Kasbah Les Amis
Categories: Blog
Auberge Les Amis Tamtatoucht
Every time we go climbing in the Todra Gorge, there is one place that we always try to stay or get back to. Les Amis. We stumbled upon this place on one of our original trips to the beautiful Todra Gorge and have been going back ever since. After a long and fun day of climbing on the solid, red limestone in the crags in and around the Todra, it’s nice to have a comfortable and inviting place to relax in the evenings and have some good food.
Les Amis is an Auberge that is located in the Berber village of Tamtatoucht which you get to by continuing up the road past the gorge for about 15km or so. Although it is a little bit of a drive to get there and much easier if you have a car or are renting one (you could try to hitch a ride in one of the Berber trucks that infrequently head that direction), it has always been worth it for us. One of the best things about Les Amis is the friendly atmosphere and the hospitality thanks to the wonderful family that owns and runs it. Mohammad, the oldest brother, works with his other brothers to make guests comfortable, well fed, entertained, warm (in winter), and of course, always with a full glass of Moroccan mint tea. Mohammad speaks many different languages including French, English, German, Berber, and Moroccan Arabic, and he and his brothers are fascinating to talk to and always give new insight into life and culture in Morocco and life in the mountains in a Berber village. They also have a good knowledge of the local history, geology, and plant life which can be fascinating as well.
Mohammed showing Moroccan hospitality
In all of my time living and working in Morocco, I can still say that the best tagine (Moroccan dish) I’ve ever had was a Les Amis. The brothers are great cooks and very creative with making delicious Moroccan dishes that take an already good thing and put a new twist on it to make it even better. The auberge has spaces to camp outside but also has a number of different comfortable rooms with nice beds and hot water. There is a cozy dining room and sitting area with a fireplace as well as a tent setup on the porch outside where you can enjoy some mint tea under the starry Moroccan sky on a clear evening after climbing. You can check out some of the other reviews of Les Amis here. We would highly recommend making Les Amis a part of your next Todra Gorge adventure and we’ll see you there.
