Day Hikes from Fez
Lakes, Forests & Fauna
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY
GRADE ONE - WALKING MOSTLY ON PATHS AT LOWER LEVELS, SOMETIMES ROCKY, SELDOM FLAT, FOR ABOUT 6 HOURS EACH DAY. GOOD TRAINERS WOULD DO, BUT TAKE BOOTS IF YOU ARE USED TO THEM. FOR ANYONE WHO LEADS A REASONABLY ACTIVE LIFE. HIKING ALWAYS INVOLVES SOME EFFORT.
ITCTFES03 - departures: daily (4 hours hike)
Departure from Fes at around 8.30 in the morning for an exciting 2hours' drive towards the south and the foothills of the Middle Atlas Ranges After some 30 minutes, we pass by the Kandar Massif (1768m) to arrive at the small 1920s French-built hill station of Immouzèr du Kandar (1220m), perched on the limestone edge of the Saïss Plateau. Translated from the Berber language, Immouzèr du Kandar means 'Cultivated Valley', and is also taken from the name of a holy man who has a shrine built in his memory in this region. Here we'll pause for a while by the ruined kasbah of the Aït Seghrouchen for a look at the little medina and a visit of the still-inhabited troglodyte homes, before continuing on for some 500 yards up along a little road through evergreen holm oak and juniper to the first of our volcanic freshwater lakes - the Dayèt Aaoua - near the Chalet du Lac. Depending on the season of course, for this area is one of porous limestone, we should see around these lakes a large variety of dragonfly and damselfly, as with resident and migratory birds, such as heron, stork, sandpiper, avocet, grebe and egret; duck and coot; wagtail, sand martin and swallow; jay, bluetit, lark, warbler; buzzard and kite.
We'll stop for a quiet stroll around the area, accompanied by the knock-knock of the green woodpecker and firecrest in the lakeshore forest. We shall continue on southwards for a further 20kms towards the Tizi Abekhnanes (1769m) and the lakes of Dayèt Ifer, Dayèt Ifrah and Dayèt Hachlaf, driving across the lands of the semi-nomadic Sarhrroushen Berber people through hillsides blanketed with juniper, cork, pine and holm oak until we reach the Dayèt Afourrgha, the most beautiful and wild of them all. Here we again alight from our vehicle to start our 3 hour easy stroll up through a forest teeming with regional flora and fauna until, after an hour, we shall stop for our picnic.
We'll then continue our hike around the lake to rejoin our vehicle at to take us up to the Massif Du Kandar (1768m) and the relaxed ancient walled town of Sefrou which, even only at 850m can be cool in summer and covered with an light blanket of snow in winter. Sefrou (souq on Friday), is a calm and relatively unspoiled, ochre pisé walled and turreted town, with its nine 'Babs', or gateways, lying in a beautiful wooded valley surrounded by cherry, apple and olive trees. We make a reasonably short stop here to visit the small medina and the maze-like mellah, or old Jewish Quarter, for here there had once been, since pre-Islamic times, a large Berber population converted to Judaism by roving missionaries living alongside the unrepentant Berber peoples. This 1st century AD. town, known for its olive and cherry production, holds a large Fêtes Des Cerises in June and other smaller festivities throughout the year, also hosts a flourishing artisan community. The souqs are lined with the booths of potters, tailors, embroiderers, carpenters and cobblers applying their ancient trades, a magnet for the tourists who do make it up here. When ready we get back on our transportation for our relaxed 28km trip back to the most ancient of the Imperial Cities.
Our price includes:
Experienced, licensed, bi-lingual mountain guide throughout. Round trip transportation Fez - Dayet Afourrgha - Fez. Light picnic lunch.
Picnic lunch - fresh Moroccan salad, cheese, tinned tuna fish*, bread, fruit, mint tea.
* If vegetarian or vegan, please pre-advise.
Our prices do not include:
Personal medical or accident insurance. Any expenditure of a personal nature. Bottled or gaseous water, nor anything not specifically mentioned in the itinerary. Gratuity to guide.
It is recommended that you bring:
Good trainers or walking boots. Hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, nibbles, filled water bottle, binoculars, hygienic 'wipes'.
NB: 48 hours' notice is required when booking for 3 or more persons, given the scarcity of minibuses in Fes.
Tel: (08707) 406 306
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