Taghia is a small Berber village nestled amongst the imposing mountain ranges of the Moroccan Atlas, some 200 km east of Marrakech. The village lies on the banks of a stream which, together with its tributaries, has carved out deep canyons, valleys and, above all, imposing vertical cliffs over the millennia – a sight that makes every climber’s eyes light up. Over the years, this remote corner has gained an irresistible reputation amongst lovers of adventure and perfect rock.
For several years now, Taghia had been one of the places that Francesco Nardelli, a Mountime guide, was determined to visit. Unfortunately, last year, just before they were due to set off, his climbing partner had to pull out, and Francesco had to do the same. This year, as the summer season drew to a close, his desire to make this trip resurfaced, and he immediately set about looking for a climbing partner, whom he found in Aaron.
Aaron was enthusiastic from the very start, and the two hit it off straight away, which made the organisation much simpler and quicker – a crucial factor for the trip’s success.
At last, everything was in place for Francesco to set off!
The first hiccup (and fortunately the only one!) occurred straight after we left Marrakech airport. Due to a misunderstanding with the local tour operator, the agreed taxi to take them to Zaouia Ahanesal (from where they would then continue on foot, with a mule to carry their luggage, to the village of Taghia) wasn’t there when they arrived. After waiting for a while and making several attempts to contact the organiser, they decided to make do. And so the adventure officially began!
Amidst coaches, minibuses and taxis crammed with people, they slowly made their way towards Taghia. Very slowly, in fact, as by evening they were still only halfway there.
On arriving in Ouaouizarht, they realised they would not be able to continue that day. However, the place, although rustic, was full of character, and the locals proved to be extremely helpful and hospitable. Naturally, the further one gets from the capital, the more acute the communication problem becomes, but somehow our guides always managed to make themselves understood by these villagers.
The following morning, they set off early for Azilal. Upon reaching the town, their journey was once again hindered: the first minibus to Zaouia Ahanesal was not due to leave until late afternoon, which meant that, once again, they would not reach Taghia that day. Disheartened, they sat in a park to wait. But as Francesco says, “I’m convinced that when you embark on adventures like this with humility and the right spirit, one way or another they always turn out for the best.” Indeed, in the park they met Youssef, a bricklayer who had worked in Pavia for 13 years. Surprised and amused to find Italians in that spot, he immediately set about helping them. A few minutes later, they were in a taxi heading for Taghia. The taxi driver, taking our cause to heart, decided to take us all the way to the gîte, travelling along a dirt track unsuitable for his taxi which, to our surprise, has only just this year been extended to reach the village of Taghia.
The Taghia amphitheatre offers a breathtaking palette of colours: the red rock, interspersed with bands of purple and blue rock and sand; the deep green of the vegetation in the valley floor, through which the stream flows; the blue of the clear sky and the yellow of the autumn leaves… a spectacular sight!
Franz and Aaron settled into the gîte run by Mohamed and his father Said, where they were welcomed with a cup of piping hot mint tea. The place is situated at the start of the paths leading to the crags; it’s simple but clean, with everything they needed. At last, it was time to climb! After drinking their tea, our guides immediately prepared their kit and headed for the nearby Ifrig crag for their first climb in Morocco! As an ‘acclimatisation’ route – and knowing that they had very few hours of daylight left – they chose the classic ‘Belle et Berbere’.
The rock was extraordinary, and from their very first moves they realised they were in the right place – the exertions of the journey had more than paid off. They reached the summit as the sun was setting, and within minutes, darkness had taken over.
At that moment, they immediately realised that organisation and logistics would be crucial over the coming days. The approaches to and descents from these routes are demanding; the environment is harsh (the likes of which are now rare in the Alps) and here one cannot rely on rescue teams or helicopters.
Back at the gîte, the harira soup was already ready and steaming on the table for them, followed by a vegetable and chicken tajine with couscous, and rounded off with fruit and mint tea. This menu accompanied them for the rest of their holiday… absolutely delicious! Over the following days, they’d established a brilliant routine! Hearty breakfasts, adventurous approaches, a succession of pitches, each more beautiful than the last, on incredible rock, mountaineering-style descents where you have to stay fully focused, harira, tajine and mint tea.
They have always tried to choose routes on different faces and peaks in order to explore as much as possible. There is an enormous choice of routes, and unfortunately there is never enough time!
They spent their day off – needed to recharge their batteries and give their fingertips a rest – walking along the canyon and the Berber trails, where they met Hassan, a Berber shepherd who lives a couple of hours from the village, alone with his 100 goats. He invited them to his home for a cup of tea and a chat in incredibly fluent Spanish. Berber hospitality never ceases to amaze!
Unfortunately, the days had flown by for our guides, and on the day of their departure they woke up to a light drizzle that had dampened most of the rock faces. It was time to pack up.
The return journey was quicker and more comfortable; they walked down accompanied by a mule laden with our kit. And this time, a taxi was actually waiting for us!
It was a long journey; once they arrived in Marrakech, they only had just enough time for a quick visit to the medina and the market, to stock up on dried mint leaves for tea, and then their return flight was waiting for them. For Franz and Aaron, it was a fantastic adventure! Travelling and living, even if only for a few days, in these places makes you think and opens your eyes to a world so different from our own – with all its downsides, perhaps, but one that certainly prompts reflection on many aspects of our ‘normality’.
Here are the routes recommended by the guidebooks (there are many others – some perhaps more challenging, some easier, some more picturesque… these are the ones we’ve done ourselves and which we recommend):
- Belle et Berbere – Ifrig
- Entre dos Aguas – Tuyat
- Au nom de la reforme – Jbel Taujdad
- Tout pour le Club – Jbel Oujdad
- Baraka – Jbel Oujdad
- Les Riviers Pourpres – Jbel Taujdad
As well as all the kit you wish to take with you, we recommend carrying a ‘spare’ plate and bolt (spit) in your rucksack, as shepherds sometimes steal them to secure the paths for their goats. You may well arrive at a belay station only to find the bolts missing – a rather awkward situation!
And if you, too, would like to be among the many people embarking on this meticulous adventure, please email or fill in the questionnaire on the website.