ERFOUD

The sentinel of the desert

Erfoud, posted at the gates of Tafilalet and south of the Ziz Valley, had his time in his heyday.

Formerly, Erfoud was the base camp of all shipments to the dunes of Merzouga. The city has the necessary infrastructure to accommodate travelers who set out to discover the desert and the region, to Merzouga, Taouz, Tazzarine or Ziz Valley.

Local crafts operates a fossilized stone primary era: Erfoud stone, creating decorative or utilitarian objects.

The city is at the heart of a great and beautiful palm grove in which to walk. You can go to "Borj" fortified tower, which offers panoramic views of the desert, the valley and the palm.

Borj-East

3 km from Erfoud, on the other side of Ziz. From the top of the rock that dominates both the city and the palm, the view embraces of sight to the east and south of the dry landscape Hamada, and south-west to north Tafilalet palm groves.

In the distance, there are the first dunes of Erg Chebbi, which over of the day moving from one hue to another according to sunlight.

Marble and stone Erfoud

Digging well, we discover qu'Erfoud holds many relics of its past. A shiny black marble fossilized quarried nearby, was a stonemason from Erfoud major center; at the same time giving its name to the stone: the stone Erfoud. The stonemasons and museums can be visited throughout the year.

Manar Marble - road Jorf: daily from 9 am to 18 pm.
The museum fossils and minerals -3 km on the road to Rissani on the right, every day from 8 am to 18 / 19h).

Souks in Erfoud

Taking the Moulay Hassan souk overlooks the main square of Far Avenue is a Berber souk where you can find fresh produce and the famous dates Erfoud. It is active every day, but is growing and some importance on Saturdays.

Eat and drink in Erfoud

Specialty Tafilalet, the Medfouna is a bread baked in the ashes, stuffed with meat, onions and poached eggs. Snack that takes the body, ideal before heading out.

All major hotels offer a table serving local food, and sometimes international.
Many small restaurants line the avenue Mohammed V, where snacks and tagines cheap.

Some hotels listed have an inclusive bar. Note that of the Tafilalet Hotel Avenue Moulay Ismail offering beers (Dh 15) and alcohol to be enjoyed around the pool.

Tours around Erfoud

Ksar Madid

5 km north of Erfoud, this imposing Ksar is surrounded by a high wall of mud. It is a maze of narrow streets, often covered a good part of their journey.

Rissani

Holy city and the cradle of the Alawite dynasty whose royal family is descended, Rissani gives us access to Merzouga dunes just a few miles.

Merzouga and the dunes of Erg Chebbi

Beautiful dunes of orange sand up to a height of 150 m dominate the villages of Hassilabied and Merzouga. Mecca of tourism in search of thrills, Merzouga dunes have become the economic powerhouse of the region.

SIDI IFNI

Between sea, mountains and the Great South

Ocean city, Atlas, Sahara? Sidi Ifni is one of those sweet cocktails like the south of Morocco is able to offer us.

Nestled on a cliff, the last vestige of the foothills of the Anti Atlas, it dominates the blue-green of this Atlantic Ocean from which it draws its main resources.

Strategic enclave

The Sidi Ifni region is the birthplace and stronghold of Aït Baamrane, powerful confederation of Berber tribes known throughout southern Morocco for its struggle in the 1930s against the French invaders than Spanish so then during the Ifni War 'la guerra olvidada Spanish in 1957/1958.

Granted to Spain by a Spanish-Moroccan Treaty of 1767 in order to create fisheries sardines, development actually in 1934 when General Franco decided to make this enclave a strategic military base. It was not until June 1969 to be finally qu'Ifni Moroccan and 2010 it is free of the provincial supervision of Tiznit

                                       

Dispersed urbanism

Of his Spanish years, it retains the colonial structure of a grid of streets and avenues leading to the central square oval, urban architecture in which buildings have kept the art deco style very popular in Spain in the 1930s.

The old cathedral converted into court, his presbytery became library, the old Admiralty, the lighthouse and many houses with trees and flowers gardens along Avenue Mohammed V are always there to remind us that time. Mecca of urban entertainment, instead Hassan II, former Plaza de España offers a splendid view of the ocean

Besides the eccentric harbor on the south side of the airport, Sidi Ifni, has two parts. One former, around the place where Hassan II focused most services and hotel as well as the municipal market infrastructure.

The other area is in turn separated from a good kilometer from the city center through the avenues and Houria El Al Quds. Here is the particular position, the Grand Mosque and the public garden Annasr, restaurants as well as Internet cafes always helpful.

Beaches and waves

The main activity of Sidi Ifni port remains with the traditional fishery. Sardines, sea bream, croakers landed there in the afternoon sparking great excitement around, the port market, then to the city waking up in the late afternoon.

Its mild winter climate, proximity to large and beautiful white sand beaches, interspersed with ocher cliffs, natural arches and coves friendly, make Sidi Ifni a popular tourist destination with a variety.

The huge and well appointed White Beach south, attracting more and more fans of seaside activities. It is facing the small island of El Gziral Lazgira on the beach, 10km north on the road to Mirleft that surfers and windsurfers like to gather. This beach dressed natural arches created by the ocean ebb and flow, is as much a place of nautical appointment as privileged or amateur anglers site.

The last bastions of the Atlas

Its mountain side is very quickly felt as soon as his back country one enters. Anti Atlas to the Atlantic to the impetuous waves, delivers small mountains at lower elevations. A semi-arid environment already foreshadowing the close regs Saharan while keeping the soul of these small traditional Berber villages perched on hillsides or hidden in tiny intimate valleys.

This is the gorge of Wadi Nun, the mouth of which generously hosts flamingos, turtles, herons who come hibernate or breed. A nice breath of fresh air in this canyon dotted with houses, almost steep sides, decorated with cultivated terraces. On a cliff overlooking the river, the old French military fort Bou Jerif always seems to watch over the tranquility of the surroundings.

Local products in vogue

There are many of these little hidden valleys, fed argan oil is tasty which one of the jewels of the local cultures. Cacti, commonly the prickly pears, are also part of the landscape nicely.

Seeds of fruit, akneri Berber, much appreciated by the locals, is derived tasty oil, one of the main features is to be the most expensive oil in the world. Its development is long, meticulous and quantities produced minimal. But its unique taste makes an extraordinary result and taste makes it a highly coveted by top chefs as Moroccan and foreign oil.

Small hidden Edens

Many can be made daily incursions of Sidi Ifni drive to better understand these discrete locations in a hinterland surprising.

Village Tioughza is east of Sidi Ifni. The picturesque road along for a moment before sinking coastline in small mountains to get to this town they surround. Always winding it then leads to the river before joining Salogmad Amellou and Mesti where the Tafyucht developing and promoting the products of the argan cooperative.

It's a little south of Ifni found locality Sbouya stronghold of the Berber tribe of the same name. Between sea and mountains is in this locality that are typically Presaharan exploited the prickly shrubs which are grown with pride and development in Aknari cooperative.

TINGHIR

En route to the Todra

Situated on the plateau between the High Atlas Anti Atlas Tinerhir stands at 1340 meters above sea level. The city leads the way Todra Gorge and its beautiful valley.

Tinghir combines the traditions in a humble and tormented past and the recent modernity, rampant, fearless but also uncompromising. Undeniably, the city is characterized by the relaxed atmosphere where traditions and development coexist in harmony.

Recently introduced to the rank of provincial capital, Tinghir resonates the sound of Management as work for a decent road infrastructure of the name for the building of a bridge over the Todra and typical of any modern city pipes. Its population has grown considerably and has more than 36 intramural 000 inhabitants.

discover Tinghir

If the new location is distinguished mainly by its many street cafes often full, this ancient city has a few wonderful not to be missed.

the Jewish quarter

The Jewish quarter, the oldest neighborhood Tinghir where the Jewish community has lived up to the 60s with its attendant crafts and various small shops along winding alleyways timeless. The frenetic shopping of "street women" in the heart of the medina.

panoramic view

The breathtaking view that overlooks the ancient Kasbah Glaoui, embracing one of the most beautiful palm plantations across southern Morocco and facing the Jebel Saghro.

Kasbah Glaoui

The Kasbah Glaoui, admire the stunning views of Tinerhir palm grove and walking to the Todra Gorge or south of the foothills of Jbel Saghro.

Walks around Tinerhir

The ride of an hour or more in the palm grove, the trek of three days to reach the Dades Gorge, several options are available to you.

Tinghir is also the starting point to the Todra going up the park and the course Todra by car or on foot in the palm. Gorges, amazing, are about fifteen miles from downtown.

Climbing the Todra Gorge

World-renowned for the quality of its rock suitable for climbing, the Todra feature of tracks with levels 5a to 8c for climbs up to 300 m. On site, it is possible to rent the equipment and the services of guides.

Around Tinerhir

Ideally located for access without excessive fatigue to Merzouga dunes 3 hours by road or browse Tafilalet Errachidia, 3 h too, or down by Alnif and the Anti-Atlas to Zagora and the Draa Valley, is a Tinghir attractive stopover thousand kasbah.

Villages of the High Atlas.

15km northwest of Tinghir Todra up the wadi which winds along the grove, we reach the famous Todra Gorge; then 17km further, Agoudal direction Imilchil, we arrive at Tamtatoucht, traditional mountain village which has succeeded in retaining its authenticity.

Boumalne and the Dades Valley.

A 52 km from Tinerhir towards Ouarzazate, Boumalne and the Dades valley, its gorge road along Dades up Msemrir.

Ksar el Khorbat to Tinejdad.

Further east on the road to Errachidia sixty km, Tinejdad with its museums on the Berber culture and the Ksar El Khorbat.

The village of El Hart

Located ten kilometers from Tinghir along the palm towards SN then turning right a few hundred meters from the station Ziz, El Hart in a small grove is known throughout the region for its moussem that held annually in November.

It celebrates a holy man at the famous marabout Sidi Ahmed El Hart. It is also the largest souk animals, where camels, cows, sheep are traded throughout the 3 days of festivitées

But that's not the only charm of El Hart. The village where three tribes coexist is also the village potters known in the area.

The setting is exceptional with Saghro and black ridges that cut off. El Hart is also El Hart Iamine and Village 'Black', the oldest in the region, falsely called by some the Senegalese village. A well Ksar and dilapidated abandoned still remains an interesting visit. It is situated next to the mosque.

The Arg town Sidi ali Obork

Little known to tourists, this small village just outside Tinghir towards Boumalne Dades is quite charming with its small waterfalls canyons and gorges modest located almost equidistant from the Dades Gorge and the Todra Gorge. It is also a popular with locals marabout: The marabout Sidi Ali Obork ...

TAFRAOUT

Ammeln Valley in the Anti Atlas

At the heart of the valley Ammeln in the Anti Atlas, Tafraoute is a small village situated in the middle of a mountain cirque pink granite.

Vegetation abounds in this harsh environment that gives it a special charm, especially from December to February when the almond trees are in bloom.

The village is built around the Mohamed V square, which has banks and a post office as well as critical small cafes and restaurants. Tafraout comes alive every Wednesday, the day of the souk, near the square.

Show not to be missed in all seasons: sunset over the village and surrounding mountain peaks.
Walks around Tafraoute

Many excursions are possible from Tafraoute to discover this part of the Anti Atlas.

Walking and cycling are a good alternative to the 4 × 4 to explore small villages in the valley Ammeln, exploring rock carvings and trails that surround the village of Tafraoute.

The gorge of Ait Mansour about thirty miles south. After a winding road and surprisingly, the gorges of Ait Mansour open onto a succession of small mountain oasis where the water is often abundant and fertile valley.

A few kilometers south of Tafraoute, rocks painted by Belgian artist Jean Vérame are located in the village Agard-Oudad dominated by the rock, said Napoleon Hat for its strange inclined form.