Gouffre du Friouato is well signposted, up a very steep road 25km from Taza. It was first investigated in 1935 and access is via 520 precipitous steps (with handrails) that lead you to the floor of the cavern. It’s a strenuous climb back up. At the bottom, you can squeeze through a hole to start exploring the fascinating chambers that are found 200 more steps below. It’s dark and eerily beautiful: wear clothes you don't mind dirtying.
The most spectacular chambers, full of extraordinary formations, are the Salle de Lixus and the Salle de Draperies. They do indeed resemble thin sheets of curtains, frozen and calcified. Allow at least three hours there and back. Speleologists have explored to a depth of 300m, but they believe there are more caves another 500m below.
The admission fee allows you to enter the cavern mouth at a depth of 160m. Beyond that, a guide is needed to go further underground to the grandest chambers. Bank on the occasional scramble, and squeezes through narrow sections; not recommended for claustrophobes. Overalls, nonslip overshoes and a helmet with lamp must be rented.
Tazekka National ParkHIKING
Stands of cork oak and gently rising hills make the terrain of Tazzeka National Park a joy to hike through, yet it flies under the radar of most visitors to Morocco. The small park was designated in 1950 and unfurls for 137 sq km southwest of Taza, bordering the Gouffre du Friouato. Its competent Tourist Information Office, at Bab Bou-Idir, promotes numerous hikes through information boards and maps; walks range from a 1.4km stroll to a serious 17km day trek.
North African Barbary deer were introduced to the park 20 years ago with great success, and other fauna such as wild pigs, Barbary squirrels and bats proliferate here, as well as dozens of bird species.
Shared grands taxis to Bab Bou-Idir (Dh13) are frequent in July and August (when its summer chalets and camping are open), but at other times of year you'll most likely have to hire a grand taxi privately to get out here (Dh78).
Jebel Tazekka CircuitSCENIC DRIVE
This scenic driving route loops around Tazekka National Park along twisty mountain roads, but it's quite an expensive day trip if you don't have your own car: expect to pay Dh600 for a grand taxi. The route passes the Cascades de Ras el-Oued (though they virtually dry up in summer), the Gouffre du Friouato, Bab Bou-Idir and the gorges of Oued Zireg.
4Sleeping
Taza has only a handful of hotels, mostly in the ville nouvelle, and the amount of business they do can be gauged by the general readiness to offer discounts if you stay more than a night.
Grand Hôtel du DauphinéHOTEL€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 67 35 67; Pl de l’Indépendance; s/d Dh185/290)
Ideally located on the ville nouvelle's main square, the Dauphiné is good value in the budget category but suffers from noisy plumbing and a noisy downstairs bar. Rooms are decent if unexciting, and all benefit from small balconies. On the ground floor there’s also a restaurant. A fair option if you decide to stay in the ville nouvelle.
Hôtel de l’ÉtoileHOTEL€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 27 01 79; 39 Ave Moulay el-Hassan; s/d without bathroom Dh60/100)
This cheapie on the cusp of Pl Aharrach is easy to miss (the sign is hidden under the arcaded front), but inside the strawberry-pink paint job is hard to escape. Friendly enough, it’s as basic as the tariff suggests, with shared showers (Dh10 extra) and a mix of Western and drop toilets. Rooms open onto a pleasant courtyard and all have sinks.
Hôtel La Tour EiffelHOTEL€€
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 67 15 62; [email protected]; Blvd Bir Anzarane; s/d Dh330/417; aW)
Stuck on the road out of town heading towards Oujda, the Tour Eiffel is named for its high aspirations. Past the cramped lobby, a lift swishes you up to well-sized and fairly comfy rooms with TVs and fridges, many with great views out towards the mountains. Breakfast is an extra Dh42, and there's an in-house restaurant.
5Eating & Drinking
Taza Haute has the usual selection of kebab-touting snack stalls and coffee-touting cafes around the main square, Pl Aharrach. In the ville nouvelle, the streets fanning out from Pl de l’Indépendance (particularly Ave Mohammed V and Ave Moulay Youssef) are lined with restaurants and patisseries.
There's a hopping bar attached to the Grand Hôtel du Dauphiné in the ville nouvelle (look for the terrace cafe with mirrored windows).
La CasaMOROCCAN€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Ave Mohammed V; sandwiches from Dh10; h5am-10pm; W)
One of a rash of modern places that look quite out of place in sleepy Taza; there's a cafe at the front with pavement seating and a dimly lit restaurant at the back. It does the usual paninis and shwarma, as well as unexpectedly delicious pizzas. Breakfast and ice cream are also served (though not at the same time!).
Mou MouFAST FOOD€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Ave Moulay Youssef; mains from Dh30; h11.30am-midnight)
Come night-time, happy customers – including lots of families and women – spill out the door of this packed-out corner joint with Moroccan music joyously blaring out. Tasty fast food is the order of the day here: kebabs, paninis and pizzas, including one topped with merguez (spicy North African lamb sausage). Juices are also good.
Café AmsterdamBAKERY€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Ave Moulay Youssef; pastries from Dh2; h6am-10pm; W)
Follow your nose to the piles of freshly baked savoury and sweet pastries, croissants and breads at Café Amsterdam, where a steady stream of locals file in and out to collect daily packages. This is a great breakfast stop, with a welcoming interior and a smattering of pavement seating.
Grand Hôtel du DauphinéMOROCCAN€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 67 35 67; Pl de l’Indépendance; meals Dh80; h7-10pm)
On the ground floor of the hotel, the Dauphiné serves up the usual range of Moroccan standards, plus a handful of Continental dishes. The dining room is utterly lifeless; alcohol is served.
Café la JocondaCAFE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Ave Mohammed VI; h6.30am-10pm)
A modern cafe with plenty of pavement seating, and one that’s not threatened by the concept of female customers – though don't expect to see any here.
8Information
Attijariwafa Bank ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Ave Moulay Youseff; h8.15am-3.45pm Mon-Fri) Has an ATM.
BMCI ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Pl de l’Indépendance; h8.15am-4pm Mon-Fri) Has an ATM.
Cyber Friwato ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Ave Mohammed VI; per hr Dh4; h8am-midnight)
Main Post Office ( GOOGLE MAP ; Pl de l’Indépendance; h8am-4.15pm Mon-Fri & 8.30-12pm Sat)
Pharmacy Centrale ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Pl de l’Indépendance; h9am-1pm & 3-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat) On the main square in the ville nouvelle.
Post Office ( GOOGLE MAP ; Ave Moulay el-Hassan; h8am-4.15pm Mon-Fri) In the medina.
Tazekka National Park Information Office (%0535 28 00 96, 06 61 04 72 92; www.tazekka.com; Bab Bou-Idir; h8am-6pm Sat & Sun) is located at Bab Bou-Idir, a summer holiday camp 30km southwest of Taza. It's not open during the week but if you desperately want to speak to somebody, call the office and they may come down and meet you. The most useful information boards with maps are outside the office, so are still accessible when it's closed.
8Getting There & Away
Bus
Few buses actually originate in Taza, but plenty pass through on their way between Oujda and points west of Taza such as Fez, Tangier and Casablanca, as well as to the coast.
The CTM office ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 28 20 07; Pl de l’Indépendance; h24hr), which doubles as the bus stop, is located in the ville nouvelle. Buses run to Casablanca (Dh155, seven hours), Fez (Dh45 to Dh50, two to 2½ hours), Meknès (Dh70 to Dh80, 2½ to 3½ hours), Rabat (Dh125, five hours), Oujda (Dh75, three hours) and Nador (Dh70, 2½ to three hours).
The Gare Routière is on Blvd Bir Anzarane – the same road the train station is just off – but frequent CTM and train services to/from Taza mean you're unlikely to need it.
Taxi
Gran
ds taxis to the attractions around Taza depart from a dusty lot just north of the medina in an area called Kocha. A return trip to the Gouffre du Friouato costs Dh200, including wait time (more if you want to spend the whole day exploring the site).
Train
Taza’s location on the train line makes rail the best transport option. Six trains a day run to Fez (Dh59, two hours), Rabat (Dh117, 5½ hours) and Casablanca (Dh215, 6½ hours), and there are seven daily trains to Meknès (Dh87, three hours). There is one direct train to Tangier (Dh148, seven hours), and three changing at Sidi Kacem or Fez. Several of the other trains noted here also involve a change in Fez (check online for details; www.oncf-voyages.ma). In the opposite direction, three trains go to Oujda (Dh117, 3½ hours).
Note there is no snack bar or shop to buy water from at the train station.
8Getting Around
Sky-blue petits taxis (Dh5 to Dh7) run regularly between the ville nouvelle ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Pl de l’Indépendance) and Taza Haute ( GOOGLE MAP ; Pl Aharrach).
Winding Lanes
You could happily spend days in the best medinas of Morocco – getting lost, drinking tea, and getting lost again. The serendipity of chance discoveries are all part of the charm. Magical medinas are found in every part of the country, each with its own special flavour – here aresome of the most atmospheric.
Marrakesh Medina
Inside 19km of ramparts, the theatrical Djemaa el-Fna is the beating, back-flipping heart of the Marrakesh medina. Follow crazy lanes – or thoroughfares if you forgot your compass – to sights such as Bahia Palace.
Ceilings in Bahia Palace, Marrakesh | MASSIMO PIZZOTTI/GETTY IMAGES ©
Tangier Medina
Europe is just across the Strait of Gibraltar, but it feels a world away among the kasbah and souqs of the Tangier medina. Spots like Petit Socco have been given a fresh coat of paint as part of the city’s makeover.
Tangier medina | MATTHEW SCHOLEY/GETTY IMAGES ©
Chefchaouen Medina
High in the Rif Mountains, Chefchaouen medina is painted a delightful Andalucian blue, fringed with terracotta tiles and green hills. You won’t get too horribly lost in this compact mini-maze.
Chefchaouen medina | SPUMADOR/GETTY IMAGES ©
Essaouira Medina
In the salty embrace of Morocco’s Atlantic sea, the fortified walls of Essaouira’s laid-back medina trace the coastline and seagulls swarm overhead. It still has all the classic hallmarks: narrow twisty lanes, souqs and the aroma of spices –but here they combine with the damp sea air, smell of fish guts and crashing waves.
Essaouira medina | CHRISTIAN MUELLER/SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Fès el-Bali
Old Fez (p287) is Morocco’s largest intact medina and embodies over 1200 years of history. Even old hands get lost in this maze of souqs and tanneries – you might chance upon a craft museum or a 14th century medersa (theological college).
Natural Landscapes
Mountain Ranges
Visible from both the Mediterranean and the Sahara, Morocco’s mountains are as iconic as medinas and tajines – and they’ve been around much longer. They offer some of the best trekking landscapes in the world, from easy day walks to full-on expeditionary hikes.
Rif Mountains
Close to the Mediterranean coast, the Rif is Morocco’s greenest range, and is covered in wildflowers in spring.
Chefchaouen, Rif Mountains | SIMON MONTGOMERY/ROBERTHARDING/GETTY IMAGES ©
High Atlas
The High Atlas rolls from snow-covered peaks such as Jebel Toubkal to the Dadès and Todra Gorges. Those in good physical condition can climb Toubkal,but if grands taxis are your preferred mode of transport, the High Atlas is still memorable. Roads pass crumbling kasbahs and Berber villages, and wind up the Tizi n’Test and Tizi n’Tichka passes.
Tizi n’Tichka, High Atlas | ANIA BLAZEJEWSKA/GETTY IMAGES ©
Middle Atlas
You might think you’re in the Alps when walking among the flowerbeds of Ifrane, or the fragrant cedar forests near Azrou.
The road from Imilchil, Middle Atlas | ENRIQUE DÍAZ/7CERO/GETTY IMAGES ©
Anti Atlas
Closer to the Sahara, the Anti Atlas is a land of jagged peaks such as quartzite Jebel L’Kest, with oasis villages in the valleys. The wild, arid Jebel Saghro is home to the seminomadic Aït Atta.
Top Mountain Treks
Rif Mountains From Chefchaouen through Talassemtane National Park.
M’Goun Traverse Prehistoric rock forms, ridges, escarpments and river gorges.
Jebel Toubkal The two-day ascent of North Africa’s highest peak.
Jebel Saghro Palm and almond groves beneath twisted volcanic pinnacles.
Anti Atlas Unexplored trails among ochre cliffs and saffron fields.
Deserts & Oases
Morocco sits on the edge of the great Sahara, and its dunes and oases are a huge draw for travellers. Follow the paths of the old camel caravans that once trekked across the desert, carrying salt and gold from Timbuktu.
Erg Chebbi & Erg Chigaga
The dunes at Erg Chebbi and Erg Chigaga, respectively rising to160m and 300m, are Morocco’s greatest desert sights. These are the places to disappear into the desert, accompanied by a camel and blue-robed guide, to see the sand sea by moonlight and sleep in a nomad camp.
Dunes at Erg Chebbi | KELLY CHENG TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY/GETTY IMAGES ©
Desert Valleys
Coming from Marrakesh, there are more accessible glimpses of the desert in the Drâa Valley, where a sign once advised desert caravans that Timbuktu was only 52 days away, and oases remain the region’s lifeblood. In Ouarzazate the desert stretches to the foot of the Atlas,and palms can be spotted through slit windows in the Taourirt kasbah.
Palmerie outside N’Kob | DAVE STAMBOULIS TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY/GETTY IMAGES ©
The Deep South
Largely overlooked by travellers, the hammada (flat, stony desert) of the far south runs through the Western Sahara. It’s a stark environment, mainly crossed by overlanders en route to Mauritania.
The Anti Atlas mountains | MIKADUN/SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Top Oases
Figuig Seven traditional desert villages amid 200,000 date palms.
N’Kob Mudbrick castles overlook the palmeraie (palm grove).
Skoura The Unesco-protected ‘Oasis of1000 Palms’.
Afella-Ighir Rocky red gorges tower above the palms.
Ameln Valley Village palmeraies beneath Jebel L’Kest.
Tata Treetops are a welcome sight in this Saharan outpost.
Paradise Valley Palmeraies, oleanders and beehives line the gorge.
Southern Morocco & Western Sahara جنوب المغرب والصحراء الغربي
Agadir
Souss-Massa National Park
North of Agadir
Taroudannt
Taliouine
Tafraoute
Around Tafraoute
Ameln Valley & Jebel LKest
Tata
Trekking around Tafraoute
Tiznit
Aglou Plage
Mirleft
Sidi Ifni
Around Sidi Ifni
Goulimime
Tan Tan & Tan Tan Plage
Tarfaya
Laayoune (Al-'Uyun)
Dakhla (Ad-Dakhla)
Southern Morocco & Western Sahara جنوب المغرب والصحراء الغربي
Why Go?
The Souss Valley, where goats climb argan trees beneath the sun-baked Anti Atlas, draws a line across Morocco. South of this fertile valley, the pace of life in mountain villages and Saharan gateways is seductively slow.
A sense of somewhere really fresh and undiscovered gusts through the region like the spring winds – and you’ll want to savour it. On elegantly wrecked seafronts, sip a mint tea and gaze at the wild Atlantic Coast. When trekking, mountain biking or driving through wrinkled Anti Atlas foothills, stop before the next oasis village and appreciate the si
lence.
The locals, from Chleuh Berbers in the Souss to Western Sahara's Saharawi people, seem determined to complement the landscapes. Their light robes flutter under desert skies, and their dark herds dot rocky hillsides.
Continue even further south to Dakhla for some of the world's best kitesurfing, and an emerging scene for outdoor activities and desert exploration.
When to Go
AFeb Trek the Anti Atlas and hit the Atlantic Coast for winter sun and surf.
AMar See almond trees blossom, celebrated by Tafraoute’s harvest festival.
ANov Catch Taliouine’s saffron festival and Immouzzer des Ida Outanane’s olive harvest.
Best Places to Eat
Lonely Planet Morocco Page 68
