Anti-Atlas Trekking: Tafraout, Jebel Saghro & Stone Villages
Pink granite, stone villages and hidden palm groves.
- Trips
- 7
- Length
- 4 to 17 days
- Highest point
- 2,601 m
- Ideal
- Nov–Mar
The Anti-Atlas, month by month
The full guide: when to go- Ideal
- Good
- Possible with care
- We would tell you to wait
Ideal
Anti-Atlas in January
Morocco’s winter refuge: sunshine, dry trails and pink stone villages. Cool nights, nothing worse.
Ideal
Anti-Atlas in February
Almond blossom around Tafraoute — one of the loveliest moments in the Moroccan year.
Ideal
Anti-Atlas in March
Perfect temperatures, still-green vegetation and excellent visibility on Jebel Sirwa.
Good
Anti-Atlas in April
Still very pleasant, with heat building at midday. An early start is enough.
Possible with care
Anti-Atlas in May
The massif dries out and heats up fast, with water points scarcer. Short stages advised.
We would tell you to wait
Anti-Atlas in June
Too hot and too dry, with little shade on the plateaus. We would tell you to aim for autumn.
We would tell you to wait
Anti-Atlas in July
Extreme heat on the rock and no relief at night. A season to avoid.
We would tell you to wait
Anti-Atlas in August
Persistent heatwave conditions. Toubkal or the Rif will be far more comfortable.
Possible with care
Anti-Atlas in September
Still hot, especially in the first fortnight; the end of the month becomes workable again.
Good
Anti-Atlas in October
The heat drops and the trails become comfortable again. Beautiful autumn light.
Ideal
Anti-Atlas in November
Ideal conditions and an almost empty massif. Our strong recommendation for this season.
Ideal
Anti-Atlas in December
Reliable sunshine while the High Atlas is under snow. The right answer for a December trek.
7 treks in the Anti-Atlas
The massif's agency
What to expect.
The Anti-Atlas is Morocco's winter mountain range. Lower than the High Atlas, it stays walkable from October to April, when the northern peaks are under snow. Around Tafraout, piles of pink granite tower over the Ameln valley and its villages; further east, the Saghro massif is a landscape of volcanic spires and arid plateaus.
Treks here link stone villages clinging to the slopes, fortified granaries such as those at Amtoudi, gorges and hidden palm groves. Routes range from 4- to 6-day traverses to the grand traverse from Akka to Aït Moussa, which takes more than two weeks. The level is moderate: reasonable altitude, but some long stages.
The best time is November to March, with almond blossom around Tafraout in February. See February and winter treks, or the routes to the ocean in coast and Anti-Atlas. Nothing fits your dates? Tell us about your trip and a local agency will reply directly.
Asked before every departure.
Is the Anti-Atlas good for a first trek?
Yes, it's one of the most accessible regions in Morocco for a first trek: moderate altitude, dry trails in winter and stages from village to village. Most treks are graded moderate. Only the grand traverse of more than two weeks is aimed at walkers used to long-distance treks.
How do you get to Tafraout?
By road from Agadir, in about three hours, through the Anti-Atlas mountains. Agadir airport is therefore the most convenient gateway. Ask the agency whether the transfer to the trek's starting point is included.
Explore another way
The Anti-Atlas in season
Themes