From Marrakech it is a short journey to Imlil, in the High Atlas Mountains, the homeland of the Berbers. These friendly, independent people have a way of life that has only recently begun to change. Here Berber, not Arabic is spoken, and there will be an opportunity to take tea in a Berber home in the village. The Kasbah du Toubkal is perched on a great rock outcrop above the village. This impressive building was constructed as a summer residence by Caid Souktani, a rich member of the Berber Glaoui tribe, who were once dominant throughout this region of the Atlas Mountains.
Stairs lead to the large flat roof which offers spectacular views.
Mountains rise all around, and on the steep valley sides, among walnut groves and tiny terraced fields, are stepped clusters of mud-coloured houses. To the south, at the valley head, the skyline is dominated by the snowcapped peak of Jbel Toubkal, which at 4165 metres is the highest mountain in North Africa. There is constant visual interest especially in the contrast between swathes of green, irrigated areas of Berber cultivation and the barren mountainsides above. From here the surrounding area is explored, including the ancient Koranic library and wood-fired pottery at Tamegroute. The more adventurous can mount camels for a two to three hour ride into the desert, with a night spent under the wide desert sky or in a Tuareg tent, surrounded by dunes.