Just 35 minutes from the bustle of Marrakech, the foothills of the High Atlas Mountains offer a very different side of Morocco. Here the pace slows, the air cools and the landscape opens into soaring peaks, ancient Berber villages and centuries old olive groves. Perched on a hilltop above this dramatic scenery is Kasbah Angour, a boutique hotel that has quietly become one of the country’s best kept secrets.
For travellers wanting winter sunshine without a long haul flight, or an escape from the heat of a Moroccan summer, this authentic mountain retreat delivers both. Marrakech can grow intensely hot in high summer, yet Kasbah Angour enjoys a naturally cooler mountain climate, with warm rather than oppressive days and refreshingly cool evenings around its gardens, terraces and swimming pool. In winter the hotel basks in crisp sunshine beneath the snow capped summits of North Africa’s highest mountains, making it a genuine year round destination.
Authentic Berber Craftsmanship
Designed in the style of a traditional Amazigh fortress, the four star hotel was built by local craftsmen using time honoured Moroccan techniques and materials. Cedarwood doors, handmade clay tiles, locally crafted furniture and red sandstone floors give the interiors a genuine sense of place, favouring understated, authentic luxury over anything designed purely for tourists.
Set within 12 acres of gardens planted with roses, olives, figs and native mountain species, Kasbah Angour has 27 individually designed bedrooms and suites, each with views towards the Atlas Mountains. Many rooms have private terraces overlooking the gardens, and modern comforts including underfloor heating, air conditioning and reliable Wi-Fi ensure comfort whatever the season.
Walking in the High Atlas
The High Atlas stretches for almost 1,000 kilometres across Morocco, forming North Africa’s highest mountain range. From the hotel, guests look out towards celebrated peaks including Angour, Oukaimeden and the mighty Toubkal Massif, with the fertile Sidi Fares Valley and its olive groves and timeless villages laid out below.
This is authentic Berber country, where farmers still plough fields with donkeys and villages are built from compacted earth much as they were generations ago, despite Marrakech’s restaurants, galleries and medina being within easy reach for a day trip. The landscape is best explored on foot, and guided walks and mountain treks led by experienced multilingual local guides take in terraced fields, mountain streams and traditional hilltop douars, along with working olive mills and the chance to meet local families.
Shorter walks of three to four hours offer a gentle introduction to the region, while more adventurous full day hikes head higher into the mountains. The walking season runs from September to May, when snow crowns the highest summits without affecting the hotel’s own mild climate. For those who prefer to explore by road, half day and full day excursions visit remote mountain villages and traditional weekly souks, where locals gather to trade livestock, produce, spices and handcrafted goods.
Life at the Kasbah
Back at the hotel, life revolves around generous terraces, peaceful gardens and an azure swimming pool lined with handcrafted bejmat tiles. Sunrise yoga overlooking the mountains, lazy afternoons beside the pool and evenings beside the open fire in Bar Azrou, where local musicians perform traditional Berber music, set an unhurried rhythm.
Dining is a highlight, with much of the produce coming directly from the hotel’s own gardens or nearby farms. Seasonal Moroccan and Mediterranean dishes are served on the terrace overlooking the mountains whenever the weather allows, which is for much of the year. Breakfast might include Berber eggs, freshly baked breads, local honey, olives and figs, while dinners celebrate the flavours of Morocco with charcoal cooked tagines, seasonal vegetables and traditional soups, alongside a well chosen list of Moroccan wines. Morocco is Africa’s second largest wine producing nation, and its elegant reds, crisp whites and refreshing vin gris are well represented on Kasbah Angour’s wine list.
A Netflix Location
Kasbah Angour has also become a favourite with film and television productions filming across the High Atlas. Netflix’s Legends, starring Steve Coogan and Tom Burke, used the hotel and surrounding landscapes as locations, with cast and crew staying at the property during filming.
Sustainability
Sustainability forms part of daily life at Kasbah Angour. Photovoltaic panels generate much of the hotel’s electricity, solar thermal systems heat water, and a biomass boiler fuelled by recycled olive pits from local harvests provides environmentally responsible heating.
Kasbah Angour proves that Morocco is far more than its imperial cities and desert landscapes. It is a destination where mountain air replaces city heat, where authentic Berber culture remains woven into everyday life and where every season offers something different, whether that is winter sunshine beneath snow covered peaks or cooler mountain breezes during the height of summer. Beautifully secluded yet easily accessible, it offers a rare chance to experience the timeless Morocco that still exists beyond the city walls.
KASBAH ANGOUR
Where
Douar Toufsirine, Between Tahanaout and Asni, Al Haouz, Morocco.
Getting There
Fly to Marrakech. Kasbah Angour is around 35 minutes from the city by road.
Day Visitor Packages
* Lunch and Pool Package: a three course lunch, towel, sun bed and use of the pool, available between 11am and 6pm. Priced from 395 DH per person.
* Walk and Lunch Package: a half day guided mountain walk followed by a three course lunch, priced from 420 DH per person for a group of six.
More Information
www.kasbahangour.com
Please note
Room rates were not supplied and should be confirmed directly with the hotel before publication. Day package prices are quoted in Moroccan dirham (DH) and are correct as supplied by the hotel’s PR representative in August 2026.
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