Tamtattouchte, Morocco

Take a look at some of the local carpet weavers of Tamtattouchte, and you might just as well buy one to take home.

Posted on June 28, 2017

About 20 km north of Gorges du Todgha, the winding well-maintained asphalt road leads to the small Berber village of Tamtattouchte. En route, look out for the small whitewashed marabout (pilgrimage chapel dedicated to a local saint) on the right side of the road.

Tamtattouchte is a drab village located at the foot of the High Atlas Mountains. Further north from here the road winds through spectacular mountain scenery. The older buildings in the village are adobe-made, while the newer places are mostly constructed from cement.

Once you start meeting the locals at Tamtattouchte, you will feel the warmth of the Berber people. Foreign tourists are scarce and the locals are incredibly friendly and inquisitive.

A good introduction to the local people and their customs starts with a mint tea on the veranda of Auberge Amazigh, which literally means “the home of the Berber people”.

Pick one of the cosy rooms in this traditional home and head out to the veranda where your friendly host, Hamid, will serve you the customary mint tea in a glass, complete with condiments such as black and green olives, and fleshy dried dates.

Hamid loves to talk about his people, and while his English language skills are limited, he gets his message across. Knowing a little French will certainly help to better communicate with him.

After tea, hike higher up the village to survey the surroundings from the top, then head down below towards the old part of town to inspect some of the old derelict buildings. Near the small river are large swatches of fertile plots where the locals, men and women, work tirelessly with their donkeys to plough the lands and control the weeds.

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Globerovers Magazine July 2017