Atlantic Coast Tours

Atlantic Coast Route

Our route is a journey through the natural paradises of the Moroccan Atlantic coast, a profound experience that cannot be described directly, not even using the verb. There is always who better than one could describe the immensity of nature and also the love towards it, as Kathleen Raine “to put in writing all that I contain in this instant would empty the desert through an hourglass, the sea through a clépsidra, drop by drop and grain by grain to the impenetrable, immeasurable seas and mutable sands released.

For the days and nights of the earth crumble upon me, the tides and sands run through me, and I have only two hands and one heart to hold the desert and the sea.

If it slips away and eludes me, what can I hold back?

The tides sweep me away

The desert slips beneath my feet”.

It is an ideal route for nature lovers and also to do with the family, in which parents and children will enjoy equally. The route will take us through the rugged landscape of the Rif, national parks, steep cliffs, isolated archaeological sites that speak of the

archaeological sites that speak of the past, beautiful coastal villages, seductive forests, miles of pristine beaches where you can hang from the sky bathed by the afternoon sun, the landscapes of the south, where desert and sea join their destiny and also historic cities.
To this route, if it is of your interest, you can add a few days of stay in the desert.

• Departure from Tangier.
• Duration: 15 days/14 nights.

ITINERARY:

Tangier – Hercules Grotto – Asilahdia – Lixus – Chefchaouen – Akchour – Chefchaouen – Larache – Moulay Bousselham – Merja Zerga Lagoon Natural Park – Kenitra – Maamora Forest – Rabat – Chellah Sellah Necropolis – Siddi Boughaba Lagoon – Bouknadel Exotic Gardens – Chellah Sellah Necropolis – Siddi Boughaba Lagoon – Bouknadel Exotic Gardens – Chellah Sellah Necropolis. guided visit to the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca- Azemmour-El Jadida- Oualidia coastal lagoon- Safi (cliffs of the coast of Safi and Beduza cape)-Essaouira- Essaouira- Agadir- The Valley of Paradise Agadir – Paradise Valley – Souss Massa Natural Park – Legzira – Sidi Ifni – Mirleft – Tan Tan – Wadi Chbika Natural Park – Amtoudi Valley – Tiznit – Agadir.
End of tour: Agadir.

DAY 1.- TANGIER- THE CAVES OF HERCULES- IULIA CONSTANTIA ZILILIL (DCHAR JDID)- ASILAH

We will start our tour with a guided tour of the most representative of Tangier. I refer you to the guide section of the site for a more detailed explanation of what we will see in it.
Fourteen kilometers from Tangier are the caves of Hercules, of great beauty for the formations it contains.

Its name responds to an ancient Greek legend. According to it, Hercules spent the night there before carrying out the third of the works commissioned by Eurystheus.
To obtain the power of Zeus, Hercules had to go through twelve labors and pass a series of tests that would determine whether Hercules belonged to the world of mortals or of the gods. These are tests of self-improvement and elevation of the spirit towards its immortal nature.
Hercules was to steal the golden apples from the garden of the Hesperides that some classical Greek writers located near the city of Lixus.
The caves were discovered at the end of the 19th century. In the archaeological work carried out, the remains of a series of clay statuettes were found, evidencing its occupation since the Neolithic era, approximately 7000 years BC.
The cave has two entrances, one on land and the other towards the sea, which is believed to have been opened by the Phoenicians. This exit to the sea has been immortalized through photography and is an iconic image of Morocco. Its shape is similar to that of the African continent and is therefore known as “the map of Africa”.
Before heading to Asilah we will stop in Dchar Jdid to see the historical ruins of the Roman city of Iulia Constantia.
Northern Morocco was part of the Roman province of Tingitania, was the last bastion of Roman culture in the area and that is why in this area of the country we can find important archaeological sites, such as Volubilis, or the city of Iulia Constantia, 13 kms from Asilah. This enclave was occupied from the fourth century BC until its final abandonment in the early fifth century AD. Of the buildings on the site, the most spectacular is a paleochristian church. We will take a guided tour of the complex.
Asilah, is a beautiful, small and quiet coastal town located 40 kms from Tangier. Like other enclaves of the Atlantic coast of Morocco, the history of Asilah is a succession of conquests and occupation. With a privileged location it has historically been an important commercial enclave.
Archaeological remains have been found that tell us of the occupation of the area in the second century by the Phoenicians, just as there is evidence of visits by the ancient Greeks, was occupied by the Carthaginians and they were replaced by the Romans in the first century BC. In 712 AD it was conquered by the Arabs,

Umayyads, Almohads and Almoravids ruled it. It has been a Portuguese stronghold and was also part of the Spanish crown.
More information about Assilah can be found in the guide section of this page.
We will arrive in Asilah in mid-afternoon. It is a very small city, easily covered in four or five hours and with a lot of charm. You can spend the afternoon walking the quiet streets of its medina and see the murals painted on them, get lost and shop in the Bazaar, watch the sunset from the viewpoint of Caraquia, take a walk along the promenade or walk barefoot on the golden sand of the beach near the fishing port.
Overnight in Asilah in a beautiful riad in the medina.

DAY 2.- ASILAH-CHEFCHAOUEN

After breakfast we will head to Chefchaouen, where we will spend the day. In the guide section of the website you will find information about this quiet and beautiful city that you will surely not forget.

DAY 3.- CHEFCHAOUE- AKCHOUR (WATERFALLS OF OUED KELAA AND THE BRIDGE OF GOD) – CHEFCHAOUEN

Today will be a day of hiking. This excursion is really a must to do when you are so close to Chefchaouen.
Akchour is a small village about 30 kms from Chefchaouen, from it depart two routes that will allow us to enjoy the scenery of the Talembote Valley in the Talassemtane National Park: the route of the Bridge of God, parallel to the river Farda, and the route of the waterfalls, along the banks of the river Kelaa.
It is up to you to decide if you want to do both, or one of them depending on your physical condition.
The route of the Bridge of God is a route of a little more than an hour and a half outward and return by a route in constant ascent. It requires a continuous uphill climb.
The route of the waterfalls is longer, requiring more than two and a half hours one way and, logically, the same time on the return trip. The first stage of the route

However, the second, which leads to the Great Waterfall is more complicated, the route is narrower, moves uphill, although we will also find large flat areas and requires crossing the river several times by somewhat slippery steps, but reaching the Great Waterfall, more than 70 meters high is a reward worth the time and effort invested.
In both cases, as in the other, you can take advantage of the evening to take a well-deserved dip or cool your feet in the cold water of the river.

DAY 4.- CHEFCHAOUEN-LARACHE- LIXUS- MOULAY BOUSSELHAM- NATURAL PARK OF THE LAGOON OF MERJA ZERGA-KENITRA.

We will go early in the morning to visit the third of the so-called blue cities of Morocco (Assilah, Chefchaouen and Larache), where we will make a brief tour of the medina area, the small souk, we will approach the castle of San Antonio, also called castle of the hospital, a castle of the sixteenth century, built by the Saadies, which was a former provincial hospital, now abandoned and in ruins, but still, its imposing stamp, vestige of better times, dominates the sea, being one of the iconic images of Larache.
We will visit the Jewish Quarter, we will approach the shipyards of the eighteenth century, still in use, the Alcazar and the Clock Tower of the fifteenth century, the Plaza de Majzén, a privileged viewpoint with great views of the estuary and the hill of Lixus and the Jewish Tower, also from the fifteenth century, overlooking the harbor. It was a defensive tower, now home to the archaeological museum, in one of whose facades is the coat of arms of the House of Habsburg or Habsburg Dynasty, who reigned in Spain during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In this museum are housed many of the findings found in the Roman ruins of Lixus, where we will go next.
About seven kilometers from Larache is the archaeological site of Lixus. The city was founded by Phoenician traders in the eighth century BC, on a hill located on the banks of the Lucus River, then navigable, the buildings, ceramics and decorative objects found dating from this time denote a strong Carthaginian influence.
The city, of great importance due to its geographical location, was later occupied by the Romans. It was probably the period of maximum

splendor of Lixus. Its decline is linked to the collapse of Roman power in the area, which led to the abandonment of the city in the 5th century, in the time of Emperor Diocletian.
The later Islamic occupation of Lixus moved the urban enclave to the other side of the river, due to the changes produced in the estuary of the Lucus River, which forced the port to be moved to nearby Larache.
We will then head to a quiet and beautiful fishing village, Moulay Bousselham, where we will stop for lunch and enjoy a little free time to stroll around the beach area, after which, we will take a one hour tour of the Merja Zerga Lagoon area, one of the best bird watching spots in Morocco, spring and autumn being the best times to visit. The lagoon is a stopover of great importance for migratory birds coming from Europe on their journey to West Africa and South Africa. Seeing the pink flamingo colonies is a unique experience.
After that, we will head to Kenitra, where we will spend the night.

DAY 5. KENITRA -MEHDIA – MEHDIYA LAGOON – SIDDI BOUGHABA LAGOON – BOUKNADEL EXOTIC GARDEN – MAMORA FOREST – RABAT.

Next to Kenitra, the neighboring town of Mehdia, both at the mouth of the Sebu River, is an area where lagoons and marshes abound. We will make a brief tour of the Mehdiya Lagoon before heading to the Siddi Boughaba lagoon (a term that translates as “The Father of the Forest”), located in the National Park of the same name.
The Siddi Boughab wetland, which only a high dune separates from the Atlantic Ocean, is an extraordinary natural site of great ornithological richness. It is a remnant of the last freshwater marshes of the northwest coast of Morocco. There are days when the mist caused by the fog endows the landscape with a certain dreamlike air that only enhances the beauty of the environment.
It is a perfect place to observe the local fauna and flora. At the entrance to the road leading to the lake there is an educational center run by the Society for the Protection of Animals and Nature, where you can learn about the biodiversity present in the wetland.

The lake is located on a bird migration route, more than 171 species, most of them winter residents, although there are sedentary species. In the lake we can observe marbled teals, flamingos, ducks, harriers, coots, white storks, etc.
The Sidi Boughaba Biological Reserve, unfortunately, like so many other wetlands in Morocco and in so many other parts of the world are endangered areas of conservation because of development projects.
After this start of the day in the local flora and fauna we will visit the Exotic Garden of Bouknadel.
The Garden is a themed garden with fourteen different spaces, an aviary and a reptile terrarium housing nearly eighty different species of animals.
It is inspired by the wild nature of different parts of the world and also in the landscape conception in which the hand of man intervenes and, in this way, we can visit in the “Gardens of Culture” Japanese gardens, Andalusian gardens, gardens of South Asia, Polynesia, Congo, Mexico, China, Peru, Brazil, Caribbean and African Savannah coexisting harmoniously in the same space.
In the gardens we can find more than six hundred species of plants from the five continents.
It is a must visit for nature lovers. These gardens have been repeatedly praised for their beauty and diversity, for the creativity of their compositions and the meticulous realism of the environments they recreate.
Our last visit of the day, before heading to Rabat, will be to the nearby Mamora Forest, the largest cork oak forest in the world, where we will make a short route to relax in the middle of nature, admire the landscape and the fauna that resides in it.
We will spend the night in a beautiful Riad in Rabat.

DAY 6 GUIDED TOUR IN RABAT- NECROPOLIS OF CHELLAH SELLAH- VISIT TO THE MOSQUE OF HASSAN II IN CASABLANCA.

On this our sixth day of route we will start a little earlier making a tour of the most important sites of Rabat. You can find out more in the

of guides of the Marrakchia website for information about what we will visit, as well as the Hassan II Mosque in the city of Casablanca.
Overnight in a hotel in Casablanca.

DAY 7.- CASABLANCA-AZEMMOUR-EL JADIDA- OUALIDIA COASTAL LAGOON.

Early in the morning we will head to the city of Azzemour, belonging to the province of El Jadida.
Azzemour is a holy city for the Moroccans, located on the Atlantic coast in the estuary of the river Oum Er Rbia, one of the largest in Morocco that flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
It is a small jewel, full of history, which has not yet been the object of mass tourism. Located on the site of an ancient Phoenician port and later under Carthaginian rule, it was a Portuguese city until the sixteenth century. From this period is preserved a magnificent walled citadel in which stand out the round bastions, is the area of the kasbah, which stands out for its pinkish ocher color, as opposed to the white color that prevails in the area of the medina, the other district of the city, which has the typical characteristics of the old Moroccan cities, although reminiscences of the Portuguese past can be seen in the style of the doors of the houses. Although poorly preserved, it is worth a visit.
It is worthwhile to walk through the streets of the medina, go up to the coastal path, from which we can appreciate beautiful views of the river and access the Dar-el Baroud, the old Portuguese powder magazine topped by a tower with a Gothic window, now in ruins.
From the other side of the river we can see the extraordinary architectural stamp of the city, a real postcard landscape.
It is especially famous for its Byzantine-style embroidery craftsmanship with dragon motifs.
At 18 kms from Azzemour is our next destination: El Jadida.
El Jadida is the capital of the province of the same name. It is one of the most charming cities of the Moroccan coast, therefore, it is also one of the most visited cities by national and foreign tourism.

The Portuguese occupation of the city for more than two centuries left an indelible presence. The Portuguese took it in 1502 and remained there until 1769. They called the city Mazagan and it became Portugal’s most important commercial center on the African Atlantic coast.
In 1769 the city was conquered by the Alaouite Sultan Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah III, the city was renamed El Brija El Jadida (origin of the current name) and the city began to grow outside the walls.
The Portuguese citadel is protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. In the beautiful coastal landscape stands the crenellated wall with five bastions, which is accessed via the Rue de Carreira.
From the top of the bastions of Angel and the Holy Spirit there is a spectacular panoramic view of the city, the Sea Gate, the Chapel of the Inquisition and the Jewish cemetery in the Mellah area. The bastions of San Sebastian and San Antonio have wonderful views of the ocean.
The most important buildings of the Portuguese period are the fortified enclosure, the Manueline Church of the Assumption, near the Great Mosque of El Jadida (which has the peculiarity of having the only pentagonal minaret in the Arab world) and the Portuguese cistern.
The citadel retains its original medieval structure and houses of Portuguese architecture with square columns and iron balconies.
One of the citadel’s hidden gems is the cistern, one of the architectural masterpieces of the early 16th century, a subway cistern with a vaulted roof supported by pilasters. When the sun’s rays penetrate through the skylight of the vault and are reflected in the water inside, the whole acquires a poetic beauty difficult to forget. The Cistern is located on Mohammed El-Hachmi Bahbah Street.
It is also interesting to visit the old Spanish church of San Antonio de Padua.
On the way to Oualidia, in the town of Moulay Abdallan we will find the ruins of an ancient fortified monastery of the twelfth century, El Ribat del Tit, built by the Berber tribe of Zenagas. In its vicinity is held between late July and August one of the main moussen of the country, that of Moulay Abdallah Amghar, famous for the fantasy races that emulate the fights of the warriors and for the evening entertainment of the festival with dance groups (reminiscent of the way in which the evenings were entertained the fighters) and folk music, the fair of culinary arts and falconry shows.
Oualidia is a coastal town located about 60 kms from El Jadida. It is a seaside resort of international fame. It owes its name to its founder, Sultan El Ualid, who built in the first half of the seventeenth century a Kasbah that was intended to protect the natural harbor.

The main attraction of Oualidia is its coastal lagoon, bordered by sandy beaches and dunes, where fish and seafood abound, an area of passage of migratory birds, and a place of great beauty ideal for walking and water sports. In the summer there is a famous festival, the Oyster Festival, in which there is a nautical parade of fishing boats enlivened by concerts of traditional music.
Oualidia is famous for its traditional medicine based on bee products.
Overnight in Oualidia, in a nice accommodation near the lagoon area.

DAY 8.- SAFI (CLIFFS OF THE COAST OF SAFI AND CAPE BEDOUZA)-ESSAOUIRA.

Safi is located on the site of a natural harbor of easy defense, because it is located in a wide bay surrounded by cliffs, and therefore has an extensive history behind it.
Originally a Phoenician factory, it was the Portuguese who turned it in the 15th century into an important stopover on the route from the Atlantic coast of Africa to Guinea, initially as a commercial settlement, until its official occupation in 1508 on behalf of the Kingdom of Portugal. During the little more than thirty years that they dominated the enclave, the Portuguese proceeded to the construction of a walled enclosure endowed with imposing defensive bastions, as well as the construction of a Gothic cathedral.
In 1541 they abandoned the city because of the siege of the first Saadian sultans. With the Saadids the importance of Safi as a port city continued to grow, becoming the outlet to the sea of the imperial city of Marrakech.

In the eighteenth century with the construction of the new Essaouira, to which most of the commercial activity is diverted, Safi enters a period of decline, which would not come out until the twentieth century, when in times of French Protectorate the new port is built and becomes the most important port in the world sardinero.
We will make a tour of a couple of hours in the area of the medina, fully protected by the old Portuguese wall, which stands out for the strong contrast between European architecture and traditional Islamic architecture.
Inside the citadel highlights a palace built in the eighteenth century as the governor’s residence and now houses the National Museum of Ceramics, the defensive bastion of the Kechla that guarded the city, the main avenue, Independence Square, the Rue du Souk that crosses the medina, the Portuguese Chapel which is what remains of the choir of the Gothic Cathedral of St. Catherine, built in the early sixteenth century and the Sea Castle (ksar el Bhar), an extraordinary example of military architecture, built by the Portuguese.
At the end of the Rue du Souk is the Bab Chaaba, the gate that leads out of the walled enclosure. To the right is the Hill of the Potters (the pottery of Safi is especially famous), where we will find workshops where the traditional process of making pottery is still followed. The clay of the region is of special quality. Most of the tiles used in Moroccan buildings come from Safi. From the hill of the potters’ quarter there are magnificent views of the city.
After this walking tour we will make another drive along the beaches of Safi, such as Souira Kedima, on our way to Essaouira, although we will also see before entering Safi from Oualidia, after passing Cape Bedouza, the spectacular Bedouza beach.
In summer takes place in the city the Festival of the Sea.
We will arrive in the early afternoon in Essaouira, where we will spend the night.

DAY 9.- ESSAOUIRA – CAPE SHIM – CAPE RHIR – AGADIR.

Essaouira, current name of the ancient city of Mogador, is the pearl of the Moroccan Atlantic coast. You will find more detailed information in the guide section of the Marrakchia website.
By mid-afternoon we will be on our way to Agadir, where we will spend the night, so that you can make the most of your stay in this evocative and inspiring city, between the sky and the sea.

DAY 10.- THE VALLEY OF PARADISE – IMMOUZER WATERFALLS.

About fifty kilometers inland from Agadir, a narrow road following a mountain river, the Asif Ankrim, bordered by wonderful canyons leads us to the Tifrit Valley, of extraordinary beauty, hence the name by which it is also known: The Valley of Paradise. Numerous lagoons and backwaters of the river where you can bathe in a landscape dominated by limestone mountains, rich in fossils, covered with palm trees, thuja, olive, almond, orange blossom and argan trees. An authentic experience for the senses that you will never forget. We will spend half of the day enjoying its beautiful and wild landscape.
After lunch we will head to the town of Imouzzer, 61 kms north of Agadir, Berber city associated with the Ida Outanane tribe. We will visit the natural pools of the Assif Tamraght Gorge and the waterfalls of Wadi Tinkert, which only have flow in winter and that descend on walls of limestone rocks of immaculate white, for this reason, these waterfalls are called “bridal veil”. A few kilometers to the south are the waterfalls of Ait Lahasen.
If time permits, we will visit the picturesque village of Talmat, where the remains of an “agadir”, the Agadir Igher Gharene. We recommend you to consult the architecture section of the website, where you will find detailed information about these typical communal granaries that are the agadirs, a construction typical of Berber architecture.
After this intense day we will return to Agadir, where we will spend the night.

DAY 11.- NATURAL PARK OF SOUSS MASSA

The natural park of Souss Massa is located south of the city of Agadir.
It is located in a narrow strip of Atlantic coastline about eight kilometers at its widest part along 80 kilometers long.
The Park was created in 1991 mainly because it is home to the last wild colony of the ibis eremita on earth, a critically endangered species. It only survives in the wild in Morocco.
Unlike other ibis that nest in trees and feed in wetlands, the ibis eremita breeds on cliffs and mountains and forages in dry scrub and grasslands, semi-arid steppes and crops.
The park is one of the most unique places on the Moroccan Atlantic coast, with unique natural landscapes in which beautiful and secluded white sand beaches are interspersed with ocher coastal cliffs, dunes and large grasslands, argan forests and the mouth of the two rivers that give the park its name, the Souss and Massa rivers. It is an area of great wealth in flora and fauna.
Souss Massa is an important passage area for migratory birds, and wintering and reproduction of about three hundred species of birds, its marine waters have an exceptional wealth of marine species. Dolphins, orcas and whales can be observed from the coast.
Within the pair there are two conservation reserves of the Saharan fauna in which are bred for reintroduction in freedom various species of animals in serious danger of extinction as the Dorcas gazelle, the North African antelope, the oryx, ostriches and addax.
We will spend the day touring the park with a local guide who will introduce us to the natural beauties of this exceptional park.

DAY 12.- MIRLEFT – LEGZIRA – TAN TAN

Today, it’s all about the beach….
Hearing about Morocco is to imagine souks with spice stalls with exotic smells, intense colors, desert, but as we have seen throughout the trip there is another Morocco, which is a paradise for surfers, fishing enthusiasts and nature lovers.
We will travel along the beaches of the south Atlantic coast, from Agadir to Tan Tan, and we will make stops to swim in them and also enjoy a moment of relaxation and sunset.
We will start with Mirleft beach, located at the mouth of the Oued Salgemag, which has beautiful views of the sea and mountains. The beach is small, with fine sand and surrounded by large mountains.
Just 20 kms away we find one of the most famous beaches in Morocco, the beach of Legzira, famous for its natural architecture, some stone arches of red sandstone that water and trade winds have been responsible for forming, which also modeled a rock that figures a lion in the sea. It is a simply formidable beach. It is best to visit it at low tide.
Tan Tan is a town located in the province of the same name. It is located on the southern Atlantic coast of Morocco. In this part of the coast, the desert meets the sea. The beaches in this part of the coast are especially beautiful, kilometers and kilometers of virgin beach, golden sand bathed by the blue bowels of a clean sea that in this area is not so fierce.

Tan Tan is also known for its famous Mousse, which is celebrated in May-June. It has been declared an intangible cultural heritage of UNESCO. It is an annual gathering of nomadic peoples of the Sahara that brings together more than thirty tribes from southern Morocco and other peoples of northwest Africa. The festival is a manifestation of different cultural expressions of Bedouin communities that aim to ensure the survival of their traditions, music, traditional dances, theater, crafts, poetry, stories and oral traditions of the Hasanis, today threatened by changes in the way of life of these communities due to economic and technical changes throughout the region. Many of these communities have been pressured to lead a sedentary way of life. Famous horse and camel races are held.

DAY 13.- TAN TAN – WADI CHBIKA NATURAL PARK – AGOUTIR RIVER MOUTH (SEBKH TAZRA)

Fifty kilometers from Tan Tan, on the road to Tarfaya, is the Wadi Chbika Natural Park, where we will make a small safari to observe mammals such as the jackal, the wild cat or the hyena, as well as cormorants, flamingos and other migratory birds in the middle of a spectacular landscape, where the beaches are interspersed between the cliffs and desert dunes meet the ocean.
Already at the end of the trip the journey is quieter, destined to enjoy the sea, bathing on the beaches, windsurfing, etc…

DAY 14.- TAN TAN- AMTOUDI-TIZNIT VALLEY

The Amtoudi Valley, located in the Anti Atlas region, is usually off the beaten track. It is a desert landscape in which the lushness of the palm groves, olive, almond and pomegranate trees merges with the harshness of the bare limestone rock of cliffs and mountains and breathes the tranquility that causes a space located outside the tyranny of time.
We are in the area of an extraordinary architectural heritage of the Berber culture: the agadirs.
The agadirs are communal fortified granaries, typical of the Anti Atlas area. The oldest date back to the 15th century. Unfortunately, many of these agadirs are currently in a state of abandonment, but some are still in operation.
It is believed that the agadirs appeared when the nomadic Berber tribes living in the mountains abandoned nomadism and had to face the need to protect their food and crops from frequent looting. The community took the decision of its construction in a neighborhood assembly, all the families made contributions according to their needs and possibilities and in exchange they were assigned a room for storage inside the agadir according to their contribution. Mainly the grain of the harvests was stored, which was kept in a good state of conservation for quite a long time, barley could last 25 years, almonds or argan nuts up to 30 years, but also weapons, documents, jewelry, weapons, honey, oil, etc. were kept in the agadir,

The families who owned the agadir paid the salary of a caretaker (amin) who guarded it throughout the year, day and night, and who sounded the alarm if he detected any unusual movement announcing an attack by the nomadic tribes of the desert who were looking for food during periods of severe drought.
In the southern populations, they were built on top of rocky promontories that were difficult to access, since this location facilitated their defense. This type of agadirs adapted to the shape of the summit where they were built, as if they were a continuation of it, they mimicked, in order to go unnoticed. As there was usually not much land on which to build, they grew vertically. An example of this type of agadirs are those of Amtoudi id Aissa, Tadakoust, Aguelluy, which we will visit.
Other attractions are the sites of rock engravings in the vicinity of Amtoudi. One kilometer away in the plain that leads to Amtoudi, located in a canyon, the engravings, made with the technique of stippling, tell us of another time when the climatic conditions and the ecosystem were very different from today and, thus, appear represented antelopes, buffaloes, elephants, hunters.
In the early afternoon, we will be on our way to Tiznit, an oasis in the middle of the desert, where we will spend the night.

Tiznit was founded in 1882 by Sultan Moulay Hassan I, as a defensive post from which to control the hinterland for its strategic location. It is close to the sea, only fifteen kilometers separate it from the ocean and, on the other hand, it was a passing zone of the commercial route that unites the populations of the desert with Essaouira, a city with which it keeps a certain resemblance. The walled enclosure surrounding the medina is reminiscent of that of the city of Essaouira. The medina is divided into four neighborhoods around the so-called blue fountain, of great importance in the city because it is its water that allows the irrigation of the gardens that give fame to the city.
The city is small, but often surprises those who visit it because they do not expect the beauty that awaits inside. The best thing to do is to stroll quietly through its quiet streets and look for the buildings that give character to the city: the souk of jewelers, the Méchoir Square, the Caliph’s Palace (Qars el Khalifi) and the great mosque and, above all, let yourself be carried away by the atmosphere. If we are lucky enough to stop here on Thursdays, it is market day, which is well known throughout the region. The specialty of Tiznit is silver jewelry, although it is also famous for its fresh mint and highlights the quality of its argan and olive oil.

DAY 15.- TIZNIT-AGADIR- END OF SERVICES.

After breakfast, we will return to Agadir, where you can spend some free time, if you decide to spend a few days in this famous city or, otherwise, we will transfer you to the airport to take the plane to take you to your city of residence.
End of our services.

The tour INCLUDES:

• Arrival and departure transfers from your hotel/riad.
• Transportation throughout the tour in a private high-end air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver and guide.
• Visits detailed in the program.
• Accommodation in Riad or hotel, on bed and breakfast basis, except half board (breakfast and dinner).
• Free time to visit the visits detailed in the program, as well as the stops that are requested to walk or take pictures.

The circuit does NOT include:

• International flights.
• Drinks.
• Tips for visits.
• Half day lunch.
• Entrance fees to museums and historical monuments.
• Everything NOT specified in “the price includes”.