3-Day Hiking Tour from Marrakech to Toubkal Base Camp and Summit

Arrival at Marrakech Airport and transfer to the riad where you will spend the night. Marrakech is a colourful city, and most people head for the central square of Djemaa-el-Fna beneath the imposing tower of the Koutoubia Mosque.

After breakfast, we leave the hustle and bustle of Marrakech as we head towards the looming High Atlas. On reaching Asni, we leave the main road and drive into the foothills of the High Atlas. Our drive follows the pretty Mizane Valley until we reach the hamlet of Imlil (1740m), where we meet up with the trek team and join our trail.

This whole area appeared in Martin Scorsese's epic "Kundun" when it was transformed into a "Tibetan" backdrop to tell the story of the 14th Dalai Lama.

The trail is rugged underfoot as we gradually ascend for approximately 2 hours to the holy shrine of Sidi Chamharouch (2310m). A large white-painted boulder apparently marks the location of the mausoleum of the legendary King of the Jinns, Chamharouch.

Next, a gradual climb of approximately 4 hours brings us to the area of the Neltner Refuge, "Toubkal Base Camp" (3207m), where we spend our first exciting night under canvas.

Today we climb North Africa's highest peak. We leave camp and begin a steep ascent on a zig-zag route that snakes its way through scree and boulders. As the sun starts to rise, we pass two guardian peaks and the occasional patch of old snow.

As we continue upwards, the views become more impressive, and after approximately 3 to 4 hours, we arrive on the summit. The reward for our hard work is a breathtaking panorama. We are surrounded by the peaks of the High Atlas, the hills of the Anti-Atlas and Jebel Sirwa, while away to the south lies the Sahara.

After taking in the views and plenty of "summit photos," we descend back to the hut in approximately 2 hours. After a much-needed rest for lunch and tea at the camp, we continue down the valley to Tamatert, where you will spend the night at a guesthouse.