Ascension of Toubkal

Ascension of Toubkal, king of the High Atlas (4,167 meters above sea level)

6 days of high mountain hiking in Morocco.

Take height!

          Unlike other prestigious peaks in Europe and Asia, which can only be approached by experienced mountaineers, Toubkal can be climbed in summer (from June to mid-October) by anyone in good physical shape.

Toubkal is the highest peak in North Africa, with its 4,167 meters of altitude. It is also the second highest peak in Africa (after Kilimanjaro in Tanzania).

The High Atlas extends from northeast to southwest in the central part of Morocco, over nearly 1,000 kilometers in length. Its peaks are very jagged and invite hikers to challenge them.

Its surroundings are made up of beautiful valleys and long ridges inviting to mid-mountain hikes: to be done either when approaching Toubkal or during different stays.

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Your equipment:

For the ascent, you will leave your spare business bag and other non-essential items at the hotel. In your backpack, a high mountain sleeping bag (our lodge is perched at 3,210 meters), spare underwear, fleece (the summit is at 4,167 meters!), waterproof jacket (the poncho, which prevents you from seeing where we set foot, is to be avoided!), a waterproof over-bag (even in summer, the weather in the high mountains is sometimes abrupt, unpredictable and can cause us to encounter a squall), windbreaker, hat, sunglasses, anti UV cream. A towel.

And water ! To fight against altitude sickness, two strategies must be combined:

     drink 4 liters of water per day from day 2 (altitude above 2,000 m). And 4 liters also on day 4, when climbing the summit. Drinking and pissing, of course. So plan your water bottles.
    Allow the body to replenish the red blood cells of our blood that the lack of atmospheric pressure and therefore of oxygen molecules make fewer than at low altitude. For this, it will be good, arriving in the afternoon of day 3 at the refuge at 3,200 m, to boost our body by climbing another 100 or 200 meters higher, then descending for the evening and the night at the refuge. Our body will then produce enough red blood cells, which will prevent us from altitude sickness.

Let those who can no longer do without sticks bring them, since they can no longer do without these prostheses! May the others, who have been able to maintain their long and hard-won natural balance throughout their childhood, youth and adult years, avoid them for as long as possible!

Have good mountain shoes, with vibram or similar soles, cushioning your steps on the rock, and waterproof.

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You will need to be in Marrakech the day before, as our departure on Day 2 is around 8 am.

If you prefer to spend the night of the day before our departure in a hotel other than the one where we are booking for the group, there is no problem! We will deduct from your invoice the amount of this night (approximately 35 euros for one person and 40 for a double room). We will give you the address of our hotel and you will meet us there a little before 8 a.m. on Day 2 (day of departure of the hike).

Program :

Day 1.

You arrive in Marrakech so as to spend the night at the hotel (a ryad in the Medina) that we have reserved for the group. This night is included, as well as breakfast the next day, in our rate.

Several scenarios:

    Either you are already in Morocco and you will go at the end of the afternoon to this hotel, the address of which we will give you and where we will have reserved a room there
    Either as explained above you prefer to stay in another hotel, in which case we will deduct this night from your bill, and you will join us at our hotel on D.2 a little before 8 a.m.
    Either you arrive that day, D. 1, at Marrakech airport. You will have sent us the photocopy of your plane ticket so that we have your flight number and arrival time.

At the airport, after retrieving your luggage, you leave the terminal and we will be there waiting for you with a sign “Caravan Renard du Désert”.

We take you to the hotel we have booked in Marrakech and you take the time to settle in your room.

Then we will go with you to change the money (currently, one euro is worth a little more than 10 dirhams) which you will need for your small personal expenses (drinks, souvenirs, etc.).

Depending on your time of arrival in Marrakech we will show you around the city.

I advise you beforehand to read the tourist guides describing Marrakech. So you can ask me what you want to see first.

Dinner on the first evening in Marrakech is not included in our price: it is "free", i.e. you