The region of Al Haouz has a prestigious natural heritage that stems from the High Atlas chain where one finds the highest mountain of North Africa—the Toubkal Mountain which ascends up to 4,167 meters-- in addition to a maze of valleys, canyons, water springs and small adobe villages clustered on the mountains’ slopes. Those and other similarly remarkable trumps make the High Atlas one of the most favored regions by Moroccan and foreign tourists.

The High Atlas is characterized by its highly diverse landscapes; the region is propitious to all hiking types and levels.
It is possible to climb up to the High Atlas summits without having to be a sportsman, provided that a professional guide is leading the expedition. The region is ideal for a combined "nature-culture" stay where one can experience mountain climbing, walking through the Berber villages, and visiting historic sites of the city of Marrakech.

Attractions :

Setti-Fatma and the Seven Waterfalls:
Located at an altitude of 1,500 meters above sea level, the small village of Setti-Fatma is the starting point of a pleasant trek across a wooded area leading to the place known as the « Seven waterfalls»-- a perfect place for picnicking or bathing.

Climbing the Toubkal Mountain :

The loftiest mountain of North Africa reaches a height of 4,167 meters. Under the supervision of a mountain guide, ascending to the Toubkal summit can be achieved in two days with one night in a bivouac or a shelter. A segment of the climbing route can be covered on mule back. Mules are also very helpful in carrying the mountain climbers’ baggage. The hike offers a superb view of the entire High Atlas.

This valley, surrounded by the highest mountains of the Atlas, is a heavenly, ideal place for a gentle stroll. The knolls’ plantations wrestle for space with the Berber villages with their houses of stone and the numerous waterfalls where cooling off and swimming are a source of enchantment.

Created in 1942 in the central section of the High Atlas between the valley of N' Fiss on the west and that of Ourika on the east, this park sustains the very nice landscapes and the remarkable biodiversity offered by the highest mountain mass of North Africa, the very place where Jbel Toubkal, or Adrar N' Dern (the mountain of mountains), rises to 4,167 meters above sea level.

The most original chain of mountains of Morocco, being characterized by their powerful and imposing relief, by the diversity of their rocks, by the special beauty of their landscapes and by the remarkable biodiversity which they conceal.

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38.000 ha

On the zoological level, the National Park of Toubkal distinguishes itself especially by the presence of the most ancient reserve of mouflon in Morocco. The nesting avian fauna is highly diverse and consists of almost one hundred species, some of which are extremely significant birds such as the Golden Eagle, the Eagle Bonelli, the Booted Eagle and the Short-toed Eagle. The herpetofauna is considered as part of the biological assets of the park with a high rate of endemism.  Some species are of a rare kind such as the Small-fingered Psammodromus (lizard) and the Psammophis Schokari (snake).

You will come across a succession of vegetation floors. From the bottom up, they start from the thermomediterranean floor with its Holm Oak and Thuya trees, all the way to the upper floor with herbaceous hemicryptophyte plants of the Oromediteranean. In between, there are other ecosystems with Holm Oak, Red Juniper and Cade Juniper trees, as well as prickly xerophytes and bearings plants. In addition to those plants, there are other small plant groupings that elicit a huge interest at the biological, bio-geographical and environmental levels. Colonies of foliage are found in pozzines, on cliffs and rocks, and on the banks of brooks.  Those vegetations show structures and particularly floras that are very rich in Moroccan endemic vegetation or in plants that are specific to the mountain mass or even elements representing the Euro-Siberian flora.