Industry Leader Challenge 2026:
The Winter Toubkal Trek, Morocco
28th February – 5th March 2026
Tackle the Winter Toubkal Trek
Tackle our most chilling challenge yet: the Winter Toubkal Trek, Morocco, from 28th February – 5th March 2026.
This is an exclusive opportunity for industry leaders to push their limits and summit North Africa’s highest peak to support automotive people who are struggling or in crisis. The Winter Toubkal Trek continues ILC’s tradition of taking a group of senior leaders far beyond their comfort zones to achieve the extraordinary.
This trek is a once-in-a-lifetime journey that will test you, reward you and make a meaningful difference for colleagues and families across the automotive sector. At the Jebel Toubkal summit, with snow under your boots and a breath-taking horizon to see, you’ll know you’ve achieved something incredible, both for yourself and for others.
Challengers will trek through the snow-covered High Atlas Mountains of Morocco for five days, facing:
- Up to eight hours of trekking each day
- The summit of Jebel Toubkal at 4,165 metres
- Steep climbs, early starts and rugged winter conditions
- Temperatures below zero overnight
- Zero contact with the outside world
- Demanding days with conditions that may require ice axes.
You’ll be part of a small, supportive group, sharing the journey from remote mountain villages to high-altitude refuges and finishing in the vibrant city of Marrakech.
Every step you take helps raise essential funds that allow Ben to continue supporting people across the automotive industry.
What to expect:
- You will be fully supported by expert local guides, a UK-based challenge leader and a dedicated Moroccan support team
- You’ll stay in mountain refuges and village lodgings during the trek and end with a comfortable hotel stay in Marrakech
- All meals on the trek are provided, offering hearty Moroccan dishes to keep you fuelled
- Safety equipment such as crampons, helmets and ice axes will be supplied if conditions require it.
What you need to take part:
- To take part, you’ll need a good level of fitness and at least three months of training, including long hikes and hill work with a backpack
- You’ll also need appropriate winter trekking gear such as waterproof boots, warm technical layers, a down jacket, waterproof outerwear, a daypack and a warm sleeping bag
- The challenge is physically demanding, and resilience is essential
- Up to 12 teams of two will need to raise a minimum of £25,000 per team for Ben.
Will you take on the Winter Toubkal Trek?
Places on this Industry Leader Challenge are limited. Contact our Director of Growth & Development, Matt Wigginton, to find out more and register interest: matt.wigginton@ben.org.uk. You’ll receive full details about the trek, what to expect and how Ben will support your fundraising and preparation.
Support our challenge
To show your support for our incredible challengers, click here.
What is the Industry Leader Challenge?
The Industry Leader Challenge (ILC) is an epic personal challenge taken on each year by an automotive industry leader (or leaders) to fundraise for Ben. The ILC is certainly not for the faint-hearted and requires extraordinary personal endeavour that tests the challenger either mentally or physically – or both. After completing a challenge of their choice (either with a team or alone), the challenger then hands the baton over to another industry leader for the following year.
The ILC was originally inspired by Sarah Sillars OBE who took on her own personal challenge for Ben, successfully climbing Kilimanjaro in 2010 and raising £38,000.