Taunat, an attractive destination for the world's ecotourists
A couple of hours from the city of Fez you find yourself in the beautiful mountainous areas of the Central Rif, precisely in the region of Taunat in the village of Onsar, where authentic ecotourism awaits you and you enjoy the natural and cultural attractions of the town as an integral part of the true Moroccan lifestyle. Here, the Yebli (mountain) people invite you to experience their traditional way of life amidst the diverse ecosystems that the area offers, through a special family tour.
Taunat Ecotourism is a project that aims, besides making tourists discover the wonderful nature of the region, to give them the opportunity to get in direct contact with it and spend time in the lifestyle of the local community by practicing traditional agricultural methods, experiencing their daily domestic activities in the open air and taking positive measures for the environment. The project is based on the principles of environmental protection and ecotourism based on human development and cultural exchange.
Taunat Ecotourism offers visitors a wide range of recreational, sports and nature activities, as well as unforgettable human experiences from its tourist headquarters in the village of Onsar. These experiences include a cooking and baking workshop, a pottery and hand-building workshop, hiking, cycling and yoga in the best panoramic sites around the Sidi Masoud mountain. In addition, donkey rides, learning palm and reed handicrafts, as well as taking part in the distillation of essential oils and agricultural work.
authentic and simple lifestyle of the Rif people in the Taunat region. It is also the ideal place where you can explore the magic of nature and practice many activities. Individual travellers as well as small groups spend in this eco-lodge the perfect holiday at a reasonable price and accessible to all, a true cultural experience of Morocco. From the terrace of Dar Lala Zhour, the location offers a breathtaking view over the Ourgha valley, especially at sunset.
Open-air cooking class
After escaping from the noisy city life and once you are in a relaxing refuge in the middle of a rural village of Taunat, you will discover the secrets of Moroccan cuisine with the particularities of the Fez-Meknes region. It will be an opportunity to learn how to prepare, in the open air, local meals whose ingredients are grown locally.
Bread Making Experience
Always in the world of gastronomy, baking bread in Morocco is an integral part of Moroccan culinary life; for no meal can be served and considered complete without bread. Together with the locals in the village of Onsar, bread making is a unique experience that teaches you how traditional bread is made using techniques that have been handed down from generation to generation and how it is baked in the Fourna (the clay oven).
Ourtzagh
Situated on the banks of the Al-Wahda Dam, 40km from Taunat, the town of Ourtzagh is known for its large Saturday souk offering good local produce. It is also popular for its splendid vegetation and its panoramic view.
The Kasbah of Amergou
The Kasbah of Amergou is a forgotten wonder of Morocco's national heritage located in the province of Taunat, Rif (northern Morocco). Amergou is the military work of the Almoravids (1056-1147). Its architectural style is very particular in the whole of the Maghreb. This site offers the best breathtaking view of the surrounding landscapes.
Taunat Handicraft
Taunat is considered one of the richest regions in Morocco in terms of natural resources and raw materials used in many traditional crafts, especially textiles, ceramics and dwarf palm.
Ceramics by rural women
The art of ceramics is the traditional craft that characterises the province of Taunat par excellence. Rural women have been able to express their creativity thanks to their manual skills in several regions such as Aslas, BeniZeroual and Mtioua and were able to preserve the specificity of pottery in terms of shape and colour.
Ouledzem traditional weaving in Bouadel
Ouledzem, a village located in the province of Taunat, is one of the leading regions in the art of traditional weaving. It has a multitude of raw resources, including sheep's wool.
Taunat Ecotourism prepares for you a four-day stay with a diversified programme including several activities in various spaces.
First day: arrival at the homestay and a fresh welcome tea
In a beautiful clay house built at the foot of the Sidi Masoud mountain in Ourtzagh Taunat, Hisham Family Homestay welcomes tourists and introduces them to this space where tranquillity and lush vegetation reign. With open arms, Zhour's family welcomes you warmly and opens the doors to learn about the local culture by participating in the daily life of the locals.
Second day: gathering, preparation of clay, hand-built pottery
After breakfast, it is proposed to take a 30 minutes walk through a pine forest and enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the area in the middle of the Rif Mountains, between river, olive groves and lake. On arrival at the agreed site you will meet your master potter with his donkey to collect clay near the village.
Sitting around the potter, everyone begins to build their own selected pieces using a set of traditional wooden and other smooth stone tools and practising pottery techniques such as engobing, inlaying and glazing.
After a typical local lunch, you will continue polishing your pieces after they have been dried in the sun. On the way back to the homestay you pass through a hilly trail to enjoy the view of the lake and the sunset and meet the palm weavers, goat herders and farmers.
Day three: cooking, dyeing and decorating
Firing is the most exciting step for the potter where the magic of the four elements of nature: air, water, earth and fire come together to give birth to your pieces.
After overcoming the steps of polishing and firing in the potter's house, the stage of colours made of natural pigments begins to dye and decorate the pieces by applying red and white colours coming from typical clays extracted locally, while the black colour comes from manganese oxide diluted in water. A brush made from a strand of goat's hair and a piece of cloth or wool is used at this stage of colouring.
Fourth day
After living new and successful experiences and learning traditional Taunat handicrafts, it is time to go for a walk. It is time to go for a walk in the remaining attractive corners of the area and visit a local market to buy authentic souvenirs of the area (carpets, djellabas, babouches, pottery...etc.).
It is worth mentioning that Hicham Lahlimi is the first actor of sustainable tourism in the city which aims to consolidate the values of solidarity, sustainability and the preservation of the traditional handicraft heritage of the area. Taunat Ecotourism greatly appreciates the interest of tourists in learning local crafts and sharing their culture. By participating in their pottery and other workshops, they will undoubtedly contribute to keeping this craft alive, as well as improving the lives of the artisans.