SOUSS MASSA AN ECOTOURISM DESTINATIONEcotourism guide

SOUSS MASSA AN ECOTOURISM DESTINATIONEcotourism guide

Coordination: SPET Turismo Tenerife

Copy: El Cardón S.L.U. (Juan José Ramos Melo,Pedro González del Campo y Valerio del Rosario)

Design: Ángel Morales/Mária Mengual

Photography: Juan José Ramos (Birding Canarias), Bancode Imágenes de Turismo de Tenerife, PedroGonzález del Campo, Mária Mengual, ÁngelMorales, Oliver Yanes, Sacha Lobestein

Illustrations: Nicolás Ruiz/Espintapajaros

Printing:Imprenta Reyes

Legal Deposit Number:TF 800-2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................................4

THE SOUSS-MASSA REGION....................................................................................................6

AN ANCIENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAN AND NATURE...............................8

FLORA.............................................................................................................................................14

FAUNA............................................................................................................................................18

NATURE SPACES IN SOUSS–MASSA..............................................................................24

GEOTOURISM..............................................................................................................................35

BIRDWATCHING.............................................................................................................38

WHALE WATCHING...................................................................................................................46

STAR TOURISM..........................................................................................................................50

HIKING...........................................................................................................................................51

THE CHARTER OF COMMITMENT TO THE ECOTOURIST..........................................54

WHAT CAN'T BE MISSED? THE ESSENTIALS FOR AN ECOTOURIST..................56

DIRECTORY OF ECOTOURISM SERVICE COMPANIES...............................................57

ACCOMMODATION DIRECTORY.........................................................................................58

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

7

In the Souss-Massa region, you can try the richand varied Moroccan street food in the souk orthe port of the large town of Agadir. Walk alongthe trails of Paradise Valley, Jbel Sirwa or JbelKest in the Anti-Atlas. Enjoy a bike ride at dawnin Tafraout. Search Souss-Massa National Parkto see if you can spot the last of the northernbald ibises. Smell the different scents createdwith the seed of the argan tree when you visit afemale cooperative in the Arganeraie BiosphereReserve. Listen to the last call to prayer at twi-light from the walls of the medina of Taroudant.Dare to spend a day learning how to surf inAtlantic waters, in the coastal towns of Tagazoutor Sidi Ifni. Relax taking an evening stroll on thebeach at Legsira, watching how the great star— the sun — is swallowed by the Atlantic. AndWatch the Milky Way after nightfall from thegardens of one of the kasbahs, which you willfind in the foothills of the High Atlas and Anti-Atlas mountain ranges.

This ecotourism guide to the Souss-Massa re-gion was created as part of the cross-border co-operation project Drago, Actions for planningand promoting Ecotourism in the Souss-Massa-Drâa region and the Canaries. The project is fi-nanced by the Cross-border Cooperation

Programme (POCTEFEX) and headed by Tu-rismo de Tenerife along with SIMPROMI and theCouncil of Fuerteventura as partners in the pro-ject in the Canaries; and with the Souss-Massa-Drâa region, in Morocco, whose partners are theConseil régional de Souss Massa Drâa, the Ré-seau de Développement du Tourisme Rural deSouss Massa Drâa and the Centre Régionald'Investissement de Souss Massa Drâa. Thegoal of this project is to increase, diversify andimprove the ecotourism activities on offer in thetwo areas, adding value to the endogenous re-sources in both regions.

Canary Islands SOUSS MASSA

SOUS

S MASS

A AN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

6

INTRODUCTION

1

tic foothills of the High Atlas and the southernone by the Anti-Atlas. The area is the borderbetween two clearly differentiated biogeogra-phical regions: the Mediterranean region, in themiddle of the Western Palaearctic, and the Sa-hara region, the large desert that dominatesthe north of Africa.

The climate in the region is dominated by theproximity of the ocean and the cold currentfrom the Canaries, which lessens the contrastof temperatures, and by the prevailing winds.On the one hand, the trade winds that blowfrom the northwest and, on the other, the Cher-gui, an east wind that carries suspended sand,or the Scirocco, which blows sporadically. The

continuous wind and the low latitude meanthere is high water evaporation, so we are loo-king at a semi-desert area.

In Agadir, precipitation is about 250 mm a yearwith rains concentrated between Novemberand March. There are 340 days of sun a year al-though there is frequent mist, mainly duringthe morning, which causes lower temperaturesat the start of the day. Temperatures do not varygreatly, due to the influence of the sea, and ave-rages are 14–16 °C in January and 19–22 °C inJuly. During bouts of easterly winds, tempera-tures are higher than 40 °C.

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

9

Located half-way between the Sa-hara desert and the High AtlasMountains, the Souss-Massa re-gion has unique landscapes, such asthe Souss and Massa estuaries, the argan fo-rests and coastal cliffs of exceptional beauty. Itsrich natural heritage is protected, and the te-rritory contains the Souss-Massa NationalPark, the Arganeraie Biosphere Reserve, theAin Asmama, Tamri and Cap Ghir Sites of Bio-logical and Ecological Interest, and the Cap GhirBiological Reserve, recognised as such be-cause it houses a rich sample of Macaronesianvegetation, along with argan forests, and it alsoconserves geological and palaeontological sitesfrom the Quaternary period of exceptionalvalue.

Souss-Massa is made up of a wide, fertile plaincrossed by two river valleys, formed by theSouss River and the Massa River, which gettheir water from the nearby mountain ranges.The northern boundary is marked by the Atlan-

TAROUDANT

TAFRAOUT

Jbel Kest

PARQUE NACIONALSOUSS MASSA

RESERVA DE LA BIOSFERADEL ARGÁN

RESERVA BIOLÓGICACAP GHIR

TIZNIT

SIDI IFNI

BIOUGRA

AGADIR

Cap Ghir Paradise Valley

INEZGANE

TALOUINE

TAMRI

Jbel Siroua

SOUS

S MASS

A AN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

8

2

THE SOUSS-MASSAREGION

CAP GHIR BIOLOGICAL RESERVE

SOUSS-MASSA NATIONAL PARK

ARGANERAIE BIOSPHERE RESERVE

When travelling through theSouss-Massa region, the visitorwill be surprised by local culturalrichness and diversity. From Arabinfluences — white-skinned peo-ple with blue or green eyes — tothe mystic, dark-skinned Gnawasinging stories about his ances-tors, who came from Mali, Nigerand Sudan. The history of Souss-Massa, like that of a large part ofthe country, has come aboutthrough confrontations, encoun-ters and unions.

Souss-Massa and its surroundings were inhabi-ted, long ago, by primitive, nomadic people whowent about their life in an environment that wasmuch more humid than nowadays — mainlylarge savannahs and areas of forest — wherethey gathered fruit and seeds and mostly huntedwild animals. As a consequence of that activity,there are dozens of sites with cave drawings inthe region, many of them representing huntingor showing animals that disappeared a long timeago, such as elephants, lions and buffalo.

Morocco was a bridge between Europe andAfrica, with different nomadic people passingthrough its lands and leaving their mark on theterritory and the culture of the region. Its coastswere continually visited by Phoenicians, Car-thaginians and Romans, searching for valuablegoods in the metropolises of the time, such asgarum, a fish paste; purpurea, a dye made withsea snails; and the famous black amber, a typeof musk that sperm whales produce on their fo-reheads.

In the 6th century, the Berber towns of thenorth of Africa were occupied by the Arab colo-

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

11

SOUS

S MASS

A AN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

10

3AN ANCIENT

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAN AND NATURE

collective, fortified granary with singular archi-tecture. These magnificent buildings made ofcompact earth or stone are the legacy of a timeof social instability during which the Atlas far-ming mountains were subject to attacks fromnomads from the south. Normally, located highin the hills, they were used for hiding the jewels,food and goods of the country folk. There aresome well-conserved ones in the region thatcan be visited, such as the Imchilguiguen aga-dir, a few kilometres from the city of Agadir.

Some agricultural produce with a clearly sus-tainable relationship between man and natureis also worthy of note, such as the honey in thearea of Paradise Valley, a much appreciatednectar, which is used in baking and, also, in tra-ditional beauty recipes for women. The bestknown are thyme, euphorbia, eucalyptus, al-mond or even lavender or orange honeys.

In Tafraout and its surroundings, the almond —with thousands of culinary virtues in Morocco —is a delicacy that is eaten on feast days. Offeredto guests in drinks, cakes or simply toasted, itsymbolises happiness, health and good luck forBerbers. .

nies, who brought with them the new religion,seen as a liberation by the weaker towns mostafflicted by Roman taxes. Islam, with its simpledogma, accessible to all, without hierarchies orformalities, was quickly accepted by all the pe-ople. That moment was the beginning of whatwe currently know as the kingdom of Morocco,where there were different dynasties until the17th century, when the current Alaouite dynastywas established: descendents of the prophetMohammed from the Near East.

In spite of Morocco — and, particularly, theSouss-Massa region — experiencing significantdevelopment over recent years, there is still avery rooted human presence in rural areas, per-forming a large variety of agricultural and far-ming activities, some of which are alreadyextinct in other regions of the planet.

The most emblematic heritage of the Souss-Massa region, the Anti-Atlas and a large part ofthe western Atlas is a communal building at riskof vanishing due to disuse, called an agadir: a

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

12

1. The testimony, first pillar of Islam, says: "Thereis no god but God. Muhammad is the messengerof God”.

2. Prayer, recited five times a day (at dawn,noon, mid-afternoon, dusk and night) facingMecca, the Sacred Mosque, and community prayer on Fridays in the Mosque.

3. Compulsory giving of alms: it is a financialobligation based on private assets to benefit aspecific group of people at a certain time.

4. Fasting in the month of Ramadan, the ninthmonth according to the Islamic lunar calendar,which involves abstaining from any kind of ingestion or sexual contact until after sunset.

5. The pilgrimage to the Sacred Mosque inMecca at least once in a lifetime, if there are reasonable means for it.

The most relevant festivities in the Muslim worldare the Eid al-Fitr and the Eid al-Adha:

Eid al-Fitr: the end of Ramadan. The whole community says different prayers and a breakfastis held to mark the end of fasting in the most important month for the Muslim world. TheFeast of the Sacrifice, Eid al-Adha celebratesAbraham's sacrifice; it lasts three days, duringwhich there are grand banquets after a lamb is sacrificed by the father of each family.

Islam has five basic pillars:

In Taliouine, we find saffron with its little, blueflowers, which are hand-picked before dawn bythe women of Siroua every autumn. Once dried,these fine stigmas are used as a cooking colou-rant. At least 150,000 flowers are needed for 1kg of saffron, making it the most expensivespice in the world.

In Taroudant and its surroundings, we find thebest argan forests, from which the miraculousfruit is picked and its oil is then extracted usingartisan methods; the oil has diverse medicinalproperties and is of high culinary value.

Further south, the coastal waters of Sidi Ifni aremade the most of by brave artisan fishermen,who go out into the ocean every day in their littleboats in search of tasty delicacies from the sea.

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

15

SOUS

S MASS

A AN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

14

The lands of the Souss-Massa havea high botanical and environmentalvalue in general, as it is on the border of two important bioclimaticregions:

The Mediterranean region and the Sahara re-gion, favouring the presence of species fromboth climates and making it the world limit forthe distribution of many plants, some of whichare rare or endangered. These special environ-mental conditions have obliged some of them to

adapt, to evolve and, with the passage of time, tobecome different; nowadays, therefore, we canfind about fifty plants that are exclusive to the re-gion.

Souss-Massa is known as the Arganeraie, as alarge part of this area is occupied by a peculiarforest that is exclusive to the north of Africa, andnamed after the argan tree (Argania spinosa).The argan is a species that is endemic to Mo-rocco, which is very popular and widely used bythe locals, and which forms a type of agrariansystem, similar to the Spanish dehesa, wherefarming activity is combined with sustainable

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

17

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

16

4FLORA:

DRAGOS, ARGANS AND CACTI...

In the middle of the domain of the argans, at theend of the last century, an isolated population ofdragos was found (Dracaena draco), known lo-cally as ajgal or worldwide as the dragos of theAtlas Mountains. Small forests of drago accom-panied by Mediterranean vegetation, such asoaks, laurel trees and olive trees hanging fromthe walls of valleys in the Umarhuz River basin,in the eastern Anti-Atlas.

The nearby Sahara has a very marked influencemainly to the south of the Massa River, which isdominated by sandy soils occupied by steppe-like vegetation, with low, woody shrub speciesand areas of broom. In some sandy areas, thedunes have been stabilised using scatteredplantations of introduced species such as eu-calyptus and acacias, near lands used for sea-sonal agriculture with scarce productivity.

use of the forest and conservation of the biodi-versity. This sustainable relationship betweenman and nature has earned it the title ofUNESCO World Heritage Site. Nowadays, it is in-ternationally famous due to the curative proper-ties attributed to the oil obtained from the fruitof this tree.

Between the argan forest and the coast, there isa belt of vegetation similar to that which existson the Atlantic Islands, called the "continentalMacaronesian enclave" by some botanists. It issemi-desert vegetation, highly exposed to ma-rine influence, with long hours of exposure to thesun and adapted to scarce rain, which gives it theappearance of cacti or woody plants with few,tiny leaves. This vegetation is generally domina-ted by euphorbias of different species, some ofwhich are endemic to the region or whose dis-tribution is shared with the nearby Canary Is-lands. This peculiar vegetation sometimesmoves inland and forms large stands, such asthose to the south of the Massa River and mayhouse important communities of plants from theMediterranean and Sahara, especially when bor-dered by sandy or mountainous areas.

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

18

The wide diversity of environmentsin the Souss-Massa region favoursthe presence of an important variety of species of fauna.

The mountainous areas of the nearby Atlas arehome to the last populations of Barbary sheepin the wild (Ammotragus lervia), a species ofmountain goat that survives in the face of far-ming and hunting in the most isolated and rockyareas of the north of Africa. With luck, hikingalong the paths and trails in this region, you maysee small groups at dawn and dusk, normallyclimbing over the steepest peaks. In these samemountainous areas, we can also find predatorssuch as the African wildcat (Felix lybica), veryscarce and rare, and the jackal (Canis aureus), areal African wolf; along with a large number offorest and mountain birds, and a rich and variedcommunity of amphibians and reptiles.

To the south in the Anti-Atlas, the vegetation isvery scarce and the proximity of the desert ismore obvious. Travelling through the region,there is a noteworthy abundance of reptiles, es-pecially of Bibron's agamas (Agama impalearis),lizards and day geckos of different species, whichcan be seen easily as they lie in the sun regula-ting their body temperature on rocks or any-where that is exposed to sunlight. The sandy SO

USS M

ASSAA

N ECOT

OURIS

M DEST

INATIO

N

21

SOUS

S MASS

A AN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

20

5FAUNA

HALF-WAY BETWEEN THE SAHARA AND THE

MEDITERRANEAN

areas and stony plains are home to a rich diver-sity of snakes, some of which are very rare andexclusive to northwest Africa, and are relativelyeasy to see on the hottest days.

In the areas that are less inhabited and frequen-ted by man, there are still wild gazelles, such asCuvier's gazelle (Gazella cuvieri), the crestedporcupine (Hystrix cristata) and predators suchas the jackal, which is very rare and scarce dueto having been persecuted by the shepherds inthe area. The Barbary ground squirrel (Atlanto-xerus getulus) finds its home in the Anti-Atlasand is very abundant and amply distributedthroughout the mountainous areas of the regionbesides being easy to see.

In the valleys and their hillsides, covered witharable lands and argan forests, Mediterraneanand Macaronesian vegetation, there is greaterhuman presence but, in spite of this, it is not dif-ficult to see the wild fauna, as some species stillexist amongst the intense farming activity thatoccupies most of the region. Predators such asthe Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon),the common jenet (Genetta genetta) and the redfox (Vulpes vulpes) may be seen hunting at twi-light near the towns and crops. Wild boar (Susscropha) wander through the arable lands atdawn and, with luck, following the river banks,you can still see some of the last otters (Lutralutra) in the region. A large variety of birds usethese kinds of environment, some of which areresident and others migratory, who come fromthe far-off north to spend the winter, like speciessuch as thrushes, warblers and chiffchaffs thatinhabit all of the wooded areas of the Souss-Massa during the winter months.

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

22

SOUS

S MASS

A AN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

23

Reserves of African fauna in theSouss-Massa National Park

The Souss-Massa National Park has two re-serves for the conservation of Saharan fauna:Rokein on 2000 ha and Arrouais on 1200ha, both forming part of an internationalproject for the conservation of endangeredSaharan fauna. Populations of North Africanantelopes catalogued as being in severe dan-ger of extinction, such as the addax (Addaxnasomaculatus), the scimitar oryx (Oryxdammah) and the dama gazelle (Gazelladama) reproduce here for subsequent

reintroduction into the wild. In these reser-ves, there are also populations of ostriches(Struthio camelus) and dorcas gazelles(Gazella dorca), which have also been rein-troduced and some specimens have beentranslocated to reserves at the edge of theSahara, such as the Msissi Reserve in theprovince of Errachidia and the Safia Reservesouth of Dakhla.Both Saharan fauna reservesmay be visited by booking guide services atthe different official tourism and travelagencies in the city of Agadir.

SOUS

S MASS

A AN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

25

The Souss-Massa region has a series of spaces with high environmental value that havebeen protected by the Moroccanauthorities with the aim of guaranteeing their conservationand enjoyment by future genera-tions. The most important areasare as follows:

SOUSS-MASSA NATIONAL PARK

The Souss-Massa National Park was created in1991 and covers 33,800 has. on the MoroccanAtlantic coast, bordered by Agadir to the northand Aglou to the south. The Souss River estuaryis the natural border to the north of the park andthe Massa River estuary is located in the sou-thern half of it. The main reason for the creationof the park is the presence and nesting of threeof the four colonies of northern bald ibis (Geron-ticus eremita) in Morocco, which is 95% of theoriginal wild population of this species and per-haps the only genetically viable one in the world.SO

USS M

ASSA A

N ECOT

OURIS

M DEST

INATIO

N

26

SOUS

S MASS

A AN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

27

6NATURE SPACES

IN SOUSS-MASSA

ARGANERAIE BIOSPHERE RESERVE

The Moroccan coast from Cap Cantin in Safi tothe Assaka River is considered part of the Ma-caronesian region and contains a multitude ofrare flora that is found in the argan forests: Ar-ganeraie. These are the most meridional forestenvironments in the Western Palaearctic.UNESCO declared 25,000 has. of these argan fo-rests the Arganeraie Biosphere Reserve, whilethe Moroccan Ministry for Agriculture has pro-posed the creation of a National Park in the pu-blic forests.

The argan (Argania spinosa) is an endemic treethat grows in the chalky soil of the southwest ofMorocco. The tree usually lives between 125 and150 years, although some species reach an ageof 400 years. It is a species that remains fromthe Tertiary period, the sole member of the Sa-potaceae family that is found to the north of theSahara, occupying a surface of between 700,000and 800,000 has. (7% of the forest cover of Mo-rocco), in a region with average annual rainfallof less than 250 mm/year.

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

29

The park is considered a Ramsar site (wetlandof international importance) due to the presenceof these two wet areas, the Souss and Massa Ri-vers, within its boundaries. The main goal of theRamsar sites is "the conservation and wise useof all wetlands through local and national actionsand international cooperation, as a contributiontowards achieving sustainable developmentthroughout the world". It is an important area forthe migration, wintering or reproduction of about270 species of birds that, in the case of the mi-grants, find an important stop where they canfeed and rest on their long journey, as it is a keyplace before or after crossing the Sahara desert.

The flora of the Souss-Massa National Parkconstitutes one its most representative values,

where very interesting Palaearctic and Afrotro-pical items can be found. It has a high rate of en-demisms: in total, about 300 species of plants,of which 13 are endemic to the region. Severalof the plants have Macaronesian distribution,with 28 species common to the Canaries, repre-sented by the genres Laparocerus and Aeoniumamongst others. This is why the region is consi-dered, from a biogeographical perspective, to bethe continental Macaronesian enclave. This areais the meeting point between two ecoregionsthat are characterised by the dry Mediterraneanforest and lush thickets of acacias and argans,and the North Saharan steppe and woodlands.

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

28

misms. They are also a very important habitatfor birds, rarely considered in ornithological bi-bliography. More than forty species of birds re-produce habitually in this habitat, including theblack-winged kite (Elanus caeruleus) and theblack-crowned tchagra (Tchagra senegala).

ANTI-ATLAS DRAGO FORESTS

In the western Anti-Atlas, at the southern bor-der of the Souss-Massa region, a relict popula-tion of dragos (Draccaena dracco) — similar tothose that exist in the Canary Islands, Madeiraand Cape Verde — was recently discovered, in1995.

In this region, this singular tree receives thename of "ajgal" or "ousgal". It grows in quite arestricted area, on the escarpments at the mid-dle of the Asif Ou-Magouz, where ravines twistand turn between the peaks of the Jbel Imziand Adad Medni. These escarpments drop ste-eply from peaks of around 1500 and 1300 m,respectively, to the river at around 400 m. Se-veral populations have been located here thatmay make up a thousand specimens altoge-ther, creating a unique forest formation.

The gorges where the few dragos of the Anti-Atlas are located is not legally protected, in

spite of them being some of the most importantbotanical enclaves in the north west of Africa.In fact, it is an isolated region between large,Precambrian quartz mountains, which are notdirectly connected to the rest of the Anti-Atlasmassif. Thanks to its peculiar topography andthe microclimate generated there, it representsthe last stronghold of ancient flora of incalcu-lable ecological and biogeographical value, be-sides having great natural beauty.

The populations of drago also live in refugeswhere they share their habitat with species si-milar to the sictus tree, argans and holm oaks,amongst thorny thickets and other flowergroups that are reminiscent of those that existin the Macaronesian Atlantic Islands, wherespecies appear such as cacti (Euphorbia offici-narum ssp. echium), verodes (Senecio [Kleinia]anteuphorbium), nightshades (Withania fruten-sens), lavender (Lavandula spp.), genistas (Ge-nista spp.), etc. In the high areas, it is commonto see carobs (Ceratania siliqua), Mt. Atlas SO

USS M

ASSAA

N ECOT

OURIS

M DEST

INATIO

N

31

The arganeraies of Morocco constitute a habitatof great ecological value in the context of forestenvironments in the planet's semi-arid regions.It is a habitat fundamentally endangered by ac-tive deforestation for the purpose of increasingarable land surface, obtaining wood and otherforestry subproducts. They are mostly dehesaforests, with little or no regeneration, directlysubjected to intense conditions of overgrazingand forestry. The low rate of forest regenerationand the intensive use of the forest by the humancommunities settled around it heighten thethreat to this ecosystem and the multitude ofanimal and plant species that are sustained byit.

The argan forests house more than one thou-sand species of flora, of which 140 are ende-

CAP GHIR BIOLOGICAL RESERVE

A few kilometres to the north of Agadir, bet-ween Tagazohut and Tamri, is the Cap Ghir Bio-logical Reserve. Formed by a wide coastal beltwhere we can see the great High Atlas moun-tain range meet the Atlantic Ocean. It is one ofthe most interesting places in the region, as alot of both marine and land fossils are to befound here, belonging to several geological pe-riods, the highlights of which are the Plioceneand the Pleistocene epochs, corresponding tothe last 5 million years.

Earth's climate has varied throughout its his-tory, with periods of intense cold or heat, whichhave caused important oscillations in sea level;there have been regressions during cold pe-riods and transgressions in the hot ones. Thesechanges were recorded at palaeontologicalsites, as is the case of the raised beaches anddune deposits of Cap Ghir. The large accumu-lations of fossil shells speak of periods of highmarine productivity, due to optimum climateand oceanographic conditions for the develop-ment of coastal communities of fauna. Whenthe climate cooled and the sea withdrew, exten-sive fields of sands were revealed that formedthe fossil dunes that are found on the raised be-mastic trees (Pistacia atlantica), laurel trees

(Laurus novocanariensis ) and holm oaks (Que-cus ilex), with the dragos being in the sunniestspots. Nowadays, the natural vegetation is verydeteriorated due to intense grazing and thecontinual cutting down of woody plants overmany centuries. For this reason, the dragos ofthe Anti-Atlas and many other species haveonly been able to survive on almost vertical es-carpments and cliffs, out of reach of goats andman, lending them a singular appearance.

The drago forests have a rich fauna associatedwith them, practically unknown today. The mostinteresting species are the birds, with severalspecies of birds of prey, such as the goldeneagle (Aquila crysaetus), the Bonelli's eagle

(Aquila fasciata) and the long-legged buzzard(Buteo ruffinus). Furthermore, there is a highdensity of Barbary partridges (Alectoris bar-bara) and several species of passeriformes,amongst which the highlights are the blackwheatear (Oenanthe leucurha), the Moussier'sredstart (Phoenicurus moussieri) and a largevariety of warblers.

The area also is of high value to reptiles, andseveral species of lizards, snakes and amphi-bians have been seen. Amongst the mammals,Cuvier's gazelles (Gazella cuvierii), jackals,foxes, boars and porcupines have been detec-ted in the area. Besides a large quantity of Bar-bary ground squirrels and several species ofunidentified bats.SO

USS M

ASSAA

N ECOT

OURIS

M DEST

INATIO

N

32

THE HIGH ATLAS. REGION OF HAHA

The Atlas is the northern border of the Souss-Massa region, forming a wide wall measuringmore than 800 kilometres that crosses Moroccofrom east to west, from Agadir to Bouarfa, onthe border with Algeria, and protects it from theadvance of the Sahara desert. Its peaks aremore than four thousand metres high, with theJbel Toubkal being the highest at 4167 m abovesea level, making it the third highest peak onthe continent.

On this inhospitable bastion, different lifeformsfrom different environments find refuge: Medi-terranean, Euro-Siberian and Saharan, lendingundoubtable — both plant and animal — valueto the region; and also ethnographic value, as

its fertile valleys have housed the Berbers forthousands of years, the men of the Maghrebmountains, their mimetic people and, above all,their ancestral way of life.

This mountain area houses a series of townswith high scenic value, of interest for ecotou-rism in general and, very especially, for fans oftrekking, birdwatching and geology due to thelarge quantity of fossils that are be found in theregion. Worthy of note are the Immouzer wa-terfalls, Paradise Valley, the Wintimdiouinegrottos and the oases of the Tamrhakht River.

The dominant vegetation in the lower areas ofthe western Atlas corresponds to areas of Me-diterranean forest and juniper forests (Junipe-rus), with the presence of small woods ofwalnut trees (Juglans regia), plum trees (Pru-nus insititia) and almond trees (Prunus dulcis)aches, where petrified remains can be seen of

roots and accumulations of land snails thatproliferated in the humid conditions.

It has rich and varied vegetation, made up ofspecies of Mediterranean and Macaronesianorigin, formed mainly by a thick forest of woodythicket, highly adapted to the proximity of thesea, scarce rainfall and a lot of sunshine.Amongst them, the highlights are the euphor-bias, some of which are endemic to the region;the senecios; the lavenders; and the wild aspa-

ragus. In the steepest areas, there are junipers(Juniperus sp.), Mt. Atlas mastic trees (Pistaciaatlantica) and wild olive trees (Olea europaea),some of them clinging to the rocks in very in-accessible places.

The nearby cliffs and ravines house an impor-tant population of birds of prey, amongst whichthe highlights are the Bonelli's eagle (Aquilafasciata), the long-legged buzzard (Buteo ruffi-nus) and the Barbary (Falco peregrinus pelegri-noides) and Lanner falcons (Falco biarmicus).In some of the ravines with dense vegetation,we can see the singular black-crowned tchagra(Tchagra senegala) and, in the rocky areas, theblue rock thrush (Monticola solitaria) and theendemic Mousier's redstart (Phoenicurus mou-sierii). Furthermore, amongst the coastal vege-tation, we can see a large variety of warblers,chiffchaffs and blackbirds, most abundant du-ring the migratory periods, dates when the areais frequented by thousands of birds.

The coastal belt is very rich in marine life, its co-asts are frequented mainly during the spring bycommon bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops trunca-tus) and orcas (Ursinus orcas), which can easilybe seen hunting from the coast. Furthermore,during migrations, an important flow of migra-tory birds can be seen from coastal outcrops,made up of a wide diversity of species.SO

USS M

ASSAA

N ECOT

OURIS

M DEST

INATIO

N

34

The Souss-Massa region hides geological heritage that is very noteworthy due to its richness and diversity.

There are different geological resources in theregion of different ages: some are from twothousand million years ago and some from no-wadays. We find the oldest areas amongst thegeological structures of the Anti-Atlas and theHigh Atlas, and the youngest areas — from ageological perspective — in the geological phe-nomena of the current volcanism of the JbelSirwa.

Metamorphism, erosion, transport and the de-posit of sediments are well represented in theregion, due to the effect of the large river basinsand the oscillation and variability of tempera-tures between the cold summer nights and theagonising summer days. Furthermore, all kindsof rocks are present in the region: plutonic, vol-canic, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.

The great richness of the palaeontological sites(vertebrate and invertebrate fossils) and mine-ralogical sites is still to be mentioned. Appro-ximately one hundred catalogued geologicalpieces and sites allow us to reconstruct a geo-logical history that is more than 2 thousand mi- SO

USS M

ASSAA

N ECOT

OURIS

M DEST

INATIO

N

37

broken up by arable lands and villages, besidessmall areas of holm oak forests (Quercus ilex)and riverbank vegetation. In the lower areas,there are fertile valleys. In this environment,walnut trees prevail and form forests on the ri-verbanks that rise up the valleys as far as the

altitude allows. In some areas, there are smallforests of ash trees (Fraxinus sp.); followed byinhabited villages and towns, surrounded bycrops, mainly fruit trees, such as apple trees,almond trees and vegetables (carrots, radishes,pumpkins, onions, courgettes and potatoes,amongst others). They are characterised forbeing crops for self-consumption or exchange,without the use of any pesticides and of diversecomposition. In the rivers, canyons and ravines,there are highly eroded rock formations furro-wed by small streams with fast water and withscarce vegetation on the banks. Some ravinesare of special interest, where trees or bushesthat have escaped the axe find refuge.

The fauna is very rich and varied with a largenumber of birds of prey, amongst which thegolden eagle and the Bonelli's eagle stand out,besides the peregrine (Falco peregrinus) andLanner falcons (Falco biarmicus). In the forestareas, solitary specimens of the Eurasian spa-rrowhawk can be seen (Accipiter nisus), and itis not known if they belong to sedentary speci-mens or are migrating from Europe. There area large number of passeriformes and forestbirds, besides the kingfisher (Alcedo atthis),green sandpiper (Tringa ochropus) and com-mon sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) in some ofthe region's streams during the winter period.

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

36

7GEOTOURISM

SEARCHING FOR SIGNS OF THE PAST

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

39

llion years old, which may be of great interestto the traveller and curious person.

The following places stand out due to their highgeological value and should not be missed bythe ecotourist:

Fossil sites

Most of the fossil sites in the region are in dif-ferent areas of the High Atlas and Anti-Atlasmountains. Their location is due to tectonic ac-tivity, which has folded and raised the earththousands of metres, and also to the greatchanges in sea level that have taken placethroughout the history of the planet. Most of thefossils that are found in this area are marine in-vertebrates, which shows that this region wasa seabed in the past that colossal geologicalforces transformed into mountain massifs in-land on the continent.

In the Souss-Massa region, there are Precam-brian stromatolite formations (more than 540million years old) near Tiznit. Materials fromthe Palaeozoic era (between 542 and 250 mi-llion years old) come to the surface a lot in theAnti-Atlas with trilobite sites in the south ofTouradant. Ammonites, brachiopods and echi-noids prevail in materials from the Mesozoicera (between 250 and 65 million years old) inthe western High Atlas (Agadir basin–Es-saouira). Fossils from the Cenozoic (last 65 mi-llion years) cover the valleys and plains ofSouss-Massa-Drâa, like the Mio-Pliocene ofAgadir or the Pleistocene of Cap Ghir.SO

USS M

ASSAA

N ECOT

OURIS

M DEST

INATIO

N

38

Biped, tridactyl dinosaur footprints on asandstone-carbonate slab from theUpper Cretaceous period (80 to 90 mi-llion years) on the beach in Anza in thenorth of Agadir.

The Imouzzer waterfalls Ida Ou Tananeare located 60 km away in the north ofAgadir. The waterfalls are usually dry ex-cept after long or heavy periods of rain-fall.

The natural arches of the Legzira beachare located 12 km away in the north ofSidi Ifni. Commonly known as the ele-phant's legs, they were formed by the ef-fect of sea erosion on the granite rockwalls.

The salt flats of the Issen River are loca-ted 65 kilometres away in the northwestof the city of Agadir, near Ouled Taïma.From there, you should take the road thatleads to the Dkhaila dam. The salt flatsare visible from the road after you passthe dam.

The Wintimdiouinegrotto

Located near the town of the samename, which you reach by a wellsignposted turn from the old nationalroad, Agadir-Marrakech. The cavity isseveral kilometres long and is pro-bably the longest on the continent.To explore it completely, it takes se-veral days, specific equipment and alot of experience. The entrance opensinto the limestone, with abundantbrachiopods from the western HighAtlas. The initial part is partially flooded, so it is known

amongst the locals as the cave ofthe lake, and this is followed by a se-ries of half-flooded galleries with for-mations of great beauty. The firstmetres can be visited accompaniedby a local guide, whom you can findat the nearby inn in the village, andusing basic equipment. Relativelyclose by, you can visit the lmouzzerwaterfalls in Ida Outanane and the li-mestone gorges of Asif N'Tarhat.

More than 350 species of differentbirds have been spotted in the region, and it is worth noting somespecies that it is very strange tosee, such as the northern bald ibis(Geronticus eremita), the black-crowned tchagra (Tchagra sene-gala), the Mousier's redstart(Phoenicurus moussieri) and themarbled duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris) amongst others.

Amongst the reproductive birds, there are se-veral species that have a very slight distributionin the west of the Mediterranean, such as theMousier's redstart, a species that is endemic tothe Maghreb and is distributed between Mo-rocco, Algeria and Tunisia. It is very abundant

in the region and can be easily seen in the ara-ble areas and slopes near the Massa River. Themales have striking plumage, which combinescolours between black, white, red and orange,making it one of the most beautiful birds in theMaghreb and the country's winged symbol.

The black-crowned tchagra has one of the bestpopulations of the country in this region, and itsnotable and characteristic song is frequentlyheard in the thorny bushes. This rare savannahshrike has a leftover population in Morocco, theconsequence of the advance of the desert,which are the only populations existing to thenorth of the Sahara.

Furthermore, there are several species of he-rons, ducks, pigeons, doves and waders thatuse this place as an area for reproduction, andit is the southern limit of their world distribu-tion for some of them. This condition of being a

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

41

SOUS

S MASS

A AN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

40

8BIRDWATCHING:

A UNIQUE DESTINATION FOR BIRDWATCHERS

border between two biogeographical regionsprovokes an enrichment of the biodiversity andincreases the fragility of its populations. Forthis reason, we can see breeding of species thatare typical of the European continent, such asthe European turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur)along with other species from African environ-ments, such as the laughing dove (Streptopeliasenegalensis).

Every year in spring, thousands of migratorybirds arrive from their winter refuges in the re-gions of the Sahel, Equatorial Africa and the

Sahara coasts. These birds stay several daysmainly in the Souss-Massa National Park andthe area around it, resting, feeding and recove-ring before continuing their long journey to thebreeding grounds, which stretch from the Me-diterranean basin to the Siberian tundra andthe Arctic islands, where they will stay for thesummer months, trying to raise their young,going against the clock to continue with theirlife cycle, which will take them back to thesouth.

Amongst these big travellers, you can usuallysee specimens that have been ringed by con-servation projects for endangered birds in dif-ferent parts of Europe and Africa, and thehighlights are Eurasian spoonbills (Platalealeucorhodia) born in Mauritania, Croatia, Ho-lland, France and Germany; glossy ibises (Ple-gadis falcinellus) born in the breeding coloniesin Doñana National Park; lesser crested terns(Sterna bengalensis) from a breeding colony ona coastal island in Libya; Audouin's gull (Larusaudouinii) from the Portuguese Algarve, Spa-nish Mediterranean, France and Italy; lesserblack-backed gulls (Larus fuscus) from Sco-tland and England; and flamingos (Phoenicop-terus roseus) from the south of Spain andFrance. All of which makes this place an impor-tant spot for the study of bird migration bet-ween the European and African continents.SO

USS M

ASSAA

N ECOT

OURIS

M DEST

INATIO

N

42

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

43

The last northern bald ibises

The northern bald ibis is, without adoubt, one of the jewels of theSouss-Massa National Park. On its seacliffs is one of the five breeding colo-nies in the world, and the park housesalmost half of the world population.This peculiar ibis was very abundantin the past and was found in most ofthe Mediterranean countries. Huntingand, mainly, the change in the farmingmodel have meant that the world po-pulation has decreased little by little,until there are only two small nucleiof population in Turkey and Syria, theconsequence of reintroduction inCadiz, and the two most importantones, due to their number and thesuccess of reproduction, on theAtlantic coast of Morocco.

Cap Ghir. About 30 kilometres to the northof Agadir, this coastal outcrop is an excellentplace for watching marine birds and cetace-ans. Using a telescope during the migratorypassages, you can see a significant flow ofbirds, made up mainly of northern gannets(Morus bassanus), Cory's shearwaters (Calonetris diomedea), common terns (Sternahirundo) and sandwich terns (Sterna sandvicensis), and to a lesser scale and atparticular times of year, there are also lessercrested terns (Sterna bengalensis), manxshearwaters (Puffinus puffinus), common

scoters (Melanitta nigra) and European stormpetrels (Hydrobates pelagicus). Besides seve-ral species of skuas, seagulls, terns and wa-ders travelling from one place to anotherusing the coastal belt as a reference point.

Oued Souss Estuary. In the south of thecity of Agadir, we find an extensive area ofgolf courses bordering the Souss-Massa Na-tional Park. Here we find the estuary of theSouss River, made up of a wide intertidal zonewith meadows of halophytes and canals ofmarshy water next to the river basin. In

Where to see birds in Souss-Massa?

Tamri. The estuary of the Tamri River in thetown of the same name is about 40 km northof Agadir, on the road to Essaouira. Near it isone of the two known colonies in Morocco ofnorthern bald ibis, and it is relatively easy to

see groups of these birds flying over the areain search of food. The most interesting species in this town are the brown-throatedmartin (Riparia paludícola), Audouin's gull(Larus audouinii), slender-billed gull (Larusgenei) and the ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea). Furthermore, during the winter,significant groups of aquatic birds and wintering passeriformes can be seen.

SOUS

S MASS

A AN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

44

SOUS

S MASS

A AN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

45

Las aguas marinas quebañan las costas de laregión de Souss Massa,poseen un alto valorecológico, debido a lainfluencia de la corriente marina fríade las Canarias y a lapresencia de emana-

ciones desde las profundidades deaguas fría submarina.Estas frías temperaturas del aguadurante todo el año favorece lapresencia de nutrientes, enriqueci-dos por los arrastres de los ríosSouss, Massa y otros pequeños riachuelos que nacen en el AltoAtlas. Los abundantes nutrientesson el alimento de una gran varie-dad de peces, cefalópodos, crustá-ceos, etc… la mayoría de ellos

place is one of the best areas in the countryfor birdwatching. More than 270 differentspecies have been sighted in the valley. Theestuary is inside the Souss-Massa NationalPark, and a large variety of marine and aquatic birds can be seen in it, including thescarce northern bald ibis, the black-crownedtchagra, the ferruginous duck (Aythya nyroca)and the marbled duck (Marmaronetta angustirostra). To visit the park area and beable to reach a large part of the ponds thatmake up the river, we recommend that youhire the services of any of the Souss-MassaNational Park accompanying guides.

Taroudant argan forest. The surroundingsof the city of Taroudant are formed by

important arable lands and extensive areas ofargan dehesa, subject to a significant amountof livestock. The area is especially interestingfor watching birds connected with agricultureand you can easily see significant groups ofSpanish sparrows (Passer hispaoniolensis),Barbary partridges (Alectroris barbara) andhouse buntings (Emberiza sahari). Birds ofprey are very abundant, especially the black-winged kite (Elanus caeruleus), thelong-legged buzzard and the Bornelli's falcon.Furthermore, during the spring and winter, alarge number of birds of prey and woodlandbirds winter in the area.

spite of its current high level of deterioration,the place still has a high value for aquaticbirds, mainly migratory ones that use it as a

place for resting and feeding. It is especiallyinteresting during migratory passages and, toa lesser degree, during the winter period.Highlights are the groups of flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus), Eurasian spoonbills(Platalea leucorhodia), grey herons (Ardea cinera), and varied species of waders andgulls.

Oued Massa. 30 kilometres to the north ofthe city of Tiznit, we find the basin of theMassa River and its network of wetlands, formed by a wide valley covered mainly byirrigated arable lands and palm groves. Besides important and dense forests of tamarisks, willows, bulrushes and areas of repopulation of eucalyptus and acacias, this

Go South www.go-south.orgMoroccan birds www.moroccanbirds.blogspot.com

SOUS

S MASS

A AN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

46

SOUS

S MASS

A AN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

47

The seawater that bathes the coastof the Souss-Massa region has ahigh ecological value, due to the influence of the cold marine current from the Canaries and surges of cold water from thedepths of the sea.

These cold water temperatures all year round fa-vour the presence of nutrients, enriched by thematter suspended in the Souss and Massa riversand other small streams that have their sourcein the High Atlas. The abundant nutrients providefood for a large variety of fish, cephalopods, crus-taceans, etc. most of them from sandy beds andwith deep-sea habits. A large amount of this bio-logical richness is taken advantage of by a signi-ficant artisan — and, more recently, industrial —fishing industry based in the ports of Sidi Ifni andAgadir.

From the perspective of marine mammals, thearea has a high ecotourism value, in spite of thefact that it has not been much researched to date.In the northern sector of the region, Cap Ghir andthe coast of the Souss-Massa National Park,there is a practically stable colony of orcas (Ursi-nus orca) that can easily be seen from land, es-pecially in spring: a time when significant groups

of tuna reach the region. Besides stable coloniesof common bottlenose dolphins (Turciops trun-catus), there are likely to be harbour porpoises(Phocoena phocoena), Risso's dolphin (Grampusgriseus) and short-beaked common dolphins(Delphinus delphis).

During migratory passages, mainly in spring, youcan see several species of rorquals (Balaenop-tera ssp.) and, during the winter period, you cansee large groups of striped dolphins (Stenella co-releoalba), Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenellafrontalis) and pygmy sperm whales (Kogia brevi-pecs) amongst others. In the area, you can alsofrequently see at least three species of sea tur-tles: green sea turtles (Chelonia midas), a migra-tory species from the Caribbean, and leatherback(Dermochelys coriacea) and loggerhead sea tur-tles (Caretta caretta), which may nest on thesandy beaches near Sous-Massa.

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

49

SOUS

S MASS

A AN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

48

9WHALE WATCHING

A WHOLE OCEAN TO DISCOVER

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

5150

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

BalaenopteridaeBalaenoptera edeni Bryde's whale 25.000 kg. 50 years old 14 m.

PhyseteridaePhyseter macrocephalus Sperm whale 40.000 kg. 70 years old 17 m.

Delphinidae Delphinus delphis Short-beaked common dolphin 130 Kg. 30 years old 2 m.

Globicephala macrorhynchus Short-finned pilot whale 3.000 kg. 65 years old 6.5 m.Grampus griseus Risso's dolphin 500 kg. 30 years old 3.5 m.

Orcinus orca Orca 6.000 kg. 90 years old 8 m.Stenella coeruleoalba Striped dolphin 150 kg. 50 years old 2.5 m.

Stenella frontalis Atlantic spotted dolphin 150 kg. 30 years old 2.5 m.Steno bredanensis Rough-toothed dolphin 150 kg. 30 years old 2.5 m.Tursiops truncatus Common bottlenose dolphin 400 kg. 60 years olds 4 m.

PhocoenidaePhocoena phocoena Harbour porpoise 65 kg. 40 years old 1,7 m

Fin whale

Balaenoptera physalusBryde's whale

Balaenoptera edeni

www.cetacea.online.fr

Sperm whalePhyseter macrocephalus

Orca

Ursinus orca

Harbour porpoisePhocoena phocoena

Short-beaked common dolphinDelphinus delphis

Striped dolphinStenella coreleoalba

Atlantic spotted dolphinStenella frontalis

Although hiking is a popularsports and ecotourism activity allover Morocco, the Souss-Massaregion stands out for providing avariety of incomparable landsca-pes and a wide network of trails,still used by the locals.

Whether you are a beginner or an advancedhiker, Souss-Massa has routes for all tastes, inspite of the fact that a large part of them do nothave any specific mapping or signage. The besttime to go hiking in the region will depend onthe place chosen for it, as you can do this acti-vity throughout the year.

There is a wide supply of ecotourism servicesrelated to hiking, and the destinations that arebest equipped for it are the surroundings of theJbel Sirwa — with departures from Taliouine —and the trails surrounding Tafraout and thewestern Anti-Atlas. In these towns, you will findspecialist companies that provide guide servi-ces for hikes of one or several days; combinedactivities with bike, 4x4 or mule routes; and ac-commodation services in "haimas", traditionalBerber houses, or different categories of hos-tels and hotels. If you choose to hire an inde-pendent guide, make sure that it is an “official SO

USS M

ASSAA

N ECOT

OURIS

M DEST

INATIO

N

53

The sky you can see at night in Morocco is like a natural planetarium.

It is considered one of the most beautiful, dueto its location and proximity to the Earth'sequator, which means there is total visibility ofthe whole northern celestial hemisphere andpart of the southern one. Furthermore, the coldmarine current that bathes the region's coastscontributes to the warm environment and pre-vents the formation of storms that make obser-vation difficult and, combined with geographicalfactors like altitude and the lack of light pollu-tion, provides excellent conditions for discove-ring the night sky.

Furthermore, the large areas of uninhabited orbarely inhabited territory contribute to the re-gion having one of the cleanest skies in the he-misphere, which means you can enjoy theastronomical beauty of the sky or the fascina-ting nocturnal scenery in the High Atlas andAnti-Atlas mountains outdoors at any time ofyear. The best areas for observing the night skyare in the Anti-Atlas: around Tafraout, awayfrom the inhabited areas; on the southern slopenear Amtoudi; and in the large semi-desertareas that surround Tiznit.

SOUS

S MASS

A AN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

52

STAR TOURISM:ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SKIES

IN THE WORLD

10

11HIKING:

WALKING BETWEEN MOUNTAINS

sed by aromatic, woody bush formations andsome elements of residual flora of Mediterra-nean and Macaronesian origin. A large part ofthe ravines or valleys are put to good use byman as arable lands, mainly for growing al-mond, argan and olive trees, besides smalloases of date palms. Of significant ethnogra-phic and cultural value, there are still villagesin the area that were made with ancient buil-ding techniques, leather craft work of undoub-table beauty and farming and agriculturalcustoms that show a way of life that fully res-pects nature.

The trails and paths around the area start outin Tafraout, a city that has a wide supply of ac-commodation and services surrounding eco-tourism and active tourism. Here you can findseveral specialist companies that provide hikeslasting two or three days around the mountainssurrounding the city and ascents of the JbelKest, accommodation in Berber villages andethnographic routes. Furthermore, there is anextensive network of trails for mountain bikingand bicycle routes and hire companies.

The best time for visiting the region is duringthe winter and spring, a time when the tempe-ratures are lower and the almond trees areblossoming, lending a paradisiacal appearanceto the place. At this time, Tafraout becomes a

significant destination for European mountai-neers and climbers, who come in search of themore than one hundred equipped climbing rou-tes in the region. At various agencies, restau-rants and hotels in the city, you can find books,maps and information on the location of theroutes and indications regarding them.

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

55

mountain guide"; this person can help you withtranslation, negotiating prices and will providefirst aid when necessary.

The Jbel Sirwa

The Jbel Sirwa is one of the youngest geologicalareas in Morocco, where you can see the tracesof a relatively recent volcanic series. This mas-sif is half-way between the Atlas and the Anti-Atlas, at the top of the Souss River valley,known as the saffron region. Its sides are totallycovered with arable lands where this valuablespice is grown.

The area has an extensive network of trails thatare easily accessible for all kinds of hikers. Thebest time to visit the region is during spring andsummer, although it is also recommendable inautumn, before the temperatures go down andthe rains and snows start and cover a largearea of the peak of the Sirwa.

Although a large part of the region has trailsthat can be done independently in a day or a fewhours, it is highly recommended that you do ahike of between three and five days, hiring alocal company or specialist guide, and sleepingin traditional Berber houses or haimas.

Most of the routes start in Taliouine, a citywhere you can get supplies and hire the servi-ces of any of the companies and professionalsfrom the area, located around the main road.

The Anti-Atlas. Jbel Kest

At the heart of the western Anti-Atlas is thepeak of Jbel Kest, a highly eroded mountainousregion with lots of wide valleys and ravines,where there is a type of vegetation characteri-SO

USS M

ASSAA

N ECOT

OURIS

M DEST

INATIO

N

54

Companies that offer services in this area:

Maroc inédit–Tourisme équitable et solidaireTrekking Jbel Siroua, Sahara Oasis and Anti-Atlas, Arganeraie BiosphereReserve. Taroudantwww.maroc-inedit.com

Désert et Montagne Maroc Trekking and 4x4 routes (Jbel Sirwa and Atlantic coast) Talmasla–Tarmigt. Ouarzazatewww.desert-montagne.ma

Yallaz TrekkingTrekking (Jbel Sirwa and saffron cir-cuits), climbing, mountain biking and4x4 routes.www.yallaz.net

Companies that offer services in this area:

Tafraout AventureTrekking, 4x4 safaris to the desert,transfers and transport services forgoing climbing.Centre Tafraout 85450, BP 61.www.tafraout-aventure.com

Au Coin des NomadesTrekking, climbing, hang gliding, moun-tain biking, safaris to the desert.Tafraout

Ecotourism is not only a form oftourism, but it also establishes aphilosophy and proposes a modelfor sustainable development thatrespects the resources in theplace.

In this way and following the directives of theWorld Tourism Organization and the Europeancross-border project, DRAGO Ecotourism, forthe regulation and strengthening of the ecotou-rism sector in the Souss Massa Drâa and Ca-naries region, we suggest the following tenpoints for becoming a true ecotourist.

•Enjoy the natural and cultural resources youvisit in a respectful and sustainable fashion.

•Hire services that integrate educational, infor-mational and interpretative elements regardinglocal heritage into the visit.

•Use little local companies that work withsmall groups.

•Avoid leaving your mark on natural and cultu-ral resources in the place.

•Contribute to the conservation of natural, cul-tural and ethnographic resources in the place.

•Avoid unnecessary journeys and compensatefor your emissions by planting trees.

•Consume local, ecological and natural pro-ducts.

•Stay in rural houses, traditional kasbahs,campsites or hotels that are managed by localcommunities or companies; that are legalisedand have quality certificates; that integratewomen into the labour market, reject child la-bour and respect the environment.

•Spend some of your time talking to the localsand discovering other ways of life.

•Respect the rules of conservation and publicuse of protected nature areas.

•Probar la gastronomía callejera marroquí enel zoco o el puerto de Agadir.

•Un recorrido a pie en gargantas de Imenzour,por las estribaciones del Alto Atlas hacia elAtlántico.Un paseo en bicicleta en Tafraout al

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

57

SOUS

S MASS

A AN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

56

12THE CHARTER OFCOMMITMENT

TO THE ECOTOURIST

Trekking in MoroccoHiking, mountain biking, horse riding, camel riding, 4x4 routes.www.trekkinginmorocco.com

Trekking por Marruecos Trekking and bicycle routes.trekkingpormarruecos.com

Colours of MoroccoTrekking, camel riding and 4x4.www.colours-of-morocco.com

Led VoyagesTrekking and camel riding.www.ledvoyages.com

Trekking Toubkal Trekking, mountain biking and 4x4 routes.www.trekkingtoubkal.com

Desert Maroc Routes to the desert.www.sejourdesertmaroc.com

Orion Trek VoyagesTrekking, routes to the desert and tailored trips(incoming tour operator agency).www.oriontrek.com

Surf `n´ Stay Trekking, horse riding, camel riding, surfing andquad routes.Appt No 4, Immeuble (Block) 18, Taghazout,Agadir www.surfnstay.net

Amadou Cheval Camel, horse and quad routes. km 13, Route d'Essaouira, Tamraght AGADIR www.amodoucheval.com

Trek Atlas Trekking and routes to the desert.www.trekatlas.com

Atlas WalkersTrekking and camel routes.Douar Armed-Imlil BP.188 Poste ASNI 42150Marrakech-MAROC www.cameltrekkinginmorocco.com

Gayuin Birding Tours–Birding MoroccoBirding tours and routes to the desert.Elmoukaouama 01. Rissani 52450www.gayuin.combirdinginmorocco.jimdo.com

Terres Nomades Trekking(Anergui Voyagers) Trekking, birdwatching, geotourism, 4x4 routesand cultural and ethnographic routes.Résidence Bab Doukkala -D1- Avenue MoulayAbdellah.Marrakech.www.terresnomades.com

Atlas Outdoor Responsible & adventure travelsEcoadventures, trekking, mountain biking andsustainable travel.253 Sofia Targa. Marrakechwww.atlas-outdoor.com

SOUS

S MASS

A AN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

59

•Taste Moroccan street food in the souk or theport of Agadir.

•A walk through the gorge of Imenzour,through the foothills of the High Atlas towardsthe Atlantic.

•A bicycle ride in Tafraout at dawn with thecompulsory stop at the blue rocks.

•Look for the last northern bald ibis accom-panied by one of the guides in the Souss-Massa National Park in the Oued Massaestuary.

•Visit an argan cooperative and smell the dif-ferent essences that are made with the seedfrom this curative tree.

•Listen to the last call to prayer at twilightfrom the walls of the medina of Taroudant.

•Dare to spend a day learning how to surf inAtlantic waters in the coastal towns of Taga-zout or Sidi Ifni.

•Relax taking an evening stroll on the beachat Legsira, watching how the great star — thesun — is swallowed by the Atlantic.

•Watch the Milky Way after nightfall from thegardens of one of the kasbahs, which you willfind in the foothills of the High Atlas and Anti-Atlas mountain ranges.

58

DIRECTORY OF ECOTOURISM SERVICE COMPANIES

13WHAT CAN'T BE

MISSED? THE ESSENTIALS

FOR AN ECOTOURIST

La Suerte Loca Surf courses and trekking.Sidi Ifni.www.facebook.com/pages/Suerte-Loca/

TAFRAOUT

Kasbah de TizourganeTrekking, climbing and 4x4 routes.PB 63 Idaougnidif. Chtouka Aït Baha. Route Agadir-Tafraout.www.tizourgane-kasbah.com

Maison d’hôtes Yamina Trekking, 4x4 routes and cultural tourism.Village de Tindilte. Tafraout.www.yamina-tafraout.com

TAROUDANT

Chambres d`Hotes Les Amis- Said DayfollahTrekking.Quartier Sidi Belkas. Taroudant.www.chambresdesamis.com

Gîte Mentaga Trekking, agrotourism and cultural tourism.Tamalaoukt. Taroudant.www.gitementaga.com

Ferme Villate Limoune Agrotourism.Km. 40 Ain Chaib Ouled Teima. Taroudant.www.fermelimoune.ma

Gite Souss Trekking, traditional cookery workshops andcultural routes.Douar said. Commune rurale Ussen. Ciudat SidiMoussa. Ouled Teima. Taroudanet.www.gitesouss.com

TIZNIT

Riad Well Center Assoumfou Trekking, camel and horse riding.Village de Talaaont, Commune de Arbiaá Resmoka. Tiznit.www.riadssounfou.com

Rural Tourism Association Moroccowww.maroc-tourisme-rural.com

SOUS

S MASS

A AN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

61

AGADIR

Atlas Kasbah EcolodgeStar tourism, agrotourism, birdwatching, ethnographic routes, cookery and Moroccanpottery courses, surfing, yoga and trekking.Village of Tighanimine El Baz. Agadir.www.atlaskasbah.com

Auberge Ecole Surf Town Trekking, horse riding, yoga and surf classes.Hay Sahel–Tamraght. Aourir. Agadir.www.surftownmorocco.com

Auberge ZoladoAgricultural activities (agrotourism), trekking,mountain biking, 4x4 routes and visits to traditional Berber houses.BP 3721 Talbordjt. Agadir.www.aubergezolado.com

MONTAÑAS DEL ATLAS

Hôtel des cascades(Société Découvertes et Tourismes de Mon-tagne IMOUZZER) Trekking, cultural tourism and nature routes.Imouzzer. Idaou. Tanane. www.cascades-hotel.net

Gite Jaouahir Aguerd Trekking, cultural visits and star tourism.Douar Aguerd. Commune rurale d’Aksri. Agadir.www.gitejaouahirguerd.com

Gite Vallée Paradise Trekking.Douar Taghrat. Valle Ouankrim. Communed’Aski. Agadir.valleeparadise@gmail.com

Maison Paradis Nomade

AÏT BAHA

Kasbah de TizourganeRural tourism, trekking, climbing and 4x4 routes.PB. 63 Idaougnidif. Chtouka Aït BahaRoute Agadir-Tafraout.www.tizourgane-kasbah.com

MIRLEFT

Aftas Trip Kayaking, sport fishing, 4x4 routes, horse andcamel riding, hang gliding and surf classes.Mirlfet.www.aftastrip.com

SIDI IFNI

Hotel Maison Xanadú Trekking through the Sidi Ifni region.5, Rue El Jadida, Sidi Ifni.www.maisonxanadu.comSO

USS M

ASSA A

N ECOT

OURIS

M DEST

INATIO

N

60

ACCOMMODATION DIRECTORY

SOUS

S MASS

AAN E

COTOU

RISM D

ESTINA

TION

62