The stunning Friouato Cave owes its upkeep to a band of locals determined to preserve its beauty.
By Anouar Hamama for Magharebia in Taza – 22/01/10
Moroccans have worked hard to preserve one of Morocco's most astounding gems, the Friouato caves, ever since Frenchman Norbert Castoret discovered the geological wonders roughly 80 years ago.
Villagers are still working to maintain the cave, even though the 1998 expansion of the nearby Tazekka National Park put the area under the oversight of the Department of Waters and Forests. The department has not taken over cave upkeep because of a lack of resources. Instead, the cave is administered by a co-operative located in the nearby village of Bab Boudir, which pays 10,000 dinars per year in rent.
"We want people to be able to explore this wonder of Morocco, and so people in my village took steps to open it up to tourism, while protecting its beauty," Youness Kassemi, who works for the co-operative, told Magharebia.
The largest geological formation of its kind in North Africa, Friouato Cave descends 272 meters underground. Only 3.8km of its as-yet-unknown total length have been explored. The cave dazzles visitors with an amazing array of sights, from a towering grotto lit only by fragmented rays of light, to a passage less than a meter wide that leads into huge underground caverns decorated with shimmering walls and surreal rock formations.
Villagers have given some of the most spectacular areas of the cave names, including "The Bison", "The Dragon's Jaw", "The Duck Pond" and "The Cemetery".
Since 1932, the village has extensively outfitted the cave, creating a blasted-through entrance granting easy access for visitors, along with concrete steps that line the first kilometer and a system of emergency lights.
"I've been a guide for six years, and it's still exciting every time I go into the cave," said Jamal 'Jambo' Bouabi, 20. According to him, the cave welcomes around 50 visitors each day. Because those tending the cave have no advertised contact information, each visitor is a surprise.
Still, the co-operative welcomes tourists who want to explore the caves. "We really need the tourists to help finance the upkeep of the cave, because the village doesn't have a lot of money," he told Magharebia.
The increased tourism has brought a number of problems to the caves. Vandals have removed many stalactites and marred cave walls with graffiti. Now, the co-operative requires that each visitor be accompanied by a guide to stop the damage.
Despite the difficulties in maintaining these geological marvels, Bab Boudir residents relish the chance to show tourists the local marvel.
"Sometimes it's hard," said Kassemi. "We wait around all day, and no visitors come, so money can get tight and guides go home with nothing. But we think it's worth it."
One recent visitor to the cave was driving from Oujda to visit family in Salé, but took a longer route just see the cave and the national park.
"I'm too old to go down into the small areas, so I just stayed at the top," the cave visitor told Magharebia. "But it's beautiful, and certainly worth the trip. It's truly a national treasure."
Source: Magharebia.com
Link: http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/features/2010/01/22/feature-01.
By Anouar Hamama for Magharebia in Taza – 22/01/10
Moroccans have worked hard to preserve one of Morocco's most astounding gems, the Friouato caves, ever since Frenchman Norbert Castoret discovered the geological wonders roughly 80 years ago.
Villagers are still working to maintain the cave, even though the 1998 expansion of the nearby Tazekka National Park put the area under the oversight of the Department of Waters and Forests. The department has not taken over cave upkeep because of a lack of resources. Instead, the cave is administered by a co-operative located in the nearby village of Bab Boudir, which pays 10,000 dinars per year in rent.
"We want people to be able to explore this wonder of Morocco, and so people in my village took steps to open it up to tourism, while protecting its beauty," Youness Kassemi, who works for the co-operative, told Magharebia.
The largest geological formation of its kind in North Africa, Friouato Cave descends 272 meters underground. Only 3.8km of its as-yet-unknown total length have been explored. The cave dazzles visitors with an amazing array of sights, from a towering grotto lit only by fragmented rays of light, to a passage less than a meter wide that leads into huge underground caverns decorated with shimmering walls and surreal rock formations.
Villagers have given some of the most spectacular areas of the cave names, including "The Bison", "The Dragon's Jaw", "The Duck Pond" and "The Cemetery".
Since 1932, the village has extensively outfitted the cave, creating a blasted-through entrance granting easy access for visitors, along with concrete steps that line the first kilometer and a system of emergency lights.
"I've been a guide for six years, and it's still exciting every time I go into the cave," said Jamal 'Jambo' Bouabi, 20. According to him, the cave welcomes around 50 visitors each day. Because those tending the cave have no advertised contact information, each visitor is a surprise.
Still, the co-operative welcomes tourists who want to explore the caves. "We really need the tourists to help finance the upkeep of the cave, because the village doesn't have a lot of money," he told Magharebia.
The increased tourism has brought a number of problems to the caves. Vandals have removed many stalactites and marred cave walls with graffiti. Now, the co-operative requires that each visitor be accompanied by a guide to stop the damage.
Despite the difficulties in maintaining these geological marvels, Bab Boudir residents relish the chance to show tourists the local marvel.
"Sometimes it's hard," said Kassemi. "We wait around all day, and no visitors come, so money can get tight and guides go home with nothing. But we think it's worth it."
One recent visitor to the cave was driving from Oujda to visit family in Salé, but took a longer route just see the cave and the national park.
"I'm too old to go down into the small areas, so I just stayed at the top," the cave visitor told Magharebia. "But it's beautiful, and certainly worth the trip. It's truly a national treasure."
Source: Magharebia.com
Link: http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/features/2010/01/22/feature-01.
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