01/08/2021
Challenge yourself to climb North Africa's highest peak in two or three days. The tour begins and ends in the vibrant city of Marrakesh, and includes transportation to and from Imlil. We will be trekking with an English speaking local guide, a local cook and mules to carry our luggage. It's a challenging walk, not a climb, and anyone in good physical shape can make it to the top. Make sure to bring your own camera; The views from the top are amazing. Jebel Toubkal 4,167m is the highest peak in North Africa, and is the peak of a two-day no-climb trek that includes hiking in sneakers holding an ice ax for security (November to April). The itinerary is designed for keen walkers, as the climb is non-technical, but does include some easy scrambling and icy slopes.
Day 1: Drive from Marrakesh to Imlil and take a trip to the Toubkal Sanctuary via Armed and Wadi Mizan
We leave the city behind and head south today, toward the rocky peaks and steep valleys of the Toubkal Massif. Crossing the Al Haouz plain, we pass through the small town of Asni, where our path begins to climb towards the foothills of the Massif mountain range. Below us lies the valley of the Raghayeh Valley in the distance and small villages cling to the steep hillsides as we meander.
On our way to the village of Imlil. Here we leave our car and, accompanied by our mountain guide, begin our journey, heading along Wadi Mizan, first towards the village of Armed and then to the shrine of Sidi Shamroush. Built on a quay overlooking the valley floor, Aremd is the largest village in the valley and offers an interesting mix of traditional farming, terraces and streets that seem to be permanently crammed with goats and cattle. For generations, local Berber villagers have worked in these lands, producing corn, potatoes and nuts from the harsh landscapes. Continuing east and crossing the flood plain our path takes us along mule trails and up to the rocky cliffs high above the valley. Across the river we finally come to the pastoral shrine of Sidi Shamrouche, which attracts tourists and pilgrims alike (although only Muslims are allowed to cross the stone bridge to visit the Almoravid shrine itself). The village lies beside a small waterfall, a jumble of houses that seem to melt together into a chaotic mass. From here the trail continues to climb steadily, winding and winding on its way to
Snow Line and Toukbal Sanctuary (3207 m), our stop for the night. Walking about 5 hours.
Day 2: Trek to the summit of Mount Toubkal (4167 m); Return to Imlil: Early in the morning we made our attempt atop Mount Tobel, the highest peak in North Africa. Our path takes us to the top of the Southern Circus, we cross the stream above the shelter and then head through one
The mountains are many rocky fields, where we will have to negotiate a seemingly endless carpet of boulders and boulders. The walk is relatively easy, but the rock and elevation will make it challenging in some parts, however, the views along the way make the trek more than worthwhile. At the top of the ridge line we find ourselves on the plateau, it is just a short walk to the summit and the vistas across the surrounding landscape are absolutely breathtaking. From here there are unrestrained views in every direction, from the plain of Marrakesh to the High Atlas in the north and as far south as the Anti-Atlas and the Sahara. The great Roman scholar Pliny once described the High Atlas Mountains as "the most magnificent mountains in all of Africa" and from our vantage point high above the valley, it's easy to understand why. After getting our steps back, we head back down the mountain and head back towards Imlil before heading back to Marrakesh.
Note: If time permits, we recommend doing this over 3 days to get enough acclimatization before reaching the summit of Toubkal.
