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Marrakech and Toubkal - Morocco
7 days - from £515
- Trek up Mount Toubkal, the highest mountain in North Africa.
- Fabulous mountain scenery of the Atlas Mountains.
- Camp in the mountains.
- Stay in a Berber guesthouse.
- Explore the sights and souks of vibrant Marrakesh.
Description
You begin in Marrakech, famous for its old walled city (medina) of narrow alleyways of bustling souks, busy mosques and for the main square, the Djemmaa el Fna, which constantly throngs with life. We take you on a half day tour so you can get your bearings, then leave you free to explore at your own pace. You might choose to visit the city's other main sights, such as the Koutoubia Mosque, or the Saadian tombs to see the richly decorated mausoleums, with mosaics, magnificent domed ceilings, stalactite plaster work, intricate carvings and marble pillars. Don't forget to head to the Djemmaa el Fna in the evening to eat and watch the acrobats, storytellers and musicians.
Then it's time to get to grips with Morocco's highest mountain. You start from Imlil, a thriving market town near Mount Toubkal. From here you tackle the 3 day trek to the summit and back. Throughout the trek you'll camp outside the refuge huts, your Berber guides and porters looking after you and the camp, and the cooking. Mount Toubkal's summit is at 4167m and although not one of the world's highest mountains, it is still a challenge. You need to watch for the effects of altitude, but by taking it slowly most people are fine.
Once you descend (hopefully triumphant!) from the summit, we spend a night in the tiny Berber community of Aremd. You will stay in a simple Berber gite (guest house), which is more like a homestay. The hosts try very hard to please and are very attentive to their guests - and they can prepare a mean tagine!
Finally, we return you to Marrakech, giving you a second chance to get acquianted with this fascinating town.
So, this holiday offers you a challenge to reach the summit of Mount Toubkal, but also an insight into Moroccan Berber life in the Atlas Mountains, and of course time to explore Marrekech. It's a real gem of a trip!
If you want to see even more of this region, you can extend this holiday with one of our extensions. You could choose to explore the deserts and gorges or to journey to the lovely fishing port of Essaouira. Or do both!
Itinerary Summary
- Day 1: Fly to Marrakech from UK (if flights selected). Arrive Marrakech, transfer to hotel.
- Day 2: Marrakech city tour.
- Day 3: Transfer to Imill and begin trek to Lepiney refuge.
- Day 4: Climb Agueizim pass to Neltner refuge.
- Day 5: Climb to peak of Toubkal then descend to Aremd.
- Day 6: Return to Marrakech.
- Day 7: Transfer to Airport. If flights selected, return to UK.
Detailed Itinerary
- DAY 1 (Sat): If flights selected, fly from UK to Marrakech. Arrive in Marrakech. We’ll meet you at the airport and take you to your riad.
- DAY 2 (Sun): Marrakech. Today we’ll take you on a half day city tour. Your guide will give you an introduction to the city so you know how to make the best of your time here, and include some time in the souks. (B)
- Day 3 (Mon): Transfer to the market town of Imlil in the Atlas Mountains, where we meet our team and start the trek through Mzik pass (2500m) to get to Azadene valley. Continue to Lepiney refuge (3000m) to camp overnight. 6hs walking.(B,L,D)
- Day 4 (Tues): Today we gradually climb up to Aguelzim pass (3600m) offering nice views of the valleys around and then to Neltner refuge (3200m). Overnight camping at refuge. 5hs walking. (B,L,D)
- Day 5 (Wed): Today is the big push to the top! Trek from your base camp to the summit. Weather permitting, you'll have great views of the surrounding Atlas Mountains, and of course, you'll have that feeling of elation from having made it! An early wake up to climb Toubkal peak (4167m), the highest in north Africa. A gradual climb through the valley to the summit offering breathtaking views of the atlas mountains and sahara desert to the south. Back to refuge and head downhill along the valley to Armed (2000m). Overnight in a gite. 8hs walking. (B,L,D)
- DAY 6 (Thurs): After breakfast we’ll drive to back to Marrakech (about 1½ hours). You have the rest of the day free to relax at your hotel or explore more of Marrakech. (B)
- DAY 7 (Fri): Time to go home. We’ll take you to the airport in time for your flight home. If flights selected, return to the UK. (B)
Is it for you?
This is a reasonably challenging trip, particularly due to the altitude. You need only carry a small backpack with your requirements for the day. You need to be comfortable with camping, and staying in basic guest houses with few facilities.
Best times to go
Mount Toubkal is snowcapped during the winter months when ice and snow climbing equipment and experience are required and we do not organise treks at this time of year. The trek can be taken from about April to October.
Getting there
Royal Air Maroc has daily flights to Marrakech via Casablanca throughout the year. There are several no-frills airlines flying direct from London to Marrakesh, including Easy Jet, Ryan Air and GB Airways. We can arrange international flights for you (we are ATOL bonded).
Gallery
Responsible Travel
How this holiday helps:
For this trek we use Moroccan (mostly Berber) guides and porters. We try hard to ensure (and indeed expect) that all guides and porters are treated respectfully and fairly. We also use locally-owned Berber gites (guest houses) in the tiny village of Aremd, which is an important income for this remote village.
Our registered charity, The Tribes Foundation, is currently raising funds for a project in Morocco. The kindness of strangers can make a big difference, so if you’re a travel philanthropist considering donating to a worthwhile charity, please consider backing this excellent community project.
In Morocco we are raising funds for a village about 1½ hours drive from Marrakech. The inhabitants are extremely poor and live from subsistant farming and breeding goats as well as the making of traditional plain pottery. The inhabitants of the village do a great damage to the environment by cutting wood and the rare bushes that grow in this area. Our program with the people in this village is to help them understand the danger of destroying their environment that way and trying to help them find other alternatives. We are also helping the pre-school here too.
You can see photos and more details of this project on www.the-tribes-foundation.org.
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