Excursions in the surroundings of Tetouán

MOUNTS OF TETUAN GORGES

In front of Tetouan the Sierra de Beni Hosmar or Gorges extends, impressive and wild mountains surround the city from the south. To visit them can be accessed by several routes, generally in poor condition, being recommended the use of all-terrain vehicles.
We will take the ring road of Tetuán, we continue in the direction of Torreta , the road ascends the mountain, until it reaches the sources of Buselmal, a place much visited by the Tetouans, given the high quality of its waters and the greenness of the environment, an ideal place to have tea contemplating the magnificent views of Tetouan.
Another route starts from the Oued Laud road, once the Martil river has been crossed by the Mehanech bridge, we continue to the right along a path that takes us to Sauia Sultán and Buselmal, bordering the mountain range and ending at the Chauen road by Tamuda. From this part to the left a rural road that enters the valley of the Enmaasa river, after passing through Quitán, known for the beautiful tomb of Kaid Ahmed, reaching the aduar of Zarka a beautiful place between mountains where the river forms a small waterfall and a natural pool, from this place you can reach the Halila customs with its cave where Neolithic remains have been found, this path ends at the beaches of the Mediterranean by Amsa.

Tamuda Ruins

You follow the P-28 route south, crossing the Martil river to the left you will find the Tamuda ruins. Ruins of a city of possible Carthaginian origin, later Mauritanian and finally Roman. It must have existed from the 3rd century BC to the beginning of our Era. Its importance is based on being the only pre-Roman city in North Africa.

BEN I-HASAN HAMRA

If we follow the Chauen route from Zinnat, we will arrive at this souk on Thursdays between the rural communes of El Hamra, Beni Leit and Al Ouad, located on a hill 700 meters high on the western slopes of the Yebel kelti. Important strategic place between Chefchaouen and Tetouan, during the protectorate, today it is a lively rural souk on Thursdays, from this place you can access Muley Abdeselam crossing the lush and spectacular Mediterranean forest that covers Mount Buhasen.

ROUTE OF OUED LAUD

You follow the coastal route in an easterly direction, along the road of the same name, crossing the urban commune of Tetuán Sidi Al Mandri, with the Benimaden neighborhood, after crossing an industrial zone you reach the coast, the rural commune of Azla, place For summer holidays and fishermen, rural routes start from it to the Gorges, and a difficult and tortuous coastal route begins going up to Cabo Nazarí, with magnificent views, to reach Amsa, a rural town at the mouth of the river of the same name, with a wide beach camping and summer houses, from which mountain routes start towards the Yebel Kelti. The road continues winding through the mountains, the valleys and the coast, where modern developments such as Buena Vista are being built, after about 15 kilometers you reach the wide beach of Oued-laud.

OUED-LAUD

Urban commune at the mouth of the river of the same name, with an important beach, a summer resort.
At present it is an urban commune dependent on Tetouan, which develops thanks to national tourism, there are remains of barracks, the main mosque is an octagonal minaret.

The construction of a modern highway that will link it to Alucemas and Tetuan is in the pipeline.

Very close to this city, on the road to Chauen, the lively Beni Said cabal souk is held on Saturdays, where once a week the people of Kabyle come down from the mountains, being a colorful spectacle where donkeys abound.

In addition to the urbanizations along the north coast, it is worth taking a walk through the mountains that surround Cape Negro, of great ecological value, populated with pine forests, where there are remains of a barracks of regular and old sites of the shore batteries. At its highest point the views are magnificent, at its end is the Cabo Negro lighthouse, a small Arab-style tower.
A nice walk can be the surroundings of the Smir lagoon, a good place for fans of ornithology due to its abundance of aquatic birds, the Smir reservoir, Mount Zem Zem or the foothills of the Sierra del Hauz, where Beluazen is located, an aduar of mountain, hunting, forest areas abound. meadows and beautiful landscapes of sea and mountains.

Towards the south, the coast becomes rocky and steep, until you turn the cape and reach the corner of Grura, where the Cabo Negro Urbanization is located, to continue with the beaches of Beni Salen and Martíl.