Imlil and Toubkal: sleeping in a van, a mountain hut or a tent

Less than two hours from Marrakech, the Toubkal massif peaks at 4,167 m, the highest summit in North Africa. People come by van to sleep in the cool at the foot of the mountains, or to leave the vehicle in Imlil and hike up to the huts. The directory lists 31 campsites, stops, huts and bivouacs in the massif and the neighbouring Ourika valley, in the Marrakech-Safi region. The rule to remember: the road ends in Imlil, and everything higher up is on foot.

On the way: Asni and the Ouirgane valley

From Marrakech, the paved road climbs via Tahannaout to Asni, where you turn off for Imlil. Carrying straight on brings you to the Ouirgane valley, wider and easier for large motorhomes. Two inns welcome vans there: the long-standing Au Sanglier qui Fume (water point, restaurant) and La Bergerie, near the reservoir; a stop mapped by the OSM community completes the picture.

Imlil, the base camp

The last 17 km from Asni to Imlil are paved but narrow and winding. In the village, Camping Toubkal (50 MAD, water, toilets, grocery, restaurant) is the classic base, and the Lepiney stop lets you park a van. Village lodges such as Le Reflet d'Imlil or Gîte Tamsoult are handy the night before setting off. Imlil is where you find guides, muleteers and gear hire. For a first night at altitude, a bivouac above the village is reached by the trails.

Climbing Toubkal: huts and camping at 3,200 m

The normal route takes two days. On day one, you walk from Imlil to the Sidi Chamarouch shrine (a bivouac spot is mapped just beyond it), then up to the huts at about 3,200 m. Two huts face each other: the Louis Neltner hut, run by the French Alpine Club, and the private Mouflons hut. Right next to them, the hut camping area lets you pitch a tent. On day two, leave before dawn for the summit, then walk all the way back down to Imlil.

The authorities in principle require climbers to be accompanied by a licensed mountain guide: check at the Imlil guides' office before setting off, and book the huts in high season.

Treks around the summit

To the west, the Tamsoult hut (2,250 m) in the Azzaden valley and the Tazaghart hut (about 3,000 m) are stages of the Toubkal circuit. To the east, the track leads to Tacheddirt, with a campsite and the Gîte Entre les Vallées towards Ouanesekra. To the south, past the Imi n'Ouassif pass, you drop down to Lake Ifni, the only lake in the massif, with bivouacs at Azib Tifni and towards Amsouzart, where a track climbs up from the south.

Oukaïmeden and the Ourika valley

Two other gateways to the massif can be reached by road. Oukaïmeden, a ski resort at about 2,600 m, has its French Alpine Club chalet; in summer, its pastures and rock carvings draw hikers. Further east, the Ourika valley ends at Setti Fatma, where a motorhome stop (toilets, restaurant) is the starting point for the seven-waterfalls walk. Above it, the upper valley and the Yagour plateau, covered in rock carvings, are good for bivouacking.

Practical info

• Season: May to October for the climb without mountaineering gear. From November to April the summit is snow-covered: crampons, ice axe and a guide are essential.
• Cold: even in midsummer, nights are cold above 3,000 m. Bring a proper sleeping bag.
• Altitude: you go from 1,750 to 4,167 m in two days. An acclimatisation night in Imlil or Tamsoult helps a lot.
• The van: it stays in Imlil, Ouirgane or Setti Fatma. Beyond that, the tracks are not made for a motorhome.

All of Morocco's mountain huts are on the Mountain huts page, and the massif's spots on the map. Many mountain listings still lack prices and photos: if you pass through, the "Were you there?" button on each listing helps the next travellers a lot.