Skiing at Oukaïmeden: Morocco’s Mountain Resort
Updated
Oukaïmeden is Africa’s highest ski resort, about 80 km south of Marrakech and an hour and a half to two hours by mountain road, with skiing between 2,600 m and about 3,200 m. The season runs from December to March, snow permitting, and January and February are usually the best of it. For winter 2026–27, go for a day in the snow rather than a ski holiday: the old lifts have run only intermittently in recent winters, and a renovation was awarded in June 2026, so check what is open before you set off.
Oukaïmeden at a glance
| Oukaïmeden | The facts |
|---|---|
| Distance from Marrakech | About 80 km, via the Ourika valley road |
| Drive time | 1 h 30 to 2 h each way, more after snowfall |
| Altitude | Base around 2,600 m, top of the ski area around 3,200 m |
| Season | December to March, natural snow only; best in January and February |
| Lifts | One chairlift and a handful of old drag lifts, not all running; renovation under way |
| Snowmaking | None |
| Best for | Beginners, intermediates, a family day in the snow |
Around twenty runs are marked on the mountain, mainly green and blue, with steeper red and black lines and off-piste above the plateau for stronger skiers. The vertical drop is more than 600 m. Off-piste should only be skied with a local guide, because of the avalanche risk.
Winter 2026–27: the lifts and the renovation
Oukaïmeden’s lifts and basic facilities date back to the late 1940s, and in recent winters the resort has been largely without regular lift operation, as Snow-Forecast reported in 2025. The SMIT, Morocco’s state tourism engineering company, has tried for several years to restructure the resort; after two tenders were cancelled, in 2023 and 2025, the contract was awarded in June 2026 to the French lift maker Poma, for about 117 million dirhams, according to Médias24. The stated aim is a four-season mountain resort, not only a ski area.
New lifts are unlikely to be in service this winter, and works may affect parts of the site. Our advice for 2026–27:
- Plan a day in the snow, with sledging, a walk and lunch, and treat any skiing as a bonus
- Check the snow and which lifts are turning the day before; we can ask for you through local contacts
- If you are a keen skier, bring your own boots at least; hired equipment varies a great deal in quality
- Do not book a trip to Marrakech around the skiing: book it around the city and the sun, and add the snow if it comes
Getting there from Marrakech
The usual route leaves Marrakech on the Route de l’Ourika, heads up the Ourika valley and, near Aghbalou, turns off for the climb to the resort. It is a paved mountain road, narrow and winding in its upper part, and it can be icy or briefly closed after heavy snow. Allow an hour and a half in good conditions and two hours or more in winter. A private driver with a suitable vehicle is the simplest option: ask us to arrange one when you book your villa.
- 8:00
Leave the villa
An early start gets you there before the sun softens the snow.
- 10:00
On the snow
Hire skis or a sledge in the village, or simply walk out onto the plateau. Pay in cash.
- 13:00
Lunch in the mountains
Tagine and mint tea in one of the small cafés or hotels at the base.
- 15:30
Head down
Leave before dusk: the road is easier in daylight, and the temperature drops fast.
- 17:30
Back at the villa
A heated pool, a hammam or a fire, and dinner cooked for you.
Ski hire, lessons and prices
Skis, snowboards, boots and sledges are hired in the village at the foot of the slopes, from small shops and from locals with equipment of very variable age; look at what you are given and agree the price before you take it. Local instructors and mountain guides offer lessons on the spot, mostly in French and Arabic, with some English. Prices for hire, lessons and lift tickets (when the lifts run) are modest by Alpine standards, but they are not published officially and change from one winter to the next, so ask on the day. Much of the resort takes cash only: bring enough dirhams, as there is little else to rely on.
The base of the resort is at around 2,600 m, higher than most Alpine villages. Take the first hours gently, drink plenty of water and wear sunscreen and sunglasses: the sun at that altitude is strong even on a cold day.
Beyond skiing: snow, rock art and the Atlas
Even without the lifts, Oukaïmeden is worth the drive on a clear winter day. Children sledge, adults walk across the plateau in snowshoes or boots, and the views run across the High Atlas.
- Prehistoric rock engravings: the plateau is one of North Africa’s major rock-art sites, with hundreds of carvings of animals, figures and weapons, many thought to date from around the third millennium BC; a local guide will find them for you, though snow often covers them in winter
- Bouldering and summer walks: outside the ski season, the plateau’s roughly 1,000 documented boulders draw climbers, and the summer pastures are walking country
- Toubkal and Imlil: Jebel Toubkal, North Africa’s highest summit at 4,167 m, is climbed from Imlil, not from Oukaïmeden; in winter it is a serious ascent with a guide, crampons and ice axe
- The Ourika valley: on the way down, stop in the valley; in spring, the walk to the Setti Fatma waterfalls is an easier day out
For Imlil, the Ourika valley and the other mountain days, see our Atlas Mountains day trip guide and the wider list of day trips from Marrakech.
When to go
January and February usually have the best and most reliable snow; December and March depend entirely on the winter. Our month guides cover what else the city offers at that time of year: Marrakech in January and Marrakech in February, when Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around 8 February. Christmas week is also popular for a first sight of snow; see Christmas in a Marrakech villa.
Practical tips for a day at Oukaïmeden
- Warm layers, waterproof trousers and jacket, gloves and a hat: it can be 20 °C in Marrakech and below freezing on the plateau
- Sunscreen and sunglasses, for the altitude and the glare off the snow
- Cash in dirhams, for hire, lessons, parking and lunch
- Snacks and water in the car, in case the road is slow
- A driver who knows the mountain road, or a car suited to winter roads if you drive yourself
- French and Arabic are the working languages; English is understood at the main tourist facilities
Where to stay: a villa on the road to the mountains
There are a few small hotels at the resort, but most visitors stay in Marrakech and go up for the day. The villas on the Route de l’Ourika are already on the way, south of the city and closer to the mountains, and several look straight at the snow-capped Atlas. After a cold day, a heated pool and a fire are what you want to come back to; our guide to heated-pool villas in winter explains what to ask for.
Villa AzarenkaFrom €3,940 a night
Villa AndalucíaFrom €2,051 a night
Dar LouisaFrom €1,812 a night
Villa LylaFrom €712 a nightVilla Azarenka, 30 km south of Marrakech, sleeps 18 and has an 18 by 18 metre heated pool, a hammam and a head chef. Villa Andalucia, 25 minutes from the centre, has a heated semi-Olympic pool, a hammam, a cinema and a permanent staff. Dar Louisa, 20 km out on the Ourika road, has seven bedrooms, a fireplace and a view of the snow-capped peaks in winter. Villa Lyla, a four-bedroom house in a secure residence, comes with a cook, a maid and a caretaker.
Snow by day, a heated pool by night
Tell us your dates and how many you are. We suggest villas on the road to the Atlas and can arrange a driver for the day at Oukaïmeden.
Frequently asked questions
Can you ski at Oukaïmeden in winter 2026–27?
Possibly, but do not count on it. The resort relies on natural snow, and its old chairlift and drag lifts have run only intermittently in recent winters. A renovation was awarded to the French lift maker Poma in June 2026, and new lifts are unlikely to be ready this season. Check the snow and which lifts are open the day before you go.
How far is Oukaïmeden from Marrakech?
About 80 km south, via the Ourika valley road. The drive takes an hour and a half to two hours each way, longer after snowfall, when the upper road can be icy or briefly closed. It works as a day trip from a villa in Marrakech, ideally with a private driver who knows the mountain road.
When is the best time to ski at Oukaïmeden?
The season runs from December to March, snow permitting, with the most reliable cover usually in January and February. There is no snowmaking, so conditions vary greatly from one winter to the next and even week to week. Watch the forecast, and go soon after a good snowfall on a clear day.
Can you rent skis at Oukaïmeden?
Yes. Skis, snowboards, boots and sledges are hired in the village at the base of the slopes, with equipment of very variable quality, and local instructors offer lessons, mostly in French and Arabic. Prices are modest and agreed on the spot, usually in cash. Keen skiers should bring at least their own boots.
Is Oukaïmeden suitable for beginners and children?
Yes. Most of its roughly twenty marked runs are green and blue, and the plateau is ideal for sledging and a first walk in the snow. The altitude, around 2,600 m at the base, is the main thing to watch: take the first hours gently, keep children warm and well hydrated, and use strong sunscreen.
Oukaïmeden will not replace the Alps, but a morning in the Atlas snow and an afternoon by a heated pool in Marrakech is a winter day few places can offer. Tell us your dates and we will suggest the villas that make it easy.
