 Oh, my gosh. I can see the summit. I didn't expect us to be this close. See, Hamid is the best. Look at these views. Is this even real? I don't want to leave. This is unlike anything that I've ever experienced. Good morning, everybody. I hope you're doing well. If you're new here, my name is Habiba. I'm a full-time adventure traveler and this is my channel Tracking Pals where I share my adventures traveling around the world. Today, I am in the beautiful village of Imlil in the outskirts of Marrakech and the reason I'm out here is the climb Mount Tuqal. It's the highest peak in Morocco and the highest peak in North Africa and the Arab world. And it's been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember and I'm so excited that I'm finally out here to give it a try. But before our adventure starts, I want to show you the view out of my balcony from the guest house where I'm staying which I will give you a tour of later on in this video. But first, this view. The view out of the balcony is amazing. Look at all the mountains, the valley, the villages, snow up top, so many trees. I was told that most of these trees are either pecan trees, cherries or apples. I tried some pecans yesterday and I have to be honest, they're probably one of the best that I've ever had. I was just told that breakfast is ready so I'm gonna head upstairs to fuel up before we start our adventure for the day. Let's go! I have to see how much of this food I can fit in. This breakfast is great. Oh my gosh. It's my favorite. It's got tea and If you guys haven't had msimmen before, it's such a popular traditional Moroccan flatbread. So good. I usually eat it with the cheese and honey. Today it'll probably be cheese and jam. We started our adventure from the small village of Mzik. Emily is surrounded by many small villages with houses carved into the mountain an incredible sight as we make our way to the trailhead. We've been hiking for a bit now and we just got to the sign of the National Park. Earlier on the trail we had to go through the security checkpoints so you have to show up with your ID and you must have a guide with you since the incident that happened a few years ago. So we had that done and we've been trekking through these beautiful views. It's spectacular. The weather is great and couldn't be happier. We've been hiking for quite a bit now and I think we're getting close to our next rest stop. What I'm liking so far about this trail is that there are many points on the trail where you can stop to grab some snacks. I was told that there's even rock and mint tea and orange juice on the trail which I'm very excited about. So I'm hoping that this next stop will be the one. There's orange juice. Salam. How are you? Alhamdulillah. Do you want lemon juice? Do you want lemon juice? Do you want lemon juice? Yes. What kind of juice? That's what I was talking about. There's a vendor right here. You can grab a drink or snacks and I can hear a waterfall all the way out but I'm sure that we will see it as we advance on the trail. A few seats right there over here and we're also sharing the trail with a bunch of people this morning. We're getting close to our next checkpoint, Shamharush. There are so many vendors right there. This site is pretty popular even for people just taking day hikes to get to Shamharush but there are also a lot of beautiful waterfalls and it's a good spot where you can refill on water. One thing that I've been enjoying about this hike is that we don't have to pack a lot of water and even my guide told me that just to avoid a lot of waste I can just hike with half a bottle because there's a lot of water throughout the way and you can refill whenever you need to. That's the waterfall right there. Sony. We've been also coming across a lot of mules taking provision to the refuge or helping people pack their luggage all the way up to the refuge. This is actually not my first time at this site because I've been to Imliil before and I made my way to Shamharush but that was it. That was part of a school trip a long while back but I'm happy to be back. We came all the way there we passed Shamharush and look at these views. For some reason they remind me of Arizona just the rock formations and all. I mean I'm not surprised it's still the desert and here's another point where you can stop if you want to grab a drink or a bite to eat there are so many of them which makes this site pretty convenient. We're taking a short break at this rest stop just like the ones before you can grab some drinks if you'd like but I'm really loving the view from here you can see the whole waterfall that I showed you guys earlier the views are so epic and as we're making our way up all I'm thinking about is that I need more time out here it's just not enough you don't get enough of how incredible these views are. We've been trekking for a bit now I just consulted my map on all trails which I was very happy to find and I think we're a little bit past halfway elevation wise I think we are a little bit shy away from 9,000 feet 9,000 feet which is not bad I mean overall the trail pretty easy to follow well maintained there are some sections with a lot of loose rocks but it's manageable and as always I'm finding the trekking course to be super helpful I'm trekking up the mountain over 2 days but there are a lot of people who take 3-4 days if you have more days you can spend them here and they just sat camp right there to have lunch and it looks like a really really cool spot down there in case you have more days to spare the views here are so nice and so nice so many waterfalls this is amazing the landscape is pretty different up here since we left Shamharush the last sets of trees we saw were the Spanish junipers but the climate is so arid right here it's difficult for trees to grow and thrive but there are a bunch of shrubs and some dry vegetation it makes for great vegetation for goats there are a bunch of goats right here like few families in the village they have herds of 200, 300 they just graze here all day long and I was told that their stable is up there in the mountain where they spend the night but I need to continue on keeping a consistent pace not too slow not too fast but I can't wait to get to the refuge and maybe enjoy some minty along the way that would be a fun treat we can see some snow on the peaks over there but that's not quite the peak yet the summit of Tup Khan is a bit behind it oh boy steep we just stopped for a lunch break by a small waterfall here and just like usual I feel like it's becoming usual for me when I get to 10,000 feet it just gets hard for me to consume any food but I force myself to have some snacks and some bread and what I like the most are the pecans walnuts they're actually walnuts and these walnuts are from Imlil the trees that I showed you guys earlier in the video these were harvested not too long ago and prepared for our trek today and I absolutely love them but this is the view got all the mountains and in a little bit here we will continue on to make our way to the refuge they have a lot of markers on the way to help guide you up and they look like the Indonesian flag I see Indonesia everywhere I go if you are finding my channel for the first time I do actually have a group trip to Indonesia to the beautiful island of Bali and it's taking place from May 7th to May 14th of 2023 so if you would like to join me for 8 days of adventuring hiking, swimming, snorkeling enjoying the cuisine the valentines cuisine and the culture be sure to check the link in my description box I will also leave it in the first comment and join me for an adventure of a lifetime in a beautiful island of Bali can't wait to see you guys we're getting pretty close to the refuge I cannot wait right there just made it to the refuge and I'm already welcomed by some mint tea here in Sobkal there are two refuges the one behind me right here is by the French Alpine Club that's where I'm going to be staying for tonight and then right behind me right there is another refuge Refuge des Mouflans so two options that you have to choose from and towards the end of the video I'm going to share more details about the reservation process and how you can make your reservation online before showing up in here otherwise your guide can walk you through how that works but the view from here the camp is just so incredible and this tea is such a treat I'm so happy to be here this is the terrace a bunch of people hanging out some drinks and then that's going to take me up to come on bed for the night these are the dorms these dorms are mixed but you know they're decent they do the job usually people would either bring their own sleeping bags or they can give you blankets I asked for two blankets because I know that it's going to get pretty chilly during the night and this is the view from the window I was there earlier I'm going to make my way to another one and that's my bag and right outside of the room which is right there is the terrace oh my gosh this view is epic I just can't believe that this is even real I think this mountain range the Atlas mountain range is unlike any mountain range that I've ever seen every mountain is beautiful in its own way but this is epic even when I compared it to Kilimanjaro it was a freestanding mountain so there isn't really a range around it so you see one mountain standing up there but here there are so many high peaks so many mountains to snow the villages this is incredible this is unlike anything that I've ever experienced so I'm going to make my way up to see the waterfall and see what it looks like from up top let's go mind you I'm tracking in my sandals because as we checked in I asked us to remove our hiking shoes understandable because they're pretty dirty and they gave me sandals not slip signs for the fall so you gotta be careful up here really not that far so pretty it's right there so beautiful oh my gosh I can't stop marveling at the beauty of the landscape here these mountains are captivating they're taking my breath away and I'm sure if you make your way up here they will take your breath away as well we left the refuge at 4.30 am for the summit push this morning we are climbing 3000 feet up to the peak it was pretty cold with snow on the trail that required concentration and focus we're taking a little break me and my guide he's being so incredible and patient with me but we're taking our break here before the last push to the summit I wasn't taking any videos on the way up a little bit exposed there's snow, crampons are necessary or at least micro spikes I'm wearing micro spikes actually but the views are so spectacular altitude sickness is getting the best out of me I had some stomach issues before I left california so it's been a little bit hard but I'm not feeling you know I'm not feeling awful so I'm just gonna take it slowly you can see the light is out incredible to be honest with you I had to throw up which happened before I did the elevation but not feeling awful so I'm just gonna drink some water and continue pushing right there look at this beautiful sunrise looking decent the views are impeccable I've never seen anything like this this is amazing I'm pushed this is the last push I have a feeling that we have less than 500 feet to climb maybe 400 feet we were definitely past 4,000 lasers but my ears are popping we just passed a section right there that was pretty exposed it got me nervous but my guide just told me that it gets worse with more snow it's really exposed oh my gosh this is epic oh my gosh I can see the summit I didn't expect us to be this close oh my goodness it looks so bright and nice with the sunrise just made it to the summit of Mount Tupcal this is the highest peak in Morocco the highest in the world and North Africa this is such a dream come true I've been waiting for this moment for a long time finally made it it's a beast but it's worth every effort this is incredible and the views behind me of the Atlas Mountains Ranger epic to say the least this is so special we're starting to make our way down from the mountain I don't think we're going down the same way we're going up that's my thought but look at these views I just wish I can spend more time up here but we need to make our way down to the refuge I have to focus because there is snow and there are sections that are a little bit tricky but I will film whenever I have a chance to this is the trail where we will be going down a lot easier than the other one we still have to focus but it's a lot better so far this is another trail that takes you up to a different mountain called Iqibin you can see the trail down there and somewhere out there the wreckage of I don't know if it's an airplane or helicopter that fell down years ago so if you make your way up there you will see the wreckage of the airplane right there but we're just continuing on these views are epic I don't know how to describe it better but this is what we get to enjoy for the rest of this trek but this trail is definitely better than earlier it is still exposed but just some concentration and a little bit of scrambling to make your way down we'll see Hamid we'll see Hamid see Hamid is the best my neck is getting sore from looking up and marveling at the beauty of these mountain range so wonderful I don't want to leave this is the view of everything that we scaled earlier I couldn't film earlier and it was dark but literally made our way through these crazy snow fields and it's not even the depth of winter this is November beginning of November I can only imagine how it is late in winter this is crazy so the refuge I can see it from up here all I can think about right now is fresh mint it's right there that's my guide that's few people over there with the refuge it's all the way there there's still snow like this field is a little bit tricky it's like you don't really have to wear micro spikes right here but then at this new time you have to be super careful so that's subhad for you with snow my guide is the nicest whenever he sees a field or a section with a lot of snow and ice he sprinkled some rocks just to help my shoe kind of grip to it I think it's so sweet right there sprinkled rocks we finally made our way back to the refuge it was an incredible day there are a few climbers still making their way down but we are here the adventure is not done yet I'm having some more rock and mint tea I'm gonna take a break I need to grab my bag because I left it here and then we're going to head down and make our way back to Emilil but check this view out so cool this particular section of the trail I feel as if I'm in Alaska truthfully on one of the hikes that we took up in Alaska this feels amazing like it's giving me an Alaska feel there are still a bunch of hikers still making their way up the mountain probably to summit tomorrow probably just gonna say at the refuge but the trail is not extremely busy especially this time of the year but we've been coming across a bunch of other hikers which is needs and mules mules are doing such a tremendous job transporting provision to the refuge you can make food for people but also transporting luggage like some people would spend more than one night up in the refuge so they transport their stuff as well but I can't get over this wonderful view spectacular when I was trekking up the other day I didn't appreciate the beauty of the landscape especially in this section because you know how sometimes when you're going up and it's steep incline you don't really turn back to sea but this is your reminder if you are hiking, whether you're going up or down just take a moment to appreciate the landscape in front of you it's just a humbling experience to see that we are part of something that's really big these mountains are huge we're so tiny in front of the mountains but at the same time we play an important role in the ecosystem it's just humbling see Hamid is not done with me we're going to climb some more this time for the epic view which I'm very fine with I just made it finally to my room and I'm so excited I can't wait to just go clean up grab something to eat but I will see you guys tomorrow for a guest house tour good morning from Imdil it's 9.48 and I'm still in bed I don't want to leave I don't want to leave bed because I'm sore from the past two days but also I'm not ready to leave Imdil and leave this beautiful village it's so wonderful I feel like over the past three days I only scratch the surface there's so much to see and do in here the people in the village are so incredibly kind and generous yesterday before my guide left he brought me a big bag of walnuts for my parents because I'm leaving Imdil to make my way to Safi where my parents are say goodbye and then leave Morocco but that gesture melted my heart completely and I've honestly been feeling at peace here I think it's about time right now I have to get up and pack up tidy up the room I'm going to film a quick tour of the guest house like I promised and then I will hit the road again this is the inside of my room it's three beds so two over there of the queen and then one and I'm loving the colors the ceiling oh my gosh it's so beautiful this is the room, simplistic room very colorful there's a TV that wasn't actually working because they had a storm in the past few days so a lot of things functioning perfectly but this is the door I love the design so pretty and this is the bathroom warm water and all the shower I had yesterday was probably the best shower in a very long time what I love the most is this wonderful view on the balcony is this even real there's a mosque right there so I was here in the culture prayer every day lush green trees and from this side some of the houses from this village and waking up to do this view was such a treat so that's for the room gonna head upstairs for some breakfast now, let's go the rooms are named after the mountains in this mountain range I think this is Edg some of them are not actually in Arabic they live here they do speak Arabic but they speak mainly Amazigh this is Tubaqal and this is Tezi so these are mountains in the high Atlas this is the house beautiful carpets all over the place I'm gonna go upstairs and this is the room where I would usually have breakfast or dinner look at these colors oh my gosh so pretty and this is the view from the window look at that and this is the terrace I had tea when I arrived the other day and look at this look at this, look at this so so beautiful I just left the village and I will leave you with this incredible view just walk in my way to Emile to the center, grab a taxi and make my way to Safi thank you so much for watching this adventure I will have more videos about preparing and packing for Tubaqal if it's an adventure that you are interested in so stay tuned for those videos my name is Habiba, this is trekking palace and I will see you soon on a new adventure