Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
BENI-SNASSEN MOUNTAINS
Inland from the eastern Mediterranean coast, the ruggedly beautiful Beni-Snassen Mountains are a
'site of biological and ecological interest'; for all intents and purposes a national park. This is a verd-
ant area of scenic gorges that few imagine when they think of Morocco, and even fewer visit.
The dusty modern town of
Berkane
, about 80km southeast of Nador on the road to Oujda, can
serve as a handy base for exploring the mountains. While the name means 'black' in the local Berber
language, Berkane is famous for its oranges and everything in the town is, well, orange: the taxis, the
buildings and the wonderful statue of an orange as you enter the town. Blvd Mohammed V has a post
office and plenty of ATMs, as well as a couple of hotels. The best is
Hotel Rosalina
( 0536 61 89
92;
www.rosalina-hotel.com
; 82 Blvd Mohammed V; s/d/ste incl breakfast Dh280/360/1000).
To reach the town, CTM has an office next to Café Laetizia on the west side of the main square.
There is just one early evening departure for Fez (Dh125, five hours), Meknès (Dh140, 7½ hours),
Rabat (Dh180, 8½ hours) and Casablanca (Dh195, 10 hours). Long-hauls to Spain also leave from
here. If you're driving your own vehicle, don't fill up with the fuel sold on the side of the road: it's
contraband from Algeria and likely to be adulterated.
From Berkane, take the national road to
Taforalt
(Tafoughalt), which passes through beautiful
mountain scenery. Taforalt is a somewhat haphazard settlement that arose around a former French mil-
itary installation, but the northern end, which you come upon first, contains a charming strip of cafes
and restaurants. One of these is the
Club Taforalt
( Apr-Oct) with a simple restaurant and swim-
ming pool (admission Dh50) in a pretty garden. You can stay at the nearby
Auberge Taforalt
(
0662 04 51 19;
www.taforaltclub.com
; r incl breakfast Dh350, tent Dh250).
Soon after you enter Taforalt from Berkane, turn left at the post office, then immediately turn left
again and follow signs to the Infokiosk, which has a small but informative display on the natural his-
tory of the park, and an observation platform with heavenly views of a distant mesa. If you're lucky
you will catch sight of a big-horned Barbary sheep from the adjacent reserve. They generally arrive
around 4pm, when it is cooler.
About 2km back down the national road is a right turn signposted for two
grottes
(caves). The
Grottes des Pigeons
(1km) is the site of an active excavation by Oxford University that has revealed
human remains from the Pleistocene era, including some early human jewellery (80,000 years old).
Another 5km brings you to the
Grottes de Chameau
, a multistorey cave complex with three en-
trances that has been closed for years due to flooding damage. Three kilometres more brings you to
the pretty
Zegzel Gorge
and a beautiful serpentine drive. Don't miss the chance to sample the cum-
quats, a local industry. Even the Romans remarked upon them.
The source of the
Charaâ River
provides a worthwhile detour. Follow signs to the tiny hamlet of
Zegzel, 2km up a side road. At the end there's a popular picnic spot near where the river gushes out of
the cliff. Not far from here, a spectacular ridge road cuts east to Oujda. You'll need a 4WD vehicle, a
good map and an early start.
If you don't have your own vehicle, the easiest way to access the park is to take a shared taxi from
Berkane (Dh15). Alternatively hire your own taxi; the minimum fare will be in the region of Dh250
for two hours, although not all drivers will be willing to take their vehicles along the poor roads near
the hamlet of Zegzel. A cheaper alternative is to take a bus or grand taxi to Taforalt and walk down.
Two buses each morning make the journey from Berkane (Dh12, 30 minutes), with return services in
