A walnut-tree village at 1,740 m, ninety minutes from Marrakech, and the trail that climbs from it to 4,167 m. On our 5-day journey the summit comes first and the Sahara after.
Imlil is the trailhead. A cluster of villages in a valley of walnut and apple trees where the road ends and the mules start, it is where every Toubkal ascent begins and where most people spend their first night. The standard route is two days: Imlil to the Toubkal refuge (about 5–6 hours, 1,500 m of ascent), a short night, then a pre-dawn climb to the summit (3–4 hours up, 2 down) and the walk back to Imlil the same day. It is not a technical climb outside winter, but it is high, long and steep; you need to be fit and to take the altitude seriously. A certified mountain guide is compulsory, and on our tour included. The 5-day journey does the mountain first — two days of walking, one night in the refuge — then drives over the Tichka to the Dades Valley and Merzouga. Snow and dunes in the same week.
The highest point in North Africa at sunrise, with the Atlas in every direction and, on a clear day, the plain of Marrakech and the edge of the Sahara.
Terraced fields, mules, a walk to the shrine at Sidi Chamharouch, tea in a Berber house. Worth a night even without the climb.
Basic, high, cold, and a proper mountaineering experience: dinner at 19:00, headtorches at 04:00.
From 4,167 m to the dunes in three days — the journey nobody else on the camp will have done that week.
Day one: Imlil (1,740 m) → Aroumd → Sidi Chamharouch → Toubkal refuge (3,207 m), 5–6 h, mules carry the bags. Day two: refuge → summit (4,167 m) 3–4 h, back to the refuge, then down to Imlil, 8–9 h in total. Steep scree in the final section. Altitude headaches are common; the guide sets the pace.
You should be used to long walks with ascent. Boots, warm layers (0 °C at the summit even in June), sun protection, 2 litres of water. From November to April: crampons and ice axe, provided, with a winter-experienced guide; the tour then requires prior experience.
Gîtes and small guesthouses; simple, warm, good food. The night before and after the climb.
| From | Road time | How our tours do it |
|---|---|---|
| Marrakech | 65 km · 1.5 h via Asni | Day 1 of the 5-day trek & Sahara tour, early pick-up |
| Refuge | On foot only | Day 1 afternoon |
| Summit | On foot only | Day 2 dawn |
Five days, one certified guide, mules, a refuge night and a camp night. Tell us your dates and your hiking experience.
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