Kasbah Toubkal, independent holiday reviews

Atlas mountains accommodation reviewed 17/6/06 by Alison Moore.

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The whole trip was memorable. We only were able to stay for one night, but the tranquillity and hospitality of the Kasbah made it feel as though we had been away for much longer. Little touches - like hot water bottles being put in the beds whilst we had our evening meal - made it extra special. For me, the Kasbah was one of the most spectacular places I have ever stayed - magnificent views, starry skies and a warm welcome.

The film developers lost my camera films (of which I took many!) and I was really devastated, as we even had crisp blue skies. I think it's a sign that we just have to go back again at some point!

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
I would really recommend hiring a local guide and taking a walk up into the mountains. We did a half-day walk and the scenery was spectacular, and the guide really interesting to talk to.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Our trip did feel as though it benefited the local villagers - especially paying for them to collect us from the airport/take us back into Marrakech, and for the local guide.

Atlas mountains accommodation reviewed 23/3/06

My husband, 7-year old son and I took a day trip through responsibletravel.com from Marrakech to the Kasbah in the Atlas Mountains. It was the highlight of our trip to Morocco.

We were collected at our hotel on time at 9am, taken by car (with a half hour stop at an interesting rural souk) to Imlil. It was a slightly longer, more winding car ride than we had anticipated, but we arrived at last in the town at the foot of the mountains and had a chance to use the washroom and stretch our legs before being helped onto our mules.

Mohammed, our guide, spoke English extremely well, and took us for a 45 minute ride on paths through several Berber towns. It was clear that he knew many of the people we passed and we were very interested to hear his stories about life in these mountain villages.

The mules were remarkably strong and sure-footed, and even our 7-year-old felt safe and comfortable despite some precarious-looking paths.

We arrived at the Kasbah and were warmly greeted by all. It was very cold, but sunny, and so we chose to sit on the roof terrace for lunch. The food and the hospitality were wonderful. We had a slow, relaxing lunch of couscous, vegetables and chicken, with dates and bread and tea. Even our son enjoyed the food and the conical serving dishes and ceremony of the meal. There was a family with a very young baby nearby -- who was as warmly welcomed and catered to as anyone else. The staff at the Kasbah are family-friendly and put everyone at ease.

When it got almost-too-cold to stay outdoors, the waiters brought us rugs to cuddle up in, and a traditional Moroccan kafta for my husband to wear. They even took photos with us. We then sat up at the top level of the terrace with more hot tea and played chess. The view of Toubkal was glorious.

We rode the mules back down -- much quicker than the ascent! -- and did a little shopping before we returned by car to our riad in Marrakech.

All in all a wonderful break from the busy city and certainly the most memorable part of our trip. We recommend it highly.

I would certainly recommend the place to anyone but particularly those with a love of the mountains and natural living. I couldn't think of a better place to spend a weekend and hope I get the chance to go again sometime soon....

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