The High Atlas Mountains

Imlil is a small village in Morocco's High Atlas Mountains, about a 2-hour bus ride south of Marrakesh. The town is at an elevation of almost 2,000 meters, and even in the summer you can see snow on nearby Mount Toubkal, the highest mountain in North Africa. I ended up spending 4 nights in Imlil, going for mountain hikes during the day, then before dinner stopping at the local hammam (Moroccan public bath) for a scrub. When I first arrived in Imlil I bought a trail map of the region, but then decided I would try hiring a guide for a few hours to see what that was like. For 350 Moroccan dirhams (about 45 US dollars) you can get a mountain guide in Imlil for a few hours, including lunch. I instead went for a budget deal. I asked around town and was eventually introduced to Hussain, an older man from a nearby village, who was willing to be my guide for about half that amount (excluding lunch, and bring your own water). Hussain proved to be very familiar with the local mountain trails and villages so I got a good hiking tour of the region. The photo above is of Hussain, and I included the one above that because though it's common to see flower planters and sandals made out of old tires, that's the first time I've seen them used for pitchers, cups, and water pots. Also, those little brown clay pots in the waterfall photo are a kind of old-fashioned Crock-pot for making tajine, a popular Moroccan dish made by slow cooking vegetables and/or meat with spices over charcoal.