8 New Lifts For Africa’s Highest Ski Area?

Media sources in Morocco report that the country’s one remaining ski area, Oukaïmeden, could re-open for lift-accessed skiing for the winter of 2026 with new lifts and runs.

The reports claim that, “about 75 million dirhams ($8.25m US) have been allocated for a project to rebuild and prepare Oukaïmeden, including the creation of new ski slopes, a chair lift, five surface tows and two conveyor lifts. The work should take 12 months”

Perched high in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, Oukaïmeden is Africa’s highest ski resort, reaching elevations of over 3,200 metres and is located just 80 kilometres (50 miles) south of Marrakech.

It has, however, been reported to be largely closed in terms of lift operation and slope preparation in recent years.  There have also been reports of increasingly unpredictable snow cover due to climate change. The resort typically operates from early January through mid-March, depending on natural snow conditions. There’s no snowmaking.

Oukaïmeden’s ski infrastructure dates back to the late 1940s, during the final years of French colonial rule, when the military first installed lifts and basic facilities as part of a broader effort to develop mountain recreation.

There have been multiple reports of major investments to resurrect the centre over the past three decades, but none have come to fruition. The latest plans have therefore received sceptical reactions from some on social media.

With former ski areas in Algeria, Tunisia and other locations in Morocco long closed and South Africa’s Tiffindell closed since 2019 and currently up for sale, it’s believed the only centres currently open in Africa, the only continent with ski areas in both northern and southern hemispheres, are Afriski in Lesotho from June to August and the indoor Ski Egypt centre near Cairo, operated by the same company as Ski Dubai.