Azilane Traverse from Chefchaouen to Akchour

The Azilane Traverse is a two-day mountain route through Talassemtane National Park in the Rif mountains of northern Morocco, linking Chefchaouen with the village of Akchour by way of the hamlet of Azilane. The distance is about 30 km in total, split into roughly seven hours of walking on the first day and five on the second. Walkers leave Chefchaouen on foot on day one and finish at Akchour; on day two a shared grand taxi covers the return to Chefchaouen in about 45 minutes. No parking is needed, and visitors should check current park rules and hire a licensed local mountain guide through a Chefchaouen guesthouse, because the route is not waymarked.

The traverse climbs through fir and cedar forest on unmarked tracks and shepherd paths, with several hundred metres of cumulative ascent. Because of the distance, the lack of waymarks and the remoteness, it is classed as hard even though the technical difficulty is limited. The surface alternates between forest dirt, rocky tracks and stream beds; mud is common after rain and snow can close the route in winter. Shade is plentiful in the forest but absent on the open ridges, where weather can change quickly.

Key landmarks include the forested slopes above Chefchaouen, the high pastures and the small settlement of Azilane, where an overnight stay is normally arranged in advance with a local family or simple lodging. On day two the route descends toward the Oued Farda valley and finishes at Akchour, close to the start of the Grande Cascade and God's Bridge trails. Because the route is committed, the sensible bail-out points are the tracks and villages near Azilane, where help can be found.

Water sources exist at springs and streams, but quality varies, so treatment tablets or a filter should be carried along with at least 3 litres from the start. There are no staffed refuge huts, so accommodation at Azilane must be booked ahead. A downloaded map, headlamp, whistle and warm waterproof layers are necessary.