Keith and his team of trekkers headed out to Morocco in May to experience the crown of North Africa and the highest peak of the Atlas Mountain range: Mt Toubkal. Keith jotted down his memories from the trip now he’s back on home turf…

“What can I say about our Toubkal trip and 16 strong eclectic team members. It all starts in the bearable heat of Marrakech. From learning how to haggle for trinkets for loved ones back home, in the “definitely not made in China” (ignore the cardboard boxes in the corner with country of origin printed on the base) souks, to playing “Frogger” with the busy road crossings. You can almost hear the laughter a week on from someone not feeling brave enough and getting stuck halfway across the road.

On to the mountain and the business end of our trip… Have you ever seen such a laid back way of pouring out a peppermint tea effortlessly from a great height?! No, I didn’t think so. We had a go ourselves, but then realised that we were wasting valuable fluids from it not going in to the glass.

We soon realised that with a very diverse bunch of team members, societal class, income, upbringings, humour, trekking provides such an amazing leveller when it comes to goals and objectives.

So with that, we were able to share all of the wonderful moments along the trek together. Whether it was being surrounded by hundreds of bleating goats, to feeling the first warm ray of the 630 sunrise. It was wonderful that some of the group had already trekked at altitude and broadened their cultural horizons, and also complete novices and embracing everything before them. I overheard one of the team members exclaiming that it was ‘The best 3 days of her life!’ What a thing to hear!

The team embracing the hardships of mental and physical hurdles throughout the challenge, and being motivated, energised by the amazing food along the way to overcome the tough 3 days of mixed landscape.

Summit day! Every team member reaching the summit- how good does that feel? All the emotions of joy, happiness, tears of positive emotion and big prolonged hugs and laughter. You cannot replicate this feeling, and I am not articulate enough to be able to convey this to the uninitiated.

Should or could you do this? Follow a training programme through 360, and with some grit and determination, absolutely. Sign up now!”

-Keith White

Check out the next Toubkal dates right here and carpe diem!