Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Zaouiat Ahansal is 84km southeast of Azilal. From Azilal through Aït Mohammed follow
the old route for Aït Bougomez for 25km. When you reach the junction below the snowy
sail of Azourki, take the left-hand road heading northeast across the Tizi n'Tselli-n-Iman-
ain (2763m) to the market town of Assemsouk. Beyond Assemsouk the road climbs again
to Tizi n'Illissi (2606m) and then snakes down the Illissi valley to Zaouiat Ahansal.
Minivans ply the route between Zaouiat Ahansal and Azilal (Dh50, 3½ to four hours,
two daily), leaving Zaouiat Ahansal in the morning and returning from Azilal in the after-
noon. Grands taxis only originate in Azilal and cost Dh600 (for six people), although you
may have a job convincing them to go beyond Aït Mohammed.
Cathédrale des Rochers & Reserve Naturelle de Tamga
Continuing north off-road along the main road from Zaouiat Ahansal leads to La Cathéd-
rale des Rochers, the 'rock cathedral', and the Reserve Naturelle de Tamga, a vast national
reserve with eight separate parks. Bird-watchers will have a field day (or several) ob-
serving 107 species of birds, including rare and endangered species. A
botanical garden
3km from the sign marking the park's entry highlights the park's diverse flora, including
medicinal herbs said to cure rheumatism.
Overnight stays, camping and meals (Dh50) are available at
Gîte le Cathédrale
( 0523
44 20 23; dm with/without breakfast Dh50/30, half/full board Dh150/200)
, 2km after the sign for the
cathédrale
.
Aït Bougomez Valley
Though some roads are still accessible only by mule or 4WD, paved roads have given un-
precedented entry to Morocco's 'happy valley' with its mudbrick towers, reddish
ighremt
(stone-reinforced houses) and rich, cultivated terraces. Scattered throughout the valley, 25
douars
(villages) blend mimetically with their spectacular backdrops. Cliff sides are dot-
ted with tiny plots of wheat and barley inside stone-walled terraces. High in the hills,
you'll spot villagers collecting wild mountain plants to make herbal remedies and natural
dyes for carpets, and in the broad alluvial valley acres of apple, almond and apricot orch-
ards are lovingly tended beside carob, quince, pomegranate and cherry trees.
The Y-shaped valley centres around the
zawiya
of Sidi Moussa, which sits on a cone-
shaped hill with the villages of Imelgas and Ikhf-n-Ighir to the northeast, Tabant to the
