Toubkal Summit via Azzaden Valley: 3-Day Private Trek
- Duration
- 3 Days / 2 Nights
- Tour type
- Private Tours
- Tour category
- Mountain Tours
- Languages
- English, French, Spanish
The quieter way up Toubkal. Through the Azzaden valley and over the Aguelzim Pass at 3,560 m, past the Ighouliden waterfalls, with the summit saved for the final morning.
About this tour
The quieter way up Toubkal. Through the Azzaden valley and over the Aguelzim Pass at 3,560 m, past the Ighouliden waterfalls, with the summit saved for the final morning.
Tour highlights
- The Aguelzim Pass at 3,560m, the high point of Day 2, which counts among the most spectacular viewpoints anywhere in the Atlas
- The summit of Mount Toubkal, 4,167m and the highest peak in North Africa, stood on at dawn with 360 degrees of view
- The Ighouliden waterfalls, the most photogenic spot on the whole route
- An acclimatisation day built into Day 1, with nights at 2,250m and then 3,207m, which cuts the risk of altitude sickness considerably
- Two nights covered: a mountain hut at Tamsoult (2,250m) and a refuge dormitory at 3,207m
- The Tizi N'Mzik pass at 2,489m, looking out over the Imlil and Azzaden valleys
- Berber villages and juniper forest through the Azzaden Valley
- A licensed bilingual mountain guide, required by law
- The circular Azzaden route, described as scenery that trekkers on the two-day ascent never get to see
- Mules carrying the luggage
- All meals covered: 3 lunches, 2 dinners, 2 breakfasts, with mineral water on the trek
About this tour
A circular three-day route to the 4,167m summit of Mount Toubkal, taken through the Azzaden Valley with an acclimatisation day built into it, which is what makes this the safer and gentler option next to the direct two-day ascent.
Day 1 covers roughly 12km in 5 hours, out of Imlil (1,740m), over the Tizi N’Mzik pass at 2,489m and down into Tamsoult, the Berber village at 2,250m, where the night is spent in a local mountain hut.
Day 2 works up out of the Azzaden Valley, going by the Ighouliden waterfalls, crosses the Aguelzim Pass at 3,560m and then drops to the mountain refuge at 3,207m, 7 hours and about 13km.
Day 3 goes for the summit before dawn by the south cirque, gives you around 45 minutes at 4,167m, then descends the whole way down the Ait Mizane Valley into Imlil for the transfer to Marrakech, 8 to 9 hours in total. The grading is Moderate to Challenging and nothing on it is technical, so no mountaineering experience is asked for.
The price carries the air-conditioned transfers, a licensed mountain guide working in two languages, mule support, both nights of accommodation and every meal.
Availability: Year-round, though limited in winter, since availability turns on snow conditions.
Day by day itinerary
Print this itinerary- Day 1 of 3
Marrakech to Imlil (1,740m) to Tizi N'Mzik (2,489m) to Tamsoult (2,250m) - Day one: easing into the altitude over the pass
Profile 1,740m, then 2,489m, then 2,250m. 5 hours on foot. Around 12km. Gain and loss +749m / -239m. Night at the Tamsoult hut.
Pickup is at 9:00 AM from your Marrakech hotel, followed by a 90-minute drive across the Haouz Plain and through Asni village to Imlil at 1,740m, inside Toubkal National Park. Your licensed mountain guide and the mule team are waiting there.
From Imlil the path leaves the valley and climbs to the Tizi N'Mzik pass at 2,489m, which is the first proper ascent of the trek. The top opens out on all sides, the Imlil Valley behind you, the Azzaden Valley in front and the Atlas ranging away in every direction. This is the acclimatisation doing its work, altitude gained gently and without the pressure of a summit day. Lunch is a picnic in juniper forest.
The descent drops into the Azzaden Valley and reaches Tamsoult, the Berber village at 2,250m. The night is in a local mountain hut, simple and warm. Dinner is cooked and served by the team.
- Day 2 of 3
Tamsoult (2,250m) to Ighouliden Waterfalls to Aguelzim Pass (3,560m) to Refuge (3,207m) - Day two: waterfalls, the high pass and the refuge
Profile 2,250m, then 3,560m, then 3,207m. 7 hours on foot. Around 13km. Gain and loss +1,310m / -353m. Night in a refuge dormitory.
After breakfast the climb out of the Azzaden Valley begins, and it is a stiff one. The trail passes the Ighouliden waterfalls on the way, spilling down the rock face, which is the most photogenic point on the trek, and then keeps climbing as the terrain grows more dramatic on the approach to the Aguelzim Pass at 3,560m. The pass is the day's reward, and among the most spectacular viewpoints the Atlas has. Lunch is a picnic at the top, with the High Atlas laid out around you, the Haouz plains falling away north and the Toubkal massif standing ahead.
From the pass you drop to the mountain refuge at 3,207m for a dormitory bed and dinner. By now the body has had two days of adjustment, a night at 2,250m and now one at 3,207m, which makes the following morning's summit push far easier than arriving straight up from Imlil.
- Day 3 of 3
Refuge (3,207m) to Summit (4,167m) to Refuge to Imlil (1,740m) to Marrakech - Day three: dawn on the summit, then all the way to Imlil
Profile 3,207m, then 4,167m, then 1,740m. 8-9 hours in total. Around 13km. Gain and loss +960m / -2,427m. Summit at dawn.
Breakfast comes early and you leave before light. The route takes the south cirque over scree and boulder ground. Two days of gradual ascent have already done their work, which makes this climb considerably more comfortable than it is on the two-day ascent. Reckon on 3 to 4 hours to the top.
At 4,167m you are on the roof of North Africa, beside the triangular summit pyramid. The view goes right round: the Atlas and the Marrakech plain northwards, then the Anti-Atlas and the Sahara to the south. Around 45 minutes is spent up there.
You drop back to the refuge for lunch, then keep descending to Imlil down the Ait Mizane Valley, going past the Sidi Chamarouch shrine. Your driver is waiting in Imlil for the transfer to Marrakech, arriving early evening.
What's included
Included
- Air-conditioned transfer from Marrakech to Imlil and back again
- A licensed mountain guide who works in two languages
- Mule support to carry your luggage
- Night 1: a simple mountain hut in the Berber village of Tamsoult
- Night 2: a dormitory bed at the Toubkal mountain refuge (3,207m)
- All seven meals: 3 lunches, 2 dinners
- 2 breakfasts
- Mineral water while trekking
Not included
- Your own hiking gear, which can be hired in Imlil
- Winter kit, meaning crampons and an ice axe, at roughly EUR 5/day each
- Snacks and anything else personal
- Optional tips for your guide and the mule team
- Travel insurance, which is recommended
What to bring
- Your own hiking gear, which is not provided and can be hired in Imlil
- November to April: crampons and an ice axe, which are required and can be hired at roughly EUR 5/day each
- Standard hiking gear is enough through the May to October season
- There is no itemised packing list published for this trek
Good to know
Altitudes: 4,167m at the summit, the Aguelzim Pass at 3,560m, the refuge night at 3,207m, the first night at Tamsoult at 2,250m, the Tizi N'Mzik pass at 2,489m and Imlil at 1,740m.
Fitness: Moderate to Challenging, non-technical, and with acclimatisation built in. Good fitness is needed, meaning a fit walker who is at ease with 5 to 7 hours a day. Day 1 stays moderate at 5 hours with nothing rushed. The hardest is Day 2, 7 hours that take in the Aguelzim Pass at 3,560m. Day 3 asks a lot, but the body has adjusted to the altitude by then. No mountaineering experience is needed and the trek is recommended for anyone going high for the first time.
Seasons: May to October, the dry summer season, gives the circular route its best conditions, with warm days, dry trails, the Aguelzim Pass fully open, the Azzaden Valley at its greenest and standard hiking gear sufficient. It is the busiest season, so book early. November to April, the snow season, remains available but limited: heavy snow can make the Aguelzim Pass (3,560m) difficult or impassable, crampons and an ice axe are required, availability turns on conditions, trail safety is assessed before each departure, and the itinerary may be adapted should the circular route prove unsafe.
Mules and porters carry the luggage.
Guiding: a licensed mountain guide who works in two languages, and it is mandatory.
Where you sleep: Night 1 goes to a Berber mountain hut in Tamsoult (2,250m). Night 2 is a dormitory bed at the Toubkal mountain refuge at 3,207m, in whichever of the two refuge buildings there has space.
Altitude sickness: the risk drops considerably thanks to the gradual profile, night one at 2,250m, night two at 3,207m and the summit at 4,167m.
Group rates
| Group size | Price per person |
|---|---|
| 1 person (solo) | €470 per person |
| 2 people | €300 per person |
| 3 people | €260 per person |
| 4 people | €230 per person |
| 5 people | €220 per person |
| 6 people | €210 per person |
| 7-9 people | €205 per person |
| 10-13 people | €200 per person |
| 14-17 people | €195 per person |
Frequently asked questions
How does this differ from the two-day Toubkal trek?
The three-day version adds an acclimatisation day and takes a completely different circular line through the Azzaden Valley. Tamsoult (2,250m) is where you sleep before the Day 2 climb up to the refuge, and that brings the altitude sickness risk down. The 2-Day Guided Mount Toubkal Summit Trek from Marrakech goes straight up instead.
How demanding is the three-day route?
Moderate to Challenging. Day 1 runs a moderate 5 hours. Day 2 is the hard one, 7 hours taking in the Aguelzim Pass at 3,560m. Day 3 is a summit day of 8 to 9 hours. You need good fitness, though no mountaineering experience.
Can I do this trek in winter?
It runs year-round but on limited dates. Heavy snow can make the Aguelzim Pass hard going. Crampons and an ice axe are required. Availability turns on conditions, so ask for the current position before you book.
Do I need previous experience?
No mountaineering experience at all, as none of the walking is technical. What you need is fitness enough for 5 to 7 hours on the move each day. The three-day format is the one recommended for a first trek at high altitude.
What is covered by the price?
The transfer, a licensed guide, the mule, two nights, the Tamsoult hut and the refuge dormitory, and all meals, seven of them plus water. From EUR 195.
What will it cost me?
From EUR 195 per person in a group of 14 to 17. A pair pays EUR 300 each and one person travelling alone pays EUR 470. Everything is covered bar personal gear.
What is there to see on the Azzaden route?
The panorama from Tizi N'Mzik, juniper forest, Berber villages, then the Aguelzim Pass at 3,560m and the Ighouliden waterfalls, none of which trekkers on the two-day ascent get to see.
Does the extra day really reduce altitude sickness?
Considerably, yes. It is 2,250m the first night, 3,207m the second, then 4,167m at the summit. The staged ascent gives the body time to adjust, and that is the entire point of the three-day format.
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