Forming the very roof of the mighty Atlas Mountains’ craggy, ice-carved summits and windswept plateaus, the Toubkal peak at its pinnacle looms large over the dusty ridges and sporadic oases of the Mizane Valley in the heart of the Moroccan highlands.

Intrepid types eager to scale North Africa’s highest mountain make their way south from Marrakesh, weaving in and out of earthy Berber homesteads and adobe hut clusters to the base camp at rustic Imlil village. Here, Toubkal tour guides are at hand to help plan the 4,100-metre ascent; to pinpoint the midway refuges in the Isougouane Valley, and the pass of Tizi n Toubkal that leads to the summit proper. Once at the top, hikers will discover the curious metallic monument that marks the tip of Morocco and North Africa as whole, along with sweeping panoramic views over the Atlas Mountains and the dwindling Berber steppe to the north.