Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ALTERNATIVE ROUTE: RETURN TO CHEFCHAOUEN
It's possible to trek back to Chefchaouen from Akchour in a day by an alternate route via
the villages of
Ouslaf
,
Arhermane
and
El-Kelaâ
. El-Kelaâ is the site of fascinating
Mosquée
Srifi-yenne
, with its strange leaning tower. This route takes a quick six hours and avoids
any major climbs or descents.
Day 4: Pastures Above Abou Bnar to Talassemtane Village
DURATION TWO TO 2½ HOURS / DISTANCE 6KM / ASCENT 352M
From the campsite southwest of Abou Bnar, walk back to the 4WD track. Turn left and
cross the river, and walk south into the pine woodland. You will quickly come to a T-junc-
tion, where you should keep on the right (the left goes downhill to Beni M'Hamed) where
the path starts to ascend again.
Keep on the main track, ignoring further side tracks and junctions. As you rise and go
through several mini-passes, the views return. To the west, the huge mass of
Jebel Lakraa
(2159m) dominates the countryside.
By late morning you'll reach
Talassemtane
village. A small sign indicates that you
should turn left off the 4WD track to the house of the park's
eaux et forêts
guardian.
There's an official camping site here.
SIDE TRIPS
The short walking day allows plenty of time to explore the area and watch wildlife, partic-
ularly Barbary apes.
Head north, back along the 4WD track above the
guardien's
house to a clearing and
junction. Here you turn right and follow the track east into
mgou
country. Troupes are rel-
atively common here, although they quickly retreat into the safety of the trees if you get
too close. The track bends south, giving great views out across the valley to the long ridge
of
Jebel Taloussisse
(2005m), before turning briefly east again. Here a trail on the right leads
south over the spur of
Talassemtane
(1941m) to a football pitch - strange, but true! - on an
area of flat land. From here it's possible to make a rocky traverse west, back to the camp-
site.
Climbing
Jebel Lakraa
is another alternative for gung-ho trekkers. The best approach is
from the north of the mountain, trekking along the ridge to descend one of the stream gul-
lies southeast of the summit. However, there's no fixed path and it's a scramble in places.
Allow around 3½ hours return.
