Climb Mount Toubkal (4167m) in a Weekend

An Experience of a Lifetime. Conquering my first 4,000m peak on this trip was absolutely incredible—but it wasn’t easy, especially doing it in August. The heat is intense, so you really need to take that into account. The days are long, the exhaustion is real, and the altitude hits harder than you’d expect (even for members of our group who didn’t feel it until that last few hundred metres). Having a solid fitness level is absolutely key.

Luckily, our group had two guides, which was a game-changer. One guide could stay back with anyone struggling a bit, so the rest of the group could keep pace without feeling rushed or held back. That setup worked perfectly and kept the whole group dynamic positive and in the end all 9 of us summited!

The food was consistently good—proper fuel for long days—and the guides were incredible. They made sure we always had water, shared helpful tips, and genuinely cared about getting us through it. Quick pro tip: bring earplugs for the mountain huts and pack loads of high-energy snacks. I fell over a lot on the summit day, mainly on the way back down with it being sheer scree for ages but all part of the fun!!

The last day? Brutal. The hardest, longest stretch by far. There were moments where I seriously questioned if I’d make it, especially on those never-ending, winding tracks in the heat. But a lot of it is mental and the reward is worth it if you dig deep. I would highly recommend- just make sure to train hard before hand to be in good shape.

Thanks to Aztat Treks - Mohammed & Samir for your support

Had a fantastic weekend hiking Mount Toubkal. Much better adventures were great at communicating, and nothing was too much bother. Aztak Treks were great, the two guides were very friendly and supportive.

I had a great experience hiking Mount Toubkal and still highly recommend it, but there are definitely areas for improvement. If this is meant to be a two-day, one-night hike, it's crucial for the group to depart on time or even start earlier to accommodate varying trekking paces. Our group was among the last to arrive at the lodge, resulting in a late dinner at 7:30 p.m. This timing was less than ideal, given that breakfast was at 3:00 a.m., followed by over 12 hours of hiking.

While I understand the importance of keeping the group together, if there are three guides, allowing the faster hikers to move ahead would enhance the overall experience. It seemed to put undue pressure on those who needed more time and led to frustration for faster hikers who were frequently waiting. This resulted in more time on the mountain than necessary.

Overall, it’s a fantastic hike, but I found the logistics of how it was run more challenging than the hike itself. It’s a significant physical effort (which I love), but it was frustrating not to be able to move at a reasonable pace. Many fellow hikers shared this sentiment.

Very well organised trip from meeting at the airport in Marrakech, all the delicious food along the hike to waving goodbye on the last day. Thanks to guides Sa'id and Abdullah for running around after us and making sure the whole group made the summit. This is a mixed ability tour which is a challenge for some - so don't expect to be steaming up the mountain at a fast pace! Plenty of stopping for the group to catch up. Sunrise over the Atlas is worth the trip! Highly recommended 👍

I can not even describe how much I appreciated this trip. It has been officially my best weekend to date. Absolutely every minute of this trip was perfect… the guides were amazing, the accommodation was amazing, the food was amazing and last but not least… the mountain was AMAZING! I am 100% booking again with MuchBetter, literally just tossing up which one to do!!

The Mount Toubkal trip was so much fun.

Everyone we met was so friendly. It was a good level of challenging and rewarding. The guides were friendly and we learnt lots about the local culture. I definitely recommend this trip to anyone trying out the atlas mountains for the first time!

A fantastic trip, well organized from start to finish, kept in touch and helpful when needed. An amazing trip I will never forget!!! I couldn't recommend this company any more, don't think about it, just do it.

A fantastic and challenging hike! Seeing the Atlas mountain range from low level, to sunset and star gazing at the refuge to the sunrise at 3800m all the way to the 4167m summit, I couldn't have done it without the company on the trip but especially Abdul literally guiding me on the last 100m. Cannot fault the organisation, communication, transportation or the trek in any way. The mules are clearly well looked after which was nice to see and hear about. Excited for more from MBA and grateful to have booked myself some time to explore Marrakech. Any advice I'd leave is: eat little and often between (scrumptious) meals provided, drink more than you think you need and go at your own pace.

Great overall experience both with the hike to Mt Toubkal and at the Viewpoint Riad in the city. I’d like to thank the guides Mohammed, Abdul and Said as well as Assiya and her team at the Riad for making our trip so memorable and taking care of our every whim.

Great trip all round

This was my first trip with Much Better Adventures and I could not be any happier. Everything was organised perfectly from start to finish. Thank you so much to everyone involved in planning and putting this trip into life for me!

Great trip- itinerary was well thought out as the physical demands were not too extreme on either day. Guides were excellent and provided a lot of local knowledge as well as ensuring everyone had everything they needed. They also made sure to cater for vegan dietary requirements. Accommodation in Marrakesh was lovely with very thoughtful hosts as well. They recommended plenty of things to do during our time in the city which was very valuable. Having airport transfers taken care of was also very valuable.

As a group of 4 we booked the trip well in advance, the other people on our trek were a mixture of groups and singles who we got to know very quickly as we were in the same accommodation. We got to Marrakesh early on the Friday and flew out late on the Monday giving us almost 2 full day's to explore the city which is fantastic. The market goes on for miles and there are plenty of places to eat and take in local culture as well as some more western type attractions if you prefer. Communication from our hosts was great throughout as was the various arranged transport. The hike itself was fantastic as were our guides who set a steady pace that ensured we enjoyed the trip whilst not over exerting ourselves on day 1. The food supplied on the hike was wonderful with plenty of fresh fruit and veg at the various stops on the way up and back. We managed to summit at sunrise, as a group with our guides the discussion on when to leave was a sensible conversation which worked perfectly. In short, a brilliant trip that is well organised but do not underestimate the height gain and altitude, you need to be in half decent shape to get the most from it.

Such a great weekend away, it was tough. But the food was great and views were incredible. Completely worth every ache!

We went on 21/2 September and our team of 14 were really well supported by 7 fabulous guides, chefs, porters who made everything simple and easy. The weather was actually really good so we enjoyed sunny temps during the day. It was an amazing (but freezing cold) sunrise… it’s a graft to get up there so be ready for the climb! The refuge was comfortable and had what we needed. Everything was well explained by our guides and there was nothing else I could have asked for on this trip. Thank you MBE and Aztec for the memories

Having hiked the main mountains in the UK, Ireland and a few in Europe of the past couple of years I wanted a new challenge with no technical climbing. Mount Toubkal seemed like the perfection option. You definitely need a decent level of fitness, going to the gym a few times a week won't be enough, and if the weather can be challenging. On summit day we had 40kph winds, sleet/snow and -1'c (felt like -6'C) at the summit. The guides were great and kept a slow pace, although proactive information of the local area was sparse. The refuge facilities was better than expected with warm meals and basic accommodation. Overall the trip was well organised outside of the second Riad we stayed in that was extremely basic and not very helpful and not very clean either. Suggest you try and upgrade to something nicer. Also if you have a fear of heights and climbing up a steep rocky path, day 2 in the dark will be a challenge.

What an experience and only made possible by the spot on organisation and amazing guides who really go above and beyond to make this trip. They help those who struggle and monitor everyone closely for signs of sickness. The food was incredible and plenty of it. Anyone reading this who’s in doubt JUST BOOK IT! (I went solo and had a great trip)

Amazing! Had such a great time, met some really great people in our group and our guides were brilliant. Accommodation was really good too and staff would help with any questions we had. Would definitely recommend!

The trip was really well organised we didn’t have to worry about anything. The accommodation was lovely with very helpful and friendly staff. The climb was tough but felt like such an achievement with great guides that helped and looked after you every step of the way. The views from the top were spectacular and the food along the way was delicious.

This was our first mountain hiking experience and whilst the Mount Toubkal trek was definitely hard, it wasn’t impossible & the guides were all super friendly and supportive. Good mix of people on the trip, lots of breaks for snacks & we walked at a pace that worked for everyone.

Only downside (although quite a big downside) was the night in the 20 person mixed dorm when the trip itinerary had promised same sex dorms. Not much sleep as you can imagine…

Fantastic guides that kept us safe and enlightened us with knowledge about the Atlas Mountains. I’m gluten free and they took great care of my dietary needs. Also, 100% success rate from our group!

The plusses: beautiful scenery, nice hotel and staff.

The bad stuff: I don't think the description reflects quite how tough this is. We are experienced hikers and this was not about experience, as altitude can affect you in unexpected ways. Second, the food was not the right kind of food (particularly breakfasts) for hiking. The refuge toilets were filthy and there was no soap. Third, this happened : one hour into the hike, my walking boots of 10 years just fell apart, no warning, the glue on the sole just crumbled. At this point I could have turned back. The guides had nothing on them to fix this but, as someone on the trip had strong tape, the guided said we could patch it up and they would get me new shoes (when was unspecified, I'd assumed lunch, it turned out to be at the end of the long day's walk). I asked how much to rent, they gave me a price of 50 denaris. So, ok. I keep walking. Both shoes fall completely apart. The other guy on the group keeps fixing them. Not the guides - the guides were totally unequipped for this. We arrive at basecamp, my feet are killing me and the sole on one shoe is just gone. Luckily I have some light trainers that I slip on when we arrive. But the next day is the big one, summit plus descent. I have had such a bad day that I already have decided not to do the summit ( I inform the guides), particularly in shoes I have never worn... Wherever they are. I have to ask twice more about the shoes. 'can't you get down in those?' asks the older guide, pointing at my light, no grip or ankle support trainers. No, I can't. They offer a size 7.5. I am a 5.5. They offer a 6. Not ideal but ok. I need shoes and it's better than nothing. Now they say it's going to be 100 denaris. Double the amount they told me. I get upset, at this point I am so tired or sore, I'm just done. Fine, I can pay 100 but then that's also their tip money.No, it won't be a 100, says the younger guide, it's going to be 50. The next day everyone else goes to the top, they come back and we depart - the borrowed shoes are hurting my feet but again, better than nothing. When the moment comes to pay, the refuge dude ask for 200. It's so ridiculous at this point that I explain we agreed with the guide etc to 50, give him the 50, and the guide says it is fine. What? That experience was very upsetting. I regret going on this trip, which was also a wedding anniversary for us. I don't think I'll use this company again.

This trip was fantastic!! It was really well organised and the guides couldn't do enough to help and support you. Getting to the summit was hard work but definitely worth it. I wouldn't hesitate to book another adventure with Much Better Adventures 😃.

The 5 of us had a wonderful time.. everything ran like clockwork and everyone was so kind, helpful and happy. The hike itself was good! Start off on day one with the “easier” of the 2 days in terms of ascent and path. Day 2 is steeper and with more scree. The guides were incredible, patient and caring. Naturally, there were some group members who were slower than the others but they were never made to feel as though they had to rush, a guide was always with them. They helped everyone get to the top and back, safely. Great short break if you only want to use a few days holiday - you won’t regret it!

This trip was absolutely fantastic from start to finish!

Much Better Adventures (MBA) provided clear and timely communication throughout. A week before departure, we were added to a group WhatsApp chat with the other 12 participants, which was a great way to connect in advance.

Upon arrival in Marrakech, an MBA representative greeted us at the airport and drove us to our riad, just a 15-20 minute journey. The next morning, we were picked up around 8:30 am for a 1.5-hour drive to the village of Imlil, where our hike began.

The first day's hike took about six hours, including a lunch break ( simple food, pasta salad etc) , leading us to the base camp at around 3,100 meters. Water was provided along the way, but I found having a 2-liter camelback was really handy.

Base camp was basic but functional—a large building shared with other hiking groups, with dorm-style bunk beds and communal dining spaces. The toilet and shower facilities were simple, so don’t forget essentials like toilet paper and a headlamp!

We woke at 4 am the next morning for a 4:30 breakfast and set off hiking by 5 am. The climb to the summit was steep, requiring head torches in the early morning darkness, but we kept a steady pace to manage the altitude, especially above 3,000 meters where the air is noticeably thinner. We reached the summit (4,167 meters) around 8 am and returned to base camp by 10 am for breakfast.

Afterward, we made our way back to Imlil, arriving around 4:30 pm, and were driven back to our riads in Marrakech. The staff were incredibly attentive and helpful, organising our airport transfers for the next day.

Overall, an amazing experience with organised logistics and excellent support!

Thanks to the co-hikers, the support team, the guides, and the Ryad staff that hosted us before and after the climb for a lovely, tasty snd generally well organised event!

What an amazing trip, everything from start to finish was organized brilliantly. The tour guides were great and the food was amazing too. We even got a transfer to our next accomodation as we were not going to the airport like the majority of the group. I would use much better adventures again.

This was an absolutely amazing trip! My husband and I arrived in Marrakech a couple of days early, and it was very easy to arrange all transfers. The Riad staff were very helpful and friendly. The adventure itself was incredible! Definitely strenuous. I would recommend a few practice hikes were you get 30k steps in a day. The second day ended up being around 45k steps with 9 miles of downhill. The guides were amazing and food was good.

What an amazing trip!!! Our guide was so lovely and friendly. Was a great weekend with a great bunch of people. Everything was organised for us and we didn't have too worry about anything. Definitely recommend.