What it is
A range of bare rock and terraced valleys south of Marrakech. Jebel Toubkal is 4,167 metres, the highest point in North Africa. Imlil, the usual trailhead, is about 65 km from Marrakech, around 1.5 hours by road. The standard ascent is two days with a night at a refuge at roughly 3,200 metres. The Ourika and Ait Bougmez valleys are the gentler option, with day walks between villages.
Why go
It is the fastest altitude gain from a major city anywhere in the region, and the valley walks give you rural Morocco without a long drive. Good for people who want a physical day, not just museums.
When to go
April to October for walking; June to September for the summit without winter kit. From roughly November to April, Toubkal is a snow climb needing crampons, an ice axe and the skills to use them, and it has killed people who came without. A licensed local guide is required on the Toubkal route and is a sensible idea on the rest. Not a casual add-on: even in summer, it is a hard two days.
Most people stay 1-4 nights.