Souks & Berber Crafts

What to expect

Every valley in the Atlas has its market day, and the one at Asni — half an hour below Imlil — is the real thing: mules tied up at the edge, crates of dates and almonds, sacks of cumin, henna and saffron, vegetables carried down that morning, and a great deal of unhurried negotiation.

We also visit the workshops where things are still made rather than imported: a cobbler stitching leather babouches, a roadside potter throwing tagine dishes, a metalworker cutting the panes for a stained-glass lantern. Your guide handles the language and, if you want, the haggling — though the tea comes first either way.