Agadir, the Souss and Anti-Atlas

Agadir

Around Agadir

Taroudant

Around Taroudant

Taliouine

Jebel Sirwa

The Tata circuit

Tiznit and around

Aglou Plage

Tafraout

Around Tafraout

Mirhleft

Sidi Ifni and around

Guelmim and around

Fort Bou-Jerif

Few travellers to Morocco head south of Marrakesh, bar the sun-seekers flying directly to – and then, two weeks later, directly out of – Agadir, a winter beach resort for Europeans that counts as the area’s major tourist destination. It’s an agreeable place which makes a good starting point for trips around the area, including a series of beaches lining the coast to north and south, and the sometimes delightful towns and villages dotted around the Anti-Atlas mountains to the east and the desert beyond. While there are few bona fide tourist sights in this area, the scenery is often spectacular, and perfect road-trip fodder – head down the right roads and you’ll find Spanish Art Deco architecture, remote oases, fascinating rock formations, ancient rock carvings and vista after superlative vista, the landscapes often dotted by the argan trees that the area is famed for.

Agadir’s beaches can often be packed, but those to its north are far less developed, including the one at Taghazout, Morocco’s number-one surfing resort. A short way inland from here is Paradise Valley, a beautiful and exotic palm gorge, from which a mountain road trails up to the seasonal waterfalls of Immouzer. East of here is Taroudant, capital of the wide and fertile Souss valley, and boasting massive walls, animated souks and good hotels as its calling-cards. Further south, into the Anti-Atlas mountains, Tafraout and its valley are even more compelling – the stone-built villages and villas set amid a stunning landscape of pink granite and vast rock formations. To the south of Agadir, the beaches are scarcely developed, ranging from solitary campsites at Sidi Rbat – one of Morocco’s best locations for birdwatching – and Aglou Plage, down to the old port of Sidi Ifni – only relinquished by Spain in 1969 and full of splendid Art Deco colonial architecture.

AGADIR BEACH

Highlights

1 Agadir beach Golden sand, top-class hotels and sun pretty much year-round make this the country’s number one seaside resort.

2 Surfing at Taghazout Morocco’s top surfing spot, a village beach resort with a whole series of excellent right breaks attracting tube-hounds both local and foreign.

3 Taroudant Once the nation’s capital, this delightful walled town with two markets and bags of character is nowadays being dubbed “mini Marrakesh” by the tourist industry.

4 The Tata circuit Head on a spectacular loop through and beyond the Anti-Atlas mountains, passing through the frontier-style town of Tata – and, if you can track them down, a whole series of ancient rock carvings.

5 Tafraout Tucked away in the Anti-Atlas mountains amid a landscape of strange rock formations, this friendly little town makes a great base for exploring them.

6 Sidi Ifni A former Spanish enclave built from scratch in the 1930s with an Art Deco town hall, an Art Deco mosque and even an Art Deco lighthouse.

Highlights are marked on the Agadir, the souss and anti atlas map.

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Agadir

Many independent travellers turn their noses up at the very mention of AGADIR, a beachside city whose economy is heavily dependent upon pre-packaged Euro-tourism. While its raison d’être will be immediately apparent to even a casual visitor, if you look past the souvenir stands and lobster-skinned beach-goers, you’ll see a calm, pleasant place arranged along a wide, scenic bay. Swathes of park and garden break up the hotel and residential zones, and the magnificent beach is untrammelled by Spanish Costa-style high-rise building. It may sometimes feel that the city is a little soulless, but this relative lack of bustle has novelty value if you’re arriving from any other Moroccan town.

  Agadir is, in fact, the core of the country’s fifth-biggest urban conglomeration; its population is now almost 800,000 and rising each year, as the city slowly crawls uphill. This number swells further on weekends, when the nouveau riche from Casablanca and Rabat head down the coast en masse. The slew of cosmopolitan restaurants catering to both local and international tourists may also come as blessed relief from couscous, tajines and brochettes to those who’ve been on the road in Morocco for a while, as will the chance to cut loose at one of the city’s many bars and clubs.

  Downtown Agadir is centred on the junction of Boulevard Hassan II and Avenue Prince Moulay Abdallah, with Avenue du Prince Sidi Mohammed. Rebuilt in 1960s “modernist” style, it has all the trappings of a town centre, with office blocks, a post office, town hall (Hôtel de Ville), municipal market and banks. Just to the northeast is an area known as Talborjt, with a concentration of budget hotels and small café-restaurants. To the west is the beach, and following the sand to the north you’ll eventually hit the pleasing, relatively modern marina area, now a favourite coffee spot with young locals.

Brief history

Agadir’s history closely parallels that of Morocco’s other Atlantic ports. It was colonized first by the Portuguese in the fifteenth century, then, recaptured by the Saadians in the sixteenth, carried on its trading with intermittent prosperity, overshadowed, more often than not, by the activities of Mogador (Essaouira) and Mazagan (El Jadida). Abroad, Agadir’s name was once known mainly for the Agadir Crisis of 1911, when, during the run-up to World War I, Germany sent a warship to Agadir bay to support Moroccan independence against French designs. Germany’s real motive – to undermine a Franco-British alliance by using Britain and France’s conflicting interests in Morocco – failed when Britain cut a deal with France, allowing the French to split Morocco with Spain while the British got a free hand in Egypt and Cyprus.

  The really big event in Agadir’s history was the devastating earthquake of February 29, 1960: a tremor that killed 15,000 and left most of the remaining 50,000 population homeless. Just four years into independence, the earthquake was an especially traumatic event, and in its aftermath, the whole city had to be rebuilt from scratch. Little over half a century on, the result is quite impressive; the mammoth reconstruction effort shows modern Morocco at its best.

The beach

Lifeguards on duty north end of the beach mid-June to mid-Sept daily 8am–7pm • Around 30dh for a sunbed and parasol

Agadir’s beach is as good as they come: a wide expanse of fine sand, which extends an impressive distance to the south of the town, is swept each morning and patrolled by mounted police. Along its course are a number of cafés, some of which rent out sunbeds and umbrellas. The ocean – it should be stressed – has a very strong Atlantic undertow and is definitely not suitable for children unless closely supervised. Even adults are advised not to go out swimming alone. The northern end of the beach has lifeguards on duty in summer, and a system of flags to tell you how dangerous it is to swim; the big beach hotels also have guarded sections for their residents, and you can rent a sunbed with a parasol at neighbouring restaurants. Lastly, the beach is also a good place for watersports.

  The beach empties when the sun goes down, and the pleasant promenade that abuts much of the beach’s central section takes over as the city’s focal point. Lined with restaurants and licked by a sea breeze, it’s a thoroughly pleasant place, a fact made evident by its popularity with local families padding along on their evening constitutional, occasionally purchasing Chinese-made novelty toys from the many hawkers.

Valley of the Birds

Between Bd Hassan II & Bd du 20 Août • Valley Daily 11am–6pm • Free • Tourist train Daily 9.15am–5pm, every 40min (35min) • 18dh, child 12dh

As a break from the beach, and especially if you have children to amuse, you might wander into the Valley of the Birds, a narrow strip of parkland, with a little aviary of exotic birds, a small herd of Barbary sheep and some other mammals, a waterfall and a children’s playground. It’s all very pleasant, and the lush vegetation draws a rich variety of birds throughout the year, but inevitably, some of the animal enclosures are distressingly small. Children might enjoy a ride on the “tourist train”, which goes on a journey around town, starting from Boulevard du 20 Août, at the bottom of the valley.

Amazigh Heritage Museum

Rue de la Foire • Mon–Sat 9am–5.30pm • 20dh

Towards the southern end of the city centre is an outdoor theatre – built along Roman odeon lines – and a pedestrian precinct of tourist shops and restaurants, where the small Amazigh Heritage Museum has a collection of Berber cultural artefacts, including a few old manuscripts (in Arabic, not Berber), some wooden doors and bowls, and quite a lot of silver jewellery. Unless you have a particular fascination for Berber jewellery, there’s nothing of much excitement here, and you can see the lot in fifteen minutes; the rotating exhibitions are less local in focus, but often more diverting.

Jardim de Olhão

Av du President Kennedy; entrance on west side of compound • Tues–Sun 2–6pm • Free

The Jardim de Olhão is a very pleasant outdoor space. A landscaped garden with a café-restaurant and children’s playground, it was created to celebrate Agadir’s twinning with the town of Olhão in southern Portugal. The walls and buildings in the garden are constructed in a traditional Berber style which some claim was inspired by Portuguese architecture, though the influence is hard to see, and could just as easily have been the other way round anyway.

Exposition Mémoire d’Agadir

Av du President Kennedy • Tues–Sat 9.30am–5.30pm • 20dh

Just next to the Jardim de Olhão, the two little wings of the Exposition Mémoire d’Agadir have some interesting photographs of Agadir as it was before and immediately after the 1960 earthquake. They often waive the entry fee, which is a good job since you’d feel a bit cheated otherwise – it’s only really worth popping by if you’re already in the Talborjt area.

Ancienne Talborjt

Entrance from road running uphill from Rue Mokhtar Soussi, opposite Camping International Agadir • Daily 24hr • Free

The raised plateau of Ancienne Talborjt, which entombs the town demolished in the 1960 earthquake, stands to the west of the city centre. Many of the dead were left in situ here, sprayed with lime in order to prevent the spread of disease, then covered up with a large mound of earth. It’s marked by a small mosque and unfinished memorial garden, though there’s very little to see; however, relatives of the fifteen thousand dead occasionally come to this park area to walk, remember and pray: a moving scene, even after so many years.

The old kasbah

On the hill north of the port • Daily 24hr • Free

The city’s old kasbah is an eight-kilometre round trip from the centre, but worth making if you have transport, or by petit taxi, for a marvellous view of Agadir and the coast. You can see the kasbah from central Agadir, with a vast Arabic “Allah–King–Nation” slogan on the slope below, in white stones, illuminated at night.

  Although it survived the quake, the kasbah is little more than rubble encircled by a bare outline of walls and an entrance arch – the latter with an inscription in Dutch and Arabic recording that the Netherlands began trading here in 1746, capitalizing on the rich sugar plantations of the Souss plain. It’s not much, but it is one of the few reminders that the city has any past at all, so complete was the destruction of the 1960 earthquake. The touts scrounging for tourist money up here will do their best to haul your thoughts back to present-day Morocco, and they can be annoyingly persistent with their offers of jewellery for sale, photographic opportunities with snakes and camels, or insisting you pay a nonexistent entry fee. There are also a few unguarded steep drops from the kasbah walls – pay heed if travelling with children.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: AGADIR

BY PLANE

Al Massira Airport ( 0528 839112,  agadir-airport.com) is 25km east of Agadir. There are several ATMs here, and taxis will usually accept euros. Holiday companies’ buses meet flights and shuttle passengers to their hotels, and if you’ve bought a flight-only deal you could try tagging along with fellow passengers. Otherwise, grands taxis waiting outside charge a standard 200dh fare to Agadir, or 150dh to Inezgane (13km southeast of Agadir), for up to six passengers, with a 20dh surcharge for luggage over 20kg. There is no direct bus to downtown Agadir, but you can reach it on local buses via Inezgane; this is also the way to go if you’re planning to head from the airport to destinations other than Agadir. Be aware that airport staff at Agadir have, in the past, been known to tell passengers that valuables (such as cameras) are not allowed as hand baggage and must be carried in the hold – this is not true, and any such items are likely to disappear if not securely locked away.

Airlines Royal Air Maroc have an office in Agadir on Av Général Kettani, opposite the junction with Bd Hassan II ( 0528 829120).

Car rental Avis ( 0528 829244); Budget ( 0528 839101); Europcar ( 0528 840337); First Car ( 0528 839297); Hertz ( 0528 83907).

Domestic destinations Casablanca (4–6 daily; 1hr 15min); Dakhla (4 weekly; 1hr 40min); Laayoune (2 weekly; 1hr 5min).

BY BUS

All buses serving Agadir operate from the bleak concrete gare routière ( 0528 822077) at the eastern edge of town, 3km from Talborjt on Rue Chair el Hamra (aka Bd Abderrahim Bouabid); it’s around 10–12dh by petit taxi, or 4dh on bus #4 from Bd Mohammed V. The best and most convenient bus services from Agadir (though not the cheapest) are operated by Supratours (10 Rue des Oranges;  0528 841207) and CTM (Rue Yacoub el Mansour;  0528 822077), and can be booked at their offices in town. Many buses will take you to Inezgane rather than to Agadir itself, but since Agadir’s gare routière is fairly far out of the centre anyway, it doesn’t actually make much difference. From Inezgane or the gare routière, the bus stop on Bd Mohammed V, just before Av Prince Sidi Mohammed, is the most convenient for Talborjt.

Destinations Beni Mellal (5 daily; 7hr 30min); Casablanca (1–2 hourly; 5hr 30min–8hr); Dakhla (10 daily; 18–20hr); Essaouira (hourly; 3hr 30min); Fez (9 daily; 10–12hr); Guelmim (2–3 hourly; 4–5hr); Laayoune (16 daily; 11–12hr); Marrakesh (3–4 hourly; 3–4hr); Meknes (7 daily; 11hr); Ouarzazate (3 daily; 7hr); Rabat (hourly; 8–11hr); Safi (hourly; 5–6hr); Tafraout (7 daily; 5hr); Tangier (3–4 daily; 14hr); Tan Tan (2–3 hourly; 6–7hr); Taroudant (3 daily; 1hr 45min); Tata (6 daily; 7hr); Tiznit (2–3 hourly; 2–3hr).

BY GRAND TAXI

Shared grands taxis use a rank a block south of the local bus station at Pl Salam (aka Pl de l’Abattoir), a longish walk or short taxi ride from Talborjt. For farther-flung destinations you’ll have to head to Inezgane and get a connection there; this may be better even for places as close as Taroudant and Tiznit, since drivers at Agadir have started trying to charge tourists extra for their baggage.

Destinations from Agadir: Aourir (20min); Inezgane (20min); Taghazout (25min); Taroudant (1hr 15min); Tiznit (1hr 45min).

Destinations from Inezgane: Essaouira (2hr 30min); Guelmim (4hr 30min); Laayoune (9hr); Marrakesh (3hr); Massa (45min); Ouled Berhil (2hr); Ouled Teima (40min); Sidi Ifni (3hr 30min); Tan Tan (6hr 15min); Taroudant (1hr) and Tiznit (1hr 30min).

THE INEZGANE SHUFFLE

Some 13km south of Agadir lies the city of Inezgane – almost a suburb of Agadir, but completely different to its more illustrious brother in almost every way. There’s nothing to see here bar “regular” Moroccan life spooling along (there are plenty of places to stay, if you so desire), but for travellers it’s useful in two main ways. One is for those unwilling to shell out on a grand taxi from the airport to Agadir – from the airport you can get to Inezgane on local bus #37 from outside the airport building (hourly, 7am–7pm; 5dh), and from there take bus #97 or #98 or shared grand taxi (both 4dh) to Agadir. It’s also handy when leaving Agadir, or for those looking to head somewhere else immediately after arrival at the airport. It has just as many bus departures as Agadir, and far more choice for grands taxis. From the airport, bus #37 drops you off right next to the grand taxi station in Inezgane; for the bus station, just walk across to the other side of the grand taxi stands; buses to Agadir stop around the corner on the Agadir road. From Agadir, Inezgane can be reached by grand taxi from Place Salam (4dh, or 6dh at night), or on bus #97 or #98 from Avenue Mohammed V.

GETTING AROUND

Agadir is for the most part a walkable city, though you may want to use petits taxis for transport between the bus or taxi stations and Talborjt or the beach hotels. Alternatively, you can rent scooters or motorbikes, which would also allow you to explore the beaches north and south of town.

By bus The main city bus terminal is at Pl Salam (Pl de l’Abbatoir), a couple of blocks north of the grand taxi station, but the most useful routes run along Bd Mohammed V.

By bike and motorbike Various operators rent out motorbikes (typically 400dh/day), scooters (250dh/day) and bicycles (120dh/day) along Bd du 20 Août, south of Route de l’Oued Souss, but many are cowboys. A reliable firm will rent for 24hr rather than just until nightfall, and will show full paperwork proving that the insurance, minimal though it might be, covers you (and passenger if necessary) and detailing help in the event of a breakdown.

Car rental Bungalow Marhaba on Bd Mohammed V houses numerous rental agencies, including Budget ( 0525 060981), Hertz ( 0528 840939), Lotus Cars ( 0528 840588), and local operator Youness Cars ( 0528 840750,  youness-cars@hotmail.com). There are also agencies at the airport.

USEFUL BUS ROUTES

#04 Anza – Avenue Mohammed V – Avenue Mouqaouama – Gare Routière

#31 Place Salam – Avenue Mohammed V – Aourir

#32 Place Salam – Avenue Mohammed V – Aourir – Taghazout

#33 Place Salam – Avenue Mohammed V – Aourir – Taghazout – Tamri

#37 Inezgane (ALSA bus station) – Agadir airport

#42 Inezgane (Agadir road) – Massa

#97 & #98 Port – Avenue Mohammed V – Inezgane

INFORMATION AND TOURS

Tourist information The Délégation de Tourisme (Mon–Fri 8.30am–4.30pm;  0528 846377) is in Immeuble Iguenwane, on Bd Mohammed V, northwest of town towards the port staff are helpful and generally happy to answer questions. There is also a Conseil Régional du Tourisme (Mon–Fri 8.30am–noon & 2.30–6.30pm;  0528 842629) in the Chamber of Commerce building on Bd Hassan II near the Amazigh Heritage Museum – not strictly speaking a tourist information office, but staff are usually happy to give out information.

Tours Some of the best sights in this chapter are visitable on day-trips from Agadir – your hotel will probably have pamphlets, or try Massira ( 0528 847713), an agency by the English Pub. Prices are around 320dh to Taroudant and Tiout, 350dh for the Massa lagoon and Tiznit, and 400dh for the long haul down to Legzira beach.

Festivals July’s Timitar Festival ( festival-timitar-agadir.blogspot.com), dedicated to nomadic music, is not on a par with Essaouira’s, but draws musicians from all over southern Morocco, as well as North and West Africa, France, Spain and even Latin America. Agadir also has a small film festival in Feb (  festival-agadir.com), at the Rialto cinema behind the municipal market.

ACTIVITIES IN AND AROUND AGADIR

As you’d expect from a tourist-oriented city, there’s plenty to do in the Agadir area – even once you’ve exhausted the culinary and alcoholic possibilities.

Bowling and billiards Knock down skittles or work on your cue skills at the Agadir Bowling Lounge, facing the northern end of the beach on Rue de la Plage (Mon–Fri 2pm–2am, Sat & Sun 10am–2am; 80dh per lane, 60dh before 7pm Mon–Fri;  0528 822988,  bowlingloungeagadir.com).

Casino There’s a casino in the Atlantic Palace resort (see map), on the Route de l’Oued Souss.

Golf Agadir has four golf clubs, all southeast of town. Agadir Royal Golf, an 18-hole course 12km out on the Route d’Aït Melloul ( 0528 248551), is the oldest generally considered the finest. The others are off the Inezgane road at Km7: Golf des Dunes ( 0528 834690), with three nine-hole courses; Golf du Soleil ( 0528 337329,  golfdusoleil.com), also with three nine-hole courses; and Golf de l’Ocean (  0528 824146), the newest, with an ocean view, and 27 holes amid dunes and trees.

Hammam To sweat out the grime in Talborjt, the Bain Maure Essalama, just off Rue Mahdi Ibn Toumert, is open daily (women 6am–6pm, men 6pm–midnight; 12dh).

Surfing There are good waves up the coast from Agadir, especially in the surfer haven of Taghazout.

Watersports Jetskiing is available at the northern end of the beach at Club Royale de Jet-Ski (450dh for 30min); the same outfit also offers flyboarding, which essentially turns you into a water-jet version of Iron Man (750dh for 20min).

ACCOMMODATION

Most of the budget hotels are in Talborjt, which has the advantage of good shops, cafés and street life. More upmarket places are worth booking ahead in high season, but may offer large discounts off-season; most of the package-style establishments are south of central Agadir, though there are some good options closer to the city proper. Note that there are also plenty of appealing places to stay in the area surrounding Agadir, including Taghazout, Paradise Valley and Immouzer.

UPPER-CLASS HOTELS

Argana Bd Mohammed V  0528 848304,  hotel-argana.com. Large, well-equipped hotel priced a wee bit lower than the heavier hitters nearer the beach. The rooms are large and easy on the eye, but the USP here is the gigantic swimming pool – a pity that the buffet breakfasts don’t quite cut the mustard. On the pool’s fringe, you’ll find 1001 Nuits, the best shisha bar in town. BB 900dh

Al Moggar Bd Mohammed V  0528 842270,  hotelclubalmoggar.com. A large, well-equipped beach-package hotel complex, with a nightclub, a large pool, tennis courts, extensive gardens, and concrete bungalow-style rooms that are ugly on the outside but spacious within, and have balconies facing the beach. Big discounts are often available off-season; in high season (mid-June to mid-Sept), you have to take half-board. HB 1200dh

Royal Atlas Bd du 20 Août  0528 294040,  www.hotelsatlas.com. A five-star hotel which actually tries quite hard to meet that standard. It’s very grand, with well-appointed rooms, friendly but laidback staff, three restaurants, three bars and a spa, plus it backs right onto the beach. It claims to be wheelchair accessible, although it doesn’t have any specially adapted rooms. Promotional rates are often available. BB 1800dh

MID-RANGE HOTELS

Aferni Av du Général Kettani  0528 840730,  hotelaferni-agadir.com. It’s worth asking for a room with a bathtub and balcony in this pleasingly old-fashioned three-star hotel, which boasts a pool (heated in winter) and terrace, plus TVs and safes in each room. The hotel also lacks a bar, which you may consider a plus or minus. Wi-fi only in lobby area. BB 510dh

 Kamal Bd Hassan II  0528 842817,  hotel-kamal.com. Centrally located three-star with quite large, cool rooms set round a small swimming pool. Of all the hotels in town, this one gets consistently good reports for the courtesy and efficiency of its staff. They also offer discounts for longer stays, and there are often promotional rates. 465dh

 Résidence Sacha Pl de la Jeunesse  0528 841167,  agadir-maroc.com. Just off the town centre in a quiet square. Calm and artistically decorated, this French-managed establishment is one of Agadir’s most pleasing places to stay. Some of its range of good-sized self-catering studios and apartments come with private gardens, while there’s free wi-fi in public areas and some rooms, and a small swimming pool surrounded by funky yellow sunbeds. Rates drop heavily if you’re here for blocks of a week (from €108 per person); otherwise, online booking engines have the best deals. 570dh

Résidence Yasmina Rue de la Jeunesse  0528 842660,  residence-yasmina.com. Self-catering apartments with small bedrooms but large sitting rooms and decent-sized kitchens, plus a lobby and salon done out in traditional zellij tilework, and a swimming pool and children’s pool. There’s often a discounted rate of one sort or another available. 566dh

Sindibad Pl Lahcen Tamri  0528 823477,  sinhot@menara.ma. Set on Talborit cheery square, this is a deservedly popular two-star hotel with a restaurant and bar, spotless a/c rooms, and a plunge pool on the roof. They normally offer rack-rate discounts if you’re staying three nights or more – in fact, you’ll rarely have to pay more than around 280dh, even in high season. 420dh

Solman Bd Hassan II  0528 843447. This hotel is not much frequented by foreign tourists, but it’s the best of the bunch in this busy part of town and handy for the Pl Salam bus and grand taxi stations, as well as most of Agadir’s restaurants and bars. You’ll catch a glimpse of the pool from the mosaic-filled lobby, and once past the slightly scruffy corridors you’ll find rooms that are spacious, nicely decorated, and not all that noisy for the streetside location. 343dh

BUDGET HOTELS AND GUESTHOUSES

 El Bahia Rue el Mahdi Ibn Toumert  0528 822724. A fine little two-star hotel, beautifully modernized with three categories of room (with shower and toilet, with shower only, and with shared bathroom facilities), all with satellite TV, but not all with outside windows. The breakfast terrace is beautifully sunny, with an interestingly kitsch fountain. 200dh

Diaf Rue Allal Ben Abdallah  0528 825852. The rooms here are small, but everything’s neat and clean; some have en-suite bathrooms, and beds are a decent size (even in the twins). Rooms on the first floor are a lot nicer than those on the roof, however, which are a bit poky. There’s a handy café downstairs, and the road outside was being prettied up at the time of writing. No wi-fi. 160dh

Massa Pl Lahcen Tamri  0528 826362. Facing Talborjt’s pretty main square, here you’ll find rooms that are simple but clean and well looked after, set around an upstairs courtyard decorated with murals. There are some drearier rooms downstairs, with shared bathroom facilities but 24hr hot water. At last check (though this can change from one year to the next), this was the cheapest option for lone travellers (70dh). No wi-fi. 120dh

Petite Suède Bd Hassan II  0528 840779,  petitesuede.com. One of the first hotels built after the earthquake, this amiable place is not too far from the beach, and remains consistently popular with foreign travellers. All rooms have en-suite showers, though most have shared toilets. Some also have a balcony, and there’s also a sun terrace. BB 300dh

 Tiznine 3 Rue Drarga  0528 843925,  hoteltiznine.com. Tucked away up a charmingly run-down side street, this little hotel is bright and gleaming, with pleasant rooms (en suite costs an extra 50dh) decorated with curtains and bedding in various shades of green. It’s slightly pricier than the other Talborjt cheapies, but well worth the difference – in fact, it’s Agadir’s best place in the whole budget bracket. 140dh

La Tour du Sud Av Kennedy  0528 822694. A small but immaculate hotel whose en-suite rooms have smoked-glass windows and little balconies, built around two courtyards with large trees growing out of them. It’s worth avoiding the ground-floor rooms, however, especially on the side facing the street. 240dh

CAMPING

Camping International Agadir Bd Mohammed V  0528 841054. Reasonably well located, within easy walking distance of the centre and beach, this campsite is open all year and fairly secure, with a snack bar and other facilities. The downsides are that there’s limited shade, camper vans dominate, prices are relatively high and it’s usually pretty crowded. 90dh

EATING

Agadir has cafés and restaurants to suit all budgets, and its array of international food is by far the largest in the Moroccan south. Inexpensive café-restaurants are concentrated in Talborjt, some with bargain set menus; most of those lining the beach and the boulevards are tourist traps, with waiters outside trying to hustle in any passing foreigner who shows an interest, or merely happens to glance in their direction. If your hotel doesn’t provide breakfast, several places in Talborjt will do so (the Ibtissam, for example;). Many cafés around Pl Salam bus station – and the café of the Hôtel Massa, and its neighbour on Pl Lahcen Tamri – have stalls outside selling harsha and msammen (Moroccan breads) to eat with a coffee and croissant.

RESTAURANTS

Bagdadli Bd Hassan II  0528 820834. Central Agadir becomes a bit of a restaurant black hole in the very late evening, but this place assumes local kebab-house responsibilities until an acceptably late hour, and the food’s good for soaking up a few beers. Panini and burgers go from around 20dh, or you could opt for the I’ll-regret-this-in-the-morning option: a pizza topped with shawarma kebab meat (40dh). Daily 8am–2am.

 Les Blancs Marina  0528 828368. One of the most upmarket restaurants in town, with chairs overlooking (and basically on) the beach, a loungey vibe, and excellent Spanish food doled out to relaxed-looking diners. Try Galician octopus or Iberian-ham croquettes for starters (both 90dh), or plump for a paella (130 per person; two-person min). As befits a Spanish restaurant, they’ve a decent selection of wine. Daily 9am–midnight.

Bollywood Bd Tawada, off Rue de la Plage  0528 827453. Reliable curry house in a winning location off the boardwalk, with a good mix of tasty, affordable dishes – usually served to the accompaniment of Lata Mangeshkar Bollywood classics. Veggie curries will set you back 75dh or so (the paneer masala is particularly good), or there’s chicken for 105dh, lamb and beef for 120dh, or the local option – camel for 130dh. It’s licensed, too. Daily noon–midnight.

Calipso Rue des Oranges  0662 249545. Not as atmospheric as the fishing port stalls way to the north, and the seafood isn’t as fresh, but this is a friendly, central option for fried-fish platter (40dh) or fish tajine (35dh). Breakfasting here is cheap, too, with two-egg omelettes (6dh) and orange juice (10dh) among the options – it’s tempting to think that the latter has been sourced from the orange trees lining the road outside. Daily 10am–10pm.

Cote Court Bd Hassan II  0528 826533. Forming part of a members-only tennis club, though open to anyone, this is one of the snazziest-looking places in Agadir, with the regular ping of wine glasses an inadvertent soundtrack each evening. However, it’s not that pricey – pizzas go from 40dh (try the goat cheese, mustard, spinach and honey option, if you dare), handmade ravioli for 90dh, and beer from just 25dh. Daily noon–11pm.

Daffy Rue des Oranges  0656 158516. A long-time favourite offering pavement dining or couches around the tables inside, with reasonable set menus (58dh) plus dishes like pastilla, mechoui or tanjia for two if ordered in advance. Daily 9am–10pm.

 Fishing port stalls Outside Port d’Agadir. Not on a par with their equivalents in Essaouira, but the gathering of stalls here will do you a freshly caught fish grilled over charcoal for not very much money – 34dh for shrimp, squid or whiting, 300dh/kilo for lobster, crawfish or king prawns. It’s a fair way out, but an authentically local experience. Daily: winter noon–7pm, summer noon–11pm.

 Ibtissam Pl Lahcen Tamri  0670 128435. The best of a trio of cheapies all next to each other on Talborjt’s pedestrianized main square, Ibtissam is handy for breakfast as well as lunch and dinner. Serves Moroccan and international staples (25–35dh) and offers bargain set menus (40–60dh), plus vegetarian options if requested. Daily 11am–11pm.

Jour et nuit Bd Tawada (on the beach off Rue de la Plage)  0528 840248. This restaurant serves international-style dishes such as lamb chops (70dh), steaks (70dh) and roast chicken (50dh); Moroccan staples including a good mixed grill (120dh; feeds two); and snacks including assorted sandwiches and a range of salads. There’s also a bar. A slightly posher branch – without a bar, but with a large balcony overlooking the sea – is set in a 1930s-style building just 50m to the north (same hours). Daily 6am–1am.

La Scala Bd de l’Oued Souss  0528 846773. This well-regarded upmarket restaurant specializes in Mediterranean cuisine, including modern dishes such as duck with ginger and orange (320dh for two people), or salmon paupiette (rolled up and stuffed with dill; 150dh), all served on a large terrace surrounded by trees. Daily noon–3pm & 7pm–midnight.

Via Veneto Bd Hassan II  0528 841467. This place rustles up decent wood-oven pizzas at reasonable prices (45–80dh), and other Italian dishes such as osso bucco (120dh); the oysters (95dh for six) are a nice treat, too. Daily 11am–4pm & 5pm–midnight.

PATISSERIES AND CAFÉS

Patisserie tafarnout Cnr Bd Hassan II & Rue de la Foire  0528 844450. Agadir’s poshest patisserie, a place in which to indulge yourself with utterly sinful pastries such as raspberry mousse on a sponge base (18dh). It’s a decent breakfast option, too, with their morning deal giving you three small pastries and a hot drink or juice for 23dh – a pity that the coffees here aren’t terribly good. Daily 5am–10pm.

Senso Marina  0528 848060. The best of the litter of cafés fronting the marina, all of which are predictably popular with local youngsters. A café crème will set you back 18dh, and it’s 10dh/ball of the decent ice creams – some of the flavours here are a little unusual, including date (tasty), Snickers (exactly what you’d expect) and the electric-blue “Strump” (meaning Smurf, and therefore made from goodness-knows what). Daily 7am–midnight.

BARS AND NIGHTLIFE

For an international resort, Agadir has few bars, clubs or discos, outside of the large hotels, though many restaurants are licensed. Nightclubs get going around 11pm or midnight and stay open till 3 or 4am, or later, depending on how many people are still there. Entry tends to be 100–200dh; this may include your first drink, but otherwise expect to pay as much as 80–100dh for a beer. Prostitution is rife (at the Flamingo, for example) but illegal – girls and punters travel in separate taxis to avoid police attention (if they travel together, the cab driver may flash police en route to alert them), and clampdowns are not unknown.

BARS

1001 Nuits Bd Mohammed V  0528 848304. Located by the Hotel Argana pool, this is the most attractive shisha spot in town, with cushions for lounging either in a Berber-like tent or en plein air. A shisha costs 50dh before 8pm, 60dh after, and beer’s good value at 30dh; service, however, can be painfully slow. Daily 10am–midnight.

English Pub Bd du 20 Août  0528 847390. Full English breakfast served all day (75dh), live English footie on the telly, karaoke every night, free wi-fi and a range of European beers make this a home from home for English tourists determined not to go native. On weekends, however, it gets packed out with trendy local sorts, though somewhat amusingly the DJ sets laid on for them are still regularly interrupted to allow drunk foreigners a bash at the karaoke. It also doubles up as the local British consulate. Daily 7am–1.30pm.

CLUBS

Actor’s Hôtel Royal Atlas, Bd du 20 Août  0661 268900. One of Agadir’s top nightclubs, with guest DJs, a variety of sounds and a mixed crowd. Entry is pricey at 200dh (including one drink) and can reach 250–300dh for special occasions or for top-name DJs. Nightly midnight–7am.

Flamingo Agadir Beach Club, Bd du 20 Août  0528 844343. Lively if rather seedy nightclub attached to one of the bigger beach package hotels, and very popular with Moroccans as well as foreigners. Entry 100–200dh. Nightly 11pm–4am.

So night lounge Sofitel Hotel, Baie des Palmiers, Founty  0528 82008. Agadir’s coolest nightclub, the furthest from town (about 3km from Talborjt) and with the highest entry fee, featuring a live band until around 1.30am and DJs thereafter. Mon–Thurs & Sun 300dh, Fri & Sat 500dh. Nightly 11pm–3am.

SHOPPING

Argan Naturel 129 Rue Marrakech  0528 848233. Sells various kinds of honey (from 65dh/jar), as well as olive- and argan-oil shampoo (from 40dh). Daily 9am–7pm.

Ensemble Artisanal 30 Av du 29 Février. Just up the road from Talborjt, this is an attractive souvenir complex, and incredibly quiet unless group tours are visiting. Prices at most shops are fixed. Mon–Fri 9am–7pm, though individual shops may open later, close for lunch or shut earlier.

Fromital 6 Rue Fal Ould Omair  0528 333033. Talborjt shop purveying its own excellent, locally produced cheeses, which are also available at big supermarkets elsewhere in the country. Daily 8am–6pm.

Sawma Supermarket 1 Rue Hôtel de Ville  0528 843201. Sells the cheapest booze in town, along with general provisions, hidden away at the back behind the clothes and tourist tat. Daily 9am–6pm.

Souk Tarik el Kheir Av Prince Moulay Abdallah. A good first stop for crafts and souvenirs, with many of the small stores in this complex offering fixed, marked prices. Daily 8am–8pm.

Uniprix Cnr Bd Hassan II & Av Prince Sidi Mohammed  0528 841841. Sells crafts and souvenirs at fixed prices, as well as a wide range of alcohol – and bottles of tabasco, if you’d like to zing up your couscous a tad. Mon–Sat 8.30am–1pm & 2.30–9pm, Sun 8.30am–1pm.

DIRECTORY

Banks and exchange There are many banks with ATMs on Av Général Kettani between Bd Hassan II and Bd Mohammed V, plus BMCE and Banque Populaire on Av Kennedy near the junction of Av du 29 Février in Talborjt. Forex bureaux include Change Err, 31 Av Kennedy (Mon–Sat 8.30am–9pm, Sun 10am–9pm), and Currency Exchange Point, on the beach 100m north of Jour et Nuit restaurant (supposedly daily 10am–10pm, but often closed).

Cinema Cine Sahara on Pl Lahcen Tamri in Talborjt is very cheap and specializes in Bollywood epics and martial-arts action films.

Consulates Ireland, Hôtel Kenzi Europa, Bd du 20 Août ( 0528 821212,  mahfoud@kenzi-hotles.com); UK, English Pub, Bd du 20 Août   0528 841219.

Doctors and clinics Most of the big hotels can provide addresses for English-speaking doctors. Clinique al Massira, on Av Prince Moulay Abdallah at the junction of Av du 29 Février ( 0528 843238) has 24hr emergency service.

Pharmacies There’s a night pharmacy at the town hall behind the main post office, and a list of pharmacies de garde (all-night chemists) posted in the windows of most town pharmacies.

Post offices The main post office is right at the top of Av de Prince Sidi Mohammed (Mon–Fri 8am–4.15pm, stamps and some other services till 6pm; Sat 9am–1pm). There’s a branch post office on Av du 29 Février in Talborjt, opposite the Ensemble Artisanal, with similar hours, and a very small one on Bd du 20 Août near the junction of Chemin de Oued Souss (Mon–Fri 9am–12.30pm). There’s also a DHL office on Av Mohammed V (Mon–Fri 8.30am–12.30pm & 2.30–6.30pm, Sat 8.30am–12.30pm).

AGADIR’S MARKETS

Agadir has plenty of touristy shops, but its markets offer more of a Moroccan feel. The Municipal Market (daily 9am–8pm) is a two-storey concrete block in the centre of town between Avenue des FAR and Avenue Prince Sidi Mohammed, with a display of wet fish downstairs cheek by jowl with fossils and handicrafts. Upstairs, it’s mostly souvenir shops with rather high prices. Talborjt has a plain and simple little food market (daily 8am–6pm) on Rue Mahdi Ibn Toumert just northwest of Place Lahcen Tamri, selling mostly fruit and veg.

  Agadir’s most impressive market, however, is the Souk el Had, in a massive walled enclosure on Rue Chair al Hamra (Tues–Sun 8am–6pm), selling fruit, vegetables, household goods and clothes, with a few tourist stalls thrown in. Sunday is the big day, when it spreads out over the neighbouring streets, as people come from all over the region to buy and sell their wares.

< Back to Agadir, the Souss and Anti-Atlas

Around Agadir

There are a few enchanting places within easy day-trip reach of Agadir, and some are worth an overnight stay at least. To the south is the Massa lagoon, which forms part of a national park and functions as an important breeding ground for birds. Heading north instead, the coastal road passes first through the industrial suburb of Anza, though beyond that is a great swathe of beach, interrupted here and there by headlands and for the most part deserted. Charming Taghazout is the best spot around here, though some choose to stay in the uglier communes of Aourir and Tamraght just to its south. North of Taghazout, 25km Plage (its distance from Agadir) is an attractive beach by a rocky headland, with good surfing. From here on to Cap Rhir, a stretch also known as Paradis Plage, are many little beaches, with caves on the rocky outcrops, including a really superb strand at Amesnaz, 33km from Agadir. Even further on is Cap Rhir (41km north of Agadir), a good surf-spot.

  To the northeast is the tiny hamlet of Immouzer, famed for a waterfall with a highly scenic plunge pool. The 7002 road here leaves the N1 coast road at Aourir, 12km north of Agadir; on the way up you’ll pass Paradise Valley, a beautiful palm-lined gorge with a number of auberges and camping opportunities. Lastly, a surfaced road – mountainous, but incredibly scenic – connects Immouzer with the N8 Agadir–Marrakesh road, allowing easy access from Ameskroud, Taroudant or Marrakesh.

BIRDWATCHING AROUND AGADIR

The Oued Massa has a rich mix of habitats and draws a fabulous array of birds. The sandbars are visited in the early morning by flocks of sandgrouse (black-bellied and spotted) and often shelter large numbers of cranes; the ponds and reedbed margins conceal various waders, such as black-tailed godwit, turnstone, dunlin and snipe, as well as the black-headed bush shrike (tschagra) and little crake; the deeper open waters provide feeding grounds for greater flamingo, spoonbill, white stork and black-winged stilt; and overhead the skies are patrolled by marsh harrier and osprey. The surrounding scrubby areas also hold black-headed bush shrike and a variety of nocturnal mammals such as Egyptian mongoose, cape hare and jackal, while Sidi Rbat has a local population of Mauritanian toads. Twenty kilometres inland, the Barrage Youssef Ben Tachfine is an enormous freshwater reservoir where possible sightings include black wheatear and rock dove.

  If the Oued Souss is flowing (it often dries out), the Souss estuary is also of interest to birdwatchers. The northern banks of the river have good views of a variety of waders and wildfowl including greater flamingo (most evident in Aug and Sept), spoonbill, ruddy shelduck, avocet, greenshank and curlew, while the surrounding scrubby banks also have large numbers of migrant warblers and Barbary partridge. The Royal Palace, built in the 1980s in an imaginative blend of traditional and modern forms, can be glimpsed from the riverbank, but is not open to visitors. To reach the estuary by road, take the Inezgane road out of Agadir (bus #21 or #23 from Avenue Mohammed V), to the junction 7km out of town, where a sign announces the beginning of Inezgane’s city limits; turn right here, opposite a military base, but be warned if wandering around the woods here that there have been reports of robberies, sometimes at knifepoint, so leave your valuables behind, and don’t go alone.

  Lastly, the area around Cap Rhir (41km north of Agadir), together with Tamri village and lagoon (3km further north), is good for birdwatching – including the rare bald ibis, Madeiran and Bulwer’s petrels, Cory’s and Manx shearwaters, gannets, common scoter and Audouin’s gulls. There have been reports of birdwatchers being menaced here by youths, so – again – it’s best not to come alone.

Massa lagoon

The Massa lagoon, on the coast around 40km south of Agadir, is part of the Souss–Massa National Park, and is one of Morocco’s most important bird habitats, attracting unusual desert visitors and often packed with flamingos, avocets and ducks. The best times to visit are March to April and October to November. Most transport takes you to Massa village, from which you can walk along the oued, an area rich in birdlife, and to the beach at Sidi Rbat. It was here in 682 AD, according to legend, that the Arab general Okba Ibn Nafi, after sweeping westward with his armies to take North Africa for Islam, famously rode his horse into the ocean, declaring before God that only the sea prevented him from going further. The beach itself is often misty and overcast – even when Agadir is basking in the sun – but on a clear day, it’s as good as anywhere else and the walks are enjoyable.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: MASSA

By car Transport of your own is a considerable advantage for getting to, and exploring, the lagoon area; the closest rental agencies are in Agadir.

By taxi You could charter a taxi in Agadir for the day (around 600dh, including 2hr waiting time), though you’ll save a lot of money by heading first to Inezgane, then taking a grand taxi from there (20dh).

By bus The #42 runs from Inezgane, just south of Agadir every 30min till 7pm (11dh).

On a tour It’s possible to hop on a group tour in Agadir; prices are usually 350dh per person for the day, including a visit to Tiznit.

ACCOMMODATION

 La Dune  0666 807824,  ladune.de. Painted in shocking pink, this hotel features seven elegant guest rooms, all with terraces boasting superlative beach views, as well as seven Berber-style tents that are arguably even more pleasant to stay in. Excellent value, all in all, and the food’s good. Tent 250dh, BB double 390dh

Ksar Massa  0661 280319,  www.ksarmassa.com. A gorgeous and isolated kasbah-style resort with a swimming pool, hammam, restaurant and beach, not to mention sumptuous rooms done out with different colours and materials in each, mostly inspired by different parts of Morocco. There’s also the option of sleeping in a deluxe caidal (Bedouin-style tent) instead. BB tent 1100dh, double 1900dh

Aourir

Twelve kilometres north of Agadir, the coastal road hits the small, bustling, pleasantly ugly town of AOURIR. Together with its sister village of Tamraght, a kilometre beyond and slowly being shut off from the beach by large-scale development, they’re often jointly known as “Banana Village” after the banana groves that divide them; the roadside stalls sell local bananas in season. It’s only really worth staying if you plan to surf, or see somewhere both coastal and genuinely “local” in feel; otherwise, Taghazout to the north is far more attractive, and almost as close to the breaks in any case.

  Aourir and Tamraght share Banana Beach, a sandy strip broken by the Oued Tamraght, the dividing line between the two villages. Banana Beach is especially good for less experienced surfers, with slower, fatter breaks than those at points to the north. Around 2km north of Tamraght, a prominent rocky headland, Les Roches du Diable, is flanked by further good beaches, including Cro Cro Beach to its north, where surfboards can be rented.

TOP BOATS ON TAGHAZOUT BEACH; PALAIS SALAM, TAROUDANT

ARRIVAL, ACTIVITIES AND INFORMATION: AOURIR

By bus Buses #31, #32 and #33 from Agadir stop here roughly every 20min between them (20min; 5dh), with the latter two continuing on to Taghazout.

By grand taxi You can take a grand taxi here from the main rank in Agadir, though given the frequency of the buses it’s only worth doing if you want to charter a cab for yourself (handy if you have a surfboard, for example); this will cost around 80dh from the roundabout near Agadir port, and a set 300dh from the airport. There are also shared taxis from Aourir to Paradise Valley and Immouzer (30dh); as usual, it’s best to try early in the day, though there are still quite a few in the afternoon.

Treks and rental vehicles Just north of Tamraght, Amodou Cheval ( 0662 200474,  amodoucheval.com) offers horse and camel treks into the mountains behind the coast, as well as buggies and quad bikes for hire.

Money There’s an ATM next door to the Hotel Littoral, and though it’s fairly reliable, you’re advised to bring along enough money to last a day or two, at least.

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

There are a few cheap eateries in the market-like area heading inland from the crossroads. Aourir is dry, too, so bring your own alcohol from Agadir, if you want any.

Camping Atlantica Km14  0528 315592,  atlanticaparc.com. A huge, relatively new campsite a little north of Aourir, full of retired Europeans in large camper vans, on little plots divided by hedges, giving it the air of a prim small-town suburb on the Continent – there are even prefab bungalows. It has a large pool and direct access to Cro Cro Beach, and a little shade provided by the trees between the plots. Camping 120dh, chalet 600dh

Littoral Km12, by the roundabout in the centre of Aourir  0528 314726,  hotellittoral.com. This two-star is Aourir’s best hotel, just north of the Immouzer turn-off, on the inland side of the road, with spotless, peach-coloured rooms, tiled blue floors, self-catering suites and a pool. A bargain compared to Agadir’s hostelries. The restaurant (daily 11.30am–3pm & 6.30–10pm) offers a variety of fish and pasta dishes, including pesto (40dh) or Napolitana (35dh) for vegetarians, or richer dishes such as lamb with dried plums (60dh). 310dh

 Tajine Aourir Km12, opposite the Afriquia petrol station  0528 314131. With splendid views across the river to Tamraght from its cheery upper-floor terrace, this is the best of a short line of restaurants in the area just north of the roundabout, all of which are hugely popular with weekenders from Agadir. Most tajine-ed meats go for 80dh for a half-kilo (enough for two), and there are various brochettes on offer from 50dh; get here by mid-afternoon, before they start to run out of ingredients. Daily 10am–10pm.

Taghazout

At one time, the fishing village of TAGHAZOUT – six kilometres north of Aourir, and eighteen from Agadir – was Morocco’s hippy resort par excellence; with its pleasing curl of sand broken up by large rocks, and surrounded by an amphitheatre-like parade of salmon-pink buildings fringed with baby blue, you can see why. The clientele has changed somewhat, since Taghazout is now the country’s main surf resort instead, but the laidback vibe and friendly relationship between villagers and tourists remain; very few travellers stay for less than a week.

SURFING AROUND TAGHAZOUT

There are absolutely loads of surf spots along the coast both north and south of Taghazout. For right-footed surfers, the points just north are an absolute paradise, with a cluster of excellent right-hand breaks. Killers, 6km north of the village and named after the killer whales which are often seen here, has one of the most consistent breaks, a powerful, perfectly peeling charger which breaks over a cliff shelf. Source, just south of Killers, is so called for the fresh water bubbling up underneath it. Anchor Point, just north of Taghazout, has long waves and big breaks, while at the north end of the village beach itself, Hash Point is supposedly used by those too stoned to make it to the others.

  Another surf haven is Cap Rhir, 41km from Agadir and distinguished by its 1926 French-built lighthouse. A prime surfing spot is Boilers, a powerful right break named after the relic of a shipwreck that’s perched on an island: the paddle-out between the wreck and the shore demands good duckdiving or immaculate timing to avoid being washed up by sets. Draculas, a fast, shallow right named after its pincushion of sea urchins, breaks just inshore of Boilers. There are also good surf spots north and south of Taghazout, notably at Banana Beach between Aourir and Tamraght, and Cro Cro Beach just north of Tamraght.

PRACTICALITIES

If you’re not bringing surfing gear along, there are plenty of rental spots in and around Taghazout – several dedicated surf shops rent out, sell or repair boards, and sell surfing accoutrements. The main movers and shakers on the surfing scene are British firm Surf Maroc ( surfmaroc.co.uk), who rent out equipment from their office at Taghazout Villa, and offer surf guiding and tuition along with accommodation in Taghazout. They offer special surf-and-stay packages at their two hotels, and rent out apartments at surfing spots further north. Also worth checking out is Surf Berbere (  surfberbere.com), who have a guesthouse just off the main road and a café on the beachfront; their week-long surf-and-stay packages are good value, and there are yoga options available too. Whoever you’re going with, a surf lesson should set you back around €30 for two hours, including board, suit and transport. Those who already know how to surf can pay €25 for a half-day for the transport alone, while those who need neither tuition or direction can grab a board and suit for around €10 a day. Almugar Surf Shop (  almugarsurfmorocco.com), by the bus stop in Taghazout, also rent and repair surfing equipment.

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: TAGHAZOUT

By bus Buses #32 and #33 head here from Agadir, via Aourir, running every 30min or so between them (25min; 7dh).

By grand taxi Grands taxis come here from the main rank in Agadir, or if you want to charter a cab for yourself (good for those with a surfboard) it’ll cost around 100dh from the roundabout near Agadir port, or a fixed fee of 300dh from the airport.

Money There are no ATMs in Taghazout – the closest one is 6km away in Aourir – so bring as much cash as you need from Agadir or elsewhere. You can usually pay for accommodation online or in person by card.

ACCOMMODATION

Local firms rent out apartments, typically at around 250dh a night for a one-bed place or 350dh for a two-bed, but you may be able to find a cheaper deal by renting a room from a local family. You’ll need to haggle, but two people should be able to get a room for 150–200dh a night or less, especially if staying for a week or more.

L’Auberge Taghazout main beach  0528 200272,  surfmaroc.co.uk. Once a beach guesthouse for hippies, this place just grows and grows, with new facilities all the time, but still manages to be easy-going, informal and friendly. It’s a delightful place to stay, with small but pleasant rooms, hot-water showers, a roof terrace, movie room (often as not showing surfing films) and a restaurant downstairs. BB 700dh

Résidence Main road in the centre of town  0528 200381,  taghazoutriad@gmail.com. A relatively cheap spot, especially if you’re in a small group – the rooms here sleep at least four in moderate comfort, and they come with little kitchenettes. BB 300dh

Surf Berbere Just off the main road in the centre of town  0528 200368,  surfberbere.com. Though the simple rooms in this guesthouse are usually rented by the week as part of surf packages (it’s also possible to take them by the day. Breakfast is served at a beachside café with grand views of the Atlantic bashing in. BB 300dh

 Taghazout Villa Main road at north end of town  0528 200368,  surfmaroc.co.uk. Larger rooms than the Auberge, with the option of a dorm bed too, and they serve dinner. There’s free tea and instant coffee all day, and they even have yoga classes on the terrace, which has great views over Anchor Point, and they arrange surf lessons. All in all, it’s fun and well run. BB dorm 350dh, double 700dh

EATING AND DRINKING

Small restaurants in the village serve up grilled fresh fish and fish tajines as well as the usual Moroccan fare and typical tourist breakfasts. Note that the place is Sahara-dry as far as alcohol goes – the staff at Taghazout Villa organize occasional booze-runs to Agadir.

Aftas Just next to l’Auberge. A juice bar serving juices and smoothies at 15dh for a quarter-litre, 25dh for half a litre, although most of the juices are actually just orange juice with a few morsels of other fruit added and whizzed in a blender. They also have breakfasts for 30dh. Daily 8.30am–10pm.

 L’Auberge Taghazout main beach  0528 200272. Dishes on offer at the restaurant here include a number of vegetarian options such as falafel in pitta bread with all the trimmings (50dh), juicy avocado burgers (75dh), or chickpea and vegetable curry with couscous (45dh). Indeed, the food here makes a nice change from the standard dishes sold at all the other restaurants in town. There’s also a set menu for 80dh. Daily 8am–10pm, sometimes later.

Dar Joséphine Main road near the southern end of town  0528 200336. The most attractive restaurant on the main road by far, though be sure to nab a table on the elegant outdoor terrace for the full effect. The food on the blackboard changes by the day, and is usually an interesting mix of local and European – expect to see goodies such as grated carrot in orange and cinnamon (25dh), or calamari in spicy sauce (65dh); the set meals are decent value at 89dh. Daily 9am–11pm.

Panorama Just off the main road at the southern end of town  0602 179675. A simple restaurant overlooking the beach at the south end of the village. Dishes include brochettes (50dh) and omelettes (20dh), though at any one time they’ll only have about half of the menu actually available. It’s better as a scenic spot for tea (10dh), best enjoyed from the money seats with views of the plate-like rock formations below. Daily 9am–10pm.

Paradise Valley

Daily 24hr • Free

Paradise Valley begins around 10km east of Aourir – a deep, palm-lined gorge, with a river snaking along the base. There’s a well-marked 2.7km walking trail at around 28km from Aourir, heading uphill most of the way to rejoin the road – it’s also pleasant to delve down into the ravine and try to figure your own way back out. With more time in hand, you can hire a mule to explore the valley’s Berber villages (ask at the hotels), and it’s a glorious place to camp, though pitch your tent well away from the riverbed in case of flash floods.

ARGAN TREES

One of the stranger sights of the Souss and surrounding coastal region is goats browsing among the branches of spiny, knotted argan trees, a species similar to the olive that is found only in this region. Though some younger goatherds seem to have a sideline in charging tourists to take photographs, the actual object of the exercise is to let the goats eat the outer, fleshy part of the argan fruit. The hard, inner nut is then cracked open and the kernel crushed to extract the expensive oil.

  Argan oil is sweet and rich, and is used in many Moroccan dishes and in salads, or for dunking bread. It is also used to make amalou, a delicious dip of honey and almond paste. An expensive delicacy, argan oil is not easily extracted: while one olive tree provides around five litres of olive oil, it takes the nuts from thirty argan trees to make just one litre of argan oil. Plastic bottles of argan oil are occasionally sold at the roadside in the Oued Souss area, but are very often adulterated with cheaper oils. It is therefore better to buy argan oil or amalou from a trustworthy source such as Argan Naturel in Agadir, Hôtel Tifrit in Paradise Valley, or specialist shops in Marrakesh or Essaouira. Argan oil is also sometimes sold in larger supermarkets.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: PARADISE VALLEY

By public transport Trucks, minibuses and shared taxis between Aourir and Immouzer will set you down at Paradise Valley on request, and will pick you up if not full; you’re likely to be charged around 20dh for the trip.

By car and motorbike It’s a lovely ride up from Aourir, though be sure to take the right-hand fork after the main body of the village – the left-hand one looks like the main road, but leads to a dead-end.

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

Auberge Bab Immouzer 2.5km above Paradise Valley  0528 216395,  aubergebabimouzer.com. Not quite such good value as the other auberges, nor as well kept, though it benefits from a large swimming pool surrounded by a spacious sun terrace, well hidden away from the road. There are good views from the restaurant (daily 8am–8pm; tajines 50–60dh), but the small windows in the rooms mean that they don’t share it, and the cheaper rooms don’t really have a view at all. 250dh

Auberge la Bonne Franquette Aqseri, 5km above Paradise Valley  0528 823191. A couple of kilometres further up the road than the other auberges, this French-farmhouse-style auberge has five very charming split-level bungalows (sleeping area upstairs, sitting area downstairs), a pool and a French restaurant. BB 550dh

 Auberge le Panoramic 3.5km above Paradise Valley  0528 216709,  auberge-le-panoramic.com. Run by a charming family, this place certainly lives up to its name, with impressive views down the valley and a panoramic terrace where you can take lunch. There’s another panoramic terrace on the roof of its accommodation wing, which is just across the road, boasting a swimming pool and its own little fruit orchard. It’s worth taking half-board here (250dh), unless you plan to eat at one of the other auberges. The restaurant is open 8am–midnight (tajines 50dh). 200dh

Tifrit 3km above Paradise Valley (500m below Auberge le Panoramic)  0528 216708,  hotel-tifrit.net. Run by the same family as the Panoramic, and set among palms and olives, this small auberge has cool rooms, a swimming pool, and fine Moroccan meals on its terrace (restaurant daily 7am–midnight; tajines 55dh); they also sell locally made honey and argan oil. HB 475dh

Immouzer

Heading east from Paradise Valley, a further 25km of winding mountain road takes you to the village of IMMOUZER, a small regional and market centre of the Ida Outanane tribe, tucked away in a westerly outcrop of the Atlas and renowned for a lofty waterfall, whose base is within walking distance down the slopes. Bar the waterfall and a refreshing, rarified air, there’s not too much else of tourist interest here, bar a souk held every Thursday. The local speciality is honey, made by bees that browse on wild thyme, lavender and other mountain herbs. There’s also a five-day honey moussem in late July or early to mid-August. Note if you are considering buying honey here that it may well be illegal for you to import it into your home country.

Waterfalls

4km from Immouzer • Daily 24hr • Free • 1hr on foot from Immouzer; 70dh by taxi, including waiting time

The spectacular waterfalls for which Immouzer has long been renowned are best seen at their foot, 4km downhill to the northwest of the village and flanked by a clutch of souvenir stalls. Unfortunately the falls have been very adversely affected by drought of late; tight control of irrigation now reduces the cascade on most occasions to a trickle, with the villagers “turning on” the falls for special events only. However, the petrified canopy of the falls is of interest in its own right, and there’s a full plunge pool, one that’s rather chilly even at the height of summer.

  A surfaced road twists down to the foot of the falls, though it’s far more pleasant for pedestrians to take the footpath which branches off the road just after it starts heading downhill. Additionally, and even more thrillingly, a path from the lowest point in the garden of the Hôtel des Cascades follows a water channel across cliffs; it’s then possible to scramble down into the olive groves, but it isn’t a route for the timid or unfit (or those in flip-flops), and ascending again is harder still.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: IMMOUZER

By public transport From Agadir, take a grand taxi or city bus to Aourir, from where there are shared grands taxis and minibuses to Immouzer (30dh). The most frequent services are on Thurs, when the weekly souk is held, but on other days you shouldn’t have too long to wait.

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

Amalou At the end of the waterfall road, near the foot of the falls  0528 846966. More-than-acceptable budget option with simple rooms, a swimming pool (summer only), and a restaurant serving surprisingly good food – try the chicken-and-lemon tajines (60dh). 250dh

 Des Cascades Signposted from the main square  0528 826016,  cascades-hotel.net. A delightful place, set amid gardens of vines, apple and olive trees, roses and hollyhocks, with a panorama of the mountains rolling down to the coast (all rooms have a balcony and a share of the view), and a spectacular path down to the foot of the falls. The food, too, is memorable, and there’s a swimming pool (summer only) and tennis court. The hotel can organize trekking on foot or by donkey, maintains gîtes to overnight in, and has arrangements with families further afield to put up guests. 572dh

Le Miel Near the end of the waterfall road. When visiting the falls, eat at Hotel Amalou, but grab your coffee here (10dh) – it’s the best you’ll find for miles around. They do other simple snacks and drinks as well. Daily 8am–7pm.

< Back to Agadir, the Souss and Anti-Atlas

Taroudant

With its majestic, tawny-brown and honey-gold circuit of walls, TAROUDANT is one of the most elegant towns in Morocco. Its position at the heart of the fertile Souss valley has always given it a commercial and political importance, and the Saadians briefly made it their capital in the sixteenth century before moving on to Marrakesh. Taroudant is a friendly, laidback sort of place, with a population of around 70,000 and the good-natured bustle of a Berber market town. While on your walk around, note the distinctive, highly beautiful blue veils that many of the older local ladies wear. It’s a good base for trekking into the Western High Atlas or the Jebel Sirwa as well as for two superb road routes – north over the Tizi n’Test to Marrakesh, and south to Tata, Foum el Hassan and beyond.

  Despite its extensive ramparts and large tracts of open space, the town is quite compact. Within the walled “inner city” there are just two main squares – Place Assarag (officially renamed Place Alaouyine) and Place Talmoklate (officially Place en Nasr) – and these mark the centre of town, with the main souk area between them to the north. The pedestrianized area of Place Assarag is the centre of activity, and comes alive in late afternoon as the sun’s heat eases off and people come out to promenade. Lately it has seen the return of performers such as storytellers, snake charmers and musicians – as in Marrakesh’s Jemaa el Fna, but on a smaller scale, of course.

The walls

7km walking circuit around the exterior; also possible to tour by bicycle, or take a calèche from just inside Bab el Kasbah

The town’s walls and bastions, now restored in many places, make an enjoyable 7km circuit, which is best undertaken in the late afternoon, in order to witness the ramparts getting fired up by the sunset. Unfortunately there are no paths atop the walls, meaning that you’ll have to go around the outside, though there are stairs up onto them at the Bab el Kasbah, a triple-arched structure that’s the most imposing of the city’s several gates. The finest stretch, in architectural terms, runs south from there to Bab Zorgane, though the setting sun often plays fancy tricks on the north-facing sections around Bab el Khemis and Bab el Djedid.

The kasbah

Just to the north of Bab el Kasbah, the kasbah was originally a Saadian winter palace complex, and contains the ruins of a fortress built by Moulay Ismail. You won’t see much these days – the kasbah is now home to the city jail, a fire station and a law court, and isn’t at all photogenic.

The souks

Aside from its ramparts, Taroudant’s main attractions are its two daily souks: the Souk Arab, immediately east of Place Assarag (and north of Place Talmoklate), and the Marché Berbère, south of Place Talmoklate. There’s also a diverting Thursday market a little way north of the walls.

Souk Arab

Many entrances, but easiest approached along the lane by the BMCE bank, or from Pl Assarag • At least some stalls open 6am–10pm • Free

Also known as the “belt” market, the Souk Arab is good for rugs, carpets, leather goods and other traditional crafts, but especially jewellery. This comes mainly from the Anti-Atlas villages (little of it is as “antique” as the sellers would have you believe), though until the 1960s there was an artisan quarter here of predominantly Jewish craftsmen. For good-quality wares, the Antiquaire Haut Atlas is recommended.

Marché Berbère

Easiest access is via Pl Talmoklate • Most stalls 7am–5pm, some later • Free

The Marché Berbère has more everyday items than the Arab souk, with spices and vegetables as well as clothing and pottery, and again jewellery and carpets. On your way out, the facade of the disused cinema off its northwestern corner is worth a little peek.

Thursday market

1km north of Bab el Khemis, then easily visible on the left • Thurs 5am–1pm • Free

The Thursday market, where Berbers from the villages sell farm produce and sometimes craftwork, takes place up the road from the northeast gate, Bab el Khemis. This market once took place in an area just north of the gate, but in 2014 was moved to a “proper” gated compound by the local government, ostensibly to facilitate tax collection. Nevertheless, there are usually far too many tradespeople to fit into the place, and the large yard out front provides additional market space (tax-free, presumably).

The tanneries

Turn left outside Bab Targhount, then right after 100m • Gates usually open 8am–6pm • Free

The leather tanneries are outside the town walls on account of their smell – leather is cured in cattle urine and pigeon droppings – and for the proximity to a ready supply of water. Compared with those in Marrakesh or Fez, they are small, but tidy. Sheep, cow and goat leather articles are all on sale, but don’t buy skins of rare or endangered species, which are also unfortunately on sale: their importation is banned in most Western countries, and buying them, or indeed patronizing shops which sell them, encourages illegal poaching of rare animals.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: TAROUDANT

By bus Buses use Taroudant’s gare routière, which is a yard just outside the walls by Bab Zorgane. Buses to Freija use a stop outside the town hall at the beginning of the Ouarzazate road. There are buses to Marrakesh via the thrilling road of Tizi n’Test each Sat morning; otherwise, get a minivan from the gare routière to Tin Mal, and onward transport from there.

Destinations: Agadir (3 daily; 1hr 45min); Casablanca (13 daily; 8–10hr); Igherm (3 daily; 2hr 30min); Marrakesh (6 daily; 4hr); Ouarzazate (6 daily; 5hr); Rabat (3 daily; 13hr); Taliouine (5 daily; 2hr); Tata (3 daily; 4hr 30min).

By grand taxi Grands taxis use a yard immediately west of the one used by buses. If heading to Agadir and the drivers try to give you any nonsense about baggage charges (which Moroccans do not pay), you can always take a taxi to Inezgane and another one on from there. To Tata, there are rarely direct shared grands taxis; set off early in the day to avoid getting stranded at Igherm.

Destinations: Agadir (1hr 15min); Aoulouz (1hr); Freija (20min); Igherm (1hr 30min); Inezgane (1hr 15min); Marrakesh (4hr); Ouled Berhil (40min); Taliouine (1hr 30min).

TREKKING FROM TAROUDANT

From Taroudant’s rooftop terraces, the fang-like peaks of Awlim (3482m) and Tinerghwet (3551m) look temptingly close on the rugged northern skyline. The area is easily reached from Taroudant, as is the Tichka Plateau. The Jebel Sirwa is also within practical reach of the town; you should really allow at least a week for a cursory visit, more if possible. One of the very best trekking routes in Morocco, nicknamed “The Wonder Walk”, is a two-week trip up to the plateau and on to Jebel Toubkal, Morocco’s highest peak.

  If you are interested in a guided trek, contact El Aouad Ali through the hotels Roudani or Taroudant. He is a highly knowledgeable, English-speaking mountain expert, and can organize treks at short notice if need be. It is best to avoid other agencies as there have been some unpleasant rip-offs by cowboy operators.

GETTING AROUND

By petit taxi There are plent of petits taxis for short journeys (usually to be found in Pl Assarag); 10–20dh will get you more or less anywhere around town.

By bicycle You can rent bicycles by the hour, half- or full-day from a little shop on Av Mohammed V just off Pl Assarag between Crédit du Maroc and Bank Attijaraiwafa (10dh/hr, 60dh/day). There’s another one with the same prices further down the road.

By car Many choose to rent a car here to chalk off the sights around town and some of the surrounding countryside; it’s also a good start-finish point for those tackling the Tata circuit. There are several rental spots dotted around town – ask your hotel for details of the one closest to you.

By calèche You’ll see a fair few horse-drawn calèches angling for business around town, particularly around Bab el Kasbah; 60–70dh is a fair hourly rate for two passengers.

ACCOMMODATION

WITHIN THE WALLS

Mini Atlas Av el Mansour Eddahbi  0528 551880. The staff here are very friendly and the rooms are small but sparkling, with en-suite showers, though hot water only runs 6–10am & 6–11pm. Breakfast costs an extra 20dh per person. No wi-fi. 130dh

 Palais Oumensour Borj Oumensour  0528 550215,  palaisoumensour.com. A bit of a gem, tucked away at the end of a calm side street in the city centre. The pool is small but certainly does the trick after a long day of walking, and the rooms are beautifully appointed, with huge bathrooms (though the toilet cubicles can be tricky to get into). BB 934dh

Palais Salam Av Moulay Ismail  0528 852501,  palaissalam-taroudant.com. A package hotel in a nineteenth-century palace, just inside the ramparts of the kasbah (entrance is outside the walls). It’s worth asking for a room or suite in the towers or garden pavilions, rather than on the new modern floor. Facilities include two swimming pools, a cocktail bar and three restaurants. BB 934dh

De la Place Pl Assarag  0528 852623. Though it’s in a good location, on the main square (enter through the tearoom), the rooms are a bit grubby and very basic, with shared bathroom facilities and no hot water. If you can negotiate a reduced rate, however, its low price might make it worthwhile for tight budgets. No wi-fi. 80dh

Riad Maryam 40 Derb Maalem Mohammed, signposted off Av Mohammed V  0528 551112,  riadmaryam.com. Taroudant’s first riad, with six rooms and a suite around a lovely patio garden. The decor is interesting (a double-edged sword), but it has a certain charm, as do the family who run the place, and the food is wonderful. It’s a little hard to find – ask directions when you’re in the area. BB 825dh

Saadiens Borj Oumensour  0528 852473,  hotsaadi@iam.net.ma. A quiet hotel, north of the two main squares, with a rooftop restaurant, a patisserie and a swimming pool, but its rooms could do with a revamp, and there’s hot water mornings and evenings only. BB 280dh

Taroudant Pl Assarag  0528 852416. A Taroudant institution and the oldest hotel in town, this was run by a grand old French patronne up until her death in 1988, and retains her influence – and some of her old poster collection. Very good value, with a patio garden, and charmingly tiled rooms. No wi-fi. 200dh

 El Warda 8 Pl Talmoklate  0528 852763. By far the best deal among the cheapies, offering clean, cosy rooms with en-suite toilets and shared hot showers. Rooms at the front have balconies overlooking the square; those at the back are quieter but get less light. No wi-fi. 100dh

OUTSIDE THE WALLS

 Chambres d’Hôtes Les Amis 800m west of Bab Targhount  0667 601686,  chambresdesamis.com. A stay at this guesthouse is more like being in a Moroccan family home than a hotel, with clean and pleasant rooms, constant hot water, a roof terrace, and use of the kitchen. An extra 80dh will get you dinner, too. BB 140dh

 Dar Zitoune 2km south of town, on the Agadir road  0528 551141,  darzitoune.com. The best upmarket choice in town, with fourteen a/c bungalows and eight suites all set in a magnificent garden, and a new “Berber village” of stylish tents out back. There are two large pools, and a smaller one featuring a jacuzzi and heated water. It’s a little way out of town, though mercifully the food is also excellent if you’d rather not move too far for dinner. BB 1200dh

Gazelle d’Or 1km southwest of town, on the Ameskroud road  0528 852039,  boutiquehotelgazelledor.com. An extraordinary place: a hunting lodge created by a French baron in the 1920s, in a Morocco-meets-Provence style. It was converted to a hotel after World War II, and guests (mostly super-rich Brits) stay in bungalows in the lush gardens. Rates are among the highest in North Africa, and one dresses for dinner. They usually like you to take half board, though this may be negotiable off-season; facilities include horseriding and croquet. Advance reservation is compulsory; you won’t be allowed past the gate if you don’t have one. HB 6400dh

 Riad el Aïssi Nouayl el Homr, on the Ameskroud road  0661 173089,  riadelaissi.com. A beautifully restful place in a little village 3km southeast of town (past the Gazelle d’Or), set amid nineteen hectares of orange, lemon and banana trees in a 1930 pasha’s mansion, and both owned and managed by a local lady (unusual, in these parts). The rooms are enormous, and each comes with an individual terrace; rounding out the picture are a pool with beautiful views of the mountains to the north, and a restaurant serving excellent Moroccan and Italian food. It’s around 20dh from the centre, though call and the staff may pick you up. BB 440dh

EATING AND DRINKING

For real budget eats, there are a few stands selling small sandwiches filled with merguez (5dh) or sardine balls (3dh), though for tax reasons most have, sadly, gone the way of the dodo. If you’re in luck, you’ll find one on Av Bir Zaran, and another opposite the cinema abutting the Marché Berbère; both open at 4.30pm. Juice shops around town sell all kinds of concoctions including creamy avocado with almond milk, but for freshly pressed orange and grapefruit juice you can’t beat the stalls on Pl Talmoklate. Lastly, the best places to drink in town are the bars at the Dar Zitoune and Palais Salam hotels.

WITHIN THE WALLS

Chez Nada Av Moulay Rachid. Excellent tajines, an 80dh set menu, and even pastilla (90–95dh), though you have to order it two hours in advance, and they don’t have a phone, so you can’t call ahead. The food is served upstairs and way up on the roof terrace, as the downstairs is a café; all the better, especially around sunset. Daily noon–3pm & 7–11pm.

Oasis Pl Assarag. The most popular of the many cafés around the city’s colourful main square, selling so-so pizza (40dh) and spaghetti (25dh) to those in need of something non-native to tickle their tastebuds, but far more notable for its tea and espresso (avoid the overmilky café au lait), and crêpes à l’orange (13dh). They also sometimes stick international football games on in the evening. Daily 5am–10pm.

Riad Maryam 40 Derb Maalem Mohammed, signposted off Av Mohammed V  0528 551112. The Moroccan home cooking here is so good that it has featured more than once in the French gourmet magazine Saveurs. Non-residents can eat here for 200dh, but must book at least two hours ahead. Daily noon–10pm.

Roudani Pl Assarag  0528 852219. Simple Moroccan dishes are on offer at this hotel restaurant such as tajines and couscous, but all tasty, fresh and well prepared. Food is served at tables on the square – a great place to take in the evening atmosphere or daytime bustle. Meals (set menu 60dh) are served noon–8.30pm, with breakfasts served 9–11am, and coffee or tea all day. Daily 9am–10.30pm.

OUTSIDE THE WALLS

 Jnane Soussia Av Mohammed V  0528 854980. Very traditional Moroccan cuisine served in a relaxed, open-air restaurant just south of the walls, set around a star-shaped pool, with views of orange trees and music stirring the air. There’s veal tajine with prunes (75dh), chicken tajine with lemon and olives (65dh) or, if ordered in advance, mechoui (roast lamb) or pigeon tajine with raisins (110dh). As tradition dictates, couscous is served on Fri only. You can also drop in for a mint tea or mango juice. Daily 8am–9pm or later.

 Riad el Aïssi Nouayl el Homr  0661 173089,  riadelaissi.com. This excellent, out-of-the-way hotel churns out some great food, as much as possible of which is made with ingredients culled from their own gardens. Interestingly, Jacques Chirac once stopped by for a snack. They’re proudest of their goat tajine (100dh feeds two), but couscous (50dh) and other cheaper staples are available; the salad items and fruit juices are super fresh. It’s 20dh by taxi from the centre. Daily 7.30am–10.30pm.

SHOPPING

Antiquaire Haut Atlas Souk Arab  0528 852145. A lovely, and lovely-looking, antique shop in the Arab souk; to find it, entering the souk from Pl Assarag by the BMCE bank, continue roughly straight ahead, and it’s on the right after 200m. Daily 9am–8pm.

Avolay Moulay Rachid 52 Av Moulay Rachid. For something more offbeat than you’ll find at the markets, check out the distinctive sandstone sculptures sold by an eccentric local artist – most of them are flat, and ideal for hanging on walls. The shop is unsigned, but its wares are easy to spot at the front of the arcade it’s nestled into. Daily 9am–6pm.

Maison Berbère Off Pl Assarag  0528 850055. On a side street just north of the Roudani hotel, and signed from the main square, this sells elaborate tajines and vases, amid the regular touristy stuff. The owner speaks English, too. Daily 8am–10pm.

DIRECTORY

Banks and exchange Several banks on and around Pl Assarag have ATMs and exchange facilities, as do a trio east of Bab el Kasbah on Av Hassan II. There’s a forex bureau in Pl Talmoklate, on the corner of Av Bir Zaran (daily 8.30am–noon & 2.30–7pm, Sat & Sun 8.30am–1pm only in winter).

Car repairs There are garages and spares shops just inside and outside Bab Targhount, and inside Bab Zorgane.

Hammams Hammam Tunsi, 30 Av Mohammed V (daily: men 4–11am & 6pm–midnight, women 11am–6pm; 12dh, massage extra). There’s also a hammam with an entrance for men just next to the Hôtel el Warda, and an entrance for women round the back in an alley between 177 and 162 Av Mohammed V (daily 6am–11pm; 12dh).

< Back to Agadir, the Souss and Anti-Atlas

Around Taroudant

East of Taroudant, the spectacular kasbah in Freija is worth a stop, set in a lovely village which makes a good overnight layover. Further down the road, the oasis and kasbah of Tioute is also close enough to explore in a half-day’s trip by car, or an energetic day by rented bike.

THE ROAD FROM TAROUDANT TO TALIOUINE

The main road linking Taroudant and Taliouine (N10), has a few notable spots in which to stop, whether or not you’ve got your own vehicle; a couple of them also make great places to hunker down for the night.

  Heading east from Taroudant, you’ll first come across tiny Freija, which is worth a little wander around, though it’s a little tricky to get eastward transport from here. It’s easier to visit with your own wheels, which will also allow you to make a side-trip to the old kasbah in Tiout.

  Next comes Ouled Berhil, 43km east of Taroudant; it’s a non-entity of a town but of note for its old kasbah, 800m south of the main road (signposted from the centre of the village), which has been turned into a sumptuous hotel-restaurant, the Riad Hida ( 0528 531044,  riadhida.com; 690dh). This nineteenth-century palace was bought in the 1950s by Danish millionaire Börg Kastberg, who spent thirty years restoring it to its former glory. It now has deluxe rooms and suites, spacious grounds, a magnificent garden and a great restaurant (daily 11.30am–3pm & 7.30–10pm). Buses along the N10 stop in Ouled Berhil, and there are shared taxis to Taroudant and Aoulouz.

  Lastly, there’s the town of Aoulouz, 34km east of Ouled Berhil; it has quite a lively little market, at its busiest on Wednesdays and Sundays, but for travellers it’s more notable for the two daily buses (2pm & 5pm) to Marrakesh via Tizi n’Test, one of the most exciting mountain roads in Morocco: a series of hairpin bends cutting across the High Atlas. The best accommodation in town is Sahara on the main drag (  0672 674948; 120dh), with nice, fresh rooms and shared but clean bathroom facilities. There are shared taxis from the centre of the village to Taroudant (1hr), Inezgane (2hr 15min), Ouled Berhil (30min) and Taliouine (40min).

Freija

11km east of Taroudant • Hourly buses from just east of the kasbah in Taroudant; shared grands taxis from the Taroudant gare routière (7dh)

The ancient, fortified village of Freija stands atop a hill rising above the Oued Souss. The oued is quite wide here, and usually dry, but when it does flood, the hill keeps the pisé (mud-brick) houses safely high and dry. As well as being quite picturesque, and a good spot for birdwatching, Freija affords sweeping views of the river, the fertile plains beyond, and the High Atlas.

ACCOMMODATION

Riad Freija Just south of Freija, alongside the access road from the R1706  0528 216638,  riadfreija.ma. Freija’s old pisé kasbah has been converted into a great little hotel, complete with swimming pool. The decor in the bedrooms isn’t as posh as in some riads, but all are en suite with a/c in summer and heating in winter, and the location is superb. BB 450dh

Tiout

25km southeast of Taroudant • No public access • Infrequent grands taxis from Taroudant (mainly mornings and late afternoons; 12dh)

The stone-built Glaoui kasbah at TIOUT is one of the grandest in the south, and is still owned by the local caid. Profiled against the first foothills of the Anti-Atlas, it is a wonderfully romantic sight, and was used as a location in Jacques Becker’s 1954 French film Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. You can’t go in, but from near its ramparts you’ll be able to take in fabulous views over the luxuriant palmery, with the High Atlas peaks beyond.

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

Igrane By the main road below the kasbah  0618 790365. Villa in a great location, set off the main road just by the palmery. There are only three rooms, all with delightful straw-and-pisé walls, so call ahead to make sure they’ve got space. HB 600dh

Kasbah Tiout Inside the kasbah  0668 747243. Head on up the road leading to the kasbah, and you’ll eventually have to stop at this restaurant-with-a-view. It’s 80dh for the set menu (there will be no other options, though they could perhaps rustle up an omelette), but even if you’re not hungry, it’s a delightful place for coffee or tea. Daily 9am–7pm, sometimes closes earlier.

< Back to Agadir, the Souss and Anti-Atlas

Taliouine

More village than town, there’s a palpable end-of-the-road feeling once you’ve reached TALIOUINE – the roads do continue, however, and thanks to good accommodation options and some superlative vistas, the place makes a logical stopover point en route to Taroudant, Ouarzazate or Tata. The aforementioned views are mostly made up of various shades of gold and brown, often sculpted into comb-patterns by varying forces, such as the page-like rocks making up the surrounding mountains, grooves made by the hooves of goats which peck at the local scrubland, ploughed furrows on brown fields which seem dry year-round, and tyre-tracks on the dusty roads winding their lonely courses out of town. All in all, it’s a study in understated beauty.

  Taliouine is most famed for its saffron – this is the only area in Morocco in which it is grown (harvest season usually runs Sept–Oct), and one-gram packets are sold at shops in town – note that saffron is damaged by light, so it’s best not to buy if it has been left out in glass jars for any length of time. The town also has a Monday souk, held across the valley behind the kasbah.

The kasbah

Just off the main road, across the river

The magnificent kasbah, visible across the river to the east of the village, was built by the Glaoui after the French evicted the original landowners to make way for it. However, the Glaoui regained the land after independence, and although large parts of the kasbah are derelict, one member of the family, together with his French wife, has restored part of it and opened a maison d’hôte in it. There are more kasbahs in the hills round the village, if you have time to explore them.

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: TALIOUINE

By bus The main bus stop is on the main road, towards the west end of the village. Buses can be picked up elsewhere, but won’t stop if they’re full.

Destinations Agadir (5 daily; 3hr 30min); Casablanca (2 daily; 13hr 30min); Er Rachidia (1 daily; 11hr); Marrakesh (1 daily via Tizi n’Test; 10hr); Ouarzazate (6 daily; 3hr); Rabat (1 daily; 15hr 30min); Taroudant (6 daily; 2hr); Tazenakht (6 daily; 1hr 30 min); Tinerhir (1 daily; 8hr); Zagora (daily; 6hr).

By grand taxi Grands taxis leave just along from the bus stop

Destinations Aoulouz (40min); Taroudant (1hr 30min); Tazenakht (less frequently; 1hr).

By car or motorbike If heading to or from Tata, you’re best advised to take the scenic P1743.

Banks There are branches of Banque Populaire and Attijawiwafa on the main road, both with foreign card-friendly ATMs.

ACCOMMODATION

Atlas Bordeaux By the bus stop  0666 752292. The best of the handful of ultra-cheapies on the main drag in the centre of the village. The rooms are simple, but clean and fresh, with hot showers (usually). Though the neighbouring small hotels may be slightly cheaper, they are also dirtier. No wi-fi. 100dh

Auberge Camping Toubkal 3.5km east of town  0528 534343. This campsite has passable bungalow rooms, including some a/c and two adapted for wheelchairs, a small grocery store, a cheap restaurant, and a swimming pool. Wi-fi near the reception only. Camping 60dh, bungalow 150dh

Auberge Le Safran On the main road near the eastern edge of town  0528 534046,  auberge-safran-taliouine-sud-maroc.com. A good-value place to stay, with rooms that are simple but clean, and colourfully decorated. It’s even better for food. 170dh

 Auberge Souktana Opposite the kasbah, 2km east of town  0528 534075,  souktana@menara.ma. A wonderful little place, run by Ahmed Jadid (an excellent mountain guide) and his French wife, Michelle, offering good meals and a choice of accommodation: en-suite rooms in the main building, or bungalows outside. They direct campers to a separate site just up the Askaoun road, where tent bungalows are available. BB bungalow 166dh, double 226dh

 Escale Rando In the kasbah  0528 534600,  escalerando.fr. A member of the family who owned the land before the kasbah was built has now established this maison d’hôte in part of it which has been restored from its ruinous state. Most rooms have shared bathroom facilities, though a few are en suite. BB 300dh

EATING

Auberge Le Safran On the main road near the eastern edge of town  0528 534046. If you’re not eating at your accommodation, this hotel is by far your best in central Taliouine. Most items on the menu involve saffron somewhere along the line – 70dh will buy you brochettes, rice and veggies, all with a hint of the magic herb. Daily noon–10pm.

Laiterie Freres Assounfou On the main road in the centre of town. There are a fair few little cafés on the main drag, but this little shop – interestingly decorated with mauve paint, purple tables and a pink-metal staircase inside – makes the most pleasant drinking spot. A coffee will set you back 4dh. Daily 6am–midnight.

SHOPPING

Cooperative Souktana de Safran On the main road, near the eastern side of town  0528 534452. Ostensibly a museum, with one attractive exhibition room that teaches nobody anything at all, this is the most reliable place in town in which to buy saffron (30dh or so for a bag). You may be offered a cup of saffron tea if you call by at the right time. Daily 9am–6pm.

 Moulid Nid Ouissadan South of the main road, opposite the Cooperative Souktana,  0601 353151. Like the Cooperative, this little place is ostensibly a gallery but in reality a shop, in which a cheery local gent creates some cool-looking Berber-text calligraphy, with the aid of saffron, rose-water, and “magic” (the latter element otherwise known as a blowtorch). Good for souvenirs including T-shirts and bags, too, and every visitor gets a blowtorched Berber version of their name for free. A great little place. Daily 8am–12.30pm & 2–6.30pm.

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Jebel Sirwa

The Jebel Sirwa (sometimes spelled Djebel Siroua) is an isolated volcanic peak, rising from a high area (3000m-plus, so take it easy) to the south of the High Atlas. It offers good trekking, rewarded by magnificent views, a cliff village and dramatic gorges. It’s best in spring; winter is extremely cold. For those with 4WD, one of the great scenic pistes of Morocco circles north of Sirwa, a two- to three-day trip from Taliouine via Askaoun and Tachnocht, rejoining the N10 north of Tazenakht.

  A week-long walking circuit taking in Jebel Sirwa is outlined on our map, where the numbers represent the overnight halts. Mules to carry gear, as well as tent rental, can be arranged by Ahmed Jadid at the Auberge Souktana in Taliouine or by El Aouad Ali in Taroudant, both good cooks who speak fluent English, though they don’t operate in the Sirwa in winter. Mules are a worthwhile investment, but having Ali or Ahmed along is the best guarantee of success. If you are going it alone, the relevant survey maps are the 1:100,000 Taliwine and 1:50,000 Sirwa.

The route

The circuit begins on day one with a gentle valley ascent along a piste from Taliouine to Akhfaman where there are rooms and a kasbah. The piste actually reaches west of here as far as Atougha but, souk days apart, transport is nonexistent and the walk is a pleasant introduction to the trek. Beyond Akhfaman the piste climbs over a pass to another valley at Tamgout and up it to Atougha, before contouring round into the upper valley, where you can stay at azibs (goat shelters) or bivouacs.

  Jebel Sirwa (3304m) can be climbed from Atougha in five to six hours: a pull up from the southern cirque onto a plateau, crowned with rock towers; the nervous may want to be roped for one section of the final scramble. The sub-peak of Guliz is worth ascending, too, and a bivouac in the gorge below is recommended.

  Beyond Guliz, you should keep to the lower paths to reach Tisgui, where there are rooms available. In Tisgui, don’t fail to visit the unique cliff village, whose houses, ranked like swallows’ nests on a 300m precipice, are now used as grain stores. Continuing the circuit, past fields of saffron, you reach Tagouyamt, the biggest village of the Sirwa area, where rooms are available, and which is connected by piste to the Taliouine road. Trails leave it to pass through a couple of villages before reaching the river, which is followed to the extraordinary conglomerate features of the Tislit gorges. This natural sculpture park is amazing; you can camp or get rooms at the village.

  On the last day, you can follow the valley to Ihoukarn and then to Ifrane, where it’s possible to get a vehicle out; alternatively, a three-hour trek to the southeast leads to the Taliouine–Ouarzazate road, near its highest point, from where transport back to Taliouine is easier. Ahmed Jadid at the Auberge Souktana can arrange transport at Ihoukarn or Ifrane to meet unaccompanied parties.

< Back to Agadir, the Souss and Anti-Atlas

The Tata circuit

Heading south across the Anti-Atlas from Taroudant, or east from Tiznit, you can drive, or travel by bus or a combination of grands taxis and trucks, to the desert oases of Tata, Akka and Foum el Hassan to the west, or Foum Zguid to the east. This is one of the great Moroccan routes, still very much a world apart, with its camel herds and lonely, weather-beaten villages. As throughout southern Morocco, bilharzia is prevalent in the oases, so avoid contact with pool and river water.

GETTING AROUND: THE TATA CIRCUIT

By public transport Transport can be sparse, which means you’ll have to think ahead if you want to stop off at various places en route and be somewhere with a reasonable hotel by the time transport dries up. The other problem is that smaller places like Oum el Alek and Aït Herbil have nowhere for visitors to stay, and are not served by grands taxis – they’ll drop you off, but are unlikely to be passing with a free space and pick you up. Buses are more frequent than they used to be, but it can be a long wait. Hitching is not advisable in this area.

By car The easiest way to see the area is to rent a car. Agadir has the best choice, though Tafraout gets you closer to the loop.

Tata

The small garrison town of TATA is a pretty long way from anywhere, and from whichever direction you’re arriving, it’ll be something of a relief to see its orderly array of pink-coloured buildings, flanking a large oasis below a steep-sided hill known as La Montagne, largely occupied by the military. The town is resplendent under an azure sky governed by an unblinking sun – temperatures often sail into the forties, though humidity is next to zero. Tata is a leisurely place with a friendly (if early-to-bed) air, and distinct desert influences in the dark complexion of the people, the black turbans of the men and the colourful sari-like coverings of the women.

  There’s not too much of tourist import in town – its attraction is a palpable feeling of remoteness, and simply the reward of getting here in the first place. One of the nicest things to do here is go walking in the palmery, which is at its best in the morning or early evening, before the sun hits its zenith. There’s also a Sunday market in town, and a very lively Thursday souk held at an enclosure – or, more accurately, a series of pisé courtyards known as El Khemis, 6km out on the Akka road (N12); dates are the mainstay at both.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: TATA

By bus Buses use the new gare routière, located south of town on the Akka road, around 300m south of the Relais des Sables – blessed relief to locals, who used to have to put up with every bus in town crawling its way to the central square. You’ll pay around 7dh for a taxi to or from central Tata, though it’s an easy and fairly pleasant walk (20min).

Destinations: Agadir (6 daily; 7hr); Akka (8 daily; 1hr); Bou Izakarn (8 daily; 4hr); Casablanca (3 daily; 16hr); Foum el Hassan (8 daily; 2hr); Foum Zguid (2 daily; 2hr 30min); Guelmim (2 daily; 5hr); Igherm (4 daily; 2hr 30min); Marrakesh (4 daily; 10hr); Ouarzazate (2 daily; 5hr); Rabat (daily; 17hr); Tan Tan (2 daily; 8hr); Taroudant (4 daily; 4hr 30min); Tiznit (6 daily; 5hr).

By grand taxi Collective grands taxis leave from just north of Pl Marche Verte, and sometimes from the square itself. It can take some time for them to get together enough passengers to set off, and services are extremely sparse – you’re better off going by bus. However, there are occasional departures (especially in the morning) to the destinations below, as well as taxi-trucks to Foum Zguid (especially Sun night and Mon morning for the Monday souk).

Destinations Akka (1hr); Bou Izakarn (3hr 30min); Foum el Hassan (2hr); Foum Zguid (2hr 30min).

By car There are some lovely scenic routes to Tata . It’s always a good idea to fill your tank before leaving or when arriving here, since the only two petrol stations for dozens of miles either way are, nonsensically, staring at each other across the road to the south of town, just past the Relais des Sables. If driving westward, the only fuel stop before Bou Izakarn is the Ziz station at Aït Herbil.

ROUTES TO TATA

FROM TAROUDANT

Leaving the N10 Taroudant–Taliouine road after 8km at Aït Iazza, the R109 passes Freija and the turning to Tiout, before winding its way up into the stark Anti-Atlas mountains. Transport is scarce – only four buses a day in each direction. Direct shared grands taxis are also rare: most terminate at Igherm (also spelt Irherm; 93km from Taroudant), where there’s a Wednesday souk. If you get stranded here, basic rooms are available at a couple of café-restaurants, including the Hôtel Restaurant Anzal by the bus stop (  0661 846478; 100dh).

  Igherm is also a crossroads, with scenic, surfaced roads to Taliouine and Tafraout, as well as the old R109 road to Tata via Issafen. Though buses still continue south on the R109, it has now been superseded by the spectacular route 7086, climbing over the ragged mountain strata before dropping down into a valley, which it follows to Tata. On this road, at Annamer – a blaze of almond blossom in March – you can visit one of the best-preserved agadirs in Morocco, a huge walled courtyard with tiers of minute storerooms reached by ladders made of notched tree trunks. If you want to see inside, ask around for the gardien, who will, of course, expect a tip for his trouble. If you want to enquire about trucks from Igherm to Taliouine or Tafraout, try asking around the petrol station in the middle of town, or the cafés around it, where the truck drivers hang out and play cards.

FROM FOUM ZGUID

From Foum Zguid, there is a surfaced road, two daily buses, and occasional grands taxis to Tata; most buses start in Tazenakht and Ouarzazate. The route runs through a wide valley, following the course of a seasonal river, amid an extremely bleak landscape, which is now and then punctuated by the occasional oasis and ksar, with the wave-like range of the Jebel Bani to the south. At Tissint, halfway from Foum Zguid, there’s a gorge and waterfall, whose best vantage point is 2km west of town on the road to Tata. Tissint is also a good base for scenic walks into the desert.

FROM TALIOUINE

If heading from Taliouine, you’re best advised to take the P1743, which splits off from the N10 around 15km to the east on the Tazenakht road. This is one of the most scenic drives in this whole part of Morocco, and now there’s a good road the whole way – you’ll have most of it to yourself. It heads south via Agadir Melloul and Akka-Irhen (25km east of Tata, with a Thurs souk); the latter is your best and most scenic pit stop for coffee, in either direction. Heading to Tata, you’ll then join the N12 for the final westward stretch.

INFORMATION

Tourist information The Délégation de Tourisme (Mon–Fri 8.30am–4.30pm;  0528 802075) is on the old Igherm road, 500m north of Hôtel Tigmmi. For guides, you could do worse than hunting down Youssef, a chap with striking blue eyes who works at the Oasis de Rêve restaurant.

Bike rental Bicylces can be rented from the campsite on Av Mohammed V at 60dh/day.

Bank and post office There’s an Attijariwafa, with ATM, on Av Mohammed V; the post office is on the same road.

ACCOMMODATION

Bir anzarane Off Av Mohammed V, by the market  0667 099842. This bare-bones ultra-cheapy is at least cleaner, and also slightly cheaper, than the others on the same road, and unlike those, this one at least has a shared shower, albeit in the same room as the shared toilet. 80dh

Dar Infiane Off the Akka road, in the palmery  0661 610170,  darinfiane.com. Upmarket boutique hotel with six rooms and several terraces and patios, in a 500-year-old converted kasbah with palm-frond furnishings and traditional palm-wood ceilings. BB 940dh

Les Relais des Sables Av des FAR  0528 802301,  relaisdessables.com. A three-star hotel with a bar, restaurant and small swimming pool. The rooms are small but comfortable with en-suite showers and toilets, or there are mini-suites with a/c, sitting area and a complete bathroom. To eat in the restaurant, you need to order two or three hours ahead. 268dh

De la Renaissance 9 Av des FAR  0528 802225,  htl.larenaissance.tata@gmail.com. A good-value choice, welcoming you with large, gleaming, a/c suites or small, clean rooms, the latter at very reasonable prices; there’s a pool, too. The restaurant is good, though meals have to be ordered two hours in advance, so it’s only really worth it if you’re staying here. 210dh

Tigmmi Av Mohammed V, overlooking the oued  0528 806502. More or less next door to the barren Camping Municipal, the grounds of this new hotel are a far better option for those travelling with tents – though management are still undecided about whether or not to allow it permanently. If they’ve decided against it, simply head next door, and ask for a consolation swim in their large pool. Camping 60dh

EATING AND DRINKING

Most guests choose to dine at their accommodation, though there are a few little restaurants on and around Av Mohammed V.

 Aït Ibork On the Akka road south of town, just past the bus station turn-off. For a fun local experience, head to this café for an evening shisha (25dh). In keeping with Moroccan norms, the smoking is done out back, out of sight; the light is so dim that you’ll be able to see the stars in between exhalations. Daily 8am–midnight.

Al Mansour Av Mohammed V. The best of the small restaurants on the main street, though there’s no guarantee what they’ll have at any particular time. They can at least usually whip up a tajine for you (chicken 30dh, meat 40dh). Daily 8am–10pm.

Café Amal Tata Av Mohammed V. This café-restaurant is usually devoid of a chef, but its dryish garden is a pleasant spot for coffee or fresh orange juice (10dh). Daily 7am–8pm.

 Oasis de Rêve Av Mohammed V. This tiny outfit is the nicest place to eat in Tata by far – try the mixed grill of kefta, turkey and the best merguez in town (50dh all in), served by an English-speaking chap who’s a good source of local knowledge. Daily 8am–10pm.

Les Relais des Sables Av des FAR  0528 802301,  relaisdessables.com. This hotel has missed a trick: it’s the only bar for miles and miles around, but they’ve forgotten to mark up their beer prices. A bottle will set you back 16dh, and you can enjoy it by the pool, overlooking the wadi. Daily 8am–10pm.

Snack el Baraka Rue Sidi Mohammed Ben Brahim Tan Marti. Cheery sandwich shop with a couple of outdoor tables and ingredients that always seem fresher than the nearby competition. If you fancy something a little unusual – the staff will look at you strangely – ask for a sandwich featuring the delicious local merguez sausages mixed up with omelette (8dh). Daily noon–midnight.

Akka and around

Fifty kilometres southwest of Tata, the N12 passes through AKKA, a flyblown roadside town abutted, to its north, by a large palmery. With less military investment, the place as a whole is not nearly as orderly as Tata; like its sibling, there’s little else to see bar the oasis itself, though it’s one of the most pleasant in the area, and lends itself to aimless wandering. There’s also a weekly souk on Thursdays, where the oasis dates (Akka means “dates” in Teshalhit) are much in evidence. There’s a smaller souk on Sundays.

The oasis

To reach Les Cascades on foot, leave Akka by crossing the dry riverbed by a concrete barrage and then follow a path through the almost continuous palmery villages of Aït Aäntar, Tagadiret and Taouriret

It’s worth taking a morning to explore Akka’s oasis. You will probably need to do so on foot, as most of the oasis pistes are impossible in a two-wheel-drive vehicle. Local sights include a kasbah and agadir (granary) southeast of the village of Aït Rahal, and Les Cascades – a series of shallow, dammed irrigation pools, enclosed by palms. Local people bathe in these pools, but they are reputed to harbour bilharzia, so avoid contact with the water – both here and in the irrigation canals.

Targannt Gorge

A scorching, three-hour trek to the northwest of Aït Rahal (don’t forget to carry plenty of water) is the Targannt Gorge, in which a cluster of oases are tucked between the cliffs. There are ruins of houses, though the place is deserted nowadays, save for the occasional nomadic camel herder. The route is across desert, passable to Land Rover-type vehicles, though the track is poorly defined. En route, and an aid to navigation, is a small hill on which the French built a barracks. There are rock engravings of oxen at the eastern end of the hill – some modern, others perhaps up to two thousand years old. Approaching the gorge, a lone palm tempts you to its mouth. A guide from the village would be helpful, while bringing food and a tent would reward you with a gorgeous camping spot.

Oum el Alek

7km southeast of Akka, off the Tata road

There are more rock carvings, said to be prehistoric, near the village of OUM EL ALEK (or Oum el Aälague). Anyone with a particular interest is best advised to get in touch with the gardien – the Café-Hôtel Tamdoult in Akka should be able to put you in touch.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: AKKA AND AROUND

By bus Buses run to and from the main road in the middle of the village.

Destinations Agadir (6 daily; 6hr); Bou Izakarn (8 daily; 3hr); Guelmim (2 daily; 3hr); Tata (9 daily; 1hr); Tiznit (6 daily; 4hr 30min).

By grand taxi There are sparse shared grands taxis to Tata and Bou Izakarn. Don’t leave it too late if you want onward transport – as at Tata, it dries up early.

Destinations Bou Izakarn (2hr 30min); Tata (45min).

By car or motorbike Note that there’s nowhere to fill up on petrol in Akka – the closest places are in Tata to the east, and Aït Herbil to the west.

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

Tamdoult On the main road, in the middle of the village  0528 808030. This café-hotel is the only place to stay in Akka, and pretty much the only reliable place to eat as well. The rooms are very basic, though they’ll do if you have to overnight here, and the food’s decent enough, though nothing spectacular. Even if you’re not staying, it’s a good pit stop for coffee (3dh) and a game of pool. 100dh

Foum el Hassan and around

FOUM EL HASSAN (also spelt Fam el Hisn), 90km southwest of Akka, and 4km off the main road (N12), is basically a military post on the edge of an oasis where there was some fighting with Polisario in the early 1980s. There isn’t much in Foum el Hassan itself aside from a few shops and a couple of cafés, but there are countless prehistoric rock carvings in this region. The only decent accommodation in the area is in nearby Icht (pronounced “Isht”), where there’s also an interesting old-town to poke around.

Tircht

5km from Foum el Hassan • Daily 24hr • Free, though you’ll need the services of a guide – they probably won’t ask for more than 30dh, but you may well feel they deserve more than that • On foot from Foum el Hassan, follow the oued through the “V” in the mountains north of the town; bear right after 2km where it splits

The rock carvings at Tircht (pronounced “Tirsht”), a peaked mountain about 5km from Foum el Hassan, are worth a look. However, neither the mount nor the carvings are easy to find: you are best advised to employ someone from town as a guide. The best carvings require a little climbing to get to, but they are among the finest in Morocco – elephants and rhinoceroses, 15cm to 30cm high, dating roughly from 2000–500 BC, a time when the Sahara was full of lakes and swamps.

Ancienne Icht

Icht, around 10km from Foum el Hassan • Daily 24hr • Free, though a guide costs around 25dh

Icht town’s main point of interest are some old cave-style dwellings, now generally referred to as Ancienne Icht. Built to provide shade and cool air by day and protection and warmth by night, the partly subterranean complex is wonderfully atmospheric, almost like a clutch of ancient riads hewn out of the rock, and joined together with a network of tunnels. Amazingly, you’ll need to navigate some stretches by torch, even at noontime. Even more incredible is the fact that a couple of families are still living troglodyte-style existences here, devoid of light for much of the day, their wooden door shut to the outside world. There’s even a little mosque here, though to find this you’re best off enlisting the services of a guide.

Aït Herbil

Off the N12, 15km northwest of Foum el Hassan – the junction is right opposite a Ziz filling station • Daily 24hr • Free • Grands taxis from Foum el Hassan, Akka, Tata or Bou Izakarn; for onward travel, however, you’ll be lucky to find a passing grand taxi with places free, so short of hitching you’ll have to depend on infrequent buses (8 daily in each direction)

Less renowned than the rock carvings at Tircht are those at the village of Aït Herbil. There are two series of rock carvings, marked as “A” and “B” on our map below; both are easily accessible on foot, though you may have to ask locals for directions.

  “A”, overlooking Oued Tamanart, consists of as many as a hundred small carvings, depicting gazelles, bison, a giraffe and a bird or two, in a steep rock-fall, and to the right of a patch of distinctively lighter grey rocks (indicating several deep and dangerous wells). The rock-fall looks recent but clearly, with the carvings all in the same place, it has not shifted for centuries, even millennia. “B”, north of the partly deserted village of Eghir, can be found by following the irrigation channel for 800m from the main road, where a signpost points the way. There are fewer carvings here but they are larger and more impressive.

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: FOUM EL HASSAN AND AROUND

By bus Buses between Tata and Bou Izakarn make the four-kilometre detour to stop at Foum el Hassan; they’ll also drop off at Icht or Aït Herbil, though it’s hard to pick up a bus at the former.

By grand taxi Infrequent grands taxis run to Bou Izakarn and Tata.

Destinations Bou Izakarn (1hr 30min); Tata (2hr).

Guides You’ll need to sequester the services of a guide to see most of the local engravings. Mouloud ( 0661 660587) is the expert for just about everything between here and Tata, though since he doesn’t live locally you’ll have to call well in advance; Hassan ( 0668 065754) will get you to the Tircht carvings; and Abdellah ( 0650 684659, or contactable through Borj Birmane) can take you around Icht village.

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

 Borj Biramane Icht  0610 469933,  borj-biramane.com. Just off the main road at Icht, this French-run place is the only genuine accommodation in the area, and it’s a real beaut. There are shared Berber tents, a/c rooms (one of which has been converted very effectively for wheelchair users) and camping facilities, all arrayed around a pool that’s small but highly inviting, thanks to the chunky mountains surrounding the complex. The food is top notch too (a good job, since there’s nothing else around), and they’ve a nice selection of wines and spirits. Camping 80dh, Berber tent 100dh per person, double 420dh

Amtoudi

If you have your own wheels, it’s worth making an excursion from the N12 Bou Izakarn–Tata road to visit AMTOUDI (or Id Aïssa, as it appears on most maps), a very scenic little village surrounded by soaring red cliffs straight out of Road Runner, and tucked away into a frond-filled ravine at the end of the P1315 from Aday. Presided over by one of Morocco’s most spectacularly located agadirs, it’s a likeable, extremely quiet little hamlet, and by far the best place to stay the night between Tata and Tiznit. Staying on here will also give you the chance to benefit from some good hiking opportunities.

The agadir

Allow at least 2hr for the round trip up and down • Open whenever the gardien is around; call him from one of the auberges • 15dh

Boasting formidable towers and ramparts, Amtoudi’s agadir (fortified granary) sits on an eyrie-like setting atop the spur of a hill, reached up a steep zigzag path. There is a small collection of antiquities dotted around the place, and parts of the walls and towers have been restored. Make sure the gardien is available before tackling the climb, as the agadir is kept locked; it’s also a good idea to bring a torch, which will come in handy in some sections.

The gorges

Both Amtoudi’s auberges can organize excursions in the gorges

A walk up the substantial gorge at the end of the village leads to another agadir, with huge curtain walls, perched high above a cliff, and, 3km on, a spring and waterfall. You can climb – or ride a mule – up a winding track and walk around the site, providing the gardien is there. If by chance you find the place overrun by visitors, you can escape the crowds with a walk down the palm-filled gorge; here another imposing but decaying agadir is perched on top of the cliff and, after about 3km, you’ll come to a spring and waterfall.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: AMTOUDI

By car Amtoudi can be reached on a piste which leaves the N12 at the village of Taghjicht, or on a surfaced road (signposted to Amtoudi) which leaves the N12 14km east of Taghjicht. The two roads join at Souk Tnine D’Adaï, a village known for its decorative doors; from here the P1315 makes the quick trip east to the ravine that Amtoudi calls home. Unfortunately, there are no public transport links here.

ACCOMMODATION

Amtoudi On the western approach to the village  0528 216540,  hotel-amtoudi.com. One of the first buildings you’ll see when approaching Amtoudi from the west, this is a friendly auberge with simple rooms, hot water, a restaurant and a camping area. As well as food and accommodation, they offer half-day walking tours. Camping 100dh, BB double 150dh

 Ondiraitlesud Near the eastern end of the village  0528 218569,  ondiraitlesud.ma.free.fr. At the mouth of a gorge, this French-created auberge promotes eco-tourism in the area, and offers dorms and shared tents as well as a variety of rooms. They organize treks, and can point you in the direction of rock carvings or birdwatching sites. This is also the best place to eat in Amtoudi, whether you’re staying here or not. Dorm/shared tent 60dh, double 200dh

Bou Izakarn

The village of BOU IZAKARN – set where the roads from Tata, Tiznit and Guelmim meet, and strung out to a certain extent along all three of them – is mostly of interest to people needing to change buses or shared taxis here. It’s a lazy kind of place, where not much happens, except during its Friday souk; you might as well stay the night in Tiznit, which isn’t too far to the north, or closer Guelmim, to the south.

THE BLUE SULTAN

Tiznit itself was used as a base by El Hiba (also known as Ma el Aïnin), the ruler of Smara in the Western Sahara, who declared himself sultan of Morocco here in 1912 after learning of Moulay Hafid’s surrender to the French under the Treaty of Fez. El Hiba was known as the Blue Sultan on account of his blue desert robes. He led a considerable force of Berbers to Marrakesh, which acknowledged his authority, before advancing on Fez in the spring of 1913. Here his forces were defeated, but El Hiba continued his resistance. Basing himself at Taroudant, and then in the Anti-Atlas mountains, he fought on until his death, near Tafraout, in 1919. Despite his defeat, the Berbers of the Anti-Atlas mountains still remained outside of French control, and only suffered their first true occupation with the bitter French “pacification” of the early 1930s.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: BOU IZAKARN

By bus All buses stop in the centre of the village, usually at the start of the road they’ll be taking.

Destinations Guelmim (hourly; 30min); Tata (8 daily; 4hr); Tiznit (hourly; 1hr 15min–1hr 30min).

By grand taxi Shared grands taxis leave from the Tiznit road, by the main roundabout in the centre of town, for Tiznit and Inezgane. Across the square, at the start of the Tata road, they run to Timoulay (14km east of Bou Izakarn), Ifrane de l’Anti-Atlas and occasionally Foum el Hassan. For Guelmim, they leave from a rank on the Guelmim road at the south end of the village, 500m off the main square.

Destinations Foum el Hassan (1hr 30min); Guelmim (30min); Ifrane de l’Anti-Atlas (20min); Inezgane (2hr); Timoulay (10min); Tiznit (1hr).

Banks and post office You’ll find a post office and Banque Populaire near the roundabout at the centre of town.

ACCOMMODATION

Anti-Atlas Tiznit road, by the main roundabout  0528 788134. As far as cheapies go, this is a much better place to make for than the grubby offerings at the same price in Akka. The rooms are decent enough, grouped around a little courtyard with flowers and citrus trees, and there are shared bathroom facilities. 80dh

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Tiznit and around

Despite its solid circuit of huge pisé walls, TIZNIT was only founded in 1882, when Sultan Moulay Hassan (Hassan I) was undertaking a harka – a subjugation or (literally) “burning” raid – in the Souss and Anti-Atlas. Tiznit is clean, neat and tidy, and a good staging point en route to Tafraout, Sidi Ifni or Tata, but perhaps because of its relatively recent origin, it somehow lacks the atmosphere of Morocco’s other walled cities. There’s a nice beach at Aglou Plage, 17km west of Tiznit – a nice place to stay, too.

The Medina

Tiznit has five kilometres of walls and seven major gates, the most important of which are Bab Ouled Jarrar and Bab Jedid. The second of these was a French addition, as its name (“New Gate”) indicates; it is also called Les Trois Portes (“the three gates”), though in fact it consists of four gateways. The Medina also contains a number of ksour which were there before the walls were built.

  The walled town’s main square, the Mechouar, was once a miltary parade ground. The Grand Mosque in the centre of the Medina has an unusual minaret, punctuated by a series of perches, which are said to be an aid to the dead in climbing up to paradise, and are more commonly found south of the Sahara in Mali and Niger. Alongside the mosque is the Source Bleue, a spring dedicated to the town’s patroness, Lalla Tiznit, a saint and former prostitute martyred on this spot, whereupon water miraculously appeared. Both the mosque and the spring were under heavy renovation at the time of writing, but the latter is expected to look rather pretty once complete.

Souks

The jewellery souk (Souk des Bijoutiers) is still an active crafts centre despite the loss to Israel of the town’s large number of Jewish craftsmen. The jewellers occupy the northern part of the main souk, which can be entered from the Mechouar. Over to the south, outside the walls, off Avenue du 20 Août, there’s a municipal market selling meat, fruit, veg and household goods. The town’s main weekly souk (Thurs) is held out on the Tafraout road.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: TIZNIT

By bus Most buses pick up and drop off near the main roundabout, where the Tafraout road meets the Guelmim road (Rue Bir Anzarane); you’re best advised to head here and ask for the best place to stand for any particular location. Exceptions are CTM buses, which stop outside their office on Rue Mohammed Hafidi, less than 100m east of the main roundabout ( 0528 866693); and Supratours buses stop outside their office on Rue Bir Anzarane, about 300m south of the main roundabout ( 0528 602865). There are also city-style Lux buses heading to some of the surrounding areas, including the #1 to Aglou Plage, #18 to Mirhleft and Sidi Ifni (every second one goes via Aglou Plage too), and #20 east to Tafraout; regular and comfy enough, they’re your best bet for all of these destinations, and arrive at and depart from a yard just outside Bab el Aouina.

Destinations: Agadir (2–3 hourly; 2hr); Bou Izakarn (2 hourly; 1hr–1hr 30min); Casablanca (1–2 hourly; 10–11hr); Dakhla (9 daily; 17–18hr); Guelmim (2–3 hourly; 1hr 30min–2hr 30min); Laayoune (16 daily; 9–10hr); Marrakesh (2–3 hourly; 5–8hr); Mirhleft (hourly; 45min); Ouarzazate (1 daily; 9hr 30min); Rabat (8 daily; 11–13hr); Sidi Ifni (hourly; 1hr 30min); Smara (3 daily; 7–8hr); Tafraout (hourly; 3hr); Tan Tan (2–3 hourly; 4hr 30min); Tata (6 daily; 7hr).

By grand taxi Collective grands taxis for most destinations use a yard opposite the post office, where you’ll find vehicles serving Agadir, Inezgane, Mirhleft, Sidi Ifni and Tafraout. Vehicles for Bou Izakarn and Guelmim have a station on Rue Bir Anzarane, just south of the main roundabout. Shared grands taxis for Aglou Plage can be found on Av Hassan II, by the southwestern corner of the city wall.

Destinations Agadir (1hr 15min); Aglou Plage (15min); Bou Izakarn (1hr); Guelmim (1hr 30min); Inezgane (1hr); Mirhleft (45min); Sidi Ifni (1hr 30min); Tafraout (2hr).

ACCOMMODATION

Budget hotels in the Medina cannot all guarantee hot water, but there’s a public showerhouse, Douche Atlas (both sexes daily 7am–9pm; 9dh), in a cul-de-sac off Rue du Bain Maure.

HOTELS

 Assaka Rue Bir Anzarane, on main roundabout  0528 602286,  assakahotel.com. The best bargain in town, effectively a three-star hotel at backpacker prices. The rooms are impeccable, with a/c, heating, balcony, TV and good en-suite bathrooms. 205dh

Idou Tiznit Av Hassan II, by main roundabout  0528 600333,  idoutiznit.com. Tiznit’s only real “hotel” option, a four-star which is part of a small nationwide chain, with spacious rooms, a/c, satellite TV, a pool and very professional staff – but it’s a little bit soulless. There’s usually some kind of promotional rate on offer. BB 633dh

Maison du Soleil 470 Rue Tafoukt  0676 663175,  maisondu-soleil.com. A small, prettily done out little maison d’hôte in a residential area of the Medina, near Bab Aglou and away from the main tourist zone, with just five rooms (two en suite) and a sunny patio, not to mention very reasonably priced home-cooked meals. BB 450dh

Mauritania Rue Bir Anzarane  0528 863632,  hoteltiznitmauritania@gmail.com. Best of the cheapies: a well-kept hotel with lovely little en-suite rooms, very cosy and beautifully turned out, with handy parking facilities and charming staff. A far better deal than the equivalently priced Medina hotels (though the wi-fi is a bit iffy). There’s an atmospheric bar downstairs, too. 80dh

De Paris Av Hassan II, by main roundabout  0528 862865,  hoteldeparis.ma. A friendly and modestly priced hotel, with cosy rooms (en suite, with a/c, heating and TV) and a popular restaurant. Consistently popular with foreign backpackers. 160dh

 Riad Janoub Rue de la Grand Mosque  0528 600019,  riadjanoub.com. Run by an affable French couple, this is now top dog in town, its splendidly decorated rooms set around a delightful pool. The place really comes into its own in the evening – clamber up to the rooftop for a look at the sunset, then come back down for the delectable dinners (165dh per person). BB 750dh

Riad Le Lieu Rue Imzilen Issaoui  0528 600019,  riadlelieutiznit.com. Hidden away in the alleys northeast of Bab el Aouina, this is a super little place, set around a courtyard painted a French colonial lemon, and shaded from the sun by a ceiling of flowers. It’s here that their excellent breakfasts are served – and dinner too, if you so desire. Rooms are a little small, and most have shared facilities, though these are kept spotless. BB 290dh

Des Touristes 80 Pl Mechouar  0528 862018. A deservedly popular backpacker hotel, with hot showers, friendly staff and old-fashioned iron bedsteads. The communal areas are decorated with pictures of Paris in the 1950s and an impressive collection of banknotes. 100dh

CAMPING

Camping Municipal Right up against the walls by Bab Ouled Jarrar  0528 601354. Tiznit’s campsite is secure but doesn’t have much shade. It’s popular with retired Europeans in camper vans, especially in winter. Per person 25dh

EATING AND DRINKING

Asaraya Pl Mechouar  0528 602491. The pizzas here (25–45dh) are not going to satisfy any serious cognoscenti, but they’re reasonable enough as Moroccan pizzas go, and the venue is clean and pleasant, though the service is not very good. If you don’t want a pizza, they also do reasonable Moroccan staples (from 30dh). Daily 24hr.

 Asrir Pl Rue Id Ali Oubihi  0528 600594. A surprising find in the Medina area, this pleasing little hidey-hole wouldn’t look out of place in the trendier parts of Marrakesh – a calm, covered courtyard centred around a couple of trees. Food is available, including decent tajines (25dh), though almost everyone’s here for a coffee or tea (8dh); there are also shishas available. The one drawback is that, despite having a bunch of cool-looking Saharan record sleeves lining the walls, they’re far more likely to be playing Kenny G or some other dross. Daily 9am–11pm.

Mauritania Rue Bir Anzarane  0528 863632. There’s a small restaurant in this hotel, but far more people are interested in the alcohol – the several halls out back are often filled with tradespeople and colourful local fellows, knocking back cheap beer (from 14dh). It’s also possible to get yours to take away, the shame hidden by a fetching black plastic bag. Daily 8am–11pm.

Riad Le Lieu Rue Imzilen Issaoui  0528 600019,  riadlelieutiznit.com. This boutique hotel is a great little place to eat, whether you’re staying here or not. Dishes include Italianate yummies such as spag bol (42dh) and tagliatelle carbonara (68dh), though the house speciality is camel tajine (65dh); the desserts are worth a look, too. Daily noon–3.30pm & 7pm–midnight.

 La Ville Nouvelle Av du 20 Août  0528 600963. Just outside the walls, this popular place has a little bit of everything. It’s good for bargain breakfasts of juice, hot drink and pain au chocolat (12dh), and the top floor has a “panoramic terrace” (with a huge TV screen but not much of a panorama), with a non-smoking saloon on the middle floor, plus there’s free wi-fi. Food on offer includes spag bol (30dh), brochettes and tajines (both 35dh or so). It’s also good for cheap baked goods – the most expensive pastry is 7dh – and an espresso (11dh) or avocado juice (12dh). Daily 7am–9pm.

DIRECTORY

Banks and exchange There are plenty of banks in town, as well as a couple of bureaux de change. The one just east of the main roundabout seems to open at random hours, but Chaoli Change Money off Av Hassan II by the Medina’s southern corner is open Mon–Sat 8.30am–6pm.

Hammam There’s a traditional hammam just inside the walls at Bab el Khemis, open for men and women (adjacent entrances; daily 8am–11pm; 10dh).

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Aglou Plage

The beach at AGLOU PLAGE (Sidi Moussa D’aglou), 17km west of Tiznit, sits by a barren, scrub-lined road; it’s an isolated expanse of sand with body-breaking Atlantic surf. It has a dangerous undertow, and is watched over in summer by military police coastguards, who only allow swimming if conditions are safe. Surfing can be good, but you have to pick the right spots; it’s also popular with paragliders from September to April, though most people doing these activities actually hole up in Mirhleft, down the coast. Quite a few Moroccans (including migrant workers from France) come down in summer, with a trickle of Europeans in winter. Otherwise, the place is very quiet.

  There are a couple of marabout tombs on the beach and, about 1.5km to the north, a tiny (and rather pretty) troglodyte fishing village, with a hundred or so primitive cave huts dug into the rocks. These are slowly being bought up by expats and trendies from up the coast – this place could, in time, become a backpacker magnet.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: AGLOU PLAGE

By bus Take bus #1 from Tiznit – some of the #18s head here too on their way to Mirhleft and Sidi Ifni.

By grand taxi Grands taxis from Tiznit cost 5dh for a seat or 30dh for the whole cab; some only go to Aglou village, 3km short of the beach, so try to take one that goes all the way.

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

Aglou Beach By the beach  0528 613034,  agloubeach.com. It’s wise to book ahead at this friendly hotel with fresh, spacious rooms, and a restaurant (daily 11am–3pm & 6.30–9pm) offering fish tajines (45dh) and other tasty grub. A room with a sea view costs 40dh extra. 250dh

Camping Aglou Plage On the main road  0528 613234,  campingaglou.com. This popular municipal campsite – which comes complete with grocery stores, pool and water slides – is about 500m up from the beach, on the right if coming from Tiznit. 80dh

Tay Fad d’Laz Overlooking the beach  0528 613755. The most presentable of the several restaurants and cafés facing the beach – grab an outdoor seat and some couscous (35dh), calamari (60dh), or just a coffee or tea (10dh or so). Daily 10am–8pm.

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Tafraout

Locked in a muscular, red-granite mountain embrace, and charming in a dusty, windswept sort of way, Tafraout is worth all the effort and time it takes to reach – “like the badlands of South Dakota”, as Paul Bowles put it, “writ on a grand scale”. Created as an administrative centre by the French, yet still only home to around five thousand hardy souls, Tafraout is one of the most relaxed destinations in Morocco, though a few faux guides may still make a nuisance of themselves. The best time to visit is early spring, when the almond trees are in full blossom, or in autumn, after the intense heat has subdued; in midsummer, it can be debilitatingly hot.

  There’s not too much to see in the city itself, bar some rock carvings in Tazka, just to the south, and as such its biggest appeal lies in exploring the surrounding area – north to the beautiful villages of the Ameln Valley, nestled under an awesome escarpment; or south to gorges, palmeries, and curious rock formations such as Napoleon’s Hat, or the “Pierres Peints”, painted blue and pink by a Belgian artist. The adventure can start before you even enter Tafraout, since the town is approached by scenic roads through the Anti-Atlas from Tiznit or Agadir.

Tazka

About 2km southwest of Tafraout

It’s an easy walk from Tafraout to the village of Tazka, a pleasing, super-quiet little place in which many houses – some of them hundreds of years old – have incorporated the surrounding cliffsides and boulders into their design. Most people are here to hunt ancient gazelle – two rock carvings, hidden away on the western periphery of the village. Far easier to spot than the engravings are the remains of an old kasbah, and a Maison Traditionelle.

The carvings

Daily 24hr • Free • Off the road behind the small mosque; turn right on the dirt path, which will veer you around to the left then between two buildings – the carvings are on and below a granite bluff visible just after the path veers to the left

Modest in size and appearance they may be, but Tazka’s carvings make for an enjoyable hunt. An ingoncruous white dot on the granite bluff indicates the more modern of two gazelle carvings; the older one is on the upward-facing edge of a fallen boulder, behind the tree in front of the newer one.

Maison Traditionelle

Abutting the kasbah, behind the mosque • Daily 9am–6pm, though you may have to hunt for the key-holder • 15dh

Hidden among huge boulders by the kasbah, is a four-floor Maison Traditionelle. It’s best used as an opportunity to see how locals live, though these days the proprietor lives elsewhere; he’ll be able to organize small musical performances or tea ceremonies, and the entry fee includes a side-jaunt to the gazelle carvings.

TAFRAOUT: VILLAGE ECONOMICS

Among Tafraout villagers, emigration to work in the grocery and hotel trade – all over Morocco and France – is a determining aspect of life. The men return home to retire, however, building European-looking villas amid the rocks, and most of the younger ones manage to come back for a month’s holiday each year – whether it be from Casablanca, Tangier, Paris or Marseille.

  But for much of the year, the women run things in the valley, and the only men to be found are the old, the family-supported or the affluent. It is a system that seems to work well enough: enormously industrious, and very community-minded, the Tafraoutis have managed to maintain their villages in spite of adverse economic conditions, importing all their foodstuffs except for a little barley, the famed Tafraout almonds and the sweet oil of the argan tree.

ARRIVAL, INFORMATION AND ACTIVITIES: TAFRAOUT

By bus The only CTM service (daily to Casablanca via Tiznit, Inezgane and Agadir) starts from the CTM office, just south of Pl Moulay Rachid ( 0528 801798). The #20 Lux buses to Tiznit drop off and leave from a stop just in front of the Banque Populaire, while the unnumbered services to the Ameln Valley and south to Agard Oudad leave from stops around Pl Moulay Rachid. Most other services start from Rue el Jeish el Malaki.

Destinations Agadir (6 daily; 5hr); Aït Baha (3 daily; 2hr); Casablanca (5 daily; 14hr); Marrakesh (4 daily; 10hr); Rabat (2 daily; 16hr); Tiznit (hourly; 3hr).

By grand taxi Shared grands taxis for Tiznit leave from Rue el Jeish el Malaki. For the Ameln Valley, they leave from the Route d’Amelne.

By minibus Minibuses to Tiouada leave from Pl Moulay Rachid Mon–Sat at around 11.30am, returning at 5.30am the next morning; don’t treat these times as gospel, and ask for advice from locals before tackling this route.

By car You’ll find a few mechanics and tyre repair shops north of the bus stop in the crook where the main road does a sharp bend, and also down towards the Afriquia filling station.

Bike rental Maison de Vacances, more or less opposite the Kasbah restaurant, has well-kept bicycles for rent ( 0528 800197; 60–80dh/day).

Information and trekking Brahim Bahou ( 0661 822677,  brahim-izanzaren@hotmail.com) offers tourist information from his kiosk by the souk mosque, and two-day treks to Jebel el Kest. For excursions further afield, a recommended firm is Tafraout Adventure ( 0528 801368,  tafraout-aventure.com), though at the time of writing they were about to move from their base on Pl Massira – visit their site for details. Beware, however, of touts falsely claiming to know or to be these people – if someone who accosts you in the street claims to be them, ask to see their state-issued ID cards.

ACCOMMODATION

The hotels in Tafraout are generally pretty good value. At the top end, the arrival of competition has made prices even more negotiable than usual, and it’s worth shopping around to see who’ll give you the best deal (all frequently offer promotional rates). Further accommodation options can be found 4km north in the Ameln Valley.

HOTELS

Auberge Les Amis Pl Moulay Rachid  0528 801921. One of the newest budget options, with airy rooms (20dh extra for en suite) decorated in gentle pastel tones. It overlooks one of the town’s main junctions, and though rooms facing the road aren’t all that noisy, light sleepers are advised to get one further back. 130dh

Les Amandiers On the hill above town  0528 800008,  hotel-lesamandiers.com. Tafraout’s top hotel, which displays photos of Mohammed V laying a foundation stone here and overlooks the whole of Tafraout, has to a certain extent been upstaged by the new kids in town, but it still has a lot of old-fashioned charm, with a wood-panelled lobby, great views, and large, airy rooms. There’s also a cosy little bar, for residents only. BB 520dh

Chez l’Habitant Route d’Aguard Oudad, 1km south of town  0662 029305. Rustic accommodation in a Berber house way above the main road, with views of the Lion’s Face and Napoleon’s Hat rock formations. You can take a room, rent the whole house, camp out, or sleep in a Bedouin-style tent or on the terrace. Toilets and showers are in a separate block outside. Dorm/tent bed 80dh, double 200dh

Maison d’Hôte Arganino Near the old mosque  0670 661105,  eihoucene-aghrar@hotmail.com. This delightful little pension-style guesthouse is run by the family who used to live in it, and it still very much retains an old family atmosphere. It also has its own little hammam. BB 130dh

Rochers Peints Route de Tazka  0528 800032,  hotelrocherspeints-tafraout.com. A very impressive hotel, tastefully done out. The first-floor rooms are more attractive than those on the second floor, with straw-and-pisé-covered walls, coloured glass windows, and carved wooden doors from Mali. All rooms have a/c and satellite TV. 314dh

Saint Antoine Av Moktar Soussi  0528 801497,  hotelsaintantoine-tafraout.com. A slick, modern if somewhat overpriced hotel, with efficient, English-speaking staff, cool, spacious rooms, a bar and a nice big swimming pool. There’s also a decent restaurant and 24hr room service. BB 540dh

 Salama By the river  0528 800026,  hotelsalama.com. A good-value hotel, originally dating from 1966, but refurbished, with quite large rooms in warm, earthy colours, en-suite bathrooms, a roof terrace, a fire in winter and a reputable restaurant. 256dh

 Tafraout Pl Moulay Rachid, by the petrol station  0528 800060. This is the best of the budget hotels, offering a warm welcome, hot showers and very helpful staff. It isn’t quite as cheap as some of the nearby competition, but it’s quieter, and has larger and more comfortable rooms than the rest. 100dh

CAMPING

Camping les Trois Palmiers Off the Tiznit road  0662 405870. The most central campsite, a 10min walk from the centre, is set in a small secure enclosure with hot showers and three small rooms. It tends to overflow out of its enclosure and onto the surrounding land in winter and spring, when Tafraout plays host to a swarm of camper vans driven by sun-seeking retired Europeans. Camping 30dh, double 80dh

EATING AND DRINKING

In addition to some of the hotels (Salama has a good restaurant), there are a few reasonable restaurants in town. The only bar open to the public is in the Hôtel Saint Antoine, though the Kasbah is licensed too.

Atlas Route de Tazka  0667 120793. Basic but well-presented Moroccan nosh – chicken or lamb brochettes, liver, steak, sandwiches and breakfasts – in café surroundings complete with blaring TV. Dishes include chicken or veal brochettes (35–45dh). Daily 7am–10pm.

 Espace Tifawine Route d’Ameln  0528 801488. If you’ve made it this far, you may be crying out for something other than the Moroccan culinary tricolore of couscous, brochettes and tajines. You can eat all three of those here, too, but even more tempting are the tasty wood-fired pizzas (from 30dh), which you can eat outside around the swimming pool. In addition, with wi-fi and good coffee, it’s a good place in which to plot your day, or onward trip. Daily 7am–10pm.

Étoile du Sud Av Hassan II  0528 800038. A set-menu restaurant (90dh) serving delicious Moroccan food, either indoors or outside in a Bedouin-style tent, with an occasional cabaret and floor show for tour groups. You can order separate items from the menu, but they’ll most likely attempt to give you a “free” dessert and charge for the set anyway. Daily 11am–9pm.

Kasbah Route d’Aguard Oudad  0660 954269. A large salon, where the 90dh set menu includes a handful of vegetarian options as well as tajines and couscous, with Moroccan wine available, not to mention saffron tea. Daily 11am–9pm.

Marrakech Tariq el Nahzi  0663 229250. An unpretentious family-run place overlooking the road, with excellent-value meals (60dh set menu) and friendly service. The couscous here (35dh) is particularly tasty, though the omelette breakfast set (25dh) is also a good shout. Daily noon–3pm & 7–10pm.

Saint Antoine Av Moktar Soussi  0528 801497,  hotelsaintantoine-tafraout.com. The bar of this higher-end hotel certainly doesn’t look higher-end, but it’s the only place in town where you’ll be able to walk in for a quick can of Speciale (25dh). Sometimes shows football games on a dodgy feed. Daily 9am–9pm.

ROUTES TO TAFRAOUT

Tafraout is a bit of a long way from anywhere, but the various routes into town are all stunners. These include the “main” roads from Tiznit and Agadir – both are beautiful and involve plenty of mountain zigzagging, but the Tiznit approach has the edge, winding through a succession of gorges and a grand mountain valley.

FROM TIZNIT

The Tiznit–Tafraout R104 passes a succession of villages, most named after their souk day. In winter and spring the road is sometimes crossed by streams but it is generally passable enough; the drive takes around two hours, but leave plenty of time to see, and navigate, the mountains before dusk.

  At Assaka (20km from Tiznit), a bridge has been built over Oued Tazeroualt – the river that causes most difficulty in winter and spring. Nineteen kilometres further on, a side road heads 10km south to the zaouia of Sidi Ahmed ou Moussa, which in the seventeenth century controlled its own state, the Tazeroualt, its capital at nearby (and now deserted) Illigh. The zaouia hosts a moussem in the second or third week of August, which is worth trying to attend. Sidi Ahmed is the patron saint of Morocco’s acrobats, most of whom come from this region – and return to perform.

  Just beyond Tighmi, 42km from Tiznit, the road begins its ascent of the Col du Kerdous (1100m), with the kasbah-like Hôtel Kerdous marking the top of the pass. The area is good for paragliding, though there isn’t much activity these days.

  At the end of the descent, entering the village of Jemaa Ida Oussemlal (64km from Tiznit), the road divides. The left fork, which runs downhill through the village, is the direct road to Tafraout, a picturesque route that drops into the Ameln Valley at Tahala, once a Jewish village. The right fork, a newer road, which skirts round Jemaa Ida Oussemlal, is longer but well surfaced, flatter and faster going, arriving in Tafraout through a grand spectacle of mountains and the lunar landscape around Agard Oudad. Just after Aït Ouafka, it splits again – take the right-hand fork for Izerbi, where an ex-housing minister has built a Disney-style chateau.

  Lastly, along the road from Tiznit to Tafraout, you may occasionally see children holding little furry animals for sale – live, on a piece of string – by the roadside. These are ground squirrels, which are known locally as anzid or sibsib, and are destined for the tajine dish, in which they are considered quite a delicacy, their flesh being sweet since they subsist mainly on a diet of almonds and argan nuts. You will not get anzid tajine in any restaurant, however, unless perhaps you provide the squirrels yourself.

TIZNIT TO TAFRAOUT ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

FROM AGADIR

The R105 road from Agadir to Tafraout is a bit drab until you reach the village of Aït Baha, which is a lively shopping centre on Wednesday, its souk day, and you can also stay overnight here. From Aït Baha, the road south to Tafraout is a highly scenic, though slow and winding mountains ride, past a series of fortified kasbah-villages. The most spectacular fortified village in the region, Tioulit, is to the west of the road, around 35km south of Aït Baha, with the best views of it from the south (so looking back, if you’re coming from Agadir). Another 13km on, you’ll easily discern the Kasbah de Tizourgan.

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING EN ROUTE

 Kasbah de Tizourgan Tioulit  0661 941350,  tizourganekasbah@yahoo.fr. This is one of Morocco’s most distinctive guesthouses, located in a thirteenth-century kasbah. Rooms are small but immaculate, with shared bathroom facilities, and there’s a very good restaurant – a good job, since you have to take half-board. HB 480dh

Hôtel Kerdous KM 54, Route de Tiznit Tafraout  0663 141492,  hotel-kerdous.com. At the top of the Col du Kerdous pass, this hotel is set in an old fort with well-turned-out a/c rooms and a pool. It deserves at least a stop for a tea and breathtaking views. 600dh

SHOPPING

Tafraout is well known for its babouches (slippers), and a narrow street of cordonniers sells quality slipperwear just north of the Coin des Nomades. In addition, there’s a Wed souk, held by the river in the centre of town.

Coin des Nomades Just west of the Salama. Also signed as the “Meeting Place of Nomads”, this is a pleasant little space (oddly full of posters of Rafael Nadal) in which to shop without pressure to buy – you may even have to get the proprietor’s attention. Daily 8am–7pm.

DIRECTORY

Banks The Banque Populaire on Pl Massira and the BMCE on Av Moktar Soussi have ATMs.

Festival A moussem is held in the second week of February to celebrate the almond harvest.

Hammam The old hammam is down a side street by the central mosque, and the new one is off Pl Moulay Rachid (50m down the Ameln Valley road, then right and right again after another 50m). Both have entrances for men and women and open from around 5am, but the women’s side closes at around 5pm, the men’s stays open till about 7.30pm (10–12dh).

Post office The post office is on Pl Massira (Mon–Fri 8.30am–4.15pm).

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Around Tafraout

Surrounded by a wind-eroded, jagged panorama of red-granite tors, Tafraout has plenty of interest along its fringes. Most make a beeline north to the delightful Ameln Valley, in which the minarets of village after tiny village poke out like birthday candles beneath a looming rock face. Heading south, you’ll first come across Agard Oudad, even tinier than Tafraout and home to several curious rock formations – including the blue-painted ones a short bike ride away. South again and over a mountain pass is the Gorge Aït Mansour, where several villages are strung out along a highly picturesque palmery.

Ameln Valley

Around 4km north of Tafraout at its closest point

You could spend days, if not weeks, wandering round the 26 villages of the Ameln Valley, north of Tafraout. Set against the backdrop of the Jebel el Kest’s rock face, they are all beautiful both from afar and close up – with springs, irrigation systems, brightly painted houses and mosques.

  The Ameln villages are built on the lower slopes of the Jebel el Kest, between the “spring line” and the valley floor, allowing gravity to take the water through the village and on to the arable land below.

Oumesnat

Oumesnat, like most Ameln settlements, emerges out of a startling green and purple rockscape, crouched against the steep rock walls of the valley. From a distance, its houses, perched on the rocks, seem to have a solidity to them – sensible blocks of stone, often three storeys high, with parallel sets of windows. Close up, they reveal themselves as bizarre constructions, often built on top of older houses deserted when they had become too small or decrepit; a few of them, with rooms jutting out over the cliffs, are held up by enormous stilts and have raised doorways entered by short (and retractable) ladders.

La Maison Traditionelle

Daily 9am–6pm • 10dh •  0661 513793,  maisontraditionnelle.ma

One of Oumesnat’s houses, known as La Maison Traditionelle, is owned by a blind Berber and his family, who show visitors round. They give an interesting tour, explaining the domestic equipment – grindstones, water-holders, cooking equipment – and the layout of the house with its guest room with separate entrance, animals’ quarters, and summer terrace for sleeping out. To get the most from a visit, you may need to engage an interpreter, such as one of the guides recommended in Tafraout.

Jebel el Kest

Trekking along the valley is no great hardship, but more serious hikers might consider making the ascent of the Jebel el Kest (2359m). A striking feature on it is the Lion’s Face at Asgaour – a rock formation which really does look like the face of a lion in the afternoon light when seen from Tafraout. Getting up is a rough and rocky scramble – there’s no actual climbing involved – over a mountain of amethyst quartzite from Tagoudiche, the Almen’s highest village (spelt Tagdichte on the road sign). There is a black igneous dyke below the summit pyramid, and the summit itself, being a pilgrimage site, has shelters on the top, as well as hooped petticoat daffodils blooming in spring. The easiest route is not obvious and a guide is advisable. In addition, many other areas scattered on both the southern and northern slopes of the Jebel el Kest offer excellent rock climbing, usually on sound quartzite.

WALKS AROUND THE AMELN VALLEY

With 26 villages strung out like pearls along a straightish river bed, beneath a curtain of granite to the north, it’s easy to get your bearings in the Ameln Valley, and the main bone of contention is where to start and finish your walk. Many villages have basic shops where you can buy drinks, if little else. Getting around, you can use a combination of taxis and walking, or rent bicycles. However, the paths between the villages are sometimes hard to find, or even nonexistent, so especially on a bike you may have to head back towards the main road from time to time. It’s not too far a stretch though – Oumesnat to Anameur, for example, is around 12km.

  Most choose to start their walk in Oumesnat, one of the prettiest valley villages. From here, you can walk through or above a series of villages to Anameur, where there is a source bleue, or natural springwater pool (for looking at, not for swimming in), a meandering hike of around three hours in total. Along the way is Tazoulte, one of four local villages with Jewish cemeteries, remnants of a community now completely departed, though Jewish symbols are still inscribed on the region’s silverware, which was traditionally made by Jews. On your way, you’ll also pass the starting point for a hike up the Jebel el Kest.

  If you don’t want to re-tread the same route when returning to Tafraout, you can walk over a pass back from the R104 road near Ighalene in around three hours. The path isn’t particularly easy to find, but it’s a lovely walk, taking you past flocks of sheep and goats tended by their child-shepherds. The route begins as a piste (east of the one to Tagoudiche); you follow a dry riverbed off to the right, up a side valley, where the zigzags of an old track can be seen. Cross to go up here (not straight on) and, once over the pass, keep circling left till you can see Tafraout below.

Tirnmatmat

The road west along the Ameln Valley crosses an almost imperceptible watershed, beyond which, at Aït Omar, a piste heads north to Tirntinmat, a partly abandoned village. Around 200m further, on the north bank of the river, are numerous carvings in the rocks, depicting hunters and animals (some of these may be prehistoric), along with more modern graffiti (including a VW Beetle).

  The ridge walk to the south of this village is taken by some trekking parties and is really special, with Bonelli’s eagles circling below, goats climbing the argan trees, and wild boar snuffling round the bushes.

Agard Oudad

3km south of Tafraout

Head south from Tafraout for a short but enjoyable walk or cycle to AGARD OUDAD, a dramatic-looking village built under a particularly bizarre outcrop of granite. Like many of the rocks in this region, this has been given a name; most of the others are named after animals – people will point out their shapes to you – but this one is known, in good French-colonial tradition, as Le Chapeau de Napoléon (Napoleon’s Hat). There’s little else to do in the village, which seems to muddle through the day on permanent siesta, though your presence will certainly pique the interest of its locals.

Painted rocks

1.5km southwest of Agard Oudad • Daily 24hr • Free • It’s most enjoyable to come here by bicycle, and smooth pistes make it easy by car, if you follow the road past Agard Oudad till you see a sign for “Rochers Peints” pointing right, then follow the piste along for 2km or so and you’ll soon spot them to your right – you can make a loop of the trip by following the piste further out west, eventually emerging onto the R104 in Afella Adaï (it’s possible to hit the rocks from this direction too, though the sign from the road is in Arabic only); on foot, you can take a short cut away from the main road by following the flat piste round to the right behind the Chapeau de Napoléon, and you’ll see the rocks on your left after a couple of km

The Painted Rocks (also known as the Pierres Bleues, or Rochers Peints) were executed in 1984 by Belgian artist Jean Verame and a team of Moroccan firemen, who hosed some eighteen tons of paint over a large area of rocks; Verame had previously executed a similar project in Sinai. The rocks had lost some of their colour over the years so a local man decided to refresh them in 2010, to mixed reactions from local people, many of whom disliked the project, especially after pieces of the paint started washing off into the local streams. Now, however, budding modern artists – mostly younger travellers from elsewhere in Morocco – are adding their own hues to the mix on nearby rocks. Controversy aside, it’s an absorbing spectacle, especially when the setting sun imbues its own take on proceedings.

Gorge Aït Mansour

Just over 30km southeast of Tafraout

For a beautiful day-trip from Tafraout, drive southeast towards the Gorge Aït Mansour, a route that first rises into beautiful Anti-Atlas mountain scenery, then descends into some fabulous gorges and palmeries. It’s possible to make a loop of the route in a sturdy vehicle, though it has been more difficult since roads were washed away in the storms of 2014.

  Leaving Tafraout, the road here climbs over the hills, with superb panoramas back across Tafraout and the Ameln Valley, before reaching reach Tleta Tazrite (15km from Tafraout), which has a souk on Friday. From Tleta Tazrite, the road heads south then descends rapidly into Aït Mansour, where many people like to park up and stroll through the massive palmery, which is beautifully cool in the heat of the day. The palmery stretches a good 6km along the floor of a valley, while the road itself rises above it, giving amazingly beautiful vistas – especially from the fine agadir (fortified granary) at the crest, a little behind which you can see a yellow mosque backed by sumptuous-looking rock formations. Just south of this, at Souk El Hadd Issi, the palmery ends.

  To the south, a piste (for which really you need 4WD) heads off to Aït Herbil, passing a number of ancient rock carvings, though they are not easy to find and a guide would be advisable. The first and least difficult group of carvings to find are some 700m east of the road, about 6.4km south of the junction, and feature long-horned cattle and elephants, which lived in this part of Africa when the carvings were made. To the east, you can make the loop back to Tleta Tazrite via the villages of Tiouada, Temguilcht and Tarhat – though none are especially beautiful.

ARRIVAL AND ACTIVITIES: AROUND TAFRAOUTE

By bus and minibus New Lux services, as yet unnumbered, run from Tafraout every 30min (5dh), running past most nearby settlements. To access Gorge Aït Mansour, minibuses leave Tafraout for Tiouada and Souk el Hadd Issi around 11.30am–noon, returning at 5.30am the following day; unless you fancy hitching back, you’ll have to stay the night. Other than the option given here (see Accommodation and eating), Tiouada is the only place which may have rooms.

By bike and on foot At only 4km from Tafraoute, it’s quite easy to get to the Ameln Valley on a rented bicycle; walking is possible, too, but the road is a little too busy for comfort, and there’s no shade.

By car The Gorge Aït Mansour area is far, far better tackled in a car – preferably one with 4WD, if you’re to complete the “loop”. From Tafraout, follow the road out past Agard Oudad, turning left around 3km south of the village.

Rock climbing If you intend doing any rock climbing in the region, two invaluable sources of information are Climbing in the Moroccan Anti-Atlas by Claude Davies (Cicerone, 2004), and Moroccan Anti-Atlas North by Steve Broadbent, both of which detail each site they cover, showing the ascents on photographs of the rock face. Houssine Laroussi at the Coin des Nomades also keeps and dispenses information on rock climbing, and has copies of both aforementioned books (but not for sale); you’ll also find some copies nestled into the walls at the Kasbah restaurant in Tafraout, though again, these are for looking only.

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

Note that bar a solitary fast-food café – often devoid of food, in any case – stuck atop a little parade of shops near the Chez Amaliya, there aren’t many places to eat in this whole area. Most people eat an evening meal at their hotel (all offer good half-board rates), and perhaps grab lunch in Tafraout.

AROUND THE AMELN VALLEY JUNCTION

L’Argannier d’Ammelne 500m east of the junction with the road from Tafraout, where the piste for Tamdilt and Asgaour branches off  0528 800020,  arganierammelne.com. This hotel offers small but sweet rooms with smooth, polished walls, each in a different colour, set around a small garden. There are also camping facilities and dorm beds. Camping 30dh, BB double 225dh

Auberge la Tête du Lion 500m east of the junction with the road from Tafraout, where the piste for Tamdilt and Asgaour branches off  0528 801165,  latetedulion.com. A scenic spot, located directly opposite the Lion’s Face (hence the name). The spacious a/c rooms are arranged around a lush garden, and there’s a panoramic roof terrace and a restaurant. 340dh

 Chez Amaliya By the junction with the road from Tafraout  0528 800065,  chezamaliya.com. Boasting perhaps the best pool view of any hotel in Morocco, this is a cool place with an elegant lobby and well-appointed rooms, all presided over by an enthusiastic Dutch woman. There’s wi-fi in the lobby area but it doesn’t reach all the rooms. The food is top-notch, too, and the place is licensed. BB 500dh

Maison d’Hôte Yamina 1km up the road to Tamdilt  0670 523883,  yamina-tafraout.com. A sparkling clean little auberge professionally run by a French-Moroccan couple in a traditional Berber house, upgraded with hot running water, a/c, heating, pretty little rooms and en-suite bathrooms. HB 440dh

Municipal campsite By the junction with the road from Tafraout. This small campsite is surprisingly empty compared to the sites on the edge of town, but it’s just as good, and in summer it even has a swimming pool. 30dh

OUMESNAT

Gîte Lkst  0666 556274,  benabbou12@hotmail.com. A tranquil setting and beautiful scenery are the plus points here, while hard mattresses and darkish rooms are the minus points. It isn’t the most traditional Berber experience, but it’s a decent place to stay, at a very reasonable price. 120dh.

Maison Traditionelle  0661 513793,  maisontraditionnelle.ma. The owners of this grand house also offer bed and breakfast or half-board in a nearby village home, with a/c rooms – heated in winter – and a little garden. BB 300dh

TAGOUDICHE

Gîte de Tagoudiche  0667 029484. Very simple village accommodation, set in a small house with dorm beds, and mainly aimed at climbers wanting to stay overnight in the village for an early morning ascent. Transport can usually be arranged from Tafraout for people staying at the gîte. 50dh

GORGE AÏT MANSOUR

Auberge Aït Mansour Near the north end of the palmery  0528 735198. This friendly guesthouse in the palmery was the only reliable accommodation in the whole area at the time of writing. Rooms are simple, but the surrounding area is enchanting, and they’ll be able to whip you up a simple meal. Call ahead, or there may be nobody there to greet you. HB 150dh

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Mirhleft

MIRHLEFT is a friendly, bustling village about halfway between Tiznit and Sidi Ifni, set a kilometre back from a series of good beaches with crashing waves and strong currents, which particularly attract surfers. The town has little of tourist interest bar the old French fort overlooking it to the east and a Monday souk (devoted mainly to secondhand items), but it’s a nice little place to hole up for a few days, walking the dusty streets and enjoying a carefree atmosphere – the latter perhaps the biggest contributing factor behind the surprisingly substantial expat population, mostly made up of French and Belgian retirees.

The beaches

There are four main beaches around Mirhleft, each with their own particular vibe and appeal. Furthest north is Imintourga Beach, also known as the “main” beach; 1km from central Mirhleft, this wide curl of sand is the most popular in the area, and can get packed out on weekends. Next comes Aftas Beach, a tiny, secluded spot directly below town, and also home to Aftas Beach House. Next comes Marabout Beach, 1.5km to the south and so named because of the tomb (and mosque) just off its centre; it’s also home to the Dar Najmat hotel, and famed for the intriguing – and highly photogenic – rock formation sticking straight up from the beach like a miniature mountain. Last, but by no means least, is the Plage Sauvage, a wide beach with the most protection of all four, and therefore the best place for swimming; there are also surf spots in the vicinity.

French fort

Walk up Bd Legzira and just keep going • Daily 24hr • Free

An old military French fort, built by the Foreign Legion in 1936 and underscored by Arabic text, overlooks the village from the hill above, which you can climb for beautiful views over the surrounding countryside. It’s a popular sunset-watching spot, especially with young local couples seeking a bit of privacy.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: MIRHLEFT

By bus Mirhleft is on the #18 Lux bus route linking Tiznit and Sidi Ifni; buses stop on the main road in the centre of town. Half of them take a detour to swing by Aglou Plage on their way to and from Tiznit.

Destinations Aglou Plage (roughly every 2hr; 45min); Inezgane (daily; 3hr;) Sidi Ifni (hourly; 45min); Tiznit (hourly; 1hr).

By grand taxi Mirhleft is served by grands taxis from Sidi Ifni (30min) and Tiznit (45min), but they can be sparse, especially around lunchtime – they run from the main road in the middle of the village.

INFORMATION AND ACTIVITIES

Banks There’s an Attijariwafa Bank, with an ATM, on the main road.

Bike rental A little oddly, the two outfits renting out bicycles (10dh/hr) and motorbikes (80dh/day) are located next door to each other, visible on the left about 100m up Bd Legzira from the main road. Rkount Tour (daily 7.30am–10pm;  0528 445440) is usually the more reliable and switched on.

Excursions Staff at the Abertih can organize all sorts, including quad-bike trips, donkey rides, and paragliding – the latter will cost around 500dh for a tandem ride lasting 30–40min. For surfing lessons, ask at Café Aftas (  0670 729583,   cafeaftas.com), next door to Aftas Beach House.

ACCOMMODATION

TOWN CENTRE

The town-centre options below are all on the same road, which runs parallel to the main road 100m to the east; it’s easy to find, even if you’re not looking for it, since all roads seem to converge here.

 Abertih On the corner of the main street with the Tiznit–Ifni road  0528 719304,  abertih.com. The best hotel in the village, run by an amiable Frenchman and tastefully decorated, with a good restaurant, constant hot water and some en-suite rooms (100dh extra). It’s also a good place to get paragliding information. 200dh

Atlas Opposite the souk  0528 719309. This is a bog-standard Moroccan hotel that’s been revamped for tourists. The rooms are but small and simple, some en suite, and most without outside windows. There’s a roof terrace giving views of the fort, the showers and toilets are impressively clean, and they supply towels, soap and shampoo. 170dh

Tafoukt Next to the souk  0528 719077. This simple, no-nonsense hotel charges ordinary Moroccan rates, and makes no particular concessions to tourists, but it’s clean and decent, and frankly just as good as the Atlas and the du Sud opposite, which are over twice the price. Most of the rooms have windows facing inward, and those at the top get a lot more light than the first floor. 80dh

OUT OF TOWN

Aftas Beach House Aftas beach  0675 164271,  aftasmirleft.com. A small guesthouse run by an Englishwoman, in a great location, right on its own little beach, with almost nothing else there. The rooms are small, and slightly pricier ones have ocean views. Food is available (for guests only), and the Café Aftas next door offers surfing lessons. Note that there’s often a two-night minimum. 382dh

 Auberge des Trois Chameaux On the hill above town, just below the fort  0528 719187,  3chameaux.com. Classy maison d’hôte housed in what used to be the officers’ quarters of the French army fort. There’s a choice of rooms (which are actually more like junior suites) and, for not much more money, suites with private terraces and wonderful views. There’s also a heated swimming pool, parking facilities, an in-house hammam, good food and great vistas over the countryside. HB 1490dh

 Dar Najmat Marabout Plage, 2km south of town  0528 719056,  darnajmat.com. A beautiful auberge with bright, modern a/c rooms and a scenic infinity-style pool. Standing on its own at the end of a small, picturesque beach, the hotel is dominated by an impressively large rock and overlooked by a mosque and a row of small shops, with just one beach café. The beach is not suitable for surfing, which keeps most of the Mirhleft crowd away. HB 1300dh

Sally’s B&B Overlooking Imintourga Beach, just west of town  0528 719056,  sallymirleft.com. A nice option close to town, in a quiet neighbourhood, this B&B is a great place to chill out, with picture-perfect views from the rooftop. Though there’s no pool, the beach is right below, and the studio room here is absolutely huge. HB 700dh

EATING AND DRINKING

All three options listed here are on the same road in the town centre – aim for the souk.

Abertih  0528 719304. The menu at this hotel changes daily, but the food is always good, and you can have beer or wine with your meal. There’s usually fish cooked a la plancha (70–80dh) and couscous (60dh) on offer, but keep your fingers crossed and they may have spider crab or camel. A pity that it’s only open in the evenings. Daily 7pm–midnight.

À la Bonne Franquette Hôtel du Sud  0528 719407. On the same road as the city-centre accommodation, the Hôtel du Sud’s restaurant cooks up some tasty grub, including grilled fish (75dh) and camel tajine (50dh). It’s also licensed. Daily 8am–10pm.

Chourouk . Popular with locals (always a good sign), this is the place to head for cheap local staples – tajines go from 20dh, couscous from 30dh, and a fried fish platter will set you back 60dh. Head on up to the rooftop for pleasant views over the town’s focal-point road. Daily 24hr, in theory.

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Sidi Ifni and around

SIDI IFNI is uniquely interesting: an enclave relinquished by Spain only in 1969, after the Moroccan government closed off landward access. Built in the 1930s, on a clifftop site, it is surely the finest and most romantic Art Deco military town ever built. Many of its 1930s buildings have been the victims of neglect, but with a realization by the authorities that they attract tourists, steps are now being taken to conserve the town’s heritage, and many are also being bought up by foreigners.

  The site, then known as Santa Cruz del Mar Pequeño (“Holy Cross of the Small Sea”), was held by the Spanish from 1476 to 1524, when the Saadians threw them out. In 1860, the Treaty of Tetouan gave it back to them, though they didn’t reoccupy it until 1934, after they (or rather, the French) had “pacified” the interior.

  Sidi Ifni’s main attractions are its Spanish feel and Art Deco architecture. The beach, with a marabout tomb at its northern end, is not that great (the beaches at Legzira and Mirhleft are better) and is prone to long sea mists. On Sundays a large souk takes place just east of the abandoned airfield, and each June 30 the city hosts a festival to celebrate its 1969 reincorporation into Morocco.

Legzira Beach

10km north of Sidi Ifni • Coming to or from Tiznit, Mirhleft or Sidi Ifni, use the #18 Lux bus (hourly), or take a taxi from Sidi Ifni (around 200dh, including an hour or so’s waiting time); you can walk here along the coast from Sidi Ifni

The fine Legzira Beach is flanked by natural sea-worn rock archways and overlooked by an old Spanish fort from the hills above, whose thermal currents attract hang-gliding and paragliding enthusiasts. A rather horrible vacation village has unfortunately now been built directly above the beach, but that doesn’t detract from the beauty of the place – something best experienced on the long walk along the coast from Sidi Ifni.

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION: SIDI IFNI AND AROUND

By bus All buses arriving or departing Sidni Ifni stop on Av Mohammed V. To and from Tiznit, your best bet are the #18 Lux buses, which head via Mirhleft; half of them also hit Aglou Plage.

Destinations Agadir (4 daily; 4hr–4hr 30min); Aglou Plage (roughly every 2hr; 45min); Casablanca (2 daily; 12hr); Marrakesh (3 daily; 7hr 45min); Mirhleft (45min); Tiznit (hourly; 2hr)

By grand taxi Grands taxis leave four blocks east of Av Mohammed V.

Destinations Guelmim (1hr); Inezgane (3hr 30min); Mirhleft (45min); Tiznit (1hr 30min).

Banks You’ll find a BMCE and Banque Populaire on Av Mohammed V, both with ATMs.

ACCOMMODATION

SIDI IFNI

HOTELS

Aït Baâmram Rue de la Plage  0528 780217. By the beach, and with a restaurant and bar, this hotel looks dodgy from the outside but has immaculate tiled walls and floors in its public areas. The rooms themselves are a bit chipped and scuffed, though all are en suite. 180dh

Bellevue Pl Hassan II  0528 875072. Housed in an original Ifni Art Deco building, right on Plaza de España, and next to the law courts, this well-kept hotel has sweeping views over the beach, a good restaurant, and a bar. Some rooms are en suite, but the shared bathroom facilities for those that aren’t have hot water from 7–11am only. 200dh

Ifni Av Mohammed V. There’s a smattering of small, basic hotels very close to each other in the centre, all catering mainly for a Moroccan clientele. Rooms here, as at the rest, are very basic, but at the time of writing, this was the only one with working hot showers. No wi-fi. 70dh

Ifni Marina Hôtel Rue du Caire  0528 780796,  ifnimarina.com. This modern hotel, built to accompany a marina development, is generic and totally lacking in character, but it’s fresh and bright, with yellow- and terracotta-painted rooms, all with balconies and a/c. It claims to be wheelchair accessible, but has no specially adapted rooms. BB 300dh

Maison Xanadu 5 Rue el Jadida (look for the Ψ symbol on the door)  0528 876718,  maisonxanadu.com. Sidi’s highest-end choice, this is a bright, cheerful, French-owned maison d’hôte with lots of jolly pastel colours and breezy, modern, en-suite rooms, plus great views from the roof terrace. The owner is a good source of local advice. BB 550dh

 Suerte Loca Rue Moulay Youssef  0528 875350. A characterful place – the name (meaning “Crazy Luck”) and a bodega-style bar, which is sadly not licensed, reveal its small-town Spanish origins – run by a very welcoming English-speaking family. It has cheap rooms in the old Spanish wing, slightly pricier en-suite ones (220dh) in a new wing, and is deservedly popular. It also has a good café-restaurant, a terrace overlooking the town and sea, and a surf shop next door. 140dh

CAMPSITES

Camping el Barco Rue de la Plage  0528 780707,  complexe-elbarco.com. Right by the beach, and almost completely unshaded, this campsite also has some slightly weatherbeaten rooms (dubbed “bungalows”) with sea-facing balconies and kitchenettes. They offer discounts for long stays. Camping 40dh, bungalow 300dh

Camping Sidi Ifni Rue de la Plage  0528 876734. The best campsite in town, run by the proprietors of the Hôtel Bellevue. It has absolutely no shade at all, but it does have a swimming pool in summer (open to all; 20dh), high walls for security, and sunshine most of the day. Rooms are also available. Camping 35dh, double 70dh

LEGZIRA BEACH

Auberge Sables d’Or On the beach  0661 302495. Good rooms, some with bathrooms and terraces, plus a decent restaurant downstairs all contribute to make this a good choice among the four beach auberges. BB 200dh

SPANISH COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE IN SIDI IFNI

The best place in which to start a tour of Sidi Ifni’s old Spanish buildings is Plaza de España (now officially rechristened Place Hassan II), a quiet square whose centrepiece is an Andalusian garden with Spanish tiled benches and a Moroccan tiled fountain. A plinth in the middle once bore the statue of General Capaz, who took Ifni for Spain in 1934. At the northern end of the square, the now empty Spanish consulate, a building straight out of García Márquez, stands next to a Moorish Art Deco building, which used to be the church, and is now the law court. At the other end of the plaza, the blue-and-white-striped town hall, complete with its town clock, stands next to the former governor-general’s residence, now the royal palace. Behind it, there’s a magnificent Art Deco lighthouse.

  Heading north down Rue Moulay Youssef, you’ll find what must be the world’s only Art Deco mosque, small and rather pretty, with blue piping up the sides of the minaret. At the street’s northern end is a building in the shape of a ship, which once housed the Spanish naval secretariat. It was the first building to go up in Sidi Ifni, and its two forward portholes were the windows of cells where miscreant sailors were held.

  Lastly, old Spanish street signs on Avenue Mohammed V still identify it as Calle Seis de Abril, and several of its buildings are original Ifni Art Deco. The post office was much more splendid before the top storey was demolished, and under Spanish rule it used to issue its own stamps, featuring wildlife, traditional costumes and even the town’s buildings. Across the street, the Banque Populaire, like the Naval Secretariat, is built in the form of a ship.

EATING

SIDI IFNI

El Hourria Av el Houria  0528 816343. Eat inside or out in the garden at this attractive restaurant in a valley between the two sides of town, with options such as fried squid (45dh) or prawn pili-pili (36dh). On Fri there’s also couscous. Daily 9am–11pm.

Fish stands By the market. The clutch of hole-in-the-wall eateries on the western side of the municipal market serve good fish tajines, as well as fried squid, sole, prawns or whiting (34dh), though somewhat strangely these all come down from Agadir daily rather than caught locally. Daily 10am–11pm.

Ocean Miramar 3 Av Moulay Abdallah  0528 876637. Immaculate restaurant with a scenic terrace specializing in fish and seafood, including fish tajines (60dh) and paella (50dh), or there are pizzas too (from 45dh), and chocolate mousse (15dh) or banana split (20dh) for afters. They also do breakfasts (25dh). Daily 7am–10pm.

Suerte Loca Rue Moulay Youssef  0528 875350. This cool hotel is also one of the best options for food in Sidi Ifni – many places in town advertise Spanish-style dishes, but this is often the only place actually serving paella (55dh), Spanish tortillas (26dh) and the like, making for a nice break from the norm. Daily 8am–2.30pm & 5–11pm.

LEGZIRA BEACH

 Abouis On the beach  0699 725527. There are a few places to eat on the beach, but notably, some have different prices for foreigners and locals – this one is, at least, honest in such regards. The food’s great, too, with tasty cheese omelettes (15dh), couscous through the week (40dh) and grilled fish (from 50dh), as well as good coffee (10dh). Interestingly, the yummy sauces that they’ll plonk on your table with most meals are mojo – a speciality from the Canary Islands, a few hundred kilometres to the west. Daily 9am–8pm.

SURFING AND PARAGLIDING AROUND SIDI IFNI

In recent years, Sidi Ifni has become something of a base for surfing and paragliding. Favourite surfing spots are the main beach, just in front of the tennis courts, and another beach 100m south of the new port. There are a few places offering surf lessons and equipment in town, but by far the best is the one adjoining the Suerte Loca (  0528 489511). It’ll set you back around 180dh for a 3hr lesson with board and suit rental included. Favourite paragliding spots are the hills behind Ifni, and at Legzira Beach; your best source of information is the Abertih in Mirhleft.

DRINKING

SIDI IFNI

 Aït Baâmram Rue de la Plage  0528 780217. This hotel is where locals come to drink – an atmospheric place with a pleasingly seedy-looking interior and a clutch of outdoor tables gazing straight at the sea, illumined only by ambient light. Beers cost 15dh, and you can get a whole bottle of wine from 60dh, plus there’s a decent selection of spirits for somewhere so remote. Bring your mosquito repellent, if you want to sit in the outdoor area. Daily 9am–11pm.

Bellevue Pl Hassan II  0528 875072. This Art Deco hotel has a cool little bar up on top, with a few outdoor tables overlooking the sea. Beer goes for 20dh, and a half-bottle of wine will cost 62dh; food is available, too. Daily 12.30–11pm.

ROCK ARCH, LEGZIRA BEACH, NEAR SIDI IFNI

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Guelmim and around

Surrounded by some impressively bleak scenery, GUELMIM (also Romanized as Goulimine or Gulimime) is an administrative town with a distinctly frontier feel and a couple of small, fairly animated souks, including two evening markets. One of these runs off the Route d’Agadir (now officially renamed Boulevard Mohammed VI), mainly selling food, and one off Avenue des FAR, mainly selling clothes.

  You may meet local hustlers here indulging in theatrical cons, usually involving invitations to see “genuine hommes bleus” (supposedly desert nomads, clad in blue) in tents outside town, inevitably just an excuse to relieve tourists of some money.

THE LEGZIRA WALK

Make no bones about it – the 10km shoreside trek (lasting 2–3hr) from Sidi Ifni to Legzira beach is, quite simply, one of southern Morocco’s most enjoyable walking routes. Many locals will try to convince you that you need a guide; this is not true, and as long as you bear a few simple things in mind, it’s quite easy. The main thing that you’ll need to take note of is the tide: the route is only possible at low tide, and the daily times are very easy to find online. Secondly, you’ll need to head up the cliff and away from the beach at one point, just before the first rock arch you’ll come across on the way up from Sidi Ifni. The uphill path is easy to spot, as is the downwards counterpart, which slides gently down a wide crevasse a few hundred metres further north. After that, you’ll pass through a few more spectacular arches on your way to Legzira. You’ll be able to do this route in flip-flops, though do note that at various points you’ll have to walk across large, slippery stones, some of which are covered in moss and algae.

Caid Dahman Takni’s palace

On a side street off Av Mohammed V • Daily 24hr • Free

The nearest thing that Guelmim has to a tourist sight is the remains of Caid Dahman Takni’s palace, hidden in the backstreets behind the Hôtel la Jeunesse, and ruined now but barely a hundred years old. Just a corner and the back survive in any substantial form, but the views from here are pretty good – just watch out for the shards of bottle-glass which blanket the ground.

Camel market

1km out of town on the Tan Tan road • Sat from around 6am to noon; first tour buses arrive around 8am

Guelmim’s Saturday souk, known as the camel market, is rather a sham. It has the usual Moroccan goods (grain, vegetables, meat, clothes, silver, jewellery, sheep and goats), but what it doesn’t have many of is camels, which have fallen from favour over the years in the wake of lorries and transit vehicles, and the caravan routes are more or less extinct. The few you do see have been brought in for show or to be sold for meat.

Aït Bekkou

17km southeast of Guelmim, 7km further from Asrir • Grand taxi 14dh/seat or 60dh for vehicle, from the station on Asrir new road

The largest and most spectacular oasis in the Guelmim area is Aït Bekkou (or Aït Boukka), a thriving agricultural community with an especially lush strip of cultivation along a canal, irrigated from the old riverbed and emerging from a flat expanse of sand. You might even see the odd herd of camels being grazed out here. To reach the canal, head for the thicket of palms about 2km behind the oasis (or pick up a guide on the way).

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: GUELMIM AND AROUND

By plane The airport ( 0528 872230) is 5km out of town, off the Sidi Ifni road; there’s no public transport so you’ll have to charter a grand taxi to get there (20–40dh, depending on your luck). Note that it’s a military airfield, too – you’ll have to show documents at the entrance, and printed tickets would help too. Arriving by air, you may need to call your hotel to send a taxi. Royal Air Maroc are represented by 3S Travel at 177 Bd Mohammed VI (Route d’Agadir;  0528 771269).

Destinations Casablanca (5 weekly; 1hr 30min); Tan Tan (5 weekly; 30min).

By bus Private buses use the gare routière on the Bou Izakarn road. The CTM ( 0528 871135) and Supratours ( 0528871503) offices are at the other side of the gare routière on Av Abaynou.

Destinations: Agadir (2–3 hourly; 4hr 30min); Akka (2 daily; 8hr); Casablanca (1–2 hourly; 14hr); Dakhla (9 daily; 16hr); Foum el Hassan (2 daily; 6hr); Laayoune (1–2 hourly; 7hr); Marrakesh (2–3 hourly; 9hr 30min); Ouarzazate (2 daily; 15hr); Rabat (9 daily; 16hr); Smara (4 daily; 6hr); Tan Tan (2–3 hourly; 3hr); Tata (2 daily; 9hr 30min); Tiznit (2–3 hourly; 2hr 30min).

By grand taxi Grands taxis leave from next to the gare routière for most of the destinations below. For Assaka, they leave from a station on Av Hassan II at the junction of Av el Moukouama, where Land Rover taxis can also be found. For Aït Bekkou, Asrir and Assa-Zag, they use a station southeast of the centre, on the new Asrir road.

Destinations Agadir (4hr 45min); Aït Bekkou (30min); Asrir (15min); Assa-Zag (2hr); Assaka (1hr); Bou Izakarn (1hr); Inezgane (4hr 30min); Laayoune (5hr); Sidi Ifni (1hr); Tiznit (2hr 30min); Tan Tan (2hr 30min).

ASRIR MOUSSEM

A large moussem is held annually in early June at Asrir, 10km southeast along the Asrir road. Traditionally a camel traders’ fair, there are still many humped beasts present at the festival today. There’s also usually Guedra dancing, a seductive women’s dance of the desert, performed from a kneeling position (developed for the low tents) to a slow, repetitive rhythm. A grand taxi from Guelmim costs 7dh per seat or 42dh for the vehicle, from the station on Asrir new road.

INFORMATION

Tourist information Délégation de Tourisme, 209 Bd Mohammed VI (Mon–Fri 8.30am–4.30pm;  0528 872911).

Banks There are plenty of banks with ATMs. The BMCE is on Av Hassan II, 100m west of Hôtel Salam.

Hammam Next to the post office, with showers as well as steam. Men’s and women’s entrances are either side of a café (both sexes 6am–8pm).

ACCOMMODATION

Bahich 31 Av Abaynou  0528 772178,  bahich-hotel@hotmail.com. A nice little centrally located place, if a bit plain and functional, with cool rooms, some of which have en-suite showers. The distinctive 3D paintings in the lobby are by local artist, Hamid Kahlaoui. 180dh

 Carrefour 31 Av Mohammed V  0528 771510,  hotelcarrefourguelmim.com. The nicest, newest place in town, with rooms that’ll make you forget you’re in Guelmim for a while – all are en suite with wooden furnishings and clean, spacious bathrooms, and the service is by far the most professional in town. Unfortunately, it’s located right above a petrol station, though thankfully the sounds and smells don’t really carry into the rooms. 330dh

Ijdiguen 194 Av Ibn Battouta  0528 771453. Bright, clean and right opposite the gare routière, with shared hot showers (7dh) and friendly staff. Great if you’ve just arrived on a late bus or need to catch an early one, and a good halfway house between the most basic places and the better hotels, with particularly good rates for single rooms (75dh). 150dh

EATING

For cheap eating, try the clutch of rôtisseries (spit-roast chicken joints) on Av Mohammed V by Pl Bir Anzarane.

Al Jazira Bd Mohammed VI  0528 772818. A popular diner with striplights and plastic seating, selling rôtisserie chicken, shawarma (40dh a plate), brochettes (35dh with chips and salad), sandwiches, salads and snacks. Daily noon–4am.

Café Sidi Alghazi Av Ibn Battouta  0661 479855. Very handy and clean café-restaurant by the gare routière, with a bit of everything: tajines, couscous, pizzas, sandwiches, juices, coffee and cakes – you can fill up for well under 50dh. Just what you need if arriving or leaving by bus at a silly hour. Daily 24hr, food 8am–midnight.

Plage Blanche 143 Bd Mohammed VI  0528 871020. It may look horrid from the outside, but step through the doors and you’ll find a patisserie that’s quite plush by Guelmim standards. It’s also a café – good for breakfast – and about the best restaurant in town. A beef tajine here will set you back 35dh, and on for the same price on Fri there’s seven-veg couscous. Daily 6am–2am, food from noon.

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Fort Bou-Jerif

Fort Bou-Jerif is a truly romantic spot, 35km from Guelmim and set beside the Oued Assaka, 13km from the sea, with a wonderful auberge-campsite in an old French Foreign Legion camp in the middle of nowhere. From here, you can go on some superb four-wheel-drive excursions in the area, including trips to the Plage Blanche – the “White Beach” that stretches for sixty or so kilometres along the coast southwest of Guelmim. Travellers heading for Mauritania and Senegal should also be able to pick up information here as a lot of overlanders stop over at the fort on their way down.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: FORT BOU-JERIF

By car and grand taxi The paved road to Tisséguemane branches left off the Sidi Ifni road a kilometre outside Guelmim, then there’s 20km of piste, which you could probably persuade a grand taxi driver to take you along for a small fee, and which can be negotiated, with care, in a car or camper van (around 1hr40min).

By Land Rover taxi You should be able to charter a Land Rover taxi in Guelmim from the junction of Av Hassan II with Av el Moukouama.

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING

FORT BOU-JERIF

Fort Bou-Jerif auberge-campsite  0672 130017,  fortboujerif.com. This wonderful place offers accommodation in a “motel”, a “little hotel” and a “hotel” or you can camp, with a nomadic tent on offer if you don’t have your own. Most people take half-board, which is a good idea as the food is good (camel tajine the speciality) and there is nowhere else nearby to eat. Camping per person 40dh, nomadic tent per person 80dh, double 390dh

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