An enormous playground
Chefchaouen, a town which is sandwiched between two mountains, benefits from an exceptional and preserved natural environment, which provides a real invitation to go off rambling in or to take a stroll in.
Ecotourism
Chefchaouen is lucky to be ideally situated as a departure point for trekking or rambling in the surrounding parks. Its surrounding areas are crammed with natural curiosities, like the Pont de Dieu at Achkour, a rock archway above a 25m precipice. Springs, fir tree, cedar and native pine forests cover the national nature park of Talassemtane (150,000 acres). The Talembote park, the mountains, forests and cliffs of Ghmara or the enormous regional nature park of Bouhachem (260,000 acres) complete this immense playground. Closer to the town, the spring at Ras El Maa, which supplies Chefchaouen with water, is a very pleasant place for a walk, as is the Toughoubit grotto or the refreshing waterfalls at Chrafate. It is also possible to hunt and fish in the region. The harrier, golden eagle, lynx, otter or even the macaque are some of the protected species.
Festivals
In July there is the Alegria festival. An invent which enables local, national and now international music to be joined together in the festival. The town's large and small squares lend themselves perfectly to these gatherings. Several other festivals and moussems (Sidi Allal el Hadj in August) take place in a town which is imprinted with the soufi spirit. This mystical Islamic dimension manifests itself through singing, poetry and dances.
To remember
The forests, nature parks and soufi culture provide an image of Morocco that is still little known of.
