Imlil – Considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the world, Mt. Toubkal dominates the skyline of the small village of Imlil, located in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco.
The mountain’s summit is at an altitude of 4,167 meters, which makes it the largest peak in North Africa. The second tallest mountain in the region is Mt. Ouanoukrim (4,089 meters), which is also located in Morocco.
Mt. Toubkal’s first recorded ascent was on June 12, 1923 by European mountaineers Marquis de Segonzac, Vincent Berger and Hubert Dolbeau.
This is the hike to the peak in photos:
A Moroccan flag marks the start of the trail to the peak of Mt. Toubkal. By law, hikers are required to hire a local guide and register their passport with policemen. Photo taken on April 14, 2019. Photo credit Anton L. Delgado/Morocco World News.Small streams can be found throughout the valley. The steams indicate to hikers the path to the Mt. Toubkal Refuge. Photo taken on April 13, 2019. Photo credit Anton L. Delgado/Morocco World News.Littered throughout the trail are rest stops run by Imlil locals. They offer hikers hot meals, snacks, water, and orange juice. Photo taken on April 13, 2019. Photo credit Anton L. Delgado/Morocco World News.Water from the mountain’s ice patches melts in the summer sun, making the largest waterfall on the Mt. Toubkal trail. According to local guides, the waterfall usually turns to ice in late November. Photo taken on April 14, 2019. Photo credit Anton L. Delgado/Morocco World News.There are three police checkpoints throughout the trail to the Mt. Toubkal Refuge. Here, a local guide laughs with his hikers from Scandinavia as a policeman writes down their passport information. According to guides, these precautions were introduced to the trail following the December murders of two foreign female hikers. Photo taken on April 13, 2019. Photo credit Anton L. Delgado/Morocco World News.The Mt. Toubkal Refuge (3,207 meters) offers hikers a place to spend the night before attempting to reach the summit. Centrally located, the refuge also provides a resting spot for hikers attempting to summit any of the other ten peaks. Photo taken on April 13, 2019. Photo credit Anton L. Delgado/Morocco World News.After a night at the refuge, hikers are greeted with the famous Alpine Glow as they make their ascent towards the peak. Photo taken on April 14, 2019. Photo credit Anton L. Delgado/Morocco World News.The summit of Mt. Toubkal is marked by a metal triangular structure barely visible from the false summit, approximately 20-minutes from the peak. Photo taken on April 14, 2019. Photo credit Anton L. Delgado/Morocco World News.After leading his group to the summit, a guide chooses a precarious spot to take a nap before making the descent. Photo taken on April 14, 2019. Photo credit Anton L. Delgado/Morocco World News.The view from the summit of Mt. Toubkal at 4,167 meters. Photo taken on April 14, 2019. Photo credit Stephen Higgins/Morocco World News.After reaching the summit, some hikers choose to parasail off the peak rather than make the steep descent down Mt. Toubkal. Photo taken on April 14, 2019. Photo credit Anton L. Delgado/Morocco World News.The start of summer is marked by the growth of greenery on the Mt. Toubkal trail. Photo taken on April 14, 2019. Photo credit Stephen Higgins/Morocco World News.The foundations of an Army Control & Awareness Office marks the end of the trail. According to guides, the office will serve as the Moroccan government’s new headquarters on the trail. Photo taken on April 14, 2019. Photo credit Anton L. Delgado/Morocco World News.Hikers exit the Mt. Toubkal trail and head towards the village of Imlil as clouds paint a show over the valley. Photo taken on April 14, 2019. Photo credit Anton L. Delgado/Morocco World News.
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