Marrakech, Mount Toubkal & The High Atlas

Vibrant Marrakech is a fascinating city, alive with bustling souks, tranquil gardens and the ancient medina (old town). The city itself is built around the 12th century Koutoubia mosque, a classic piece of Almohad architecture with its iconic minaret punctuating the city’s skyline.

Fly into Marrakech Menara International Airport for the private transfer to your luxury accommodation.

Optional Upgrade Option: Boutique Riad in Marrakech; Riad Les Yeux Bleus

It is possible to upgrade to the beautiful Riad Les Yeux Bleus in Marrakech for a small supplement. This charming riad offers small luxuries such as a swimming pool, Hammam and massage.

Spend today delving into this colourful city’s cultural highlights. At the heart of the ancient walled medina (old town) is the Djemaa el Fna square, where storytellers, acrobats, medicine men, musicians and even snake charmers vie for attention.

The medina’s souks (markets) are the place to pick up a memento of your time in Morocco and partake in some friendly bargaining with the Berbers and southern tradesmen who gather here to sell their carpets, leather goods, jewellery and spices.

In contrast, the colonial Ville Nouvelle quarter is home to pavement cafés, boutiques, gardens and boulevards. Visit the stunning 12-acre botanical paradise of the Majorelle Gardens, owned by the late Yves Saint Laurent. Here you’ll find the intriguing Museum of Islamic Arts, the fashion designer’s personal collection of North African carpets, ceramics, furniture and doors.

You’ll be entranced by the sounds, smells and sights which play on your senses as you wander through the fascinating ‘Red City’. Morocco has plenty of delicious cuisine to tempt your palate —from food stalls to friendly cafés, or for a real treat dine in style at a sumptuous palace-restaurant.

Following lunch, take a short transfer (approx. 90min) deep into the High Atlas to the Kasbah du Toubkal.

On arrival, enjoy a short exploratory walk in the area to warm up your legs for tomorrow’s climb. There are various short walks available right from the doorstep of the Kasbah which explore the surrounding villages. The Kasbah’s qualified mountain guides and staff will be happy to discuss the possibilities with you.

Dinner: Kasbah du Toubkal, Imlil (B,L,D)

Leaving your main bags at the Kasbah, you will pack an overnight bag for tonight’s stay at Mount Toubkal’s Base Camp, the Neltner Hut. The route follows well-used tracks in one of the most beautiful valleys in Morocco. After leaving the Kasbah, you follow a fairly steep and extremely scenic zig-zag path which featured in Martin Scorsese’s film, “Kundun”, before joining a vehicle track which takes you through a small gorge and past the village of Aremdt (1920m) which is built on the geographical phenomenon of a rock glacier.

Beyond the village, cross the “basin” with its fields, orchards and outlying farmhouses to head off up the right hand side of the valley and through the last of the cultivated pastures, before the altitude gets too high for crops to grow.

Zig-zag up towards Sidi Chamharouch, where there are several small shops and cafes as well as a white-roofed mosque, a popular place of pilgrimage as the source of water running from the rocks here is said to have healing properties (perhaps useful for tired legs on the way down!). A couple of hours later the path levels off and the Neltner Hut comes into view.

Dinner: Neltner Hut (B,L,D)

After enjoying an early breakfast, you will begin your final push to the summit of Mount Toubkal. Crossing the small river gorge of the Ait Mizane you reach the first of the boulder slopes and head up a steep scree slope to Tisi-n-Toubkal (3940m), reached after 2 hours. The pace will be very slow here to ensure you are properly acclimatised. Follow a ridge to arrive at the summit after another 3-4 hours, and weather permitting, you will be rewarded by far-reaching views of the Atlas Mountains and to the south, the Saharan plateaux.

The return to the hut takes about half the time of the ascent with lighter legs before returning directly to the Kasbah for a well-earned shower or Hammam.

Dinner: Kasbah du Toubkal (B,L,D)

Enjoy a free day in the tranquil surroundings of the Kasbah to finish off your trip, relaxing in the delightful garden and taking in the spectacular views of the surrounding mountains from the large terraces.

Dinner: Kasbah du Toubkal (B,L,D)

Transfer to Marrakech Airport for your flight home.