Tata طاطا
Pop 42,000
Situated on the Saharan plain at the foot of Jebel Bani, Tata was an oasis settlement along the trade route from West Africa. Its name, which roughly means 'take a break' in Tashelhit, recalls those days of Saharan caravans, as do the turban-wrapped men sipping tea in the shade. Close to the Algerian border, the small town has a garrison feel, with four types of police and military stationed here, and you may be questioned on your way into town. With good infrastructure and less hassle than other Saharan spots, Tata is poised to become more of a destination for travellers.
The town's palmeraie is well worth exploring. You can drive a 7km circuit of it, or catch a local bus (Dh5). Above the village at the far end of the palmeraie is a white hilltop marabout (saint’s tomb), which you can see from Tata.
2Activities
Tata is best as a base for off-the-beaten-track excursions, such as desert camping; Akka oasis, kasbah and agadir; and the rock engravings at Tiggane, Oum el-Alek and Tircht, among the finest in Morocco.
Maison du PatrimoineOUTDOORS
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0613 24 13 12; [email protected]; Ave Mohammed V; h10am-4pm)
Helpful multilingual Berber guide Isam, based at souvenir shop Maison du Patrimoine, charges about Dh350 per day for one or two people (Dh900 including 4WD). Opening hours are very flexible and it is best to contact him by email or phone prior to arriving in Tata.
4Sleeping
Oasis Dar OuanouGUESTHOUSE, CAMPGROUND€
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0660 23 25 38; www.dar-wanou.e-monsite.com/; Akka Izankad; per tent incl shower from Dh75, s/d incl breakfast Dh350/450; aW)
By the N12 3km southwest of Tata, this ramshackle but clean building has cool rooms, a courtyard with fountains and palms, and oasis and mountain views from the roof terrace. Highly recommended if you have your own transport.
Hotel Les Relais des SablesHOTEL€
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0528 80 23 01; Ave des FAR; s/d from Dh220/280; aWs)
Popular with tour groups and overlanders, the pool, bar, restaurant and gardens are more impressive than the small en-suite rooms in stuffy bungalows. Even if you're not staying here it's worth popping in for a frosty Flag Special – it's the only place you'll get a cold beer for many a kilometre.
Municipal CampsiteCAMPGROUND€
( GOOGLE MAP ; Ave Mohammed V; per tent incl shower from Dh30)
Next to the dry river, with a reasonable ablutions block that has flush toilets.
Hôtel La RenaissanceHOTEL€
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0528 80 22 25; [email protected]; Ave des FAR; s/d Dh150/200; W)
This central stalwart with palmeraie views has small but comfortable rooms and a pleasant lounge and breakfast area. The only downsides are the cramped bathrooms and the somewhat gloomy downstairs bar.
Dar InfianeGUESTHOUSE€€€
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0528 80 21 04, 0661 61 01 70; www.darinfiane.com; Indfiane; r incl breakfast Dh884-1860, meals Dh200; a)
Tata’s old kasbah, perched above the palmeraie, has been turned into a Green Key guesthouse. Off a carpet-strewn central courtyard lie 10 rooms, in which the French owners have kept the original eccentricities such as low beams intact. The dar (house) has both loyal fans and detractors, with some guests raving about magical evenings on the rooftop terrace in the still of the Sahara night, while others criticising the service.
5Eating & Drinking
A few simple cafes dot Ave Mohammed V, Tata's main street, and most accommodation places also provide the option of half-board.
Oasis de RêveMOROCCAN€
( GOOGLE MAP ; Ave Mohammed V; mains Dh30-40; h8am-11pm)
Located on the edge of the souq at the southern end of Tata's main drag, Oasis de Rêve has a friendly owner with a smidgen of English and the ability to rustle up something good most times of the day. How does chicken brochettes, chips and salad for around Dh40 sound? Don't forget to add a refreshing glass of homemade lemonade.
Hotel Les Relais des SablesBAR
( GOOGLE MAP ; Ave des FAR; h4-11pm)
The ambience inside this hotel bar is a tad smokey and blokey, but it's far more enjoyable having a Moroccan dust-dousing beer outside, sitting around the pool. Order the slightly more expensive Flag Special beer as the Stork brand is watery, soapy, and just maybe the world's worst beer.
8Information
On Ave Mohammed V there's a post office, an internet cafe, banks with ATMs and money-changing facilities, and the seldom-open Délégation de Tourisme ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0528 80 20 76; www.crt-guelmim.com/prevince-tata-en.html; h10am-12.30pm & 2-5pm Mon-Fri).
8Getting There & Away
Bus
Tata’s new Gare Routière is located just south of the centre of town. CTM and Supratours do not serve Tata, but Satas ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0672 31 18 43; Gare Routière; h8.30am-12.30pm & 2-6pm Mon-Sat) has daily departures to the following destinations: Agadir (Dh100, eight hours), Goulimime (Dh102, five hours), Marrakesh (Dh170, 10 hours), Taroudannt (Dh60, five hours), Tiznit (Dh80, 6½ hours) and Zagora (Dh92, eight hours).
Taxi
Grands taxis leave from Pl de la Marche Verte to the following destinations: Akka-Irhen for Taliouine (Dh30), Agadir (Dh100), Bouizakarne for Tiznit (Dh100), Goulimime (Dh80), Igherm for Tafraoute (Dh50), Ouarzazate (Dh140) and Taroudannt (Dh80).
Trekking in the Anti Atlas
The arid, pink- and ochre-coloured Anti Atlas are the last significant mountains before the Sahara, are little visited by trekkers, and yet they offer some wonderful trekking opportunities. Taliouine is well set up for trekking, and Tafraoute is the centre of the region. The quartzite massif of Jebel L’Kest (2359m), the ‘amethyst mountain’, lies about 10km north of Tafraoute, and the twin peaks of Adrar Mqorn (2344m) are 10km southeast. Beneath the jagged mass of these peaks lie lush irrigated valleys and a string of oases.
At the eastern end of the Anti Atlas near Taliouine, almost due south of Jebel Toubkal, Jebel Siroua (3305m) rises starkly above the landscape. This dramatic volcano makes an excellent centrepiece of varied long-distance treks.
For further advice, and to arrange guides, mules and gear, contact operators in Tafraoute, Taliouine and Taroudannt.
Trekking around Tafraoute
Morocco has such a wealth of trekking options that perhaps it is not surprising that an area with the potential of Tafraoute has not yet been fully exploited. The adventurous trekker will find here, as elsewhere in the Moroccan south, many challenging and rewarding treks. Because of local depopulation caused by movement to the cities, and the decline in the use of mules for agriculture, many paths are partially abandoned and nature is particularly wild here. Trekkers might spot Cuvier's gazelles, wild boars, Barbary sheep and rich endemic vegetation.
This is a tougher area than the M’Goun Massif or Tichka Plateau and trekkers will need to cope with a lack of facilities and the harsh climate. This close to the Sahara, summer (June until mid-September) is blisteringly hot, and winter sees the occasional snowfall on the high passes and peaks, so the region is best walked at the end of winter. Late February is ideal. Daytime temperatures may be 20°C, but at night it can drop below freezing.
Other than the odd small store, you won’t find many supplies in the area, so the great challenge is carrying enough food and water to keep you going. As with other remote Moroccan areas, it is often possible to stay in village houses, but you must still be prepared to camp and to carry food and water.
The best way of doing this is by hiring a guide and mules; there are trekking guides – and faux guides – in Tafraoute. As ever, insist on seeing a guide’s ID card before you start discussing possibilities. As a rule, trained mountain guides do not tout for business in the street. Mules are rarely found around Tafraoute, but you may be able to arrange this through your guide.
Jebel L’Kest and the approaches from Tafraoute are covered by the 1:50,000 map sheets Had Tahala and Tanalt, while the whole area is covered by 1:100,000 sheets Annzi, Tafrawt, Foum al-H
isn and Taghjijt. You should be able to find these maps in Au Coin des Nomades, in specialist bookshops, or in good big-city bookshops in Morocco.
This part of the Atlas is not well developed for tourism, and transport is an issue throughout. Camionettes (pick-up trucks) and minibuses provide a reliable though infrequent service to some villages and grands taxis run on souq days, but at other times you may need to hire one to get to trailheads.
Jebel L'Kest
The area’s star attraction is this massive quartzite ridge that stretches away northwest of Tafraoute. Despite the harshness of the landscape, the Berbers who live in local villages manage to grow the mountain staples of wheat, barley, olives, figs and almonds. The village of Tagdichte is the launching point for a day ascent of Jebel L’Kest (2359m). Tagdichte can be accessed by minibus or taxi, and homestay accommodation can be arranged there.
Ameln Valley
There are some 26 villages neatly spaced out through the Ameln Valley, which runs along the south side of Jebel L’Kest, and they make for a great walk. You’d need weeks to do a full circuit, but a stunningly beautiful and suitably stretching five-day walk would start in Oumesnate, take in several villages, and head up to Tagdichte for an ascent of Jebel L’Kest. Alternatively, the ascent could be tackled as part of a gentle trek east through the valley from, say, Tirnmatmat to Oumesnate, both just off the road. You could also base yourself at Oumesnate Maison d’Hôte and go on treks from there.
Adrar Mqorn & Around
Southeast of Tafraoute the possibilities are also exciting. The scramble up Adrar Mqorn (2344m) is hard but worthwhile. Due south of its twin peaks are the palm-filled gorges of Aït Mansour and Timguilcht, which make up Afella-Ighir oasis.
Jebel Aklim
Jebel Aklim (2531m) sits in an even remoter area than Jebel L’Kest, yet is surrounded by Berber villages in valleys guarded by old kasbahs. From the top, there are great views over to the High Atlas and Jebel Siroua. It makes a great focal point for a four- or five-day walk out of Igherm, which is roughly equidistant from Tafraoute (to the southwest), Taroudannt, Taliouine and Tata.
Jebel Siroua
Some way south of the High Atlas, at the eastern edge of the Anti Atlas, the isolated volcanic peak of Jebel Siroua offers unique trekking opportunities. Remote villages, tremendous gorges, a tricky final ascent and some dramatic scenery all make this an excellent place for trekkers in search of solitude, stark beauty and a serious walk.
The Jebel Siroua ascent is the most obvious walk, but, as ever in Morocco, lasting memories will be found elsewhere: in the beauty of lush valleys, in the hospitality shown in Berber homes, in the play of light on rock and in the proximity of the Sahara. So if you don’t fancy the climb to the summit, the mountain circuit still makes a wonderful trek, with diverse scenery, traditional activities in the villages and beautiful, well-maintained agricultural terraces.
Mules can also be hired at short notice (often the next day) at villages around the mountain.
The 1:100,000 Taliwine and 1:50,000 Sirwa maps cover the route. In winter it can be fiercely cold here, so the best times to trek are autumn, when the saffron harvest takes place, and spring. You should be able to find these maps in Au Coin des Nomades, in specialist bookshops, or in good big-city bookshops in Morocco.
If you need supplies, there are small stores in Taliouine and Tazenart, and weekly markets take place in Taliouine, Aoulouz, Askaoun, Tazenakht and Igli.
Routes
There’s a challenging, week-long trek that allows you to walk out of Taliouine along a gentle dirt trail, which heads eastward up the Zagmouzen Valley to Tagmout. The route then heads northeast through Atougha, from where the summit of Jebel Siroua is best reached in two days, with a night at Tegragra. Walking at a regular pace, you’ll ascend the summit on the morning of the fourth day.
After descending into the gorges, you’ll reach the extraordinary cliff village of Tizgui, where you can spend the night, before continuing to Tagouyamt on the fifth day. The village has limited supplies and, in case you can’t find a room, a good place to camp in the amazing Tislit Gorge. From Tislit, the valley continues to Ihoukarn, from where you can head south to the Taliouine–Ouarzazate road at Tizi n’Taghatine (organise beforehand in Taliouine to be picked up here); or complete the circuit by walking west back to Taliouine (two days from Tislit via Tagmout and the Zagmouzen Valley).
An alternative circuit that is even less trekked starts at the village of Tamlakout, where there is a classified gîte, and takes in Aït Tigga, the Assif Mdist and the foot of Jebel Siroua. It then ascends the mountain, continues to Aziouane and exits via the Amassines. Some of the trek is strenuous but should not involve more than six hours’ walking in any day.
Taliouine and Anezale (for Tamlakout) are both on the main Taroudannt–Ouarzazate road, regularly served by grands taxis and buses.
Southern Atlantic Coast
Tiznit تزنيت
Pop 53,600
South of the Souss Valley and at the western end of the Anti Atlas, Tiznit is an old walled medina town surrounded by modern development. It was originally the site of a cluster of forts that were encircled in the 19th century by some 5km of pisé wall. It quickly became a trade centre and remains a provincial capital and centre for Berber jewellery, with a souq devoted to the silver stuff. This slow-paced and authentic spot, with its dusty medina lanes and conservative but friendly inhabitants, is a convenient stop-off between the Anti Atlas and Atlantic Coast.
History
In 1881 Sultan Moulay al-Hassan (1873–94) founded Tiznit as a base from which to assert his authority over the rebellious Berber tribes of the south. To do this, he built the town’s perimeter walls. Jewish silversmiths were moved into the town and gave it a reputation for silver workmanship.
However, Tiznit remained embroiled in local sedition, and was a centre of dissent against the 1912 treaty that turned Morocco into a French and Spanish protectorate. This resistance movement was led by El-Hiba, the so-called ‘Blue Sultan’ from the Western Sahara, who earned his nickname for always wearing his Saharawi veil.
Following Sultan Moulay Hafid’s capitulation to the French at the Treaty of Fès, El-Hiba proclaimed himself sultan here in 1912. The southern tribes rose to support him and El-Hiba marched north at the head of an army of men from the Tuareg and Anti Atlas tribes. They were welcomed as liberators in Marrakesh, but much of the army was slaughtered by the French as it moved towards Fez. El-Hiba retreated to Taroudannt, then Tiznit, then up into the Anti Atlas, where he pursued a campaign of resistance against the French until his death in 1919.
Tiznit
1Sights
1City WallsC1
2Grande MosquéeC2
3Source BleueC2
4Sleeping
4Bab el MaaderD2
5Camping MunicipalC4
6Hôtel Al AmalC4
7Hôtel de ParisC4
8Hôtel des TouristesB2
9Hotel TiznitC4
10Maison Du SoleilB1
11Riad JanoubD2
12Riad Le LieuB2
5Eating
13À l'ombre du figuierB2
14Food MarketB3
15Idou Tiznit SupermarketC4
16La Ville NouvelleA3
Restaurant Al AmalC4
Riad Le LieuB2
17Snack StandsB2
6Drinking & Nightlife
18Cafe PanoramiqueB1
19Espace AsrirC2
20Hotel MauritaniaC4
7Shopping
21Bijouterie Ban AlkhmisC1
22Ensemble ArtisanalB3
23Jewellery SouqB3
24Trésor du SudB1
8Information
25BankB2
26Banque PopulaireB3
27BMCEA4
28BMCIB3
29Tiznit VoyagesB3
Transport
30Bus Stop for Sidi Ifni, Mirleft and TiznitA2
1Sights
Tiznit medina is a sleepy place where it is fun
to wander around spots such as the jewellery souq and Rue Imzilne, a street of leather-sandal shops. The Berber traders here are tough salesmen, but it is still worth trying to strike a bargain. Things liven up considerably on Thursday, which is market day.
City WallsHISTORIC SITE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP )
It’s possible to climb onto sections of the 5km-long city walls, which have some 30 towers and nine gates. On the northern side of the medina, Bab Targua overlooks a palmeraie with a natural spring, used as a laundry by local women.
Grande MosquéeMOSQUE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP )
The minaret of the Grande Mosquée (closed to non-Muslims) is studded with jutting wooden sticks. Local legend suggests this is where the souls of the dead congregate. More likely, these were left in place by the masons who built the minaret to help them climb up and replaster. A similar arrangement is used on minarets in Mali and Niger.
Recently added signage – in French, Arabic and Berber – explains the history of the mosque.
Source BleueHISTORIC SITE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP )
The original town spring is now a shallow, stagnant pool, and green rather than blue. Legend claims a woman of ill repute, Lalla Zninia, stopped to rest here at what was then plain desert. She spent the next three days repenting her wicked ways, and God was so impressed that he showed forgiveness by having a spring gush beneath her feet.
Lonely Planet Morocco Page 75