2 Day Toubkal Trek from Imlil

Two days is the fastest way to climb Mount Toubkal, and it is also the most demanding. The mountain is 4,167 metres high, the highest in North Africa, and this plan climbs it in one night in the mountains: a long walk up on day one and a very long day two with the summit and the whole descent. It suits fit walkers who are short of time. If you have a fourth or fifth day to spare, a longer trek is kinder to your body and gives you more chance of reaching the top, and we will say so honestly when you ask.

The route in numbers

The route starts at Imlil, a village at about 1,745 metres and about 65 km from Marrakech. On day one you walk up the valley, stop for lunch at the shrine village of Sidi Chamarouch (about 2,350 metres) and carry on up a zigzag path to the Toubkal refuge at 3,207 metres, an ascent of around 1,460 metres in about six hours of walking. Day two starts in the dark so that you can be on the summit at sunrise. The climb takes three to four hours from the refuge, and after the summit you descend the Toubkal valley to Imlil, for about eight to nine hours of walking in the day (longer in winter), so plan for a very full day.

Who this trek suits

You should be comfortable walking six to eight hours on consecutive days with a day pack, on rocky, steep paths and, higher up, loose stones. Previous mountain walking helps, and so does time to get used to altitude, which this route does not give you. Headaches, nausea and unusual tiredness above about 2,500 metres can be early signs of altitude sickness. Tell your guide at once if you feel them: the rule is not to climb higher while symptoms last, and to go down if they get worse.

Our guides and the plan

Our Toubkal guides live in the area and know the paths and the weather patterns of the mountain. The plan is agreed with each client: your guide talks through the route, the pace and the turn-back time with you before you set off and adapts it on the mountain to the group and the conditions. The summit is never guaranteed. Weather, snow, wind, the group’s pace and how everyone feels decide it, and turning back is a normal part of mountain walking, not a failure. Travel insurance is not included, so please arrange cover that includes trekking at altitude.

Seasons, snow and gear

In summer the upper route is a rocky walk. Published mountain guidance puts the snow season from about November to April, when snow and ice can cover the upper slopes, crampons and an ice axe become necessary, and the summit can be well below freezing in wind. Snow cover varies a lot from year to year, so tell us your dates and we will say what to expect and whether a two-day plan is wise or a longer one is better. In any season, bring walking boots that are already broken in, layers, a warm hat and gloves, sun protection, a headlamp for the pre-dawn start and enough water.

Where you sleep

The night is spent in the mountains at about 3,200 metres, in the Toubkal refuge or, if the plan calls for it, at a base camp, and the accommodation is part of the trek. A Berber cook prepares the meals, all of which are included, and mules with muleteers carry your luggage so that you walk with a day pack. Your quote lists exactly what is covered and what is not, so nothing is a surprise on day one.

Other ways up, and other mountain days

The longer treks are 3 days, 4 days and 5 days from Imlil, with more time to adapt to altitude. If you only want to see the valley, our Imlil day trip has no summit and no night out. See everything on the Mount Toubkal trekking page, or ask us to plan your own route.