The Atlas Mountains are a terrific location for trekkers who want to take in different sights. Nature is the true attraction here. You will find remote valleys, windswept canyons and mighty peaks that offer jaw-dropping views.
Also the question is, what is special about the Atlas Mountains? The Atlas Mountains are not a continuous chain of mountains but a series of ranges separated by wide areas of land, which are called plateaus. The mountain range separates the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines from the Sahara Desert. It has several passes that provide routes between the coast and the Sahara desert.
As many you asked, what do people do in the Atlas Mountains? Trekking with mules, muleteers and expert Berber mountain guides is the way to go, with dramatic dry mountain terrain interspersed with argan and almond filled valleys, poppy filled fields and snow capped peaks in the distance. Stay in mountain gites, splendid kasbahs or camp in the wilds in the Anti Atlas.
Similarly, what is there to do in the High Atlas Mountains?
- Visit the Magnificent Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou.
- Climb Jebel Toubkal.
- Hike in the Dades Valley.
- Admire the Ouzoud Waterfalls.
- Road Trip through the Draa Valley.
- Rock Climb or Hike in the Todra Gorge.
- Trek the Toubkal Circuit.
- Explore the High Atlas Base Town of Ouarzazate.
You asked, why are they called the Atlas Mountains? The Atlas ranges separate the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines from the Sahara Desert. Most of the people living in the Atlas Mountains are part of Berber tribes in Morocco and in Algeria. The mountains are named after the ancient Greek Titan, Atlas.
Where is the High Atlas?
High Atlas, French Haut Atlas, or Great Atlas, mountain range in central Morocco. It extends northeastward for 460 miles (740 km), from the Atlantic Coast to the Algerian border.
What are some fun facts about Atlas?
- In Greek Mythology, Atlas was a Titan who was responsible for bearing the weight of the heavens on his shoulders, a punishment bestowed on him by Zeus.
- Atlas was the son of the Titans Iapetus and Clymene, and his siblings were Epimetheus, Menoetius and Prometheus.
What is life like in Atlas Mountains?
The High Atlas mountains are home to several Berber villages where inhabitants do not have electricity, paved roads or access to doctors and make their living farming and making and selling olive oil and pottery.
Who lives in the Atlas Mountains?
The Atlas mountains are primarily inhabited by Berber populations. The terms for ‘mountain’ are adrar and adras in some Berber languages. These terms are believed to be cognates of the toponym Atlas.
What country is the Atlas Mountains in?
The three mountain ranges that cross much of contemporary Morocco—the Middle in the north, the High Atlas in central Morocco, and the Anti-Atlas in the south along the Atlantic coast—form both a natural boundary and a rich natural environment.
What type of mountains are the Atlas Mountains?
Overall, however, the Atlas can be categorized as a semi-arid mountain range between the tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean/Mediterranean and the massive Sahara Desert. The highest mountain in the Atlas is Mount Toubkal. Mount Toubkal measures nearly 14,000 feet, and is located in southwestern Morocco.
How did Atlas Mountains form?
The Anti-Atlas Mountains of northern Africa and the nearby Atlas mountains were created by the prolonged collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates, beginning about 80 million years ago.
Are the Atlas Mountains growing?
The northern Atlas Mountains are considered to be fairly young. Just like you, they’re still growing! However, when mountains grow, it results in earthquakes and landslides.
What is the climate of the Atlas Mountains?
The Atlas Mountains have a typical mountain climate with cool but sunny summers and average temperatures of approximately 25°C.
Is the Atlas Mountains are Africa’s longest range?
What is Africa’s longest mountain range? The Atlas Mountains stretch for 1,490 miles across northern Africa, through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.