The caves

Another important feature of the Talassemtane Park are its caves. During our stay in Café Refuge Rueda we had the possibility to visit the most particular among them: the cave of Knadel. It gives a great opportunity for speleologism, if you’re able to find it in the mountains. The cave is located near the Jbel Kelti and the road between Chefchaouen and Oued Laou. A guide will be indispensable however.

The cave of Knadel

In the park you can find hundreds of other caves and caverns. A good opportunity to see some of the more interesting ones is a hike in the mountains near the inn of Afasska. Once again it is advised to take a guide with you, as there isn’t any signalization in the region for now. The inn owner can certainly help you out in appointing a local guide or can even personally accompany you on a tour in the mountains. As the inn is located on a relatively high level, there is a big chance that in winter you’ll be able to walk through some snowy areas, while the many pines give this area a very European outlook. Also the richness in bird singing is impressive and during our walk in the month of March we heard dozens of woodpeckers digging their nests. What you shouldn’t forget is to bring enough drinking water, as water sources are rather rare here. Our walk took about 5 hours, but longer and shorter variations are also possible.

Cavern near Afasska

The inn of Afasska is a good stopping point with a nice view and located next to the house of the family of the inn owner. It provides basic comfort with showers and a small furnace for the colder winter evenings. The family will gladly help you out with any necessities, even washing some clothes if necessary. Another extra in this inn is the possibility to join in some Moroccan cooking. We took the opportunity to make our own baghrir and rghaif, both types of typical pancakes which are often eaten with honey, and to bake bread in a traditional clay oven. Highly recommended!

Making Baghrir and Rghaif in the inn of Afasska

Between the parks

Close to the National Park Talassemtane there is another protected area that dominates the region: the Regional Park Bouhachem. And between those two parks you have the more than interesting mountain of Jbel Khizana.

As this mountain is located outside the main parks and further away from the city of Chefchaouen, it is even less touristic than the surrounding area. In the village of Khizana you can find the inn Dar Khizana, which is the ideal starting point for a visit to this region.

During our visit to this marvelous inn we were treated as kings by its amazing inn owner Mohamed Ahbiss. Not only does he always have some interesting stories to tell, he also tries to give his guests a complete experience of the Moroccans life on the countryside. The dishes he makes for example consist only of natural ingredients that are often found in the close proximity of his inn and they are certainly among the best food we’ve eaten in the whole of Morocco. Furthermore, although his inn is constructed in a traditional fashion and with mostly authentic materials, you can find all the comfort needed, including a hot shower and a fireplace for cold winter evenings.

Enjoying dinner in Dar Khizana

You can easily stay in this inn for a few days without getting bored, as there are various opportunities for long walks or activities in and around the village. A circuit that leads round the mountain of Jbel Khizana is marked with signalizations (yellow and white stripes), but a guide may still be useful to make sure you don’t get lost. If you take the long tour it may take 6 to 8 hours to complete, but the magnificent views from the different sides of the mountain makes this walk more than worth it. One of the most important features of this mountain is its abundance of sources, so you’ll pass a lot of idyllic mountain rivers on your way and even some small lakes.

Signalization on the touristic circuit of Jbel Khizana

One of the lakes around the mountain

For the less sportive travellers there are off course smaller walks in the vicinity of the inn and the cultural activities that the inn owner will gladly organize for you. These may include Moroccan cuisine (bread, cheese, jam,…), traditional dances, the art of henna,… Also socio-cultural encounters are sometimes organized with a possibility to buy traditional local products and food. And don’t forget to see the still functioning watermill and blacksmith of the village!

The blacksmith of Khizana in action

GPS circuit: Link