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Mt Toubkal & Sahara Desert Adventure

Morocco
6 Days
5B 2L 5D
From£450 GBP
Mt Toubkal & Sahara Desert Adventure
Mt Toubkal & Sahara Desert Adventure

Hike North Africa's tallest mountain, and sleep under the stars of the Sahara Desert on this 6-day Moroccan adventure.

Itinerary

Day 1: Pick up in Marrakech and drive to the Atlas Mountains (Imlil)

You will be picked up from Hotel Ali Cafe in Jamaa Elfna Square at 7:30 PM. We'll also make a stop at Menara airport at 8:00 PM to grab the rest of the group.

We then drive to Imlil, which lies at the foot of Mount Toubkal. Our local team will welcome you, and you'll have a freshly prepared dinner and trek briefing.

Accommodation tonight is in triple and quadruple rooms with showers.

Drive time: 1hr 40mins | Driving distance: 64km

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Breakfast is at 7:30 AM. At around 8:30 AM, we begin the trek.

You’ll hike for 3 hours to the tiny settlement of Sidi Chamharouch. Here your cooks will serve lunch. Fresh orange juice is available to buy from one of the local stores.

Afterwards, you continue hiking for another 3 hours to Toubkal Refuge, which is our accommodation for the night.

Hiking time: 6hrs | Hiking distance: 12km

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Today we get started very early. At around 5:00 AM, you will have breakfast. After this, we begin the hike, taking it slowly and steadily as we make our way upwards.

It takes 2-3 hours to reach the summit of Mt Toubkal (4,167m), which we'll aim to reach at sunrise! You can look down from the snowy summit to the green Anti-Atlas mountains and vast Sahara desert below.

After taking some time to enjoy the views, we’ll head back to Imlil. This is a long, 6-hour trek. The slope is steep and slippery in some sections, but we are soon back down.

Hiking time: 10hrs | Hiking distance: 19km

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After breakfast, we drive towards the southeast of Morocco. Along the way, we will visit Ait Benhadou Kasbah, Ouarzazate City, and Rose Valley. By the end of the day, we arrive at Dades Gorges, where we spend the night in a hotel.

Travel time: 7hrs | Driving distance: 320km

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Today you'll make your way to the true Sahara Desert. You will be able to hike or ride a camel across the dunes of Merzouga.

In the late afternoon, you'll arrive at your traditional Berber camp in the desert and sleep under the stars.

Travel time: 6hrs | Driving distance: 296km

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Today you will have breakfast at sunrise. It's then time to return from the dunes to the main centre. Meet your minibus for a long but spectacular drive back to Marrakech, where your tour ends. We should arrive back in Marrakech by 8:00 PM (drop off at the airport around 7:30 PM).

Travel time: 9hrs | Driving distance: 550km

What's Included

Included
  • Airport & in-country transfers.
  • Certified mountain guide for Toubkal trek.
  • All meals during the Toubkal trek.
  • Accommodation in Imlil & Toubkal refuge.
  • Accommodation in Dades Valley hotel (this is in triple & quadruple rooms with dinner & breakfast included).
  • AC car & driver for Sahara trip.
  • Accommodation in tent in Merzouga dunes with dinner & breakfast.
  • Camel ride.
Not Included
  • International & local flights.
  • Lunch meals during the Sahara portion of the trip.
  • Winter climbing equipment (see FAQs for the difference between summer & winter treks).
  • Tips & gratuities.
  • Travel insurance.
  • Tip for AIT Benhadou kasbah visit (£3 person).
Have a question?

If you have any questions about this trip or want to speak with an expert, get in touch.

We're ready to help.

Team Images
Team Images
Team Images

Rated 5.0

70 verified reviews

Niklas
Niklas

(Apr 2025)

Book Mt Toubkal, do NOT book the desert (PRE-Sahara) part… trust me! I usually don’t write reviews, but in this case I took the time, so others won’t make the same mistake I made. You should read this, it might just save your holiday in the amazing country of Morocco. Mount Toubkal This part was amazing. From start to finish it was well organized. Our guides did an excellent job, they were very kind yet sufficiently serious to make us feel safe all the time. The conditions in the refuge are not good (sleeping in rooms with up to 22 people side by side, drops of condensed breath and sweat dripping onto the people in the top bunks, poor toilet situation…) but I think this can be expected at 3207 m above sea level. Make no mistake, the summit hike itself is very hard (we did it with a lot of snow in April). Only 5 out of our group of 12 made it to the summit. So when they write „good fitness required“, please take that serious, also out of fairness towards the rest of the group. One downside of that part of the tour to me is the use of mules which are ascending to the refuge separately. These are not being treated well, they are for example being kicked and beaten (not by our two guides). „Sahara“ I have travelled and seen a lot. But this part has by far been the worst travel experience and the most extreme tourist exploitation I’ve endured. The three days are not just „long distances of driving“, they are ONLY driving except for one brief stop in Ait Ben Haddou, a few 5 min breaks for photos and one longer lunch break per day. (Our driver was nice though.) During these lunch breaks we were brought to predetermined restaurants, whose owners obviously knew the driver and with whom they supposedly had made some kind of agreement. We were not allowed to choose our table, were not allowed to sit outside (even though there was space), but were instead placed in the last darkest corner of the restaurants. The waiters were unfriendly and the food was bad, which is very rare in this country with usually excellent hospitality and delicious food. The thing is that in these places they don’t need to try, because people are literally brought to the table by the driver. On the last day we had had enough, so after we had again been placed in a dark cold room and being denied to sit outside in the sun, we decided as a group that we will leave and look for a different restaurant by ourself. The owner of the place got quite angry and told us that we have to be back in 30 min (what the hell?). It took us one minute and google maps to find a place 200 meters down the road, with significantly better ratings, lower prices, friendly waiters and excellent food. In Ait Ben Haddou we had less than one hour of time! The guide who was supposed to show us the city did not speak English, he memorised the basic sentences by hard and couldn’t answer any question. It would have been so much better to travel independently and explore this (still very touristic) city by oneself. Getting to the worst part, the desert. First of all according to most sources online (feel free to check for yourself), Erg Chebbi is NOT part of the Sahara. It is a maximally touristically exploited strip of sand in the Pre-Saharan zone. You will not be visiting the Sahara desert, the tour is only named „Sahara desert adventure“ to attract tourists. The name of this tour is obviously misleading and should be changed. We arrived in the evening and were loaded onto camels. These animals are obviously suffering significantly. One camel was screaming all the time and walking quite unstable, obviously being completely exhausted and extremely afraid. When we asked the guide about that camel, he said that the animal was only young so it „doesn’t know yet how it works“… and then he kicked it. It had scars in its face and was the only camel which had the leash fixed to metal rings put through its nostrils. While travelling on the camels, there was a lot going on around us. There were SUVs, quads and motorcycles everywhere, driving the dunes unrestricted and thereby destroying them. We stopped briefly to watch the sunset and then continued to the camp. The (many) camps do NOT consist of idyllic tents in the middle of nowhere, they do consist of (many) basic huts with metal doors and without electrical sockets (not necessarily bad, but good to know in advance). We were fed and then there was some basic drumming at the fire. Most people went to bed early since we had to leave the camp at 6 a.m., again by camel. During this camel ride the guide was incredibly unprofessional. Not did he only consider the female members of the group, but at some point started flirting properly (including multiple times touching her calves to „scare“ her) with a girl that must have been around 12 years old. At some point he was riding with her on the same camel. Also did he give the front leash to one of the girls, which made the way back take muuuuch longer. And when one guy in our group let his water bottle fall of the camel, the guide picked it up, and drank it (what the hell?). Other people I’ve met have told me about similarly bad experiences in Erg Chebbi/Merzouga. And I’ve spoken to locals across Morocco and they know that this strip of sand is used/abused to milk tourists. It is mass tourism on a scale that I haven’t seen before and you constantly feel it, that you are being processed like a product. So do yourself a favour and do not book this trip. Book only Mt. Toubkal and enjoy it and the beautiful Atlas mountains to the fullest. Then travel back to Marrakesh and explore other regions of the country either on a different group trip or independently. Morocco has so much to offer, don’t waste your time, money and energy on this… please!

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Mark
Mark

(Apr 2025)

The first half (Toubkal) was fantastic, but the second half wasn't as good. Climbing Mt Toubkal is amazing, but the refuge is very grotty. Be prepared to rough it. In contrast, the second half was very touristy. The guide at Ait Benhadou Kasbah was extremely poor (a complete waste of time) and we reported that back to our driver/guide. The driver/guide took us to some very sub-standard places for lunch. We had the impression it was where he made most commission. After a while, we walked out and found our own places to eat. Infinitely better! Other than that he was a nice guy and tried his best. First half 5 stars, 2nd half 2 stars.

Florian
Florian

(Apr 2025)

Nice trip overall, but too many people in the group during the mountain hike — it would have been better to split into smaller groups and adjust the pace accordingly. Crampons weren’t necessary but still had to be rented for €10. We also weren’t offered the 1.5 liters of water per day that were supposed to be included. During the Sahara trip, we basically just drove for three days. There were only very short stops for photos, mostly so the driver could take a break. On the first day, we visited Ait Ben Haddou for an hour, and on the second day, we spent an hour at Todgha Gorge. For 2 out of 3 lunches, we were sent to an all-you-can-eat place, even when we weren’t really hungry — which also ended up being more expensive than ordering à la carte. Headscarves that normally cost around 20 dirhams (€2) were sold for 120 dirhams (€12) at one stop, even after bargaining. We arrived in Merzouga around 5 p.m., rode out into the desert on camels, had dinner, and watched a short show (which was interrupted by bad weather). The next morning we got up at 5 a.m., rode the camels back for an hour, and then spent 9 hours driving back to Marrakech. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see much apart from the scenery through the car window.

Karin
Karin

(Mar 2025)

An amazing experience. Toukbal was stunning, we had a lot of snow and needed crampons from the hut. I would recommend an ice axe in these conditions, certainly our 2 guides had them. We all struggled with the cold. Stunning views. Bring spare shoes for the hut. It was great to have the extra days seeing Dades, Todra and the Sahara - such a contrast and so beautiful.

Farvin
Farvin

(Feb 2025)

I could not recommend skyhook enough. The company has been amazing from start to finish and the attention to detail was amazing. Hussain our guide was accommodating, polite and very friendly. Our mountain guides, Mustafa and Hassan were really really good. I cannot recommend them enough. The help, care and support we received climbing Mt.Toubkal was to a high standard. Food provided and entertainment along the way was priceless and kept us in high spirits. Both Mustafa and Hassan are highly trained and know the mountain well. They were able to gauge when members of the group began experiencing altitude sickness and were very hands on providing the right care and advice to keep us going. Although not all of us made it to the summit, it was an accomplishment none the less and we will definitely be back to finish our hike. The base camp was clean and had a nice friendly/social environment. Their was hot water when needed and toilets etc. Definitely an eye opening and humbling experience but one that we highly recommend. All hotel/lodge stays were really well kept and clean and hot water was supplied which was great after the hike. The Sahara dessert was a once in a lifetime experience and we as a group enjoyed this a lot. We have met some lovely people along the way and think skyhook is an amazing way to make new friends and memories. We are already looking to book our next adventure with skyhook. Highly recommend for those that struggle to set their own itinerary. With skyhook, everything is already taken care of.

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FAQs

Before you go

Documents • Passport & visa if needed • Travel insurance details • Boarding passes for flights • Wallet • Pen for filling in arrivals form Clothing • 2-3 base-layer t-shirts (e.g. running t-shirts) • Fleece/soft-shell jacket • Waterproof jacket • Insulated jacket for warmth, if possible (from e.g. Rab, Alpkit, Mountain Equipment) • Spare clothes for Marrakech • Underwear • Base-layer trousers (optional) • Trekking trousers • Waterproof trousers • Shorts • Swimwear for Marrakech (optional) • 4 thick wool mountaineering socks • Warm gloves and hat • Walking boots • Sandals or comfortable 'camp shoes' for the refuge • Footwear for Marrakech Other • Flexible duffel bag that fits your belongings for the mule to carry on Day 2 and Day 3 (shouldn't weigh more than 8kg, including the sleeping bag). • Small daypack (20-25L). • 3L of water bottles (minimum) • Sunglasses • Suncream • Sunhat • Insect repellant • Hand sanitiser & wet wipes (useful to have for the Toubkal Refuge). • Glasses/contact lenses (if needed) • Sleeping bag (2-3 season, available to rent for £5) • Bathroom items including travel towel • Female sanitary products • Electronics - Head torch, travel adaptor (French plug style), phone & charger • Lipsil • Book/mp3 player (optional) • Walking poles (optional -Available to rent for £4)

The summit day can be 9-12 hours (with lots of breaks) so you need a good fitness level. We recommend training with jogging or sport 1-2 times a week in the run-up to your trip. The descent from the Toubkal summit is long. From the summit back to the refuge is steep, there's about 3km of scree path which is sometimes slippery. So it's not recommended for someone who suffers from knee problems. The stage from the refuge back to Imlil is 11km, but it is easier.

Absolutely! We get lots of solo travellers on the trips. Once you sign up you'll also be added to a private Facebook group, where you can meet all the other people before you go.

The currency used in Morocco is Moroccan Dirham (MAD). You can take out cash at ATMs in the airport, as well as various locations on the trip. Please check with your bank that your card is accepted in Morocco before travel, and we highly recommend bringing two cards in case you have any issues.  Please note: your bank may charge transaction fees when you use your card in Morocco.

The minimum age for this trek is 18 years, or 16 years with a parent/guardian.

For hiking Toubkal, you need a good pair of hiking boots. They need to be warm, waterproof and have good ankle support. For those a little technically minded, a B2 boot, or similar would be ideal. If you are trekking Toubkal over winter, crampons and ice axes are available for rent in Imlil. Here's a list of equipment we have available to rent (prices are for the entire trek); - Crampons: £6 (most normal boots can fit the crampons we hire here in Imlil as they are flexible). - Ice axe: £5 - Gloves: £2 - Rain jacket: £3 - Sleeping bag: £5 - Walking poles: £3

Yes, if you give us notice beforehand we can cater for most dietary requirements. However, please note that meal options for specific diets (vegan, gluten intolerent etc.) may be more limited than what you're used to as we don't always have access to a wide range of substitute ingredients. The team is usually able to prepare simple dishes like pasta, vegetables, and bread to suit specific diets. We recommend that if you have specific dietary needs, pack extra snacks and supplements to make sure that your nutritional requirements are met. Please indicate this on the trip form before you go. We will also check with you on arrival.

It’s highly recommended you take out personal travel insurance. Travel cover protects you in the case of unforeseen circumstances, including cancellations, injuries, equipment loss, flight changes and other events that could negatively impact your trip. We suggest specialist adventure travel insurers, [Rise & Shield](https://riseandshield.com/). They cover 100s of activities and are easy to deal with if you need to make a claim. They also cover unique scenarios, like trekking at altitude or emergency evacuation in hard-to-reach places, that ordinary travel insurance doesn’t cover.

On your trip

We recommend taking only the essentials and keeping the rest in Imlil. In the summertime, the mules carry food to the refuge and can take some of your luggage for you (up to 8kg per person). Please pack this in a soft duffel bag. When there is snow, the mules can only carry the luggage to the snowline, which is usually around 2,600m. From here, you will need to carry your luggage to the refuge at 3,207m. It is possible to hire a porter to carry your bags all the way at an extra cost if needed. Simply message your Guide after booking to arrange this. On the summit day, take only a small day pack with essentials, as you'll return to the refuge.

You will follow a sensible acclimatisation plan that works well for most participants. This includes regular breaks and a gradual increase in the altitude at which you sleep. Altitude affects everyone in different ways. However, the key is to mention if you are experiencing any symptoms to your guide (headache/nausea) as soon as you feel them.

You stay in a hostel in Imlil and Ouarzazate, A camp in the desert, and a mountain refuge on the mountain. The hostel offers shared rooms, with intermittent internet and warm showers. The mountain refuge is very basic with dormitory-style rooms. The showers do not always offer warm water and there are basic style toilets. Note that this refuge can be very crowded and the bathroom facilities are limited. We recommend bringing some hand sanitiser, toilet paper and also wet wipes. The mountain hut does sell snacks. It is worth taking small denominations of cash, as they sometimes do not have change available. You'll camp in the desert with very basic facilities.

Groups are usually a maximum of 12 people. If we do increase the group size by a few more people, we'll usually send an extra guide.

The guides will provide you with 1.5L of water each day. Water is also available from natural springs and at various village stores along the way. You may want to consider taking purification tablets with you for use in the spring water. 

Wifi is available in the hostels, however it can be unreliable given the remote location. There is no internet available in the mountain refuge, and phone signal can be poor.

Start: we meet you at Hotel Ali Cafe at 7:30 PM or at the airport at 8:00 PM, then drive to Imlil. End: around 8:00 PM in Marrakech's famous square (airport at around 7:30 PM for those who have late flights).

Solo travellers will be paired with other solo travellers of the same sex. If this is not possible (for instance you are a woman and there are only men on your trip) you will get your own room, at no extra charge. Solo supplements are sometimes available for all/ part of this trip. Please enquire about this directly with your local host- to do this simply click "message your guide" from your dashboard (after booking) and they'll arrange all the logistics for you. You can then pay on arrival. Note that the refuge on Toubkal is primarily set up with dormitory-style rooms (typical of almost all high-altitude refuges ). This means that single rooms are often not available.

Morocco has a strong tipping culture. Tipping is at the discretion of the guest and depends on your personal experience. At the end of your trip, if you feel that your guides and porters did an outstanding job, then tipping is greatly appreciated. A good rule of thumb is around 50 – 70 Euros per traveller (split between the Mountain and desert teams).

Yes, you can leave anything you don't need at the lodge. You will have a chance to pick it up when you come back after your trek.

For travellers arriving at the airport meeting point later than 8:15 PM, we can offer a private transfer to Imlil. This will be at an additional fee of £35 for a taxi (4 seats). If there is more than one person, you can split the fee.

Here's an approximate outline for budgeting for lunch during the Sahara portion of the trip. Day 4: Lunch in Ait Benhadou Kasbah - approx £10 Day 5: Lunch in Touroug - approx £11 Day 6: Lunch in Ouarzazate - approx £12

Unfortunately, although the success rate for Mount Toubkal is very high, we can't guarantee summit success on every trip. Weather conditions, personal health and medical conditions, altitude effects and other circumstances may mean it's necessary for an individual or group to turn back. It is at the guide's discretion to make a call and implement any itinerary changes as seen fit.

Other FAQs

Winter season (Nov – Mar) Winter can be quite cold on Mt Toubkal, with temperatures on the summit going as low as -20 °C. March starts to warm up with a higher chance of rain. Early/late season (Apr– May & Oct) Temperatures at lower altitudes can reach 26°C, with little chance of rain. The summit can still go as low as -10°C with wind chill. Summer (Jun – Sep) June has a higher chance of rain, but still stays warm. July to Sept are the hottest months with temperatures at the lowest altitudes reaching 30 °C. The summit of Toubkal can be as low as -10°C with wind chill.

We recommend you check up-to-date advice from the National Health Service before you travel to Morocco. There's a useful link below.

Basic accommodation: - Hotel Ali - Riad Omar - Hotel Imilchil Luxury accommodation: - Riad Africa - Riad Anya

Climbing Toubkal in winter (November- May) is a very different experience from the warmer months. Depending on annual conditions, snow covers the mountain top which brings additional challenges to the route. We usually expect snow from early January to mid-May but some years, the snowy season lasts longer or is shorter than usual so it's hard to predict exact conditions. The main difference if you are planning to trek during the winter months is that you will need additional equipment. Crampons and icepicks (which can be rented) become necessary to safely navigate the snow and ice-covered mountainside. This makes the trek somewhat tougher. We generally recommend winter treks for those with some prior mountaineering experience. You will also need additional, warm clothing layers.

Your head guide is Lahouceine

All trips on Skyhook are run by small, hand-picked local guiding companies. For this trip you'll be led by Lahouceine and the guiding team based in Asni.

By booking through Skyhook you'll be joining a small-group trip. This can make it nice and sociable (you'll be added to a group chat after booking), and guarantees great value for money!

Lahouceine

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