MOUNT TOUBKAL
13th-14th September 2026
MOUNT TOUBKAL
Depart Kasbah bab Ourika Sunday 13th September 10am for Imlil
Sunday 13th 1pm begin hike to refuge
Monday 14th 3am begin summit hike
Monday 14th 7pm complete hike and return to Marrakech
Monday 9pm arrive in Marrakech
Mount Toubkal, 4067m is the highest peak in North Africa. As part of the immense mountain range the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco, it's beauty has blown us away.
In July 2024, at the end of their retreat, Fitbirds founder Shani Yeend and 5 others birds climbed this epic mountain. The 30hr climb was nothing less than unforgettable and we would love to give you the opportunity to experience it too. In June 2025 Shani, Charlie + four ore birds summited Toubkal.
This is a life changing experience birds.
DAY ONE
From the retreat we set off for Imlil (1,800m) a Berber village at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains.
Here in Imlil we will be greeted by our guides. Fitbirds have used these guides twice before on treks are have been blown away with their friendliness, their support and patience. The guides provide hiking poles, meals and a mule and mule driver (also doubling as our talented chef) carries our luggage.
Here, we will leave behind the luggage we do not need in storage and set off around 12pm. This 7hr hike takes us deep into the High Atlas Mountains and finishes at the Toubkal refuge (3206m), base camp.
This part of the trek is lush birds, we gradually zig-zag our way through a rocky trail stopping a local villages for lunch. Passing by grazing goats, following a pristine flow of water from the mountain. The air is pure, you can feel is become more and more pure the further you go. We stop for the most amazing lunch in a sacred pilgrimage site called 'the shrine' before continuing to our stop for the night the Toubkal Refuge. Dinner and sleep. I've never been more grateful for blister plasters.
DAY TWO,
THE SUMMIT
You'll set off early birds. Rising well before the sun around 2.30am, time for breakfast and at 3.30am we begin summit. This is where the climb gets real. With head torches to light the way, from the first step you'll be scrambling and climbing using hands or poles. Climbing in the darkness, surrounded by thousands of stars the effects of high altitude kick in. Shortness of breath, headaches and tiredness are real.
When sunrise hits the mountains though, the realisation of the incredible vastness hits. If the altitude hasn't taken your breath away, the glow on the mountains will.
Your looking at around 3-5hrs to the summit, depending on pace and around 2.5-3.5hr down, back to the refuge. In terms of ability, it's doable and doesn't require any climbing experience but it's a physical challenge and a mental challenge. It's long and at times feels at though it'll never end.
It's breathtakingly beautiful and spiritual every step of the way.
THE LAST LEG
The the refuge after the insane summit experience, you'll stop at the refuge for lunch, to freshen up and to rest your toes. You'll then need to mentally get yourself together to set off for the final journey back to Imlil and eventually for the transfer back to Marrakech.
This lag leg should be a walk in the park after the intense summit, however brace yourself for a gruelling, long rocky zig-zag home.
The power of your flock, memories of freshly squeezed orange juice, refreshing lagoons to soak your feet and your final resting place Marrakech will be all but to keep you going.
You'll reach Marrakech in time for dinner, to soak up a few vibes, ready for the sleep of your life.
COST
The whole experience costs around £150, depending on group size. Included experienced guides, mules to carry luggage, all meals. Excludes tips for the guides and transfers.
Please note, this experience is not hosted by Fitbirds, but by the resourceful and experienced guides.
Once the group for the hike has been established we will share details of pack list and create a What's App group to connect the group.
This is one experience to stay with you forever birds.
