd. — Marrakech to Imlil · three medina days, then 64 km south to the High Atlas

Postcards from the trip

The courtyard and pool of the Ben Youssef Madrasa — **Ben Youssef Madrasa** · Cedar, stucco and zellige around one still pool.

A marble courtyard in the Bahia Palace, Marrakech — **Bahia Palace** · A marble court built for a vizier.

The sunken courtyard and pools of El Badi Palace — **El Badi Palace** · Sunken orange gardens inside the ruined walls.

The Rahba Kedima spice square in Marrakech — **Rahba Kedima** · Spice cones and woven baskets in the old square.

The idea

Five days, one medina, one mountain night, two of you.

Marrakech is loud in the lanes and quiet behind its doors. Step off the souk into a riad and the noise falls away to a fountain, an orange tree and a square of sky. The city’s old medina holds palaces, gardens and tiled schools within its red earth walls, and just over an hour south the High Atlas rises with snow on the peaks for much of the year.

Day 1 is the medina at dusk: Le Jardin Secret, the spice square and dinner on a roof. Day 2 walks the southern medina, from the Saadian Tombs to the Bahia Palace, and ends in a hammam for two. Day 3 is the Ben Youssef Madrasa, the souks and the blue Jardin Majorelle. Day 4 drives south to Imlil and a kasbah at 1,820 m, and Day 5 walks to the village of Aroumd before the road back down.

More trips for two abroad? See Dubrovnik for couples, Mallorca for couples or every couples trip.

Day-by-day summary

Jemaa el-Fnaa square in Marrakech with food stalls and crowds

Day 1 · arrive · on footThe medina at duskLe Jardin Secret, tea above the spice square and Nomad’s roof.

The Hall of Twelve Columns in the Saadian Tombs, Marrakech

Day 2 · on footPalaces and a hammamSaadian Tombs, El Badi, Bahia, then a hammam for two.

Cobalt-blue walls, cacti and plants at the Jardin Majorelle

Day 3 · on foot and by taxiThe madrasa and the blue gardenBen Youssef, the souks, Majorelle and dinner at Al Fassia.

The Kasbah du Toubkal on its hill above the Imlil valley

Day 4 · by car, then on footUp to Imlil64 km south to a kasbah at 1,820 m.

The village of Aroumd on a hillside in the High Atlas

Day 5 · on foot, then by carAroumd and homeA morning walk to Aroumd, then back to the city.

The High Atlas above Imlil, snow on the Toubkal massif over terraced walnut groves and red-earth villages. — *Above Imlil, the Toubkal massif holds its snow over the walnut terraces, an hour and a half from the medina.* Photo: Kitetraveller.com, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The route

Five days, two bases, one mountain road

Three nights in a riad inside the medina walls, then 64 km south by car to Imlil for a night at the Kasbah du Toubkal, and back.

Illustration: a hand lifting a glass of mint tea beside a silver teapot on a rooftop above the Rahba Kedima spice square in Marrakech, illustrated day card for Day 1

01Marrakech · the medina

Base: a riad in the medina, three nights. Menara Airport is about 6 km from the medina; cars stop at the gates, so ask the riad to meet you and walk you in. Le Jardin Secret costs 100 MAD (about $11), with the tower another 40 MAD. Pace: easy: about 2 km on foot, all inside the medina, with a long rest on the riad roof before dinner.

Into the medina

Where to eat: breakfast at your riad if you land in the morning; many riads serve it on the roof.

Scooters, a donkey cart, a call to prayer somewhere above the roofs, and then a plain wooden door and silence. That is the first lesson of the medina: the life of the city is behind its walls. Let the riad show you to your room, drink the tea they bring, and sleep an hour if the flight was long. Ask for a hand-drawn map of the lanes from the door to the spice square; the medina is easy to get turned around in on the first day.

A late lunch above the spice square

Where to eat: Café des Épices, at 75 Rahba Lakdima, open daily 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., for a light lunch and mint tea on the roof.

Below you the spice square sells baskets, straw hats and pyramids of spices, and the roof is calm and warm in the afternoon sun. Order mint tea and watch it poured from high above the glass, a long silver ribbon. It is the easiest first sit-down in the city, and a good place to look at the map together.

Le Jardin Secret at 4 p.m.

Walk five minutes west along Rue Mouassine to Le Jardin Secret, a riad garden restored from a 19th-century palace. Water runs in narrow channels between orange trees, palms and cactus, the plaster is carved and the tiles are cool underfoot. Climb the tower for the view over the roofs to the Koutoubia minaret. In October it opens 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with last entry 30 minutes before closing, and from November it closes at 5:30 p.m. Expert tip: come in the last two hours of the day, when the light turns gold on the walls and the groups have gone.

Dinner on Nomad’s roof

Where to eat: Nomad, at 1 Derb Aarjane off Rahba Kedima, open daily noon to 11 p.m., for modern Moroccan food on a rooftop terrace; book a table for the evening.

You are back on the same square, so there is no long walk through dark lanes after dinner. Order to share: salads, a tagine, something grilled, and a dessert with orange and cinnamon. The roof looks over the medina as the lights come on.

Jemaa el-Fnaa after dark

Walk about five minutes south to Jemaa el-Fnaa, the wide square, when it is at its fullest: smoke from the food stalls, drums and storytellers, orange-juice carts and, beyond it all, the Koutoubia minaret lit against the night. Walk the edge of it hand in hand, then go home through the lanes.

Where to eat and stop

Breakfast · Breakfast at your riad — on the roof or in the courtyard if you land in the morning. Why here: A quiet first meal at the base before the lanes.
Lunch · Café des Épices — 75 Rahba Lakdima; daily 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., table bookings from 5 p.m. Why here: Mint tea and a light lunch on a roof five minutes from Le Jardin Secret.
Dinner · Nomad — 1 Derb Aarjane, off Rahba Kedima; daily noon to 11 p.m. Why here: Modern Moroccan food on the same square, so no long walk back in the dark.
Quick stop (other): Le Jardin Secret — Rue Mouassine; 100 MAD, tower 40 MAD; October 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Why here: A restored riad garden at the heart of the medina.

Book the hammam and the Majorelle ticket before you fly. Les Bains de Marrakech books up one to two weeks ahead, and Majorelle tickets are sold online only, in timed slots.

Menara Airport → the medina gates: about 15 minutes by car. Café des Épices → Le Jardin Secret: about 5 minutes on foot. Rahba Kedima → Jemaa el-Fnaa: about 5 minutes on foot.

Where to stay

A riad inside the medina walls, near Rahba Kedima or Mouassine — three nights; ask the riad to meet you at the nearest gate.

Dinner: Nomad, on the spice square.

Tomorrow: the Saadian Tombs at opening, two palaces and a hammam for two.

Bad-weather plan

Rain in the medina? It is rare but slippery; the covered souks stay dry, and Le Jardin Secret and a long tea under cover fill the afternoon.

Stay: Medina riad · Anchor: Le Jardin Secret · book the hammam ahead

Good to know: Le Jardin Secret closes at 5:30 p.m. from November, and last entry is 30 minutes before closing.

Illustration: a hammam still life with a brass bowl, black soap, a kessa mitt, a striped towel and rhassoul clay, steam rising under round dome skylights, illustrated day card for Day 2

02Marrakech · the southern medina

Base: the same riad. The Saadian Tombs, El Badi Palace and the Bahia Palace are each 100 MAD (about $11), open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; the Saadian booth takes cash or the Ministry of Culture e-ticket. Pace: moderate: about 5 km on foot, with the hammam as the long rest.

The Saadian Tombs at opening

Where to eat: breakfast at your riad before you leave, early enough to be at the tombs as they open.

Be at the gate in the Kasbah quarter at 9 a.m.; by about 10:30 a.m. the queue for the small main chamber is long. Inside, the 16th-century Saadian sultans lie under carved cedar and stucco, and the Hall of Twelve Columns is all marble and gilded plaster. Bring dirhams in cash for the booth.

El Badi Palace

Ten minutes’ walk away, El Badi is a vast ruin: a sunken courtyard of orange trees and long pools inside high earth walls, with storks nesting on the ramparts. It is rarely crowded. Climb to the top of the walls for the view over the medina roofs to the mountains. Expert tip: look for the storks’ nests on the corner towers; they are there most of the year.

The Bahia Palace

Walk on through the Mellah, the old Jewish quarter, to the Bahia Palace, built in the 19th century for a vizier: carved, coloured cedar ceilings, zellige walls, a wide marble courtyard and garden rooms full of shade. There is no timed slot. Restoration after the 2023 earthquake continues, so expect some areas to be fenced.

Lunch on the spice square

Where to eat: Café des Épices again, on the walk north from the Bahia toward the souks, for a salad and a sandwich on the roof.

A hammam for two

At 4 p.m., walk to Les Bains de Marrakech, at 2 Derb Sedra by Bab Agnaou, open daily 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., for a private hammam and a massage for two. You steam in a warm marble room, are scrubbed with black soap and a kessa glove, rinsed with buckets of warm water and wrapped in towels, then lie side by side for the massage. Book one to two weeks ahead, for 10 a.m. or later, and read the price list when you book. You will walk out lighter.

Dinner at Le Jardin

Where to eat: Le Jardin, at 32 Souk Sidi Abdelaziz, open daily 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., for dinner in a 1960s riad courtyard; book the evening.

Green zellige, banana trees and candles: it is a calm, romantic courtyard after the hammam. Le Jardin serves no alcohol, so order fresh juices and mint tea.

Where to eat and stop

Breakfast · Breakfast at your riad — before 9 a.m. Why here: At the base, so you reach the Saadian Tombs as they open.
Lunch · Café des Épices — 75 Rahba Lakdima; daily 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Why here: On the walk north from the Bahia to the souks.
Dinner · Le Jardin — 32 Souk Sidi Abdelaziz; daily 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; alcohol-free; book the evening. Why here: A calm, candlelit courtyard after the hammam.
Quick stop (other): Saadian Tombs — Kasbah quarter; 100 MAD; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; cash or e-ticket. Why here: The Saadian sultans’ tombs, quietest at opening.
Quick stop (other): Bahia Palace — by the Mellah; 100 MAD; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Why here: A 19th-century vizier’s palace of courtyards and cedar ceilings.
Quick stop (other): Les Bains de Marrakech — 2 Derb Sedra, Bab Agnaou; daily 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; book one to two weeks ahead. Why here: A private hammam and massage for two, a short walk from El Badi.

Carry cash for the monuments. The Saadian Tombs booth takes dirhams in cash or the Ministry of Culture e-ticket; small notes make every booth faster.

The riad → the Saadian Tombs: about 20 minutes on foot. The Saadian Tombs → El Badi: about 10 minutes. El Badi → the Bahia Palace: about 15 minutes. Bab Agnaou → Le Jardin: about 25 minutes on foot or a short taxi ride.

Where to stay

A riad inside the medina walls, near Rahba Kedima or Mouassine — the same room.

Dinner: Le Jardin, in the souks.

Tomorrow: the Ben Youssef Madrasa, the souks and the Jardin Majorelle.

Bad-weather plan

Hot afternoon? Keep the Saadian Tombs and the Bahia Palace to the morning, rest at the riad after lunch, and go to Les Bains de Marrakech a little later.

Stay: same base · Anchor: the Bahia Palace · cash for the booths

Good to know: The three monuments are each 100 MAD for a foreign adult and open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Illustration: a Majorelle-blue wall with a yellow-trimmed door, bamboo and cactus, a folded souk textile and a basket on an earthen wall, illustrated day card for Day 3

03Marrakech · Ben Youssef & Majorelle

Base: the same riad. Ben Youssef is 50 MAD (about $5) at the door, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Majorelle garden, the Berber museum and the YSL museum together are 330 MAD, online only, in timed slots. Pick a Thursday to Sunday for this day: Dar el Bacha is closed Monday, Al Fassia Tuesday and the YSL museum Wednesday. Pace: moderate: about 4 km on foot plus two short taxi rides, with a slow coffee at Dar el Bacha as the break.

The Ben Youssef Madrasa

Where to eat: breakfast at your riad, then walk north through the waking souks.

Cool, still and almost silent at 9 a.m.: a long pool in a marble court, walls of zellige tile below carved stucco below carved cedar, and around it the small rooms where students once lived. Tickets are 50 MAD at the door only. Cover shoulders and knees. Expert tip: climb to the upper floor and look down through the little windows into the courtyard; it is the view most people miss.

The souks

Wander south from Ben Youssef toward Jemaa el-Fnaa through the souks: leatherworkers, brass lantern makers, carpet sellers and dyers. Take your time and say no with a smile. If you buy, agree the price before anything is wrapped.

Coffee at Dar el Bacha

Where to eat: Bacha Coffee, inside Dar el Bacha, open Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., for coffee in a 1910s pasha’s palace; walk-in only.

It is about ten minutes west of the souks. The museum in the palace is 60 MAD and also closed on Monday.

Lunch at Le Jardin

Where to eat: Le Jardin again, between the souks and Dar el Bacha, for a light lunch under the banana trees.

The Jardin Majorelle at 3:30 p.m.

Take a petit taxi about ten minutes out of the medina to the Jardin Majorelle: cobalt-blue walls, yellow pots, lily ponds, bamboo and wide cactus gardens, laid out by the artist Jacques Majorelle and later saved by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé. The combined ticket for the garden, the Pierre Bergé Museum of Berber Arts and the Musée YSL is 330 MAD, sold online only in 30-minute slots. The garden is open 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The YSL museum is closed on Wednesday.

Dinner at Al Fassia

Where to eat: Al Fassia Guéliz, at 55 Bd Mohamed Zerktouni, run by women since 1987, for Fassi cooking; closed Tuesday. Confirm dinner hours by phone and book a table.

It is a short taxi ride from Majorelle. Order the slow lamb and the small salads to share, and take a taxi back to the medina gate.

Where to eat and stop

Breakfast · Breakfast at your riad — before 9 a.m. Why here: At the base, so you are at Ben Youssef as it opens.
Lunch · Le Jardin — 32 Souk Sidi Abdelaziz; daily 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Why here: In the souks, between Ben Youssef and Dar el Bacha.
Dinner · Al Fassia Guéliz — 55 Bd Mohamed Zerktouni; closed Tuesday; confirm dinner hours by phone. Why here: Fassi cooking in Guéliz, a short taxi from Majorelle.
Quick stop (snack): Bacha Coffee at Dar el Bacha — Tuesday to Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; walk-in only. Why here: Coffee in a pasha’s palace, ten minutes west of the souks.
Quick stop (other): Ben Youssef Madrasa — 50 MAD at the door; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Why here: The old Koranic school, quietest at opening.
Quick stop (other): Jardin Majorelle — 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; combined ticket 330 MAD, online only. Why here: The blue garden and the Berber and YSL museums in one visit.

Book Majorelle before you fly. Tickets are online only and the afternoon slots go first; keep the QR code on your phone.

The riad → Ben Youssef: about 15 minutes on foot. The souks → Dar el Bacha: about 10 minutes. The medina → the Jardin Majorelle: about 10 minutes by petit taxi. Majorelle → Al Fassia: about 10 minutes by taxi.

Where to stay

A riad inside the medina walls, near Rahba Kedima or Mouassine — the same room; pack a small bag for the mountain night tonight.

Dinner: Al Fassia, in Guéliz.

Tomorrow: the road south to Imlil and the Kasbah du Toubkal.

Bad-weather plan

A grey or wet day? Ben Youssef, Dar el Bacha and the Musée YSL are all indoors, and the Jardin Majorelle is lovely in soft light after rain.

Stay: same base · Anchor: the Jardin Majorelle · not Mon, Tue or Wed

Good to know: Ben Youssef sells tickets at the door only, and Ramadan hours close it at 4:30 p.m.

Illustration: a mule path through walnut trees, a muleteer seen from behind, the Kasbah du Toubkal on its spur and the snowy Toubkal massif behind, illustrated day card for Day 4

04The High Atlas · Imlil

Base: the Kasbah du Toubkal, one night, at 1,820 m inside Toubkal National Park. The drive is about 64 km and 75–90 minutes. From Nov 1, 2026, a Standard room is €210 and a Deluxe €315 a night with breakfast, plus a 5% levy; the kasbah asks for a two-night minimum and takes single nights only when there is space. Pace: easy: a drive, a 15-minute uphill walk and a gentle afternoon.

The road south

Where to eat: breakfast at your riad, then leave the medina by 9 a.m.

The city thins to olive groves and the flat Haouz plain, and the mountains grow ahead of you, brown and then white at the top. Take the R203 to Asni, about 45 minutes, then turn left at the small roundabout after the village for 17 km of paved road up the valley to Imlil. Park in the village car park; there is a small daily fee. The kasbah can also send a car for you.

Up the mule path

The kasbah’s village reception in Imlil is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. From there it is a 15-minute walk uphill through walnut groves, and mules carry the bags. The air is cooler and smells of wood smoke. Then the kasbah appears on its spur, earth walls and a flat roof, with Jbel Toubkal, at 4,167 m, above it. Expert tip: keep a warm layer and water in a small bag you carry yourself; the big bags arrive after you.

Lunch on the terrace

Where to eat: the Kasbah du Toubkal terrace, for lunch at €25 per person, looking straight up the valley.

Mint tea, bread, salads and a tagine in the sun, with the snow line above and the walnut terraces below.

An afternoon in the valley

Walk an easy loop around the villages of the Imlil valley, where Berber houses of stone and earth step up the hillsides above the walnut trees and the river, or simply sit on the roof terrace with a book and the mountains. Evenings at this height are cold outside summer; bring layers.

Dinner under the mountain stars

Where to eat: the Kasbah du Toubkal, for dinner at €30 per person.

There is nowhere else on the hill, and you won’t want anywhere else: a warm room, a slow dinner and, after it, the stars over Toubkal from the roof.

Where to eat and stop

Breakfast · Breakfast at your riad — before the 9 a.m. departure. Why here: At the base, an early start for the mountain road.
Lunch · Kasbah du Toubkal terrace — €25 per person. Why here: Lunch at the night’s base, looking up the valley.
Dinner · Kasbah du Toubkal — €30 per person. Why here: The only real option on the hill, under mountain stars.
Quick stop (other): Imlil village reception — open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; mules carry the bags up. Why here: Where the short walk up to the kasbah starts.

Ask about the two-night minimum when you book. The Kasbah du Toubkal takes single nights only when it has space; a second night here gives you a full mountain day.

The medina → Asni: about 45 minutes on the R203. Asni → Imlil: 17 km of paved valley road. Imlil reception → the Kasbah du Toubkal: about 15 minutes uphill on foot.

Where to stay

Kasbah du Toubkal, above Imlil — one night with breakfast; two-night minimum unless the kasbah has space for a single night; 5% levy on the bill.

Dinner: at the kasbah.

Tomorrow: a morning walk to Aroumd, lunch at the kasbah, then the drive back.

Bad-weather plan

Snow or storms in the mountains? The road to Imlil can close in heavy weather; check with the kasbah the day before, and keep the riad booking flexible.

Stay: Kasbah du Toubkal · Anchor: Imlil · reception 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Good to know: Prices from Nov 1, 2026: Standard €210, Deluxe €315 a room a night with breakfast, plus a 5% levy; lunch €25 and dinner €30 per person.

Illustration: walking shoes and two coffees on an earthen rooftop wall, the terraces of Aroumd and the High Atlas at dawn, illustrated day card for Day 5

05The High Atlas · Aroumd

Base: check out after lunch; the walk itself is free. The walk from Imlil to Aroumd is about 5 km there and back, with about 125 m of climbing, roughly 45 minutes each way on a mule track; allow 2–3 hours with time in the village. Pace: an active morning on a gentle mule track, then a long lunch and an easy afternoon in the car.

Breakfast with the mountains

Where to eat: breakfast at the Kasbah du Toubkal, which comes with the room.

Cold air, warm bread, honey and coffee on the terrace as the sun reaches the valley floor. Pack the bags for the mules before you go.

The walk to Aroumd

Set off about 8:30 a.m. on the mule track up the valley from Imlil to Aroumd. It climbs gently through walnut trees and terraced fields, crosses a wide stony riverbed and arrives at a village of stone and earth houses stacked against the slope, facing up the Toubkal valley. Walk through the lanes slowly; people live and work here, so ask before photographs. Expert tip: wear shoes with grip; the track is loose stone in places.

Back down the valley

Walk back the same way, with the valley open below you and the kasbah on its spur ahead. Stop at the river crossing and look back at the snow line one last time. Below Aroumd the track passes small irrigation channels and walnut terraces; women wash clothes at the stream on fine mornings, and children walk down to school in Imlil. Take your time on the loose stones going down.

A last lunch on the terrace

Where to eat: the Kasbah du Toubkal terrace again, for lunch before you go.

One more slow meal in the mountains, the two of you going back over the five days, from the first tea above the spice square to the walk this morning.

The drive back

At about 2:30 p.m., walk down to the car and drive back to Marrakech, 75 to 90 minutes, for an evening flight or a last riad night in the medina.

Where to eat and stop

Breakfast · Kasbah du Toubkal — with the room. Why here: Breakfast at the night’s base before the walk.
Lunch · Kasbah du Toubkal terrace — €25 per person. Why here: A last lunch at the base before the drive.
Dinner · Nomad — 1 Derb Aarjane, Marrakech; daily noon to 11 p.m. Why here: Back in the medina on the spice square if you stay a last night.
Quick stop (other): Aroumd village walk — about 5 km round trip, 125 m of climbing. Why here: The nearest village up the valley from the kasbah.

Plan an evening flight. With a 2:30 p.m. start and up to 90 minutes on the road, an evening departure from Menara keeps the last day calm.

Imlil → Aroumd: about 45 minutes each way on foot. The Kasbah du Toubkal → the Imlil car park: about 15 minutes downhill. Imlil → Marrakech or Menara Airport: about 75–90 minutes by car.

Where to stay

Kasbah du Toubkal, above Imlil — check out after lunch.

Dinner: back in Marrakech or on the flight home.

Home: the drive back to Marrakech and an evening flight.

Bad-weather plan

Rain or snow on the track? Skip Aroumd, take a short walk through Imlil village instead, and start the drive down earlier.

Stay: check out · Anchor: Aroumd · plan an evening flight

Good to know: Aroumd is about 2.5 km from Imlil each way, about 125 m higher.

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We build routes for real life — wrangling kids, spanning generations, or heading out solo — and review key details regularly. Things change and we can miss some, so we link the official sources for you to confirm before you go.

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Before you go

Plan & pack

Pack for the trip

Shoes with grip. For the medina cobbles and the Aroumd mule track.
A scarf and clothes that cover shoulders and knees. For Ben Youssef and the old medina.
Warm layers. Imlil nights are cold outside summer.
Dirhams in cash. The Saadian Tombs booth takes cash or the e-ticket, and small notes help everywhere.
Your Majorelle and YSL tickets on your phone. They are sold online only, in timed slots.
Sun protection. A hat and sunscreen for the rooftops and the mountains.
A light bag for the mule. The big bags go up to the kasbah by mule; keep a small one with you.
A charged phone with offline maps. The derbs twist, and signal drops in the souks; download the medina before you arrive.

Glasses of mint tea in Marrakech — **Mint tea comes with almost every pause; pour it high, as the riads do.** **Mint tea** · poured high from a silver pot, the welcome in every riad

Tagines on a table in Marrakech — **Book dinners ahead: Nomad, Le Jardin and Al Fassia fill up in the evening.** **Tagine** · the slow-cooked clay-pot dish of every Moroccan table

Illustration: an overhead flat lay on an ochre-red kilim, with walking shoes, a linen scarf, sunglasses, a leather daypack, a plain bottle, a down jacket, a notebook and a brass dish of dates and mint, original illustrated plan card for 5 days in Marrakech and the Atlas — **Original illustration** · walking shoes, a linen scarf, a daypack and a brass dish of dates on a kilim

Marrakech and the Atlas in one frame

The plan card gathers the trip on one kilim: a scarf for the madrasa, layers for a night at 1,820 m, dirhams for the ticket booths that take cash and the Majorelle ticket you booked before you flew. Every stop and meal is in the day-by-day above.

Illustration: the Koutoubia minaret at blue hour over orange-tree gardens and the red ramparts, the High Atlas faint behind and the first stars, a tiny couple in the garden, original illustrated recap card — **Original illustration** · the Koutoubia at blue hour over the gardens, the Atlas faint behind

Where the trip ends

The recap card closes the five days at blue hour over the gardens below the Koutoubia, the High Atlas faint on the skyline where the trip went up into the mountains. The day-by-day has each stop and meal.

Water channels and plants in Le Jardin Secret, Marrakech — **Gardens, souks and the Atlas** · Le Jardin Secret, the spice square and Imlil

Postcards

Marrakech and the Atlas, in frames.

The Imlil valley in the High Atlas with villages and walnut trees — **The Imlil valley** · villages and walnut terraces below the High Atlas

Quick answers

Planning notes

How many days do you need in Marrakech and the Atlas?

Five days is a comfortable trip for a couple: three days in the medina for the palaces, gardens, souks and a hammam, then a night in the High Atlas above Imlil and a morning walk before the drive back.

How do you get from Marrakech to Imlil?

By car it is about 64 km and 75 to 90 minutes: the R203 to Asni, then 17 km of paved valley road to Imlil. The Kasbah du Toubkal can arrange the transfer. See the Imlil day.

Do you need to book the Jardin Majorelle ahead?

Yes. Tickets are sold online only, in timed 30-minute slots; the combined ticket for the garden, the Berber museum and the Musée YSL is 330 MAD. The YSL museum is closed on Wednesday. See the Majorelle day.

Which day of the week should the Majorelle day be?

Thursday to Sunday. Dar el Bacha and Bacha Coffee are closed on Monday, Al Fassia on Tuesday and the Musée YSL on Wednesday.

What is a hammam like for a couple?

At a private hammam such as Les Bains de Marrakech you steam together in a warm marble room, are scrubbed with black soap and a kessa glove, then have a massage side by side. Book one to two weeks ahead and check the price list when you book. See the hammam day.

When is the best time to visit Marrakech?

March to May and October to November, when average highs are about 23 to 29 °C. July and August average about 37 to 38 °C. Imlil is much colder, so pack layers outside summer.

Can you fly nonstop from the US to Marrakech?

United flies nonstop from Newark and Delta from Atlanta in the winter season, a few times a week; check the airlines for this season’s days. Royal Air Maroc connects from New York JFK through Casablanca.

Before you set off — the official checks

Opening hours, ticket prices and restaurant hours change. Confirm current details on the sites listed under official links.

Majorelle tickets — Online only, timed slots; the YSL museum is closed Wednesday. Jardin Majorelle ↗
Monuments — Saadian Tombs and Bahia Palace, 100 MAD, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ministry of Culture tickets ↗
Mountain night — Two-night minimum unless there is space; 5% levy. Kasbah du Toubkal ↗
Weather — Check mountain weather before the drive to Imlil. Morocco weather by month ↗

Plan with confidence

Official Links

Official sites to plan and verify the details in this guide.

Jardin Majorelle ↗Garden hours and online tickets

Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech ↗Museum hours; closed Wednesday

Ben Youssef Madrasa ↗Hours and ticket prices

Ministry of Culture e-tickets ↗Saadian Tombs and Bahia Palace tickets

Le Jardin Secret ↗Hours and ticket prices

Kasbah du Toubkal ↗Room prices and booking terms

Reviewed Oct 24, 2026How we verify

Conditions and prices can change.

References

Research behind this guide

The reporting and research that shaped this itinerary.

Directions to the Kasbah du Toubkal ↗Kasbah du Toubkal

Imlil to Aroumd village walk ↗Riad Jnane Imlil

Photo credits

Photos via Wikimedia Commons, resized and converted to WebP. The illustrated cover, day cards, plan card and recap card are this guide’s original itinerary artwork, illustrated from the credited photos listed here.

Koutoubia and the Atlas — photo by calflier001, CC BY-SA 2.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 2.0); it is also the basis of the Cover and Cover web illustrations, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Jemaa el-Fnaa — photo by Jorge Láscar, CC BY 2.0; it is also the basis of the Day 1 card illustration
Saadian Tombs — photo by C messier, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0); it is also the basis of the Day 2 card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Jardin Majorelle — photo by Alexander Leisser, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0); it is also the basis of the Day 3 card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Kasbah du Toubkal — photo by Andy Flatman, CC BY 2.0; it is also the basis of the Day 4 card illustration
Aroumd — photo by Macabe5387, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0); it is also the basis of the Day 5 card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Mint tea — photo by Adam Harangozó, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0); it is also the basis of the Packing card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Tagine — photo by Borinot bcr, Public domain
Imlil valley — photo by Erokhin, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0); it is also the basis of the Recap card illustration, shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Le Jardin Secret — photo by muffinn, CC BY 2.0
Ben Youssef Madrasa — photo by Marco Almbauer, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Bahia Palace — photo by Val Traveler, CC BY-SA 4.0; this resized copy is shared under the same license (CC BY-SA 4.0)
El Badi Palace — photo by Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0
Rahba Kedima — photo by Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0
Imlil — photo by Mpb eu, CC0
Route map — original illustrated route artwork for this guide; stop locations from OpenStreetMap

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The trip in 60 seconds

Postcards from the trip

Five days, one medina, one mountain night, two of you.

Day-by-day summary

Five days, two bases, one mountain road

Day 1 · The medina at dusk—A riad pickup from the airport, a late lunch on the roof of Café des Épices, Le Jardin Secret at 4 p.m., dinner at Nomad and Jemaa el-Fnaa lit up at night.

Day 2 · Palaces and a hammam—The Saadian Tombs at opening, El Badi Palace, the Bahia Palace through the Mellah, lunch at Café des Épices, a private hammam at Les Bains de Marrakech and dinner at Le Jardin.

Day 3 · The madrasa and the blue garden—The Ben Youssef Madrasa at 9 a.m., the souks, Bacha Coffee at Dar el Bacha, lunch at Le Jardin, the Jardin Majorelle at 3:30 p.m. and dinner at Al Fassia in Guéliz.

Day 4 · Up to Imlil—Leave the riad at 9 a.m., drive 64 km south through Asni to Imlil, walk 15 minutes up to the Kasbah du Toubkal with mules carrying the bags, lunch and dinner on the kasbah terrace.

Day 5 · Aroumd and home—Breakfast at the kasbah, a morning walk to the village of Aroumd and back, a last lunch on the kasbah terrace and the drive back to Marrakech at 2:30 p.m.

A plan that knows how you travel.

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Planning

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Art & photos

Planning

Your plan, your way

Art & photos

Planning

Your plan, your way

Our promise

Who is Earth Adventure Travel?

Plan & pack

Pack for the trip

Marrakech and the Atlas in one frame

Where the trip ends

Marrakech and the Atlas, in frames.

Planning notes

Before you set off — the official checks

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Official Links

Research behind this guide

Photo credits

Choose the landscape. Then choose the pace.

No exact match—yet.