Private Cooking Class at Atlas Mountains: Experience Authentic Berber Cuisine
4.9
10 Ratings
Immerse yourself in the flavors of Morocco with a private cooking class in the Atlas Mountains. Learn authentic Berber cuisine from a local family and experience the vibrant local market.
Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Ourika - We stop at the Berber weekly Market to select the best & fresh produces for the cooking class. Good opportunity to visit a Berber market which is very different from the markets in the cities. We will see traditional dentists, horse saddle makers, horseshoes, butchers, vegetable & fruits farmers….
What's Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Tipping
Meal Options
  • Moroccan Salads - Served with olive oil.
  • Berber Tagine - You can make your tagine with chicken, Lamb, Beef, or Vegetarian on request.
  • Couscous - Couscous vegetarian with 7 vegetables - Lamb/ Chicken / Beef Couscous.
Additional Information

Moroccan Berber cuisine, a blend of Arab, Berber, Jewish, African, and French influences, is highly acclaimed and promotes a nutritious diet. Thanks to its favorable year-round climate and efficient irrigation, Morocco produces a plethora of fresh, local produce. This bounty is ingeniously combined with an array of spices, herbs, and oils to create a unique array of delicious dishes such as Tajines, Couscous, Salads, and flatbreads.
An immersive cooking class in the High Atlas Mountains, conducted by an authentic Berber family, allows participants to delve into the local culinary traditions hands-on. This involves everything from acquiring the ingredients at the Weekly Berber market to savoring the dishes you prepared against the backdrop of a stunning mountain landscape and verdant valley.
Participants join a genuine Berber family in their home, where the cooking class is led by the family’s matriarch, Malika. Equipped with culinary knowledge handed down through generations, Malika masterfully prepares traditional Berber dishes, while an English-speaking guide provides translation.

  • Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
  • Dress code is formal (shoulders and knees must be covered for both women and men)
  • May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
  • Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(10 Ratings)
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681hangd
Feb 8, 2024
An Unforgettable Culinary Adventure in the Heart of the Atlas Mountains - From the bustling streets of Marrakech to the serene beauty of the Atlas Mountains, the Berber Cooking Class day trip offers an authentic dive into Moroccan culture that is both enriching and delightful. The journey began with a scenic drive, offering glimpses of daily life and the stunning landscapes that make Morocco a photographer's dream. Upon arrival in the Atlas Mountains, we were warmly welcomed by a local Berber family, whose generosity and warmth set the tone for the entire day. The cooking class was an absolute highlight, providing a hands-on experience in preparing traditional Moroccan dishes. Under the guidance of our expert host, we learned to cook a tantalizing Tagine, perfectly seasoned Couscous, and mouth-watering Moroccan salads, all infused with the rich flavors and aromatic spices that define Moroccan cuisine. What made the experience truly special was not just the cooking, but the stories and laughter shared, offering deep insights into Berber culture and traditions. Aside from cooking, the day was filled with activities that enriched our understanding of local life. We visited a traditional Berber market, explored the intricate process of making Argan oil, and enjoyed a leisurely hike through the mountains, each moment adding layers to our appreciation of this beautiful region. The tranquility of the Atlas Mountains, combined with the culinary skills we acquired, made this day trip an unforgettable journey into the heart of Moroccan culture. I cannot recommend this experience enough to anyone looking to immerse themselves in the local way of life, learn about traditional cooking methods, and enjoy the breathtaking beauty of Morocco. Whether you're a seasoned traveler or a first-time visitor to Morocco, the Berber Cooking Class day trip is a must-do experience that offers not just a taste of Berber hospitality but memories that will last a lifetime.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
989hannahp
May 12, 2023
Authentic and amazing local experience! - What an amazing tour. If you want to experience a little bit of the Moroccan rural areas, book! It was exactly what we wanted to experience. An authentic and eye opening market, wonderful views & a day spent with Malika & her beautiful family cooking a Tajine. Our guide Zakaria was wonderful, prompt, knowledgeable and charming. He had great rapport with Malika and the family, which made the tour even better. Zakaria we wish you well on your English exams & see big things for your future in the tourism industry! I had read a few reviews about the cooking element not being very hands on - I completely disagree! We were involved in every step of the Tajine making. Adding spices, cutting vegetables, making bread - The end result was very tasty. Cooking over charcoal have the Tajine such a Smokey flavour. If you are a hygiene/clean freak - this tour may not be for you. It is a very authentic experience & nothing at all like a western commercialised kitchen. We had no issues after eating any of the food. Everything was extremely fresh & delicious. I highly recommend this traditional and authentic experience. It was a day of my travels I will always cherish. Maybe take a book with you as the Tajine does take a while to cook! Thank you again Zakaria & Malika
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nsyang2000
Aug 8, 2019
The BEST authentic day trip. - This was an amazing and very authentic day trip. Youness, our guide, was the best too. He told us all about the history of Morocco and the Berber people, and answered our endless questions as well. We visited a traditional open air market to pick up the food we’d be preparing, before going to a local Berber family home on the side of a mountain. There, we were met by a lovely woman and her extended family. She couldn’t speak English, but wore a big warm smile and Youness translated everything for us. She welcomed us with traditional mint tea which she taught us how to prepare, along with some biscuits and nuts. Then, we got to business cutting up veggies, kneading dough, and layering our tagine. It was all cooked on an open wood fire. We enjoyed a terrific feast, followed by an opportunity to try to milk their cow (which lived in a stall inside their house, beside the kitchen). Absolutely incredible experience from start to finish. Our family loved every minute, including each of our 3 children (15 yrs, 11 yrs and 3 yrs). BTW, Youness was so great at assisting our 3 year old so that she could help with the cooking the whole time. Highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Travisgrayohnson
Mar 27, 2018
Incredible experience with an amazing guide - We did several excursions with Youness during our stay in Morocco and would highly recommend him as a guide for all and any trips. He has a wealth of knowledge on Morocco, is patient, courteous, helpful, and overall made things easy for us. Do not look anywhere else for a guide, Youness is the only one you need to bring your Moroccan experience to a higher level. Cannot say enough great things about the tours and Youness. Enjoy!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Younes
Dec 23, 2017
Fabulous time with morkosh again - We spent an amazing Day in ourika with omar, excellent guide driver and wondurful cook. We enjoyed the best tajine and learned the recipe. Great trip in the valley ! I recommand morkosh to everyone looking for authenticity. Thank you omar.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Margaret
Nov 22, 2017
Fantastic trip to the Berber village, Atlas Mountain and Valleys - We travelled as a group of 8 from the UK and our good friend Caroline Williams booked this tour prior to travel. We did really not know what was planned!! Youness and Omer picked us up prompt from our Riad, were informative on the trip and we felt very safe with them. There English was great. They had water supplied for us in their comfortable vehicles for the journey. They drove us to the Berber village, walked around with us and could answer questions about the local people, they then had arranged for us to meet up with a wonderful young guide, who lived in the village and again spoke amazing English. He tookus up the mountain to the waterfall (an adventure on its own - wear sensible shoes and clothes and don't be scared of heights!!) , afterwards a lunch was included in the Berber village and then they took us on an amazing a drive to see the sunset in the valley. We requested if they knew where we could have a camel ride and they accommodated us by taking us to a little area where we were greeted with well looked after camels and local happy moroccans who made our camel experience fun!! They then drove us to the valley to see the sunset and where we could sit and relax and have a nice cold beer and wine before the journey home back to Marrakech. This experience really made our trip worthwhile and we highly recommended their great affordable service.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pandasimms
Nov 15, 2017
What a great Berber experience! Great hospitatlity, great food and great tour - We came to Marrakech with the intention to do a cooking class, but having not pre booked anything, we stumbled across Morkosh tours. We didn't do much research (sometimes risky, I know) but the experience seemed to offer everything we want. Advertised was a trip to the markets, and then into the foot hill of the Atlas Mountains to begin the cooking adventure. We (two couples) were picked up from our Riad by Omar, who was our wonderful guide for the day. Omar was very friendly, funny and informative, and was happy to answer our questions and point out locations as we left Marrakech. Our first stop was a Berber market, if you think the Marrakech markets are busy, you aint seen nothing! This place was amazing, but I warn you, the meat market is not for the faint hearted. Bustling with people, and an array of fresh fruit and veg for our picking. After shopping for our ingredients we travelled further into the hills and arrived at Malika's house. Its a big house with lots of levels and rooms, and even a cow on the first floor. Its a busy house with lots of family, and tourist coming and going. In true Moroccan style we were greeted with mint tea and some bread with a selection of delicious homemade butter, local honey and olive oil. After we had refuelled we were shown into the kitchen area where Omar walked us through cooking of a lamb and a beef tagine, Moroccan salad and making traditional bread. We spent hours cooking, making bread, eating and enjoying the kind hospitality of Malika and her family. Not only were they the best tagines we had had on our whole trip, it was by far our favourite day of our trip. So to summarise, we would definitely recommend this day trip. Its great for those who enjoy cooking and want to explore outside of Marrakech. 10/10 for Morkosh tours.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mwolters_89
Jul 30, 2019
Nice day trip to do from Marrakech - We had a very nice day trip to a local family in the mountains. Our guide was super friendly so we felt right at ease. He took us to a local market where there were not any tourists, it was quite an experience, after that we arrived to the berber family. The cooking 'class' itself was not that extensive, we helped cutting the vegetables and kneading the dough for the bread. But beside that we didn't do that much cooking, for example the local lady did all the spices and put together the dough, I think it's more that they forgot that for us everything was new and for them it's something they have been making for years! But also it turned out tagine is quite a simple recipe. We had a great experience though! While it was cooking we visited an argan company and berber museum and a spices place. After that we ate the food we prepared and went back to Marrakech. The guide even gave us a tagine as a gift! We had a wonderful day and if you happen to get the same guide we had I'm sure you will also have a great experience :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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