Tafraout and the Ammeln Valley from Agadir: the Road, the Villages and the Painted Rocks

Tafraout is a small town in the Anti-Atlas surrounded by pink granite boulders, about 2.5 to 3 hours’ drive from Agadir. It is a long day, but it is also the most striking trip you can make from the coast: within a few hours you go from seaside hotels to stone villages clinging to the mountains, and on some days you will see very few other visitors. If you are spending a week in Agadir or Taghazout and want to see something other than the beach, this is the trip we recommend first.

The road is part of the trip

You leave Agadir heading southeast across the Souss plain, with its greenhouses and argan trees, then climb towards Ait Baha. From there the road winds through the Anti-Atlas: tight bends, fortified villages perched on ridges, communal granaries (called agadirs) where families once stored their harvests. The landscape changes every half hour, from green farmland to the browns and pinks of the mountains.

An honest note: the road is twisty. If you get car sick, sit in the front, take something before you set off and eat lightly in the morning. Your driver will happily stop for a break.

The Ammeln Valley

Just before Tafraout, the Ammeln Valley stretches along the foot of Jbel Lekst, a mountain of more than 2,300 m. Around twenty villages line the valley, pink and white houses set on the scree among almond, olive and palm trees. People from this area are known across Morocco as traders: many ran grocery shops in Casablanca or abroad, and come back to build their house in the village. Hence the surprising mix of old stone houses and large villas that stay shut for part of the year.

This is where the trip stops at a traditional Berber house: cool rooms of earth and stone, a wood-fired kitchen, farming tools and a terrace over the valley. It shows how people lived here before the tarmac road arrived.

Tafraout

The town itself is quiet, with a market, a few cafés and simple places to have a tagine or a Berber omelette for lunch. Two things to look out for:

• the granite boulders, in strange shapes, which turn pink and then red late in the day. One of them, near the village of Aguerd Oudad, is nicknamed “Napoleon’s Hat”;
• Tafraout slippers, leather babouches, often yellow or embroidered, made in the area. It is a good place to buy a pair, usually for less than in Marrakech.

The painted rocks

A few kilometres from town, granite boulders were painted blue, pink and purple by the Belgian artist Jean Vérame in the 1980s, and have been repainted since. Some find the work fascinating, others think it looks odd in the landscape; either way, everyone takes pictures. The access track is stony but fine in a suitable vehicle.

Nearby, a prehistoric rock carving of a gazelle, close to the village of Tazekka, is also worth a short detour.

The day’s programme

The Tafraout and Ammeln Valley trip costs €55 per person, including the air-conditioned vehicle, the driver, fuel, tolls and water on board. Lunch and drinks are not included: budget modestly, as Tafraout is not an expensive town.

When to go

• February is almond blossom month, and Tafraout often holds an almond festival around then. It is the most photogenic time of year.
• March-April and October-November bring pleasant temperatures and lovely light.
• In summer, the Anti-Atlas is very hot during the day. The trip is still possible, but you avoid walking in the hottest hours.
• In winter, mornings are cool at altitude: bring a jumper, even if Agadir is sunny.

Who is it for?

This is a trip for people who enjoy landscapes, road journeys and villages, not for those looking for a sporty activity or a swim. There are five to six hours of driving over the day. With young children who do not travel well, we would suggest a shorter trip, such as those in our article on day trips around Agadir and Taghazout.

Photographers, on the other hand, should ask for a later return: the late afternoon light on the granite is worth the extra hour.

Going further

Tafraout lends itself well to an overnight stay. A few guesthouses let you sleep somewhere quiet and set off on foot the next morning through the Ammeln Valley, on paths linking the villages. If you are arriving by air, the Agadir airport transfer takes you to your hotel, and the trip can be booked for any day of your stay.

In short

• 2.5 to 3 hours’ drive from Agadir, for a full day out.
• Ammeln villages, pink granite, painted rocks and leather slippers.
• February for almond blossom, spring and autumn for comfort.
• A twisty road: sit in the front if you get car sick.