During our four-day Mount Toubkal journey, you will ascend through untamed terrain and discover some of the most breathtaking locations in the high Atlas Mountains, such as the Sidi Chamarouch shrine, the Imlil valley (1740m), and the peak of Mount Toubkal.
The drive to Imlil Valley, the starting location of the trek, will take approximately 1 hour and thirty minutes. Our local team will meet you when you arrive. After that, you’ll be taken to a guesthouse where you’ll get a welcome mint tea and see a map of our four-day Tubkal Trek. Afterwards, you will embark on an acclimatization climb to the 2489-meter-high Tizi Mzik pass, where you will pause for a hot lunch. You will trek back down the same path to your Imlil lodge, where you will spend the night, after the lunch break. The hike will take about 4 hours.
Following your breakfast at the ldoge, you will begin your hike across the Ait Mizane Valley. Prior to reaching the Sidi Chamarouch shrine, which draws both tourists and pilgrims, one must first pass through the village of Aremd. (but only Muslims are allowed to cross the stone bridge to visit the marabout shrine itself). The town, a disorganized collection of homes that appear to blend into one chaotic mass, is situated next to a small waterfall. You will make a halt for lunch later on. From this point on, the track zigzags and snakes its way up to the Toukbal Refuge (3206m), where we will spend the night. Walking will take about five to six hours.
After an early breakfast, you attempt to reach the top of Jebel Toukbal. Your path leads you up the south cirque, across the brook above the refuge, and across one of the many scree fields on the mountain. While the walking is not too tough, there are some challenging areas due to the altitude and scree. The drive is more than rewarding, though, because of the scenic sights along the way. You will be rewarded with breathtaking views of the high Atlas Mountains once you reach the summit. You will take the same way back to the refuge after a brief pause on the pass, where you will have lunch and spend the night once more. Walking will take about six or seven hours. You will take the same path back down to Imlil Valley. After lunch in Imlil, you will return to Marrakech by car. Marrakech may be reached in 4-5 hours by foot and 1 hour and 30 minutes by car.
Day 1: Marrakech – Imlil 1740m. 1h30 drive + 4h walk.
At 8:30 am, a local guide will meet you as you travel into the Imlil valley (1740 meters) from your hotel in Marrakech! Before beginning your acclimatization climb to the 2489-meter-high Tizi Mzik Pass, you will check into a guesthouse. During your hike, you will pause for a hot lunch. You will walk back down the same path to your Imlil lodge, where you will spend the night, after the lunch break.
Day 2: Imlil 1740m – Toubkal refuge 3207m. 5 to 6h walk.
Following breakfast, you will begin your hike down the Mizane Valley, first going toward the Aremd town and then arriving at the Sidi Chamarouch shrine. The main village in the valley, Aremd, is perched on a moraine spur with a view of the valley level. It offers a unique blend of traditional farming, gites, and streets that appear to be constantly congested with goats and cattle. The Berber villagers have farmed these regions for decades, harvesting walnuts, potatoes, and corn from the abrasive terrain. Our route leads us along mule tracks and up into the high rocky cliffs above the valley as we continue east and cross the flood plain. After crossing the river, we ultimately arrive to the peaceful shrine of Sidi Chamarouch, which is popular with both pilgrims and tourists. The town, a disorganized collection of homes that appear to blend into one chaotic mass, is situated next to a small waterfall. From this point on, the track zigzags and snakes its way up to the Toukbal Refuge (3206m), where we will spend the night.
Day 3: Refuge 3207m- Toubkal summit 4167m – Refuge 3207m.
5 to 7 hours on foot. You attempt to reach the summit of Jebel Toukbal, the highest peak in Northern Africa, following an early breakfast. Your path leads you up the south cirque, across the stream above the refuge, and then into one of the many scree fields of the mountain, where you will have to navigate an apparently never-ending carpet of pebbles and stones. The walking itself is very easy, although the height and scree will make the going challenging at times. Nevertheless, the journey is well worth it because of the breathtaking sights you’ll encounter. Once you reach the plateau after cresting the ridgeline, you may take a short stroll to the summit and enjoy some very amazing views of the surrounding terrain. From here, vistas stretch without limits in all directions, taking in the Anti-Atlas and the Sahara to the south, and the Marrakesh Plain and the High Atlas to the north. It’s easy to understand why the great Roman scholar Pliny called the High Atlas Mountains “the most fabulous mountains in all of Africa” when standing high above the valley. After retracing your route, you descend the mountain to the basecamp, where you will spend another night and lunch.
Day 4: Refuge 3207m – Imlil 1740m – Marrakech.
You will take the same path back down to Imlil today. You will travel back to Marrakech after stopping at a lodge for lunch after you arrive in Imlil.
