Chefchaouen

The Province of Chefchaouen was created by bearing Dahir law n° 1-75-688 of the 11 Rabia II 1395 (April 23, 1975).
The town of Chefchaouen, which is the chief town of the Province, draws its name from the Berber word " CHEFCHAOUEN " which means " Horns " because of the mountainous nodes which dominate the city. It was built in year 876 of the hégire (1.471) by Moulay Ali Ben Rachid.

The Province of Chefchaouen, located at the North-West of Morocco on the chain rifaine, is limited to North by the Mediterranean over a 120 km length, to the South by the Provinces of Taounate and Sidi kacem, to the East by the Al Hoceima Province and to the West by the Provinces of Tétouan and Larache. In addition, this Province concerns the Area of Tangier-Tétouan.

Originally Berber, the population constitutes the resultant of various migrations and mixture which followed each other to the thread of centuries , in particular Eastern Arab populations and those of Andalus.
The natural, historical and human characteristics of the area have allowed this population to preserve a certain number of cultural specificities, and patrimonial traditions and festivales rich and varied.
In addition, the Province includes the following tribes: El Akhmas, Ghomara, Sanhaja, Ghzaoua, Bni Msara and Arhouna.

The Province of Chefchaouen is located on the chain rifaine. The mountains, of a relatively recent geological structure, are made of siliceous layers and limestones very broken with nodes exceeding sometimes 2000 m (Jbel Lakraa 2.159 m and Jbel Tissouka 2.122 m with Bab Taza like Jbel Tizirane 2.106 in Bab Berred).

The town of Chefchaouen is located at 600 m of altitude.

One distinguishes in this Province three varieties from climate:

    - the mountainous zone with the climate typically Mediterranean, rainy and cold in winter and soft in summer. Precipitations there are most significant and vary between 800 and 1.400 mm/an sometimes reaching 2.000 mm/an with falls of snow.

    - a semi-arid climate which dominates the coastal zone with precipitations which vary between 300 and 400 mm/an.

    - the Southern zone is characterized by a humid climate in winter and dryness in summer with precipitations oscillating between 900 and 1.300 mm/an.

These strong precipitations, combined with the morphological characteristics of the ground, expose this space rifain to the phenomenon of erosion and the crumbling. Thus, the loss of the ground is estimated at an annual average of 3.500 tons per km2, that is to say the strongest loss in Morocco.

The Province has in the field of tourism of significant and diversified potentialities made up of historic buildings, many ranges of sand and vast forests with a very varied fauna and a flora.

The principal places of interest of the Province are consisted:

The source of Short-nap Rass El Maa (to 3 km of the town of Chefchaouen).

The old médina with the kasba.

Cascades and the mosque of Cherafat.

The forest of Talassemtane.

The cave of Toughoubit.

Tourist zone of akchour

The tourist infrastructures, concentrated in the town of Chefchaouen, consist of:

4 classified hotels including/understanding 175 rooms and 337 beds.

27 not classified hotels equipped with 295 rooms and 501 beds.

1 municipal camp-site equipped extending on 23.800 m2 employing 3 people.

Among the activities related to tourism, it is necessary to quote:

29 restaurants whose 8 of the 1st rank, 4 of the 2 2nd rank, 7 of the 3 2nd rank and the 10 others are not classified.

69 coffees whose 9 of the 1st rank, 7 of the 2 2nd rank, 44 of the 3 2nd rank and the 9 others are not classified.

43 bazaars for the marketing of the artisanal products.

11 approved local tourist guides.

A branch of the travel agency "   Marco Polo   " whose seat is in Tangier.

The surge of the tourists and the number of the nights during three last years reached the figures hereafter:

46.275 tourists passed 67.659 nights in 1997 is an average of 1,46 night by tourist.

46.052 tourists passed 71.263 nights in 1998 is an average of 1,54 night by tourist.

52.281 tourists passed 75.917 nights in 1999 is an average of 1,45 night by tourist.

To promote this sector, measurements hereafter will have to be taken:

The creation of a Delegation of Tourism to the Province of Chefchaouen.

The realization of the equipment necessary for the development of tourism of mountain and balneal.

The creation of tourist zones equipped for the encouragement with the investors.

For more details visit Moncef's Web site, click here