Atlas Mountains responsible tourism issues

Like all high mountain regions, the Atlas Mountains are vulnerable. To climate change, to erosion, to rare species having their habitats put at risk, to pollution and to the negative impacts of tourism, particularly when it comes to the local population. Which, in the case of the Atlas, are the Berber people. You will be hard pushed to find Berber man or woman, girl or boy, who doesn’t greet you with a genuine smile, open their doors and welcome you for a cup of tea, or help you with directions or support. However, tourism is still relatively thin on the ground compared with other mountain regions around the world, such as on the Inca Trail, the Alps or Nepal. Responsible tourism has long been the way in the Atlas Mountains, so let’s keep it that way. Read on for more pointers.

Berbers are, for the main part, practising Muslims, and so do please respect their culture. You will hear the Muezzin, or call to prayer, sometimes five times a day, or you may just see someone rolling out a prayer mat and preparing to worship if you are in someone’s house, shop or passing by. Please give Berber people the peace and time to worship. Also, during Ramadan, it is important to remember that this is a time of fasting. Your guides or hosts may choose to sit somewhere else during your meal breaks, for example, so it is worth remembering to be sensitive to this. And also remember that they may be a little more tired than usual.

In Berber culture, the left hand is considered unclean. It is traditional to exchange food or money with the right hand, and shake hands with this one too.

The traditional greeting is to shake hands and sometimes give two kisses, but only between two people of the same sex. A women will traditionally hold out her hand to be shaken, and until that point a man won’t offer a physical greeting, but bow his head instead.

Please be very respectful when photographing people. Take your time to get to know them a little first, and then always ask if it is OK. Ideally without sticking a camera in their face and giving them little choice.



Even though you are only an hour or so from the big city, the etiquette of dressing modestly definitely applies in the Atlas Mountains. It should also apply in the cities but tourists are forgiven more easily in the city. In mountainous rural areas, wear long trousers, keep shoulders covered and so on.

Support the work of and read all the information on the Imlil Valley Association website, a network of people working tirelessly to ensure that tourism is of the responsible kind in this gateway to the High Atlas village. Founded by Chris McHugo from our supplier Kasbah du Toubkal, one of its most impressive projects is Education for All, which provides education for Berber girls after primary age. They always welcome donations and you can also volunteer as an education expert there on one of our vacations.

Make sure that your tour operator pays the Berber guides and muleteers a living wage. If they are responsible tour operators, they will be transparent about this and be aware of, for example, the work of the Imlil Valley Association which promotes ethical and responsible tourism throughout the region.

Public displays of affection are not a Berber thing, and they can be offensive. Keep the cuddles for the kasbah.

In Morocco, it is very common to see donkeys and mules being used to transport goods to market, or indeed people and their packs to the mountains. In Marrakech, for example, horses and carts, or caleches, are a common form of transport for tourists. As tourism has gone through the roof in Morocco over the last few years, there have been many cases of animals being neglected or overworked. Enter the superb international organisation SPANA, which has been around for almost a hundred years providing veterinary care and support for working animals around the world. They play a vital role in Morocco, where they have built nine water troughs and run free health clinics for Marrakech’s 300 horses and donkeys. They also run extensive education programmes throughout the country, including in the Atlas Mountains. You can support their vital work through donations on their site, or simply ensure that you use one of their animals on your visit to the country. You can recognise their creatures by the SPANA tag, usually around one of their ankles. Watch SPANA's fantastic video here.

What you can do
Don’t travel with a donkey that is wearing a traditional Berber iron bit. It causes great pain, and makes it difficult for the animal to eat. Tell the owner that you won’t use it, because it is only through travelers changing their behaviour that many of the owners will too.

A mule or donkey should never carry more than 75kg, and this is only for short journeys. On longer ones, the rule of thumb is half that weight. So, if it looks like your donkey or mule is overloaded, or tired or injured, refuse to take it.

Read up on the work of SPANA - their history is fascinating, having been set up by a mother and daughter in the 1920s – and do please donate to them, too.