Nature is one of the stars of any trip to Morocco. This land is so steeped in nature that it’s impossible not to fall in love with it. As soon as you reach the Moroccan interior, you’ll be enchanted by the majestic mountains all around, revealing generous nature of unmatched charm.
During your trip to Morocco, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the wonder of the wild areas home to beautiful national parks. Here are the ones you absolutely must visit for nature tourism in Morocco.
Souss-Massa National Park (Agadir)
Souss-Massa National Park lies in southwestern Morocco, in the Souss-Massa region, south of Agadir. It has been a protected natural area since 1991. Covering 33,800 hectares (about 83,500 acres), the park is home to seven traditional Berber villages, as well as crossroads towns where cultures have followed one another and crafts have survived over time, such as Tiznit and Massa.
The park’s coastline is very varied, with stretches of endless sandy beaches and others with sheer cliffs. There are also gentle coves and caves where fishermen live.
Wildlife and plant life also vary from area to area, depending largely on how much water there is. So don’t be surprised if you come across more desert-like, rocky areas and then spot places with lush vegetation. Between euphorbias, argan trees and palm groves along the river, you’ll have plenty to admire. The park is home to more than 300 plant species and as many animal species.
But what will catch your attention most are the special birds that make Souss-Massa National Park famous worldwide, such as the northern bald ibis and other ibis species, flamingos, the Eurasian spoonbill and the black-crowned tchagra.
Four endangered North African ungulates are bred in captivity in the park: the scimitar-horned oryx, the addax antelope, the dama gazelle and the dorcas gazelle. For some years there have also been efforts to reintroduce the North African ostrich, extinct north of the Sahara.
The river mouth holds water all year round, and it’s thanks to the brackish water that a great many migratory bird species can survive and feed there.
Talassemtane National Park (Chefchaouen)
Your tour to discover nature and incredible landscapes continues with Talassemtane National Park, just a few kilometers from Chefchaouen, where a little paradise opens up that nature lovers and mountain sports enthusiasts won’t want to leave. Set among the Rif mountains, the park offers many hiking, trekking and adventure tours.
The park covers 60,000 hectares (about 148,000 acres) of gorges, cliffs, caves and varied vegetation. An area where you’ll discover a very different experience from the previous park.
Talassemtane National Park is also home to very rich wildlife, with many protected species, including the famous golden eagle, the lynx, the otter and the macaque.
As you venture into the park, you’ll come across characteristic villages living in harmony with the region’s cultural traditions. Stop to observe the lifestyle and customs of the people lucky enough to breathe in this spectacular nature every day.
Tazekka National Park (Taza)
In northeastern Morocco, in the Middle Atlas region near the city of Taza, the protected area of Tazekka National Park covers about 137 km² (53 square miles). Founded in 1950, the park was originally meant to protect the Atlas cedar forests and the area’s rich biodiversity. Today it’s one of Morocco’s ten protected natural areas, where very wild nature boasts cork oaks, pines and many other plant species. You’ll also be captivated by the Ras el-Ma falls, the most famous among others.
Toubkal National Park (Marrakech)
Another protected natural area, dating back to 1942, is Toubkal National Park, which lies 70 kilometers (about 43 miles) south of Marrakech in west-central Morocco, in the Atlas mountain range. Covering 380 km² (about 147 square miles), it’s dominated by Mount Jbel Toubkal, 4,167 meters (13,671 feet) high, though the other peaks also reach considerable heights.
Among mountains, nature, waterfalls and unforgettable landscapes, there are also archaeological sites where you can admire finds up to 8,000 years old.
Khenifiss National Park (Akhfenir)
I’ll wrap up my overview of Morocco’s main national parks (there are many more I haven’t mentioned here, which I’m happy to tell you about if you’re interested in nature tourism) with Khenifiss National Park. It’s near Akhfenir, in southwestern Morocco, along the Atlantic coast, north of the border with Western Sahara, in the Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra region.
Proposed for the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1998 in the natural landscapes category, though without obtaining the title, and declared a national park in 2006 (its origins date back to 1960, when it was created as a nature reserve), it covers an area of 1,850 km² (about 714 square miles) of coastal areas, sand dunes and limestone plateaus.
In the coastal part of the park, the Khenifiss lagoon is an important nesting site for many bird species, including ruddy shelducks, marbled ducks and Audouin’s gulls that live in the lagoon year-round, while other species only arrive in winter. More than 20,000 birds spend the winter in the lagoon every year.
If you want to make your trip to Morocco a nature-filled experience, choose to visit its national parks and nature reserves, home to wildlife, lush vegetation and communities of artisans who still practice age-old crafts.
Lisa
