5 Days Mount Toubkal & Sahara Tour

ItineraryrnDay 1: Marrakech → Imlil → Toubkal Base CamprnrnWe leave the bustle of Marrakech and drive south across the Haouz Plain, passing through the market town of Asni before climbing into the Toubkal Massif. At the village of Imlil we meet our mountain guide and set off on foot along the Mizane Valley, passing through the terraced Berber village of Aremd — permanently gridlocked by goats — and the riverside shrine of Sidi Chamarouch, where pilgrims and hikers share the path. From here the trail zigzags upwards through boulder fields to the Toubkal Refuge at 3,206m. Approx. 5–6 hours walking.

An early start for the big push to the summit. We tackle the south cirque, crossing the stream above the refuge and picking our way across vast scree fields. The altitude and loose rock demand concentration, but the views grow more extraordinary with every step. Cresting the ridge, the whole of Morocco seems to unfurl before you — the Marrakech Plain, the High Atlas, and on clear days the distant shimmer of the Sahara. Pliny once called these mountains 'the most fabulous in all of Africa.' From up here, you'll agree. We descend to Imlil for the night. Approx. 9–10 hours total.

Collected at 9am, we begin a spectacular drive over the Tizi-n-Tichka mountain pass — one of Morocco's most dramatic roads, lined with Berber villages and silver-grey argan trees. The optional detour to Ait Benhaddou is not to be missed: this UNESCO-listed ksar (fortified city) has doubled for ancient Rome, Arabia and medieval Persia in films from Gladiator to Game of Thrones. We press on through the Valley of the Roses and into the sculpted red rock of Dades Gorge, where a hike along the canyon floor or a quiet afternoon on your terrace await. Approx. 7–8 hours driving.

After breakfast we wind east through the palmery-lined Todra Gorge, where 160-metre-high walls of rose-pink limestone close in above you. Lunch in the shade before we head deep into the pre-Saharan landscape toward Merzouga, the gateway to the great Erg Chebbi dune sea. Here we trade our vehicle for camels, and as the sun begins to paint the dunes gold and crimson, we trek for ninety minutes into the desert to reach our Berber camp — candlelight, tajine, drumming and a sky so thick with stars it barely seems real. Approx. 6 hours driving.

Wake before sunrise for one last camel ride as the dunes turn from violet to amber in the early light — a moment that stays with you long after you've returned home. Back at the hotel, breakfast, showers and then the long but scenic drive back to Marrakech, crossing the Atlas once more with plenty of stops for photos, a market browse and lunch. Arrival in Marrakech between 5pm and 6pm. Approx. 10 hours driving.