Mount Toubkal Trek: Hiking & Camping in Atlas Mountains

Thank you for your attention to our classic Moroccan hiking route! Join us to challenge yourself to climb the Jebel Toubkal, North Africa's highest peak, and trek into the little-visited mountain villages and hidden corners. Camp in the most pristine Berber villages and feel the charm of nature.

1. Is this route right for you?
► Total Hiking Distance: 56 km (35 mi)
► Altitude: 1,899 to 4,167 meters (6,230 to 13,671 feet)
► Recommended Age: 12 to 70
The Toubkal trek is a bit grueling, including some physically demanding slopes, but technical climbing is not required. Most adults in good physical condition should be able to reach the summit if they are well prepared and respect the altitude. We recommend that your children be at least 12 years old. This is not a mandatory limit, as suitability depends on the individual. However, it is not an easy hike and you will need to stay close to our mountain guide throughout the trip and climb as directed to avoid the risk of injury.

2. What can we offer you?
The tour starts and ends in the vibrant city of Marrakech. We will provide shuttle transport by private car from Marrakesh into Sti Fadma and Imlil in the mountains, a professional mountain guide, quality local gites, camping gear, meals prepared by our chef, and mules to carry your luggage.

3. Things you need to know about accommodation:
This trip will take you through some of the backward areas of the High Atlas Mountains, and the accommodations are not as good as those in the cities, so you need to be prepared. We will try our best to arrange relatively clean and comfortable gites for you. Double rooms and single rooms are usually available, and most of them have their own toilets and bathrooms. You don't have to worry too much. Only one night will be spent in the Toubkal Refuge at Neltner Base Camp, which has only dormitories with public bathrooms. If it is summer, you can choose camping in Neltner. Otherwise, if you're a camping enthusiast, you can camp all the way. Just tell our customer service what you want and they will arrange it for you.

4. Things to be prepared by yourself:
In addition to the personal necessities included in your regular travel luggage, you need to prepare some special items for hiking, such as a 20 to 30L hiking bag, waterproof hiking shoes, warm clothing, sunhat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and some snacks and drinking water.

Pick-up Service: Our 6 days Marrakech package to Mt Toubkal will start early this morning, so it is advised that you arrive in Marrakech the day before. Our guide and driver will pick you up in a private car from your own-booked hotel or wherever you are in Marrakech at around 8:00.

Road Trip to Sti Fadma: In the morning, we'll drive 40 minutes from Marrakech to Tnin Ourika at the foot of the High Atlas Mountains, where we'll stop to visit the Berber market, which is open every day but even busier and more lively on Monday. Visit the Ecomusee Berbere (Ourika Berber Museum) in the nearby Tafza Village to know more about the Berber life and visit an argan-oil collective to see how the local women make the sought-after oil. Next, we will continue driving for 1 hour to Sti Fadma. Upon arrival, visit the Berber villages and houses and have lunch in a restaurant by the Ourika River on your own expense. In the afternoon, take a guided hike to the Ourika Waterfalls above the village (2 to 3 hours for a round trip). Return to Sti Fadma and spend the evenfall quietly by the stream. Stay overnight at a local gite in Sti Fadma to have a good rest and get ready for the tough hike ahead.

Accommodation: Overnight at Sti Fadma (local gite)

After breakfast, we will drive 1.5 hours to the hidden valley of Oukaimden, 2,637 meters (8,652 feet) above sea level. This is Morocco's famous High Atlas ski resort, which also has the highest ski lift in Africa. We'll start our hike here.
► Hiking Distance of Today: 10 km (6.2 mi)
► Walking Time: 4 hours
► Ascent: 600 meters (1,969 feet)

Setting off on a slow ascent with a mountain guide, hike past the Berber nomad huts to the Tizi N’Addi Pass at 2,960 meters (9,711 feet) above sea level. Take a break, have lunch, and enjoy the scenery of the distant mountains. Descend towards the Tacheddirt Village, at 2,342 meters (7,684 feet), in the High Atlas. Overnight in a local gite or camp near the village. After dinner, you can admire the beautiful starry sky if the weather is clear.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Overnight at Tacheddirt (local gite or camping)

► Hiking Distance of Today: 13 km (8.1 mi)
► Walking Time: 5.5 hours
► Ascent: 500 meters (1,640 feet)

Let’s start from the Tacheddirt Village, hike downhill to the Imnane Valley. On the way, we will pass through some Berber villages, where you can have a cup of mint tea with the local people. Continue trekking along the winding mountain path up to today's highest point, the Tizi N’Tamatert Pass at 2,358 meters (7,736 feet). Have lunch and appreciate the panoramic views of the Toubkal and Ouanoukrim Mountains in the distance, as well as the green valleys of Ait Mizane and Imnane. After a short break, continue the hike to today's finish at the Imlil Village, 1,899 meters (6,230 feet) above sea level. This is where the official Toubkal trek starts. Here you can enjoy dinner on the beautiful rooftop terrace of a local Berber home, with picturesque mountains and farms growing walnuts, cherries and apples in view. Spend the night in a local gite or camp near the village.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Overnight at Imlil (local gite or camping)

► Hiking Distance of Today: 11 km (6.8 mi)
► Walking Time: 5 hours
► Ascent: 1,300 meters (4,265 feet)

Watch sunrise at the Imlil Village, and then follow the guide to pass the small Berber village of Aroumd, and arrive at the Shrine Sidi Chamharouch at an elevation of 2,350 meters (7,710 feet). Though small, this is a hermitage frequented by pilgrims from all over the country. Worship this former Islamic marabou shrine for good luck and health, see the white painted boulder next to it where the bones of a prophet were said to be found, admire the cascading waterfall beside it, and then we’ll move on. Hike through the river flats and the zigzaging mule trails to the rugged peaks and deep valleys of the Toubkal Mountain. Finally, you will reach the snowline and spend the night in the Toubkal Refuge at Neltner Base Camp at the foot of the Toubkal. At this base camp, 3,207 meters (10,522 feet) above sea level, you can sit around the wood-burning stove, share stories with other climbers from around the world, acclimate to the altitude and get ready to head to the summit early the next morning.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Overnight at Toubkal Refuge (local gite or camping)

► About Accommodation at Toubkal Refuge:
The Toubkal Refuge at Neltner Base Camp is a necessary crossing point for anyone trying to climb the Toubkal. The accommodation here is even worse than the previous gites. You can expect fairly crowded bunk bed dorms, shared bathrooms, and lots of hikers. Nevertheless it is at least a warm building with kitchen facilities to prepare food and is properly managed, which makes it a good choice in winter. If it's summer, we can camp on the grounds of Neltner if you like, avoiding the dorms but still taking advantage of the bathrooms and dining room. Please contact our travel consultants if you are interested in this route or have questions about camping here.

► Hiking Distance of Today: 22 km (13.7 mi)
► Walking Time: 10 to 12 hours
► Ascent: 2,300 meters (7,546 feet)

Today is the most exciting day of this tour as we’ll climb the Jebel Toukbal, the highest peak in North Africa. Today's walk is challenging over gravel and high altitude, and it's a long trek, so we need to start early. Get up before 5:00, hike across rivers, mountains and through endless rocks. Get to the summit of Jebel Toukbal at 4,167 meters (13,671 feet) just before sunrise. Mount the ridgeline and you'll find breathtaking landscape in the distance, including the unlimited views from the Marrakech plains to the High Atlas in the north, as well as the Ifni Lake, Anti-Atlas and the Sahara Desert in the south. Take photos and enjoy a picnic lunch on the summit, and then descend along the Taouount Mountain to Sidi Chamarouch, and return to the Imlil Village via Aroumd for the night.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Overnight at Imlil (local gite or camping)

End of Service: Say goodbye to our cooks and service staff in the camp and gite, and you will be on your way back to Marrakech. Our driver will escort you back to your own-booked hotel or the Marrakech Airport in a 1.5-hour drive. This is the end of our service.

Meals: Breakfast

► Tip: If you have extra time, you can explore some of Marrakech's famous attractions on your own, including the Medina of Marrakech, Jemaa el-Fna, Koutoubia Mosque, and Bahia Palace. Want an extension trip from Marrakech? Welcome to contact our travel consultants!