Rif Mountains Explorer
8 days, Centre-based for 2 people or more, Seasonal Weekly Departures
At last somewhere different in Morocco!Somewhere that feels more like Andalucia, where Spanish is widely spoken, you can wander hassle-free through the souks and where tourists have yet to discover the remote mountain villages and paths leading down to the sandy beaches on the Mediterranean coast.
With quick, direct flights, short transfers, peaks that rarely exceed 2000 metres and as your centre, a town which exudes a character all of its own, a uniquely irresistible atmosphere unlike any other town in Morocco - the blue-hued town of Chefchaouen. Like the spectacularly situated Greek island town of Santorini, Chefchaouen's dazzling blue houses gradually rise up the hillside overlooking the lush valley below. It is on the edge of the Talassemtane National Park which covers over 60,000 hectares of breathtaking mountain massifs and cliffs, dense fir forests, an incredibly diverse flora, traditional villages, sparkling springs and waterfalls and wide variety of animal life such as wild boar, monkeys and raptors.
This is a real breath of fresh air for those looking for somewhere different - exotic but safe, remote yet close to the UK, full of genuine tradition and history, perfect for those perhaps who are slightly daunted about the thought of travelling to Morocco or who are overwhelmed by the hustle and popularity of Marrakech.
This is a wonderful contrast to the other destinations in the country, of mountains and sea, of Europe and Africa - a real gem of a Moorish experience.
This trip allows you to follow a series of day walks whilst returning each night to Chefchaouen. Two nights are then spent on the coast before returning to Chefchaouen for a final evening.
- Day 1. Outbound
- Take the evening flight from London to Tangiers and overnight at this popular Spanish/African crossroads.
- Day 2. Chefchaouen
- Pass flamingo-filled lakes and reservoirs with verdant green valleys and fields rich in crops and livestock en route to visit the UNESCO medina of Tetouan. The Rif Mountains rise suddenly before you from the coastal plains as you wind slowly up towards Chefchaouen. The town has a dramatic setting with the stark limestone rock face of Jebel el Kelaa (1616 metres) towering above, the surrounding countryside ablaze with vibrant pink oleander. Hispano-Moorish influence is apparent everywhere in the vine-covered vaulted archways that span the cobbled alleyways and in the monumental doorways that open on to sun-drenched patios. However, the singularly most stunning elements are the blue painted buildings and passageways, shades of turquoise and deep azure, creating a semi-mirage effect - where does the village end and the sky begin?
- Days 3 and 4. Village Day Walks
- Using Chefchaouen as a base you embark on a series of day walks. From the town's traditional wash-house, where woven rugs are laid to dry on the bright blue Volubilis lined riverbank you exit past the ancient mill, still used today on a cooperative basis. Follow easy graded paths past smallholdings and streams, gradually ascending to the tiny village of El Kalaa (1300 metres). Enjoy a leisurely lunch at the friendly gite here situated in a perfect position looking down the valley one way and built into the sheer rock face behind. Visit the local granaries before returning to Chefchaouen. The following day enjoy a spectacular gorge walk to the natural rock arch 'Pont de Dieu'. There is the choice of either contouring the hillside or meandering along the gorge-floor following an amazingly pretty series of lakes and streams. Huge bursts of flowering bushes fill the valley as the sheer cliff walls tower above. Return to Chefchaouen after a refreshing dip.
- Days 5 and 6. Talassemtane and the Mediterranean
- Visit the green forests of Talassemtane National Park for a very different change of scenery. It contains immense cliffs that loom over the Mediterranean shoreline and is home to an abundance of extraordinary plant and animal life such as the Moroccan Fir, Bonelli's Eagles, buzzards and turtles. Transfer to the sandy beach at Oued Laou and enjoy a relaxing day on the shores of the Mediterranean.
- Days 7 and 8. Chefchaouen and Homeward
- Enjoy a relaxing morning at the beach and return in the afternoon to Chefchaouen for a last hassle-free souvenir hunt through the craft shops and colourful stalls selling hand-woven rugs and pottery. A delicious dinner perhaps of local goat's cheese salad with olives and figs followed by garlic prawn tagine. Transfer back to Tangiers for your mid-afternoon flight home.
- Tour grade: B.
- Cost per person: From £695.
- Single supplement: £45
- CO2 offset cost: £3.25
- What is included: Flights, all transfers, accommodation on a B&B basis, picnic lunches on trek, local guide.
- Accommodation: Riad, hotel.
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Departure dates:
Saturdays, March to October.