 Climb North Africa’s highest and be back for Sunday roast
With low cost airlines flying from the UK, Morocco is a realistic alternative destination for a weekend blast into the outdoors. With that in mind, an Adventure Travel reader sets out to climb the highest summit in North Africa, drink gallons of mint tea and be back home in time for Sunday roast.
The wide floodplain in front of Mohammed’s house stretched into the distance. It was strewn with the rocky detritus from past avalanches. Down by the stream, women from the local village washed clothes and carpets surrounded by colourful fabrics drying in the midday sun, and young goatherds set off with their flocks to seek out food from the arid landscape.
Encircling the scene, an array of 13,000ft peaks, and somewhere behind them, and out of sight, the 4,167 metre summit of Jebel Toubkal, North Africa’s highest mountain. It was only 18 hours since I’d been sat behind my desk in London and only seconds since my last cup of mint tea.
The idea was simple enough: to knock the conventional lads’ weekend on the head in favour of a whistle-stop trip with a purpose – to fly to Africa, climb a mountain three times the size of Ben Nevis, drink huge amounts of mint tea and still be home in time for Sunday roasts some 60 hours later. And all for less than £160.
So far, things had gone to plan. The early morning flight from London to Marrakech was on time, the tour reps were waiting as we walked through departures, and the Landcruiser had taken just 90 minutes to travel the 60 kilometres to Imlil, the most popular starting point for the Toubkal National Park, and, someone had already put the kettle on.
After a slap-up meal of fish, vegetables, fruit and gallons of the mint stuff we were introduced to our guide, Mohammed, one of many Berbers in the High Atlas who rely on tourism to support an otherwise marginalised subsistence lifestyle. He shook hands with each of us and returned to the kitchen to prepare tea. There’s a theme developing, don’t you think?
By midday we were on our way up the donkey-shit strewn pathways connecting Imlil to the neighbouring village of Aroumd. From here, the route opened out into the wide floodplain at the edge of which sat Mohammed’s house and, you’ve guessed it, more mint tea. From here we joined the well-trodden footpath that winds up the east side of the Mizane valley to Toubkals base camp, which is, dare I say, a lovely spot for a cuppa.
After five kilometres we arrived at Sidi Chamharouch (2,310 metres), a small hamlet occupying a picturesque position at a bend in the valley. Here a classic dichotomy of Moroccan life, the entrepreneurship and the spiritual, can be seen in miniature. For behind the lines of tourist stalls peddling fabrics and trinkets lies an Islamic shrine, which is among the area’s most sacred spots. We, of course, stopped for tea , as the temple’s rusty speakers sputtered to life and the muezzin’s call to worship reverberating down the valley.
Three hours and two barrels of mint tea later, our beleaguered band trundled into the sanctuary of refuge, sited at the base of Jebel Toubkals western flank. At 3,207 metres, and run by the French Alpine Club, it is indicative of a post-colonial foothold very much in evidence further down the valley where French-owned holiday homes are commonplace.
As we arrived the place was abuzz with activity as porters and guides competed for cooking space in the corridor kitchen. Mohammed, having doubtless grown tired of our slow pace, had merrily run ahead and, surprise surprise, had the kettle on.
Though encounters with other trekkers had proved few and far between on the trail, the refuge was like an international hikers convention. The many British voices were testament to Morocco’s growing popularity as a tourist destination, which has seen the number of UK visitors rise from 92,000 in 2005 to 283,000 in 2007, a boom largely attributable to budget airline flights which began in July 2006.
Later, as I settled onto my bunk, the air thick with the smell of stale socks an a symphony of snores and farts, I opened my notebook to record the day’s events, and promptly passed out. At four o’clock the following morning, I awoke with the pen still in my hand and an empty page stuck to my face.
Day Two started with the crossing of a stream below a waterfall which marks the start of the west face. After half an hour’s silent trudging we took our first rest on a rocky outcrop, feeling fairly satisfied with our progress as we looked back down to the refuge, now a small matchbox-sized oblong far below. Reckoning that we were already about halfway up the west face I asked Mohammed how far we’d climbed.
“Up? 100 metres,” came the crushing reply. Only another 863 vertical metres to go.
Permanently deterred from making any more enquiries into our progress we hiked on, over a terrain alternating between snow and scree. At 3,900 metres the path comes to the edge of the eastern face an end, from which you get your first tantalising glimpse of the summit, the highest piece of land in North Africa, marked by an huge metal frame pyramid.
The final kilometre to the top veers northwards over a narrowing col known as Tizi n’Toubkal. From here it’s twenty minutes to reach the small summit plateau..
Finding a spot among the cairns and the discarded rucksacks of the climbers who’d overtaken us en route, we collapsed took in the vista. The view takes in the Anti-Atlas to the south and the Middle Atlas to the north, but is dominated by the giant granite buttresses of the High Atlas stretching out to the horizon. Far off in the distance the heat haze is a sure sign of the western edge of the Sahara Desert.
The Atlas Mountains stretch for over a thousand kilometres from eastern Tunisia to Morocco’s far south, acting as a vital climatic barrier between the fertile coastal plains of the west and the world’s largest desert to the east. If Marrakech is the heart of Morocco, the Atlas Mountains are its spine.
After an hour of frivolities on the summit we embarked on the descent, acutely aware of the twelve thigh-caning kilometres that lay ahead on the route back to Imlil. In stark contrast to our snails pace of the morning, the return journey was almost a sprint, with each stretch of snow presenting a fresh opportunity to sledge down on our backsides. We made it back to Toubkal Refuge, bruised and soaked to the skin, in just 40 minutes.
Six hours later we were passing through the southern gate of the Marrakech medina, arriving with plenty of time for showers and to check out the souks before securing a table at a rooftop restaurant overlooking the famous Djemaa el-Fna square.
With the sun setting over the medina and the open-air food stalls setting up for the evening’s trade we all looked forward to a hot tajine, couscous, banter and sleep, all the necessary ingredients for a perfect end to the trip. All except one.
I turned to the waiter. “Six mint teas s’il vous plait monsieur.”
Practicalities
Climbing the highest mountain in North Africa makes for an impressive boast down your local pub. But, for much for the year, all you’ll need to reach the summit of Jebel Toubkal is a reasonable level of fitness and a sprinkling of determination. Below are some tips to help you on your way.
Getting there
Marrakech is a hot destination at the moment, and airline competition is driving flight prices down and down. Prices with Ryanair currently start at £55 return, or, for a more salubrious experience, go with British Airways for £65 one-way. If you intend to get to Imlil straight from the airport, the grand-taxi drivers hovering at the arrivals gate will take you direct for an extortionate price (even if you’re a haggler par excellence they’re unlikely to negotiate too far in your favour. If you don’t want to pay big money, they’ll assume that someone else on your flight will!). Alternatively, arrange a lift through a local tour agency, or take one of the local buses to Imlil from the south gate of the Marrakech medina (hourly, 10 dirhams).
When to go
Jebel Toubkal can be climbed throughout the year but what is a relatively simple ascent in the summer months becomes much more of a challenge between November and March. Winter temperatures above 3,000m have been known to drop to as low as minus 15 degrees centigrade. By contrast, the searing heat and aridity in July and August can make walking distinctly unenjoyable. The best time of year to visit the Toubkal National Park is April and May, by which time the winter storms have passed and the heat is yet to reach insufferable proportions.
Clothing and equipment
If you’re attempting a winter ascent you’ll need to take the full range of alpine mountaineering gear, including crampons and ice axes to deal with the snow fields above 3,000 metres. From May to October, a good pair of walking boots and warm clothing - the stuff you’d take into the British hills - will do the job. High quality maps of the Toubkal National Park are hard to come by, but Stanfords in London stock a topographical sheet map (1:100,000) of Jebel Toubkal and the surrounding area.
Guides and muleteers
If, like us, you’re attempting the climb on a very tight itinerary, going through an agency will save you anxiety and hassle. We organised everything – guide, transfers, food and accommodation – through Nature Trekking Maroc, a Marrakech-based tour agency run by Slimane Baadoud, ex-president of the Moroccan Association of Mountain Guides and a veritable mine of information (see www.maroctrekking.com for further info). However, Marrakech boasts many agencies besides this one and most of the city’s hotels will be able to hook you up. The price per person will largely depend on the size of the group. Guides and mule drivers can also be found looking for business in the town square in Imlil. It should be noted that novice climbers should not attempt a winter ascent without a guide.
Where to stay
Imlil has accommodation to suit all budgets, and you should have no problems finding a bed outside of the peak summer months when prices rise and it would be prudent to book ahead. A bed at the Toubkal Refuge will set you back between 80 and 150 dirhams (£5 to £9) depending on the time of year (more in winter). The French Alpine Club (CAF) also runs a further four refuges elsewhere in the Toubkal National Park. Bed reservations can be made by contacting the Oukaimeden Refuge –
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– or through a tour agency.
Check out Henrys profile here
Check out more pics and a video here and another vid showing the views from the summit here
Wikipedia entry for toubkal
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