Overview
Embark on an epic adventure to the summit of Mount Toubkal, North Africa’s highest peak at 4,167m. This journey takes you through Morocco’s stunning landscapes—from the bustling streets of Marrakech to the peaceful beauty of the Atlas Mountains. You’ll trek through remote Berber villages, cross high mountain passes, and camp under the stars by the breathtaking Ifni Lake.
The ultimate highlight of this adventure is the summit of Jebel Toubkal, where you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views stretching across the Atlas range and the vast Sahara Desert. This trek is designed for those seeking both a physical challenge and an immersive cultural experience, with opportunities to explore local traditions, relax in the coastal town of Essaouira, and cook traditional Moroccan dishes at the Amal Women’s Training Center.
Don’t forget your suncream, and your hat and gloves—you’ll need both on this trip!
What's Included?
- Airport Transfers & Private Local Transport
- Expert Local Guides
- 5 Nights in Riads
- 5 Nights Camping on the mountain
- 1 Night in a Desert Camp
- Daily Breakfast, 7 Dinners, 6 Lunches
- Guided City Tour of Marrakech
- Cooking Class at Amal Women’s Training Center
- Camel Ride in the Sahara Desert
- Entrance Fees & Permits
- International Flights
- Travel Insurance
- Soft Drinks, Alcohol or Drinking Water
- Tips for Guides
- Personal Equipment & Clothing
- Souvenirs
Trip Highlights
Explore the Medina of Marrakech: Pedal through the vibrant streets of Marrakech, explore its bustling medina, and enjoy the sensory overload of its colorful souks.
Amal Cooking Class: Learn to cook traditional Moroccan dishes at Amal, a social enterprise that empowers local women through culinary training.
Trekking in the Atlas Mountains: Hike through stunning mountain landscapes and remote Berber villages, with the ultimate goal of summiting Mount Toubkal (4,167m), North Africa’s highest peak.
Unwind in Essaouira: After the trek, relax in the laid-back coastal town of Essaouira. Enjoy fresh seafood, sandy beaches, and the charm of this Atlantic gem.




Daily Itinerary
Welcome to Marrakech! Arrive in the vibrant city and transfer to your riad. Take a stroll through the medina, immerse yourself in the bustling souks, or enjoy a peaceful mint tea. This is the start of something epic!
Meals Included: None
Pedal & Plate. Start your day by exploring Marrakech on two wheels! Cycle through Gueliz and the Medina, experiencing the contrast between the modern and historic sides of the city. In the afternoon, enjoy a cooking class at Amal, a social enterprise that empowers local women through culinary training.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
First Steps in the Atlas. After breakfast, drive to Imlil (1740m) and begin your trek. It’s a 4-hour walk today, passing through Berber villages and over the Tizi 'n Tamatert Pass (2279m), camping near the river at Tacheddirt (2300m).
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Climb & Descend. Today’s trek involves a challenging ascent to Tizi Likemt (3555m) with stunning views. After reaching the pass, descend to the village of Azib Likemt (2200m) for the night.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A Day of Contrasts. Trek through diverse landscapes, ascending to Tizi 'n Ououraine (3120m) for incredible views of the Toubkal Massif. Afterward, descend to Amsouzert, one of the region’s most striking villages.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Enjoy a shorter 4-hour trek to the stunning Ifni Lake, the only lake in the Toubkal Massif. Spend the afternoon relaxing by the lakeside and soaking up the serene atmosphere.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Get Ready for Scree! Today is tough as you climb steep scree slopes to Tizi n'Ouanoums (3664m), before descending to Nelthner Refuge. It’s a long but rewarding day of trekking.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Summit Day! Start early to summit Jebel Toubkal (4167m) in time for sunrise. After enjoying the views, descend back to Imlil. It’s a long day of walking, but the thrill of reaching the summit makes it all worthwhile.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Coastal Change of Pace. After a week of trekking, it’s time to unwind by the sea. Transfer to Essaouira, a laid-back coastal town, for some well-deserved rest and relaxation.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Take It Easy in Essaouira. Enjoy a free day to explore the town at your own pace. Wander through the souks, relax on the beach, or indulge in some fresh seafood.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Back to Marrakech. Transfer back to the bustling streets of Marrakech for your final night. Spend it how you like—perhaps with a final stroll through the souks or a rooftop mint tea (or something colder) as the sun sets over Jemaa el-Fna.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Farewell Morocco! After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your departure flight, leaving with memories of stunning landscapes and epic adventures.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Where We'll Stay
We’ve taken on the tough task of staying at some of the best hotels and guesthouses around the world to hand-pick those that we think you’ll love. We’ve hand-picked a range of cozy accommodations to keep you comfortable throughout your winter trek. You’ll experience a mix of traditional riads, mountain gites, and a night under the stars in a desert camp.
In Marrakech, relax in beautifully restored riads that blend traditional Moroccan architecture with modern comforts. As you trek through the Atlas Mountains, you’ll stay in mountain gites that offer a warm and welcoming base after each day’s adventure. During your desert experience, you’ll sleep in a Berber tent, surrounded by the golden dunes of the Sahara and a sky full of stars.
While the exact accommodations may vary, rest assured that every place we stay has been chosen for its comfort, cleanliness, and unique atmosphere.









Like the sound of this trip, have a question or want to check something before you book? Maybe even have a great idea to customise this itinerary? Get in touch and start your adventure!
Interactive Route Map
Check out the interactive map of this trip below. You can simply zoom in and have a look at the route.
Or, if you’re wanting to get a feel for the route or to dive into the daily details then click on any of the steps and you’ll be redirected to our Polarsteps page.
What is Polarsteps?
We’ve loaded all of our itineraries onto Polarsteps. It’s an app that can help you plan, track and relive your travels. We’ve used it to display our trips in all their glory but anyone can easily create on-the-go mementos of their adventures.
Carbon Emissions
This trip emits approximately 555 kg of carbon per person. This includes emissions from transport, accommodation, food, activities, and the operations behind the scenes to run the trip.
What does this mean?
This is roughly equivalent to driving a typical petrol car about 1,785 miles.
It’s similar to the carbon emissions from heating an average UK home with a gas boiler for about 25 days during winter.
Our Approach
At Earth Dog Travel, we recognise the environmental impact of travel and aim to make responsible choices. This Morocco itinerary helps support local communities and encourages sustainable tourism practices in the High Atlas and desert regions. Understanding the carbon footprint of your trip allows you to make informed decisions and consider carbon offsets to balance your environmental impact.
More Information
What's the fitness level required for this trip?
We grade all of our trips to try and make it easy to understand the fitness levels required. These are broad guidelines however so you’re welcome to chat to us about any specific concerns you might have.
You’ll find more information about these levels here and you can find the difficulty rating for this specific trip at the top of the page.
What if someone under the minimum age wants to travel?
It might not be an issue. Some destinations such as Rwanda have firm rules in place about how old people should be in order to visit the gorillas. In other destinations it’s more of a guideline.
Please do contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
Can I customise this trip in any way?
- adding in extra days or cutting out a day here or there;
- squeezing in other destinations or removing them;
- starting or finishing the trip in a different place;
- staying in a hotel or guesthouse that we don’t list as an option.
What are your payment terms and is my booking financially protected?
Yes, absolutely. Here’s a link to where you can read more about how we are an ABTOT member and have an ATOL licence and what this means for your financial protection when booking a trip with us.
Deposits vary from destination to destination and from trip to trip. Generally speaking we require a deposit of 25%. This amount may be higher for certain trips where more services that usual need to be booked and paid for in advance (such as gorilla permits in Rwanda). Deposits are non-refundable.
Balance payments are required up to 70 days prior to travel.
If you need to cancel your booking, the following fees will apply based on the time before your scheduled departure:
- Immediate loss of deposit (25% of total cost) upon cancellation.
- 50% of the total cost if cancelled after the balance is paid and up to 45 days before departure.
- 75% of the total cost if cancelled 30 to 45 days before departure.
- 100% of the total cost if cancelled within 30 days of departure.
These fees compensate for expenses and bookings made on your behalf in anticipation of your trip.
Which airport do I need to fly into and out of for my trip to Morocco?
Our trips to Morocco either start or finish in Marrakesh (Menara Airport – RAK) or Casablanca (Mohammed V International Airport – CMN).
Please check the itinerary carefully or ask us before booking flights if you’re unsure.
How do I find out which hotels, meals and activities are included?
Unfortunately we can’t provide an exhaustive list of everything included in the ‘What’s Included’ section of this page as we include a whole bunch of stuff on our trips!
If it’s in the itinerary and we’ve not explicitly said that it’s an optional activity, then yes – it’s almost certainly included. If you’re not sure, please ask.
The meals that are included are all listed on the daily itinerary.
For the accommodation, we’ve got a shortlist of properties that we use. You can get a sense of the types of accommodation we use higher up the page in the ‘Where We’ll Stay’ section. We cannot guarantee any specific properties for your trip as it’s based on availability. If you are wanting to specifically request a property then please get in touch as we’re able to customise our trips.
How much should I tip in Morocco?
Tips are not included in any of our trips. They are entirely discretionary but in most cases are expected by the teams that will be looking after you. We know it can be daunting to work out exactly what to give so whilst this guideline hopefully helps, please remember that it’s a completely personal choice and you should feel free to tip more or less based on the quality of service that you receive.
Trekking Guide: 100-200 MAD per day
Porters or Support Staff: $50-100 MAD per day
Drivers: 50-100 MAD per day
Again, tipping is not compulsory and please only do so if the service you’ve received warrants it. It’s hugely appreciated and a way for the teams looking after you to supplement their income.
What should I consider about trekking at altitude?
A lot of our trips spend considerable time above altitudes of over 2,500m. Some people may experience symptoms associated with Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). It’s really important to note a couple of things. Firstly, past experience at high altitudes is not necessarily an indicator of how you’ll fare in the future. Secondly, our itineraries have been curated and our guides have been trained to mitigate the risks associated with trekking at altitude. However, due to the nature of trekking at altitude it’s vital that you report any symptoms to your guide immediately. It’s also important that you have travel insurance covering you up to the maximum altitude at which you’ll be trekking.
Is travel insurance mandatory?
Yes, it is. We run adventurous trips and it’s mandatory that you have suitable travel insurance in place to cover overseas medical treatment as well as evacuation or repatriation.
We can’t recommend which provider you use but the main things we’d encourage you to look out for is that you’re fully covered for the activities you’re taking part in (i.e., covers you up to the altitude you’ll be trekking at) and that it covers cancellation in the event that illness or other circumstances prevent you from travelling.
What information will I receive after I book?
After you book, we’ll get to work confirming that the dates you’ve selected are completely available.
There are extremely rare circumstances that may mean we’re unable to confirm your booking. These circumstances are limited to events beyond our control or not being able to secure the services that you wanted to book.
In the extremely rare event that we’re unable to confirm your booking you will be offered an alternative itinerary or a full refund without any fees. Please do not book any non-changeable travel plans until you receive the confirmation from us. This will be within 72 hours.
A detailed Trip Dossier will then be sent to you after you make your booking. It’ll contain all the information you might need to help you pack and get prepared for your trip, including information on visas, vaccinations, packing and training.
We encourage you to refer to the UK Government’s official travel advisory service when planning your trips. You can find the FCDO advice here.
And when you travel, we work closely with local experts to put together the best itineraries. We’ve worked with them exhaustively to provide safe adventures at great value. They know their destination better than we ever could so you’ll be in good hands! You can read a bit more about why we will only ever have locally-led trips here.
Book Now
Whether you’d like more information about this itinerary or to customise it to exactly what you want to do, drop us a line and let us know your plans!