Mt. Toubkal

Mt. Toubkal (Jbel Toubkal) is the highest mountain in North Africa at 4,167 m, the centrepiece of Morocco's High Atlas range south of Marrakech. It's a barren, scree-covered peak above the Berber village of Imlil — a non-technical summit in summer, but a serious one in winter when ice axe and crampons are required. The two-day Imlil-to-summit-and-back is the classic route, accessible from Marrakech in under 90 minutes by road and walked most years from April through October.

Day 1 is a 11 km, 1,460 m ascent from Imlil at 1,740 m to the Refuge du Toubkal (also called the Neltner Hut) at 3,207 m. The path climbs through walnut groves and small Berber villages, passing the saint's tomb at Sidi Chamharouch — where many pilgrims still stop and where a small Berber tea-stop sells mint tea and tagine. Above Chamharouch the path turns into a relentless boulder-strewn climb up the Mizane valley to the refuge. Day 2 starts in darkness around 4–5 AM: a steep 1,000 m climb across loose scree to a saddle below the summit, then a final 200 m ridge walk to the trig point. Most groups reach the summit just after dawn, with views from the Atlas peaks south to the edge of the Sahara on a clear day. The descent reverses the route all the way back to Imlil, a punishing 2,400 m drop over 14 km.

The standard climbing season is April to October; outside that window, the summit becomes a winter mountaineering objective with crampons and ice axe. As of 2024, Moroccan authorities require all foreign hikers on Toubkal to be accompanied by a licensed mountain guide — a policy tightened after a fatal attack on two Scandinavian hikers in 2018. Guides are easily arranged in Imlil ($40–60 per day) and worth it for navigation on the boulder-strewn upper section. The refuge has shared bunkrooms, hot meals, and showers; it does fill in peak season — book ahead. Altitude is real on the summit day — the refuge already sits at 3,200 m, and headaches and slow climbing are common above the summit ridge.