A climber hikes from the Berlin camp toward the summit of Aconcagua peak on the Argentinean side of the mountain // A climber hikes from the Berlin Camp toward the summit of Aconcagua peak on the Argentinean side of the mountain (Daniel Merle/AP/PA)

Larger image

A climber hikes from the Berlin camp toward the summit of Aconcagua peak on the Argentinean side of the mountain

At 4,167 metres, Jebel Toubkal is north Africa's highest peak. Climbing the mountain, around an hour's drive from Marrakech, doesn't need mountaineering experience - which isn't to say it's not a challenge.

Or you could cut your climbing teeth on the highest mountain outside Asia, Aconcagua in Argentina. A whopping 6,962 metres high, it still has routes suitable for novices. But what goes up can also come down...

In pictures: the world's most secluded beaches
Halloumi and herbs: eating your way around Cyprus
In pictures: 17 irresistible island retreats
Twenty-five capital cities to see before you die
Maltese delights: learning to dive in Malta