Climbing the tallest mountain in Morocco is not a cup of tea for anyone. You can be the most experienced mountaineer, and it would still be challenging to summit the mountain without a guide. There are many things to remember before a person attempts to do something, like, climbing Toubkal, for instance! Hence, yes, you will need a guide when climbing Toubkal.
In this article, we will discuss everything from Do you need a guide for Toubkal and what you need to remember before you decide to climb the Moroccon peak. Stay tuned with us, and read this article till the end to know more!
Do you need a guide for Toubkal?
Yes, the answer is quite obvious here because you do need a guide for Toubkal. Police authorities will check whether you are there with a guide or not. And you will find at least three police centers around Toubkal where guides will be checked.
Taking a guide along is not just for the concerns of avoiding clashes with the authorities but also for keeping oneself safe from the unforeseen events that may take place in the mountains. There was an incident in the mountain where two Scandinavian women were murdered brutally and found much later after the incident. This incident has scarred the minds of not just tourists but also the authorities of Imlil, who want to serve the tourists in the safest way possible.
When you take a long guide, they will guide you through the best possible routes, and you have a very low chance of being stranded in the stranger mountain. Moreover, if you want to share a guide with other few travelers, you have the option for that as well. And carrying along a guide can help you in times of need when you can suffer from a lack of oxygen or any physical accidents. Furthermore, the guides in Toubkal are all knowledgeable about the mountain and the place. Hence, you will know more about the place when you are with a guide than you would if you do not take along a guide.
If you are thinking of not taking a guide, you might want to reconsider your decision because even the rules in Toubkal have made it a compulsion after the death of two women earlier.
Where can you find guides in Imlil?
The guides that you find in the Imlil area or through travel agencies are almost always reliable, and some might even approach you when you are in Imlil. So, it really won’t be hard for you to find a trustworthy guide when you are in Imlil, which is the same as the base camp of Toubkal. And another good thing about finding guides in Imlil is that almost every other person who lives in the area is the one who has devoted their life to the protection of Toubkal and to serving the travelers who come to visit there.
The guides that you find through a traveling agency are likely to be a little more expensive than the ones that you find in Imlil itself. The exploitation of local guides is quite common. Hence, these guides do not charge as high for their services. However, it is always nice to give these guides good money for the service they provide you.
One of the upsides of hiring guides and porters from an agency is you can get a rescuer, a good English-speaking and experienced guide. Similarly, when you choose not to rely on an agency and want to go with a local guide, it is just as good because you will be supporting the authentic service industry of Imlil.
How much does it cost to hire a guide in Imlil to climb Toubkal?
You can expect to pay from 400 to 700 MAD if you want to hire a guide from traveling agencies working to serve travelers in Toubkal. However, if you go to a local guide, it will probably cost you a little lesser, or sometimes equal to the price above, given that prices vary according to the guides and the services they charge for.
Hiring a guide should not take you as much as the services of fooding and other equipment. But then again, it is always advisable to take a trustworthy guide who will serve you to and from Toubkal.
What do you need to climb Toubkal besides a guide?
Separate some costs for everything that you need to cover when in Toubkal. There are several things that you need to carry along when you are in Toubkal, including crampons, extra cash, passports, tickets, extra snacks, all the hiking gear and equipment, oxygen cylinders, lightweight yet warm clothes, medications, and most importantly, a map!
It is not right for you to forget a map, which is quite essential when you are going to a mountain with a tall height and vastness like Toubkal.
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