This is a great place to go after the hustle and bustle of Marrakech. The contrast between the places is great and allows one to appreciate them both fully.
Toubkal offers fantastic views and one we could have spent the entire stay sipping mint tea and gazing out at the mountains. By day the blue sky serves as the perfect backdrop for the spectacular mountains and, by night, the stars come out and it’s great just to lie on the terrace and spot the constellations.
However, we didn’t spend the whole time relaxing as Toubkal has a range of activities to tempt you. We chose to spend one half day trekking with a guide and one half day walking ourselves (fuelled with confidence having walked with Ali, a brilliant guide!!). The guided walk cannot be recommended more highly. Ali was there to answer any questions we had and offered an insight into the area, though he also allowed us our own time to chat and take in the awesome scenery. Our trek took us to a shrine (don’t get too excited as the shrine seems to be a large painted rock and Ali’s English didn’t stretch to filling us in on the significance of it, yet the fun is in the journey rather than the destination!) and a packed lunch at the top (although this was just some fruit, bread and a boiled egg--it was exactly what the body craved after such a climb….no complaints about it in the slightest).
Our own trek was equally satisfying, despite us not reaching the intended destination. I believe that there are walking maps, though we didn’t have one. I guess this is our own fault for not asking and one of the guys did try and give directions, though they only really consisted of his pointing at a mountain and telling us to walk up it. Although the guided walks are well publicised, it would be nice to have maps and suggestions for non guided walks to be more readily accessible.
As a place to stay, Toubkal is wonderful. The room (a standard en-suite) was comfortable. It erred on the small side but this is not a complaint as the small, rustic style is perfectly in keeping with the place and its ethos. Anything grand would have been at odds with the environment (we later went to Kasbah Tamadot which is very grand and also fantastic, though in a very different way! Toubkal does what it does and embraces the whole ‘mountain lodge’ thing in a brilliant way).
The room was comfortable and offered everything we needed. It also has the obvious attraction of a wonderful view! One suggestion would be that the fridge is stocked with some fresh fruit juice. Water is provided as are a seemingly endless supply of fizzy drinks. Given the rustic approach of the place, its emphasis on the environment and its feeling of being a monastery, to have a fridge full of fizzy drinks seems a little at odds with everything else.
A big bonus in the rooms are the Berber cloaks……it was very warm when we visited but they apparently come into their own in winter. We did, however, try the cloaks on and it’s great fun to pretend to be Obi-wan!
Meals are fist class and the dining experience is great. Everybody eats in the same room, though at different tables. If you want to socialise you are able, if you want to keep to yourselves and eat then you are also able. The service at dinner was also great and there was certainly the feeling of being made very welcome in a friend’s house.
We came away from Toubkal feeling very relaxed and it was great to be so far removed from the hustle and bustle of both Marrakech and home! However, I do agree with an earlier review which observed that the place is not as remote as one may think. Despite being in the mountains, we were surprised at how busy the area was. This is not to say that it was like being in a sprawling metropolis, but rather that there are a fair few villages dotted around the place. This is not a criticism (far from it as it was quite enchanting being so close to the culture) though it was a surprise. Throughout the day the locals can be heard and they’re actually surprisingly loud, though it’s not with the blare of CD players or screaming, but rather the low level noises of Berber life.
Toubkal offers a unique experience and serves as a brilliant contrast to both the bedlam of Marrakech and the grandeur of nearby Kasbah Tamadot.