Morocco's indigenous Berber population are descendants of North Africa's pre-Arab inhabitants. Of Morocco's 33 million residents, at least one-third speak a dialect of Tamazight, the Berber's unique language.
The Berbers —
Morocco's indigenous Berber population are descendants of North Africa's pre-Arab inhabitants. Of Morocco's 33 million residents, at least one-third speak a dialect of Tamazight, the Berber's unique language.
Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images
The Atlas Mountains of northwestern Africa are home to one of the highest peaks on the continent, Mount Toubkal. For thousands of years, the original inhabitants of North Africa, the Berbers, have lived in the range.
The Atlas Mountains —
The Atlas Mountains of northwestern Africa are home to one of the highest peaks on the continent, Mount Toubkal. For thousands of years, the original inhabitants of North Africa, the Berbers, have lived in the range.
CNN
The Berber people of the Atlas range have a strong sense of family and each village will consist of a number of families ranging from five to around thirty or forty.
Berber houses —
The Berber people of the Atlas range have a strong sense of family and each village will consist of a number of families ranging from five to around thirty or forty.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
A young Berber girl looks up whilst doing her homework on a rock in the village of Ikkiss, near Imlil, Morocco. She attends school, but usually, young Berber girls living in the Atlas range are put to work at an early age.
Homework on the range —
A young Berber girl looks up whilst doing her homework on a rock in the village of Ikkiss, near Imlil, Morocco. She attends school, but usually, young Berber girls living in the Atlas range are put to work at an early age.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Young girls are usually put to work early, either helping their mothers with clothes washing or tending to the crops on the terraces outside the village.
Girl's work —
Young girls are usually put to work early, either helping their mothers with clothes washing or tending to the crops on the terraces outside the village.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
The villages strewn throughout the Atlas Mountains are rustic. Those that have running water and electricity only received it within the last decade.
Berber power —
The villages strewn throughout the Atlas Mountains are rustic. Those that have running water and electricity only received it within the last decade.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Berber children swim in an irrigation pool on the side of a mountain in the village of Ait Souka near the Imlil district in Morocco. The irrigation pool gradually fills up during the day then is drained in the evening to supply crops and the village.
Irrigation pool —
Berber children swim in an irrigation pool on the side of a mountain in the village of Ait Souka near the Imlil district in Morocco. The irrigation pool gradually fills up during the day then is drained in the evening to supply crops and the village.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
There aren't many shops in the villages dotting the Atlas Mountains. There is a market that travels to a different village throughout the range every day.
Traveling markets —
There aren't many shops in the villages dotting the Atlas Mountains. There is a market that travels to a different village throughout the range every day.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Many of the vendors still rely on ancient techniques.<br /><br />"Our grandmothers were making carpets before us. The best carpets in the world can be found in Morocco. It's an art," says Fatima Imerhan, a local carpet weaver.
Carpet weaving —
Many of the vendors still rely on ancient techniques.

"Our grandmothers were making carpets before us. The best carpets in the world can be found in Morocco. It's an art," says Fatima Imerhan, a local carpet weaver.
CNN
Muleteer Lachan Idiali is one of many Berbers whose income relies on visiting tourists. He makes his living by providing a service to visiting tourists and mountaineers who trek through the High Atlas.
Growing tourism —
Muleteer Lachan Idiali is one of many Berbers whose income relies on visiting tourists. He makes his living by providing a service to visiting tourists and mountaineers who trek through the High Atlas.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Unfortunately, tourism doesn't just bring revenue to the region -- it also brings problems. Since becoming a travel hotspot, the local river has become more polluted, and trekkers have complained of garbage strewn along the path to the Mount Toubkal.
Growing problems —
Unfortunately, tourism doesn't just bring revenue to the region -- it also brings problems. Since becoming a travel hotspot, the local river has become more polluted, and trekkers have complained of garbage strewn along the path to the Mount Toubkal.
CNN
Life in the Atlas Mountains

Editor’s Note: Every week, Inside Africa takes its viewers on a journey across Africa, exploring the true diversity and depth of different cultures, countries and regions.

Story highlights

Until a decade ago, running water and electricity were nearly unheard of around the Atlas Mountains

Tourists are drawn by the remoteness of the mountain villages

Imlil, Morocco CNN  — 

The Atlas Mountains have long been home to some of North Africa’s most remote villages.

Until a decade ago, running water and electricity were nearly unheard of, and even today are considered luxuries in most of the mountain towns.

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The remote mountains of Morocco
09:26 - Source: CNN

The local Berber that populate the villages measure distances by hours and days – the amount of time it usually takes to travel between destinations. Because there aren’t any local shops, villagers rely on traveling markets to obtain goods. Many of the vendors still rely on ancient techniques.

“Our grandmothers were making carpets before us. The best carpets in the world can be found in Morocco. It’s an art,” says Fatima Imerhan, a local carpet weaver.

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Bring in the tourists

Many locals cite the tranquility that life in the Atlas Mountains has to offer as an asset.

“It’s better than a city because in cities there’s a lot of noise, cars, and pollution. But here it’s nice because it’s quiet, (and there’s) fresh air,” says resident Rachid Souktan.

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Updated 8:11 PM EDT, Sat March 25, 2017
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Ancient culture thrives around snowy mountain
06:40 - Source: CNN

This is a sentiment that is increasingly reflected worldwide, as tourists have started to arrive in increasing numbers in recent years.

The majority trek out to Imlil, which has become a kicking off point for skiers and mountain climbers alike. Kasbah Du Toubkal, the village’s first hotel, opened its doors in 1995. Kasbah started its life as a colonial mansion, but later fell into ruin.

“There was nothing at the Kasbah before. It was completely abandoned and mostly destroyed,” says Omar Ait Bahmed, the hotel’s manager and part-owner. Since, it has attracted some high-profile travelers, including Martin Scorsese, who shot parts of his film “Kundum” in the hotel in 1997.

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Falling apart

Unfortunately, tourism doesn’t just bring revenue to the region, it also brings problems.

Since becoming a travel hotspot the local river has become more polluted and trekkers have complained of garbage strewn along the path to the Mount Toubkal.

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Updated 8:11 PM EDT, Sat March 25, 2017
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Skiing Berber takes on one of Africa's highest peaks
05:44 - Source: CNN

The hotel is doing its bit to protect the local environment, using solar panels and charging guests a 5% tax that goes into local cleanup efforts. Ait Bahmed’s partner, Mike McHugo, worries it may not be enough.

“(The villagers) have to be very aware that development doesn’t destroy their rich culture. And that’s one of the reasons tourists come here. So they also have to understand that they mustn’t spoil the environment, both physical environment and cultural environment, otherwise you’ll spoil the goose that lays the golden egg,” he says.

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