In honor of Earth Day, CNN recently collected a list of the most beautiful places around the world; Morocco’s Mount Toubkal made the cut. Located 2 hours south of Marrakech, Mount Toubkal is the peak of Toubkal National Park and lies at 4,167 meters high. Mount Toubkal is also the highest peak within North Africa and the second highest in all of Africa, trailing just behind Kilimanjaro. Toubkal is just 39 miles south of Marrakech and is an ideal day trip for trekkers. A trek up Mount Toubkal typically begins from Imlil village or Aroumd Village.
Imlil is the center of Atlas tourism and where 90% of climbers start their summit to Jebel Toubkal.
Arnoud is considered a quieter more traditional village and is a 40-minute trek uphill from Imlil. The Toubal trek takes 3 full days and passes through valleys, mountain passes, cirques, and floodplains. There are two refugee centers located at 3,207 m, Neltner Refuge and Refuge du Toubkal that are used as base camps. Other points of interest include the Tizi’n’Toubkal at 3,940m. The summit point rewards visitors with magnificent views of the Atlas.
Summer ascents from May are considered easier than the ones taken in winter and spring (February and March) when ice-axes are needed. The climb to the summit usually takes about two days; seven hours to the base camp and then five hours to submit the following day; the descent to Imlil estimates 5 hours. Hiring a licensed mountain guide is highly recommended.