What should I pack for trekking the Atlas mountains?

Trekking the High Atlas — whether a day hike from Imlil or a multi-day push toward Mount Toubkal — calls for proper mountain kit, not casual travel clothes, and it is the one Morocco trip where cutting corners on footwear ruins everything. The single most important item is a pair of broken-in hiking boots with ankle support and grippy soles; the trails are rocky, steep and loose in places, and stiff new boots will shred your heels by day two. I tell every trekking client to wear them in at home for weeks beforehand, with the actual hiking socks they will use.

Dress in layers, because Atlas weather changes fast and altitude makes mornings and evenings genuinely cold even in summer. My standard list is moisture-wicking base layers (never cotton, which stays wet and chills you), a fleece or insulated mid-layer, and a waterproof, windproof shell jacket — plus waterproof over-trousers if you are going high or in shoulder season. A warm hat and gloves matter above 2,500 metres regardless of the month; people are always shocked by how cold a Toubkal summit dawn is in August. Quick-dry hiking trousers beat jeans, which are heavy, cold when wet and slow to dry.

The daypack is your control centre on the trail. In it I want sun protection (the high-altitude sun is fierce, so a hat, sunglasses and SPF 50 are essential), at least two litres of water in a bottle or bladder, high-energy snacks, a basic first-aid kit with blister plasters and tape, and a headtorch for early starts and refuge huts. Trekking poles save your knees enormously on the long stony descents, and I recommend them to almost everyone. A power bank is wise too, since you will be away from sockets and using your phone for photos and navigation.

A few mountain-specific notes from years of sending people up there. Refuge huts on multi-day routes are basic, so a lightweight sleeping bag liner or travel sleeping bag is worth packing. Temperatures can swing from hot sun to snow flurries in a single day on the higher routes, so do not skimp on warm layers to save weight. Altitude can flatten people who arrive straight from sea level, so pack any headache remedy you rely on and plan to ascend gradually. And keep it all in a comfortable, well-fitted pack — a mule or porter often carries the main bag on guided multi-day treks, but you carry the daypack, and a badly loaded one makes a long day longer.