The Anti-Atlas or Little Atlas is the southernmost range of the mighty Atlas Mountains. It stretches from the Atlantic Ocean approximately 500 kilometers northeastwards between the High Atlas and the Sahara desert. The Anti-Atlas is a traditional region of the Berber people with various dialects and a totally different writing which reminded us a little bit on Greek characters. Mainly they live in oasis in the extreme dry desert climate with huge differences between the settlements. Famous are its castles - Kasbah and fortified granary citadels - Agadir.

Approximately 800 years old fortified granary citadel Agadir Id Aissa above the oasis village Amtoudi
Approximately 800 years old fortified granary citadel Agadir Id Aissa above the oasis village Amtoudi

 

From our westernmost point on this trip to Morocco - Sidi Ifni on the Atlantic coast we came directly to our southernmost - busy Guelmim which is called the door to the Sahara desert. Its is an old medium sized city with approximately 200,000 people where in former times the camel caravans from Mauritania, Senegal and other sub Sahara areas ended, and traded their goods.

Boys and colorful women in Guelmim
Boys and colorful women in Guelmim

 

Few kilometers northeast of Guelmim we experienced an awful sandstorm with nearly no visibility. Fortunately we found a decent camping place in Bouizakarne, soon.

Marion's sister Jutta took a photo of our camper in the sandstorm
Marion's sister Jutta took a photo of our camper in the sandstorm

 

The small village of Amtoudi on the southern slopes of the Anti-Atlas is an oasis like in a dream - incredible greenery in the gray-brown desert, located in a deep gorge, accompanied by two fortified granary citadels - Agadir Id Aissa and Agadir Aguellouy on top of its slopes and not too much tourism. We explored Amtoudi and its surroundings for four days, including hiking into the dry plains south and north above the gorge.

Women of Amtoudi with their traditional clothing
Women of Amtoudi with their traditional clothing

 

Approximately 500 years old Agadir Aguellouy
Approximately 500 years old Agadir Aguellouy

 

Northern Amtoudi seen from the top with Agadir Id Aissa on the top middle left
Northern Amtoudi seen from the top with Agadir Id Aissa on the top middle left

 

Ancient writings in the little museum in the fortified granary citadel Agadir Id Aissa
Ancient writings in the little museum in the fortified granary citadel Agadir Id Aissa

 

Bustling Tafraout is the main settlement of the Anti-Atlas. Due to its proximity to Agadir, it is visited by tourists much more often than Amtoudi. However, it is set in a breathtaking environment with spiky mountains and strange rocks where gravity seems to be lost. We found a cozy campsite that was almost as beautiful as it was in 1986 with our two and a half year old daughter Eva and Marion's brother Tommy. Tafraout was a trip down memory lane for us because we have many fond memories of it.

Alfred with our daugther Eva and camper Volkswagen Bully T2 in Tafraout in May 1986
Alfred with our daughter Eva and camper Volkswagen Bully T2 in Tafraout in April 1986

 

Guesthouse on our campsite in Tafraout in March 2024
Guesthouse on our campsite in Tafraout in March 2024

 

The kids were as curious as we had it in our memory - here with Hermann on the new street between Amtoudi and Tafraout
The kids were as curious as we had it in our memory - here with Hermann on the new street between Amtoudi and Tafraout

 

Market in Tafraout
Market in Tafraout

 

In 1986 we had hiked up 2344 meters high mountain Adrar Mkorn where we had seen some blue dots in the landscape below us. Of course we had to investigate this strange place and it had turned out that the Belgian artist Jean Vérame had colorfully painted some rocks in the year 1984. Nowadays these blue rocks are one of Tafraout's main attractions and have often been expanded and renovated by locals.

Eva with a typical Moroccan flatbread, Marion and Alfred on the summit of Adrar Mkorn
Eva with a typical Moroccan flatbread, Marion and Alfred on the summit of Adrar Mkorn

 

Eva and Alfred with the blue rocks and mountain Adrar Mkorn in the back
Eva and Alfred with the blue rocks and mountain Adrar Mkorn in the back

 

Marion on the way to the painted rocks with the mountain Napoleon's  Cap on the top right in 2024
Marion on the way to the painted rocks with the mountain Napoleon's Cap on the top right in 2024

 

Two men in the shadow of colorful stones
Two men in the shadow of colorful stones

 

Blue tower with Adrar Mkorn on the right
Blue tower with Adrar Mkorn on the right

 

From Tafraout we continued few kilometers northward to Ammelne because Alfred wanted to climb up Jebel L'Kest which is the major peak in this area. A very narrow and winding road takes you to the mountain village of Tagdicht, where the strenuous 4-hour hike to the summit begins. We didn't dare to drive to Tagdicht with our campers, but Hermann lent Alfred his e-bike. Marion accompanied Alfred early in the morning, but she spend a nice day in Tagdicht.

The ascent to the 2359 meters high summit was stunning in a pristine, sometimes green and lush environment with very few people.

Steep and rocky section on the lower path to Jebel L'Kest
Steep and rocky section on the lower path to Jebel L'Kest

 

Buildings on the summit
Buildings on the summit

 

Tagdicht seen from the last part of descent
Tagdicht seen from the last part of descent

 

The lower part of winding road to Tagdicht
The lower part of winding road to Tagdicht

 

From Ammelne we traveled on very good roads towards Marrakesh with stops in Tawriyrt Lyyirgh, Tizourgane, Ait Baha and Biougra before we came to the might High Atlas - that's the next article.

The little village Tawriyrt Lyyirgh
The little village Tawriyrt Lyyirgh

 

Street market in Biougra
Street market in Biougra

 

Most of our overnight staying places and hikes are in included in our GPS coordinates file of Morocco.

 

For more pictures, please click here

For a map of our itineraries, click here

To download our GPS file of Morocco, click here

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