Snow-dusted rocky ridge in the High Atlas, with hazy valleys falling away below, Toubkal area, Morocco

Mount Toubkal Trek: 2-Day Itinerary from Imlil

North Africa's highest peak with no technical climbing, one night at 10,522 feet (3,207 m) and a guide you should plan to hire.

8.8 mi · 2 days · Hard
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Photo: Hayatrif, CC BY-SA 4.0

Toubkal (Jbel Toubkal) is 13,671 feet (4,167 m), the highest point in North Africa, and it is a walk, not a climb. The usual trip is two days out of Imlil: a long uphill day to the refuge at 10,522 feet (3,207 m), then a dawn start for the summit and the whole way back down to the village. You need good fitness and a calm attitude to altitude, not ropes.

The line on the map is the one-way path from Imlil to the summit, about 8.8 miles (14.1 km). The descent uses the same path, so a 2-day trip is about twice that distance on foot. The first day is the long one; the second is a steep scree slope, a summit, and a very long way down.

The decision that matters is the season. From May to October this is a hard but plain trek. In winter it needs crampons and an ice axe, and the trip changes with them. The other thing to settle before you start is the guide: a licensed guide is reported to be required for the ascent, and booking one in Imlil is part of the trip.

The Route on the Map

Each day in its own color, with the start and every night's stop numbered along the way.

Loading map...

Route line: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), simplified.

Day by Day

2 legs and 1 night on the way, each in a different place.

  1. Stone and clay houses of Aroumd stacked on a steep slope in the Imlil valley, Toubkal National Park, Morocco
    Day 1

    Day 1: Imlil to the Toubkal refuge

    ImliltoToubkal refuge (CAF Refuge Louis Neltner)

    Distance
    6.6 mi 10.7 km

    The path goes south up the Mizane valley through Aroumd and the shrine village of Sidi Chamharouch, then climbs steeply up the Isougouane valley to the two stone refuges. It is reported at about 6 hours of walking for the 6.6 miles (10.7 km), so an early start gets you in by the afternoon, with mules carrying the bags if you hire one. The valley ends at two stone refuges: the CAF Toubkal refuge and the neighboring Mouflons. Advance booking is recommended in the busiest seasons, and your guide or guesthouse in Imlil can usually arrange it.

    Sleep
    Toubkal refuge (CAF), or the Mouflons next door · Hut
    Water
    Streams along the valley; the refuge has waterReported Nov 2026, verify before you go

    Photo: Alexander Klink, CC BY 4.0

  2. Day 2

    Day 2: Summit of Toubkal and back down

    Toubkal refuge (CAF Refuge Louis Neltner)toToubkal summit

    Distance
    2.1 mi 3.4 km

    From the refuge the path crosses the stream, goes up a steep scree slope into a hanging valley, then up another steep slope to the Tizi n'Toubkal col at 12,926 feet (3,940 m). From the col you turn north along easy slopes to the narrow summit ridge and the metal pyramid marker. The climb from the refuge to the top is about 3,150 feet (960 m) and is reported at 2.5 to 3 hours of climbing, though some sources give up to 4. Start before dawn so you reach the top early and are back down with time in hand.

    The line ends at the summit. The way down is the same path: back to the refuge for breakfast, then on to Imlil, a long 6.6 miles (10.7 km) downhill. Most people are back in the village in the afternoon, so the second day is about 2.1 miles (3.4 km) up and then about 8.8 miles (14.1 km) down to Imlil.

    Water
    None on the climb; carry what you need from the refuge. The stream just below the refuge is the last oneReported Nov 2026, verify before you go

Permits

No permit is required

No park entry permit or fee for Toubkal National Park could be confirmed from an official Moroccan source. What matters on the ground is the guide. Hikers going up Toubkal are reported to be required to go with a licensed mountain guide, a rule reported to date from late 2018 or 2019, after the killing of two Scandinavian hikers near Imlil in December 2018, with checks at points along the path, though how strictly it is enforced can vary. The UK government's travel advice for hikers in the Atlas says to hire a professional guide. No Moroccan government text on the rule could be read for this page, so confirm it at the guides' bureau in Imlil before you pay anyone, and treat a guide as part of the trip.

Licensed guides work from the bureau in Imlil, next to the taxi park. A licensed guide is reported at 400 to 600 MAD per day (about 37 to 55 euros, $41 to $61), a refuge bed at 150 to 200 MAD (about 14 to 18 euros, $15 to $20), dinner at 50 to 80 MAD and breakfast at 25 to 40 MAD, as 2026 prices from a trekking operator in Imlil. No official price list was found, so treat them as a guide to what to expect, not a fixed tariff.

The official permit page

Getting There and Back

How to reach the start of the Mount Toubkal Trek, and how to get home from the end.

The start

Imlil, a village at about 5,700 feet (1,740 m), around 37 miles (60 km) south of Marrakech and about 1.5 hours by road. From Marrakech a grand taxi (a shared car, six seats) goes to Imlil, or to Asni, where a minibus runs on to Imlil from 7 a.m. The reported price for a whole grand taxi is 600 to 800 MAD (about 55 to 73 euros, $61 to $82); a shared seat is much less. The road can flood and is being upgraded, so ask before you leave in winter. The line starts at the edge of Imlil and the walk goes through the village of Aroumd.

The end

Back in Imlil. The summit day ends with a long descent along the same path, past Sidi Chamharouch, and most people are back in Imlil in the afternoon. A taxi back to Marrakech can be arranged through the guides' bureau, and the car park is where the grand taxis wait.

Shuttle

None between the ends, because the route is out and back. Leave your main luggage at your Imlil guesthouse and carry only what you need for the night.

Parking

There is a car park in Imlil by the guides' bureau. For a rented car, ask your Imlil guesthouse about leaving it overnight.

Safety

  • Altitude: the refuge is at 10,522 feet (3,207 m) and the summit at 13,671 feet (4,167 m). Headache, nausea or poor sleep can start at the refuge. The cure is to go down, so if you feel worse after a night at the refuge, skip the summit and descend. A third night at a lower altitude, or an easy extra day, is the usual way to make the climb slower.

  • Weather and scree: the last 3,150 feet (960 m) from the refuge to the summit is steep loose scree, and it is slippery and tiring. Start before dawn so you are down early. If cloud closes in at the col, turn around.

  • Snow and ice: from about November to April the upper route is snow and ice, and crampons and an ice axe are needed, especially in February and March. Do not go in those months without winter skills and a guide who has a good record on this route. The mountains can also be prone to avalanches.

  • Cold: temperatures can stay below freezing above about 11,500 feet (3,500 m) even in summer, and the summit is exposed to wind. Carry the warm layers you need for a night at 10,500 feet (3,200 m) and a dawn start.

  • River crossings: below the refuge the path crosses a stream, which is difficult after heavy rain, and in the Atlas heavy rain can cause flash floods. Check the weather with your guide before you set out.

  • Security: two European hikers were killed near Imlil in December 2018. A guide on Toubkal has been the norm since. Follow the advice of your guide and read your government's travel advice for Morocco before you go.

Mount Toubkal Trek: FAQ

Do you need a guide to climb Toubkal?

A licensed mountain guide is reported to be required for the ascent, a rule reported from late 2018 or 2019, with checks on the path. The UK government's travel advice for the Atlas also says to hire a professional guide. No Moroccan government text on it could be read, so confirm at the guides' bureau in Imlil.

How long does it take to climb Toubkal?

Two days is the standard trip: about 6 hours to the refuge, then 2.5 to 3 hours (some sources say up to 4) up from the refuge on the second day, and the descent to Imlil. A third day, or an extra night at a lower altitude, gives your body more time to adjust.

How hard is Toubkal?

It needs no ropes or climbing skill in summer, but it is a long hard day at altitude: the last 3,150 feet (960 m) from the refuge is steep scree, and the summit is at 13,671 feet (4,167 m). Many people feel the altitude.

When is the best time to climb Toubkal?

May to October. From about November to April there is snow and ice on the upper route and crampons and an ice axe are needed.

How do you get from Marrakech to Imlil?

By grand taxi, in about 1.5 hours; a whole car is reported at 600 to 800 MAD (about $61 to $82), and a shared seat costs less. You can also take a taxi to Asni and a minibus on to Imlil.

How much does the Toubkal trek cost?

Reported 2026 prices from a trekking operator in Imlil: a guide 400 to 600 MAD a day (about $41 to $61), a refuge bed 150 to 200 MAD (about $15 to $20), dinner 50 to 80 MAD and breakfast 25 to 40 MAD. A mule for the bags is 250 to 350 MAD a day. These are not official tariffs.

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