Chtouka Aït Baha (English)

In response to the requests to provide more information of possible excursions from Agadir, we have started from this blog, a guide that brings you closer to Agadir and its surroundings.

Previously we have talked about Agadir and Essaouira.

This time we have the cooperation of Mercedes Gonzáles, originally from the Canary Island.

Mercedes is working on a cooperative project that Radio Ecca is being done with the Regional Academy of Education and Training (AREF) in Morocco, specifically in the province of Souss Massa Draa. She informs us of the possibilities that offers Agadir and its surroundings.Tours that show the authenticity of a fertile land rich in culture.

We start with:

Chtouka Aït Baha, the most fertile province of the Souss Massa Drâa region.

Argan oil producing area par excellence, its trees, distributed in 84,000 hectares, producing 420,000 liters of oil per year. This is a province that offers a natural spectacle Moroccan-style. Don't lose it!

A few weeks ago, for motives of work, I was lucky to discover a place of dream: a set of villages with an igoudar (granary Berber) deserted, but where it continues being gathered argán and where they do the best amlou (rich pasta to smear in bread based on oil of argán and almonds) that I have never proved: Tawrirt Nait Boulaich. At two hours in car from Agadir, it is worth visit the place and enjoy it architectural and cultural heritage of the rural zones of the country.

We go out from Agadir and arrive to Biougra, capital of the Chtouka Aït Baha province, we take the road to Aït Baha. Once we leave behind the greenhouses (this zone is not saved either of plastics), we go through Immi Mkourn, a village between hills and plains where silence sounds great and we can breathe fresh clean air. We continue on this road, that is gradually gaining altitude and, when we see a panel that indicates that to the left we will go to Hilala, we turn.

From this point, the landscape becomes even more pleasant: round hills filled with argan trees and a one than another shepherd with his flock. In the way, we will find a green panel; is here where we go into the douars (smalls villages) that belong to the Tawrirt Nait Boulaich asociation . We turn to the left, following the cartel and we go up to the place for a track of land.

This part of the way is a bit uncomfortable and, probably, in winter it will be impossible unless we have a 4x4 and luck, but surely his inhabitants will be charmed receiving any stranger to teach this marvel to him and to rest from the walk with a good tea and bread with amlou or with oil of argán.

Mercedes González