Imilchil Lake Tislit — High Atlas BerberPlateau.
Distance
320 km
Duration
2 days
Climb
2,400 m
Imilchil Lake Tislit — High Atlas Berber Plateau.
Two days from the cherry-orchard town of Beni Mellal up onto the central High Atlas Berber plateau, climbing the R317 to Imilchil at 2,200m and the sacred mountain lakes of Tislit and Isli — agdal grazing pastures where the Ayt Hdiddou tribes celebrate the famous September Marriage Festival. The road is steeply twisting, partly broken pavement, with sections of mixed dirt past Aghbala. Cold even in summer at altitude. Best ridden June to September; snow closes the upper sections November to April.
Quick facts
SurfaceMixed
Distance320 km
Days2
Total climb2,400 m
Fuel stops1 along route
DifficultyChallenging
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2 days, 2 moods.
A suggested split across 2 days with 7 waypoints to discover along the way.
Beni Mellal OrchardsStart · Start in Beni Mellal at the foot of the Middle Atlas. Famous for olive groves and the Ain Asserdoune spring above town. Last large fuel and supermarket before the mountains. Take the R317 east toward El Ksiba.
El Ksiba Mountain GatewayScenic Point · Berber market town at 1,050m where the road begins climbing seriously. Holm oak forest replaces the orchards. Saturday market is the largest in the region.
Aghbala CrossroadsFuel Stop · Last reliable fuel station before Imilchil at 1,800m. Tagine lunch at a roadside auberge. The R317 narrows from here — broken pavement and cliff edges all the way south to Imilchil.
Imilchil Berber TownOvernight · Overnight in Imilchil at 2,200m — capital of the Ayt Hdiddou Berber confederation. Site of the September Marriage Festival where young women choose their husbands. Several rustic auberges around the central square. Bring warm layers — frost in summer nights.
Lac Tislit Bride LakePhoto Spot · The Lake of the Bride at 2,270m — Ramsar protected wetland in a glacial cirque. Local legend says it formed from the tears of a Berber girl forbidden from marrying her lover (whose tears formed Lac Isli 8km southwest). Circumnavigate the lake on dirt track if conditions permit.
Aghbala Return LunchRestaurant · Lunch back at Aghbala on the descent. The R317 looks completely different in afternoon light — the cliff edges are more obvious going north.
Beni Mellal Plateau DescentEnd · End back in Beni Mellal. The Ain Asserdoune spring, walking distance from the centre, is a refreshing post-ride stop — water flows from the cliff at 35 cubic metres per minute.
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