Toubkal ascent (4,167m) + Trekking in Sahara Desert, 7 days

Join AEGM-certified mountain guide Ruben on an 7-day trek in Morocco. Explore the northern Sahara Desert and climb Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa!

7 Days

Oct

High

Intermediate

Description

If you are looking for a fascinating trekking adventure in Morocco’s most wild and attractive sites, this trip is for you!

With an elevation of 4,167 meters (13,671ft), Mount Toubkal is the highest peak in Morocco, in northern Africa, and in the whole Arab world. It stands in the country’s southwest, within the High Atlas, a sub-range in the stunning Atlas Mountains, which extend over 2,500 kilometers across Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, in the Maghreb African region. Mount Toubkal is a massif of volcanic origin, and one of the few summits in Morocco covered in snow yearlong. It lays within the Toubkal National Park, which spreads over 100,000 hectares between the valleys of N'Fiss to the west and Ourika to the east.

Our trip’s meeting point will be the city of Marrakesh airport. From here, we will travel to our expedition’s starting point, the small Berber village of Imlil (1,740m), located 64 kilometers south from Marrakesh, in the heart of the Toubkal valley, at the base of the Atlas Mountains.

During 6 days, we will explore the areas’ mountains and vast valleys with terraced crops and adobe constructions, enjoying impressive views. We will climb the magnificent Mount Toubkal and trek across the magical Sahara Desert, which spreads over 9,200,000 km2 across several countries in North Africa, making it the largest hot desert in the world.

A few highlights of the trip include:

Traveling with a local cook, who will prepare delicious meals for us
Having mules and camels carry our luggage during the journey
Camping in the middle of the desert for a night
A free afternoon in Marrakesh, to enjoy the city’s colorful markets, mosques, palaces and gardens

During our journey, we will travel a total distance of 38 kilometers, with a 2,439-meter ascent. I will take groups of a minimum of 6 people and a maximum of 12. While Mount Toubkal is not a technical summit, participants are required to be in good shape and have some prior trekking experience.

Below you will find a detailed itinerary of the program. However, please note that this can be slightly adjusted depending on the weather conditions, as well as on hotels’ and mountain refuges’ availability.

Don’t miss this top-notch trekking expedition in Morocco! Book your trip now!

If you are looking for a shorter adventure in Morocco, I also offer a 4-day ascent to Mount Toubkal, without the trek across the Sahara Desert. If you would like to consider other hiking outings, check out the trips I lead in Spain, such as the 5-day program in Ponga Natural Park, the 5-day trek in Picos de Europa National Park, and the Redes Natural Park fall trek in 3 days.

Price includes

Accommodation included
Guiding fee
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Transport during the trip
Transportation start and back
Permit and entrance fees
Porters
Luggage transfer
Mules and horses

Price details

Please note that the price includes: VAT; 2 nights at the Imlil Riad Tizi Mizik hotel, 1 night at Neltner/MOuflons Refuge, 1 night in Dades Gorges hotel, 1 night bivouac/camp in the Sahara Desert, 2 night in a hotel in Marrakesh; luggage transportation by mules/camels; and group safety gear. However, the price doesn’t include the flight to/from Marrakesh and insurances.

Meeting point

Marrakesh airport

Itinerary

Day 1: Meeting point

We will meet at the city of Marrakesh airport and transfer to the village of Imlil (1,770m). After dinner at the hotel, we will review the program’s itinerary.

Day 2: Departure

After breakfast, our trekking expedition will begin. We will travel along mule trails, passing through the village of Armed (1,850m), to Marabout Sidi Chamharouch (2,350m), a pilgrimage site, where we will enjoy a delicious meal prepared by our cook. We will stop at Imi n’Tifrite to have a traditional tea, and then cross the Isgan n’Wagouts corrals, reaching the Neltner refuge (3,207m), built and run by the French Alpine Club, where we will spend the night.

Distance: 12km Ramp: ↑ 1,325m ↓ 94m

Day 3: Toubkal ascent

Early in the morning, we will begin our climb to Mount Toubkal (4,167m), to ensure safe weather conditions. First, we will head to the hole of Akhbi n’Tizi (3,700m) and trek to the Collado del Toubkal (3,950m), from where we will ascend the summit, via the Toubkal Ridge. If the weather helps, from Toubkal’s top, we will enjoy impressive views to the Atlas Mountains. We will then descend to the refuge and return to Imlil, where we will enjoy a pleasant dinner and spend the night.

Distance: 8km Ramp: ↑ 1,020m ↓ 1,020m

Day 4: Uarzazat

We will travel to the city of Uarzazat (1,151m), located in the south face of the High Atlas Mountains, considered to be the door to the Sahara Desert. We will cross the magnificent oasis of Skoura, Kalaat M'gouna, then cross the Valley of the Roses to reach the Dades Gorges, where we will spend the night in the hotel.

Day 5: Sahara Desert

Trek across the Sahara Desert, departing from the Dades Gorges to Merzouga, visiting on the way the Valley of the thousand Kasbahs, Tinghir, Todra Gorges, Erfoud ,Rissani and the magnificent oasis of Tifilalte, to finally reach Erg Chabi, in Merzouga, where we will take a camel ride to enjoy the sunset and reach the desert camp where we will have dinner and spend the night under a spectacular starry sky, to live a unique experience.

Day 6: Return to Marrakech

We will enjoy the sunrise and breakfast in the desert, and then return to Marrakech, where we will spend the night.

Day 7: Farewell

Breakfast. Transfer to Marrakesh airport. Farewell and end of trip.

About the guide

Ruben

5.0

(2)

Mountain Leader

Hello!! My name is Rubén Cuesta Valparís and I am a Mountain Guide with official certification and AEGM-UIMLA accreditation (Member Number 913). I have extensive experience in mountain ranges around the world, from the Picos de Europa, my base and school, through the Pyrenees, the Alps, Patagonia, the Himalayas.

I love mountains and nature in general and from my experience and supported by my training, I like to enjoy them and make my clients enjoy them as much as I do, giving them the security they need to perform the activity they want, interpreting the landscape , flora, fauna, ethnography, and promoting respect for nature and the environment where activities take place. I speak Spanish and English.

From my company, Picos Outdoor, we organize activities of hiking, trekking, mountaineering, orientation, etc. and we offer introductory and specialization training courses (can be for groups and individuals) related to all the above.

Languages

English

Certificates

AEGM | UIMLA

What people are saying about Explore-Share

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