The small village of Imouzzer des Ida Outanane offers an extraordinary setting. Culinary journey, breathtaking landscapes, waterfalls, swimming at an altitude of more than 1,600 meters or even discovering caves. Immersion.
The small village of Imouzzer des Ida Outanane, perched more than 1,250 meters above sea level, is regarding sixty kilometers northeast of Agadir. We go in search of the famous waterfalls in the eponymous village, which in Tamazight means “waterfall”.
The green valley is home to lush nature. Argan trees, almond trees and several species of juniper dot the few kilometers on which you can see, in places, dozens of boxes that are actually apiaries. Indeed, among the local products that have made the region famous, we find Imouzzer honey, with a taste quite distinct from any other. Local production easily reaches 120 tons per year. A richness that is also celebrated annually during the honey festival, organized during the month of August.
Aside from the culinary journey, the walk has barely begun. We take the direction of the famous Ida Outanane waterfalls, this tribe that James Gray Jackson, author of numerous geographical works on Morocco during his stay between the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century, described as “intrepid and warlike chleuhs “.
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The waterfalls of Imouzzer Ida Outanane./Ph.DR
Four kilometers separate us from this marvel from the small village, explains M’barek Aneslous, tourist guide in the region. The waterfalls are seasonal and flow freely only in winter. The flow of the waterfalls is obviously dependent on rainfall, explains M’barek, who evokes a particularly harsh year.
“This year, for example, it hardly ever rained. We are used to 300mm of rain and so far we have only recorded 50”, worries our interlocutor. Essential for the inhabitants and for the survival of several cultures, the waterfalls are also an important pillar for tourism in the region. On this subject, our guide explains to us that in addition to sustainable tourism, a kind of medical tourism is very popular. “Tourists come to bathe in the springs because the water is said to have invaluable benefits for skin diseases,” he explains.
A speleological nest
One of the other curiosities in the region are the famous caves of Win Timdouine. Before going there, M’barek Aneslous underlines that it will be necessary “absolutely to ask for authorization from the municipality of Agadir to enter the caves, because we must check the equipment but also know if the person is experienced enough”. Moreover, concerning the caves, a security guard is posted in front of the entrance to the galleries, in order to check if you have your precious sesame.
From the village, only regarding twenty kilometers separates us from our destination. The path becomes narrower. We then decide to continue on foot. The ascent is somewhat tough, but this small ordeal is forgotten by the silence and the relaxing landscapes. After a ten-minute walk, we arrived at our destination, a basin several meters high overlooking the mountain.
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The caves of Win-Timdouine./Ph.DR
The water stored there comes from underground lakes, which is why in Tamazight “win timdouine” means the cave of the lakes. The Win Timdouine caves are described as a veritable speleological nest. “The stalactites and stalagmites are particularly impressive,” M’barek continues.
Indeed, although unknown to the general public, these caves are among the largest ever explored in Africa. The galleries are more than 19 meters long, abundant in water, constituting a favorable environment for underground flora and fauna. Since the 1950s, they have always attracted so many scientists and curious people from all over the world to uncover its mysteries, which remain just as intact among the inhabitants.
