(Qalaat MGouna)
Kalaat M’Gouna is famous for the annual festival of roses (Mousem Feté Roses) that is held in May. The celebration usually starts on the 1st Friday of May and lasts ~3-7 days (check the dates in advance if you wish to visit festival). It is devoted to flowers that play an important role in the life of this region. Valley has several factories that produce rose water, essential oil and cosmetics based on it.
I can not name any significant sights in this settlement except the valley and the old bridge (vieux pont). When the new bridge was built for a highway, local women began to use the old one for drying carpets that they wash in the river. GPS coordinates of the old bridge: 31°11’45.1″N 6°10’12.8″W (31.195865, -6.170208).
Also I wouldn’t call Kelaat M’Gouna a place that one should visit 100% (besides the festival). Planning a trip one should keep in mind that the landscape of the valley changes a lot through the year. In the autumn one will meet dry rivers and fields with a lack of green leaves and grass. But in the spring one can:
- Admire new tender leaves, flowers and snowy mountains of High Atlas at the horizon line;
- Watch women by their everyday labor and the bridge with carpets, before the river dried out;
- Take a walk through paths along canals of irrigation system and look at the plants grown by locals.
In 40 km. from Kelaat M’Gouna there is Dades gorge (Gorges du Dades). The road to Dades starts with many hairpin turns that are visible from above. A good spot to make beautiful pictures.
Todra gorge (Gorges du Toudra) is in 80 km. from Kelaat M’Gouna. The height of its walls is up to 400 m. The rivers of both canyons stay dry in summer and autumn. In winter and spring they are full of water.
Map
Take Kelaat M’Gouna map with you – just click the star and it will be saved in your Google account. Any locations in this region that I will add later will appear on your map.