About the Kasbah du Toubkal
We recently returned from Morocco, and while we loved the excitement of Marrakech, we can’t get the tranquility of the Atlas Mountains off our mind. Less than 2 hours from Marrakech, the Imlil Valley is home to the most unique lodge we have ever had the opportunity to visit. We stayed only 2 nights at the Kasbah du Toubkal, but now we’re dreaming of going back for more.
The Kasbah du Toubkal is truly a special place. After all, it has been chosen as a National Geographic Unique Lodge of the World. Its uniqueness is evident as soon as you arrive in Imlil. At the small office in town, you are met by your host and a mule that will carry your luggage up the path to the Kasbah. It’s a rambling fortress of a lodge perched on a hilltop overlooking the Imlil Valley while Jbel Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa, rises behind it at 13,671 feet.
If the view and the hike don’t take your breath away, the story of the Kasbah will! The land and a kasbah in ruin were purchased in 1989 by Discover Ltd, a family affair, and after years of traditional methods of construction by local laborers with local materials, the Kasbah du Toubkal opened in 1995. Since then, it has impacted the Imlil Valley through sustainable and responsible tourism.
A view of the gardens and lodging from the rooftop where we spent our afternoons lounging under Jbel Toubkal to the sound of birds and the waterfall.
According to their website, “Kasbah du Toubkal is run through a unique partnership with the local Berber community, with a five per cent levy included in guests’ accommodation bills being funnelled back to the villagers. It is more of a berber hospitality centre than a traditional hotel, where the genuine friendliness, warmth and hospitality are exceptional.”
Funding from the Kasbah has provided the Imlil Valley with an ambulance, a trash collection system, and a truly life-changing boarding school for girls through Education for All. Read more about the history of the Kasbah here. It’s a fascinating story! Be sure to learn more about the Berber people and Imlil Valley here.
Staying at the Kasbah
The Kasbah’s story would have been enough for me to book a room, but it’s also breathtakingly beautiful. I was a little worried that after 5 months of dreaming about this place that I might be a little under-whelmed. Quite the opposite – once we were greeted by our hosts, checked in, served tea, and shown our beautiful little house, I had a really good cry over how perfect the Kasbah was in real life. The pictures below don’t really do it justice.
Enter the imposing gate through the tiny door on the right.
The Berber hospitality salon allows for intimate meals with fellow travelers from all over the world. You’ll feel right at home.
Ahhhhhh, Berber hospitality! Being greeted with mint tea is one of the things I miss most about Morocco.
Our cozy lodging, including the most amazing rug – we had a little apartment to ourselves with a big comfy bed, a soaking tub with hammam supplies, a stocked fridge, a porch, and a patio with lounge chairs. We fell asleep every night to the sound of the nearby waterfall!
Honestly, I thought about trying to buy the rug from them. I’m home now, but I’m not ruling out that option.
Considering calling our home a Kasbah and having some of these made…
The Kasbah has a wonderful hammam. It’s a real treat after a hike!
A long, leisurely meal with the best view of Toubkal.
Take an introductory hike with Kasbah staff for amazing views of the valley.
If you’re heading to Morocco, please don’t miss the Kasbah du Toubkal. Not a day has gone by since we’ve been home that we haven’t reminisced about our dream-like stay in the High Atlas Mountains. Every hour or so during our stay, we’d ask ourselves: “Is this place real? How did this happen to us?” We know you’ll feel the same way.
[This is not a sponsored post. If Kasbah du Toubkal would let us move in, we’d be there in a heartbeat. ]
