Hello friends! Today a great adventure awaits us in Morocco, we will visit the Atlas Mountain range!
If you want to learn more about the Atlas Mountains don’t forget to download our activity package:
Click here to download our Atlas Mountains learning guide (English)
Click here to download our Atlas Mountains flashcards (English)
Click here to download our Atlas Mountains quiz (English)
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Click here to download our Atlas Mountains learning guide (Spanish)
Click here to download our Atlas Mountains flashcards (Spanish)
Click here to download our Atlas Mountains quiz (Spanish)
Where are the Atlas mountains?
When we think of traveling to Morocco, images of large desert areas with camels and large souks with the smell of spices immediately come to mind, with Bedouins haggling and selling their merchandise.
Atlas is the name given to the mountains found in Morocco and these mountains are so high that the highest peak reaches up to 13, 123 ft. (4, 000 meters). This mountain range runs through the entire northeast of Africa, from Tunisia to Algeria.
The Atlas Mountains and their highest peak can be seen from the city of Marrakesh, this is one of the most important cities in Morocco and the first place you will visit during your adventure. Marrakech is an ancient imperial city in western Morocco and an important economic center with mosques and gardens.
Hiking to the Atlas Mountain
If you love mountain hiking and want to get closer to the Atlas, the best option is to take the road to the southeast of a Moroccan city. Here you will cross several charming Berber villages where you can stop to rest and take a walk: Aghmat, Dar Caïd Ouriki, among others.
When you go up to the top you will find that snow falls regularly in the highest areas of the mountain, allowing different extreme sports to be practiced until the first days of spring.
Covered in snow during the winter months and wildflowers during the summer, the rocky plateaus and lush valleys of the Atlas Mountains of Morocco provide an opportunity for amazing hiking and mountain biking tours, as well as cultural visits to the remaining Berber tribes of Morocco.
Range of the Atlas Mountain
Stretching along the border of the Sahara, the mountain range extends from the Atlantic coast to the northern mountains of the North Rif.
The Atlás separates the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean from the Sahara desert, in fact, these mountains are one of the reasons why this desert exists. Its high peaks are an obstacle for the clouds, preventing them to advance through the north of the continent, leaving this area particularly arid.
It is super important that you know that this mountain range is divided into three, the Saharan Atlas, the Tellian Atlas, and the Moroccan Atlas.
The Moroccan Atlas is famous for its snowy mountains and ski slopes that each year receives thousands of visitors attracted by its imposing landscapes.
How to embark on a great adventure to the Atlas
If you are looking for trekking and great excursions in the snow, you should head south on the Taroudannt road. I suggest you arrive in Asni on Saturday morning to enjoy the market and barter in the souk. And something super impressive is that on the way to Ouirgane, you will find beautiful and impressive canyons and cliffs that lead us to Imlil, a beautiful mountain village.
Since snow falls for a long time, in the middle and lower parts you can find many rivers that help to give life to this area. There are small towns and when it comes to animals, you can find many species, there is also a national park, which is called: Jbel Toubkal. It is said that the valleys that you can see are incredibly beautiful because they are several years old. Some scientists say they are from the Jurassic period.
Finally, if you are looking for something that gets you in touch with nature, you can meet the little Anti-Atlas. Although it is a bit far from the tourist routes, it offers fantastic places, with ideal places to climb and corners full of peace and calm. The pink color of the walls of Tata stands out, which contrasts with the rivers that come from the mountains. The ideal place to relax.
And that’s all for today! Goodbye friends, or as we say in Arabic, Wadaean!
