Overview
Our Mount Toubkal Express trek is an active way to spend a weekend with just one night and two days in the mountains to approach, summit and descend the highest peak in North Africa. This is a privately-guided trek, you will not be part of a group, and your party will be accompanied by a personal certified guide and a muleteer. You can optionally book extra nights in Marrakech.
- The High Atlas Mountains
- Mount Toubkal
- Toubkal National Park
Itinerary
Day 1: Marrakech – Imlil (1,740m) to Mount Toubkal Base Camp (3,207m) | 6-7h
Morning private transfer from Marrakech to the village of Imlil (90km / 2h). There, you will leave the vehicle and, in the company of your mountain guide, begin your trek, heading along the Mizane Valley, first towards the village of Aremd and then onto the shrine of Sidi Chamarouch.
Built on a moraine spur overlooking the valley floor, Aremd is the largest village in the valley. It provides an exciting mix of traditional terraced farming and streets that seem to be permanently gridlocked by goats and cattle. Continuing east and crossing the floodplain, your route takes you along mule tracks and up into the high rocky cliffs above the valley.
Crossing the river, you eventually come to the pastoral shrine of Sidi Chamarouch, which attracts tourists and pilgrims alike (although only Muslims are allowed to cross the stone bridge to visit the shrine itself). From here, the trail continues to ascend steadily, snaking and zigzagging its way up to the snowline and the Mouflons Toubkal Refuge (3,207m), your stop for the night.
- Accommodation: Refuge du Toubkal Les Mouflons (dormitory; optional upgrade to a private room). Depending on availability, you may also be accommodated in a tent outside the refuge.
- Meals: Packed lunch and dinner; tea and coffee
- Walking time: 6-7h
Day 2: Base Camp (3,207m) to Mount Toubkal (4,167m) | 9-11h
Early in the morning (around 4 am), you will make your attempt on the summit of Jebel Toubkal, the highest peak in Northern Africa. The route takes you up the south cirque, crossing the stream above the refuge and then heading across one of the numerous scree fields, where you will have to negotiate a seemingly endless carpet of boulders and rocks. The walking is relatively straightforward, but the scree and the altitude will make it difficult, however, the views along the way make the walk more than worthwhile.
Cresting the ridgeline, you will reach the plateau, from where it is a short walk to the summit, and the vistas are quite breathtaking. From the peak, there are unrestricted views in every direction, from the Marrakesh Plain to the High Atlas in the north and as far south as the Anti-Atlas and the Sahara.
Retracing your steps, you then return down the mountain and head back towards Imlil before your transfer back to Marrakech in the early evening.
- Accommodation: no overnight included, you can optionally book extra nights in Marrakech
- Meals: Breakfast, packed lunch; tea and coffee
- Walking time: 9-11h
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation is in a mountain refuge, Les Mouflons, which is Mount Toubkal Base Camp. Les Mouflons is located at 3,207m. It has single and family rooms with separate showers, as well as seven mixed-gender dormitories. By default, you are accommodated in a dormitory but, when possible, we offer an upgrade option to a private room with en-suite facilities. In the event of no beds being available at the refuge, you will be offered tent accommodation outside the refuge, with use of the refuge’s facilities. We will advise this at time of booking.
Click to view default accommodation
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Packed lunches are included on both days, as well as a dinner on day one and a breakfast on day two.
Difficulty and terrain
The climb to Mt Toubkal is non-technical but demanding. This trip requires an excellent physical condition and solid trekking experience. No mountaineering or climbing experience required. The terrain varies, and the trails are often exposed to the sun. In the mountains, the route follows ancient Berber tracks, which can be high, steep, narrow, uneven and rough underfoot (read more about difficulty grades). Some parts of the walks are above the snow line. We will provide crampons if needed, which might be the case if doing the trip in the winter months.
Due to the lack of signposted trails, you will be supported by a local qualified mountain guide. This is a very remote area. You should be a regular walker and have a good level of walking fitness to get the most from this walk.
When to go
This trip is available to start year-round. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
July is the hottest month in the Atlas Mountains with an average temperature of 29C and the coldest is January at 13C with the most daily sunshine hours at 11 in July. Some walks are above the snow line year-round.
Please note that during Ramadan and Eid al-Adha’s festival times, many restaurants and shops will be closed, which may affect your trip experience. Ramadan and Eid al-Adha change yearly. Ramadan 2025 is expected to begin 28 February and end 29 March (Eid al-Fitr). Eid al-Adha 2025 is expected to be from the evening of 6 June to 7 June.
Please note that there might be supplements for bookings over Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
For more information on travelling to Morocco, see our blog on the Best time to go to Morocco.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK).
- Private transfers from the airport to Marrakech on Day 1 and to the airport on the last day are NOT included in our arrangements but can be organised at an extra charge. This is because most of our clients usually take a few days in Marrakech before and/or after the holiday – either booked through us or independently.
Inclusions
Included
- 1 night in a mountain refuge (dormitory or tent with a mattress)
- Sleeping bag with liner provided
- 1 breakfast
- 1 dinner
- 2 packed lunches
- Private car transfer from Marrakech to Imlil on Day 1 and back to Marrakech on Day 2
- Luggage transfers of one bag (up to 20kg) per person
- Services of a qualified mountain guide and a muleteer as appropriate in the mountains
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Meals not listed in itinerary
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Recommended: Extra night in Imlil before the Mt Toubkal climb with or without a guided acclimatisation (on request)
- Extra nights in Marrakech before or after the holiday (on request)
- Private room at the refuge with a supplement
- You can also book one of our guided day tour extensions – listed below – for these extra days in Marrakech, or just relax and stroll the streets of Marrakech.
Click here to view Ourika Valley full day guided tour
Ourika Valley, due to its many waterfalls and several attractions, is a very popular day trip from Marrakech. This valley is the sole location within the High Atlas Range where the endangered primate Barbary macaque, Macaca sylvanus is known to occur; this primate is found in the Middle Atlas and a few disjunctive populations in Algeria and Gibraltar. The region is inhabited by Berber people who practice a traditional way of life. You can picnic in the oasis or hike up to the famous seven waterfalls. It is an easy hike, accompanied by an official guide, and it can take between 1 and 3 hours.
Please note: overnight accommodation is not included, please request an extra night in Marrakech when booking.
Included: return transfer, guided services, lunch.
Click here to view Fishing port of Essaouira full day guided tour
The day trip to Essaouira from Marrakech begins with a drive along the Haouz planes to Chichaoua, the perfect place to stop for refreshments before continuing to Sid L’Mokhtar. The journey leads through the Argan forest, where you may spot the area’s tree-climbing goats, before heading to a local women’s cooperative to learn how argan oil (also called liquid gold or Moroccan oil) is extracted and made into cosmetic products. From here, continue to the port city of Essaouira to explore the city at your leisure.
Please note: overnight accommodation is not included, please request an extra night in Marrakech when booking.
Included: return transfer, guided services
