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Kasbah Ait Ben Moro, Skoura

House in Ait Bougammez

In times of inter-tribal tensions, kasbahs allowed entire families and their livestock to shelter inside, while agadirs could store an entire valley's grain harvest as well as providing some accommodation.

Plants and Flowers

Although first impressions of the mountain landscape may be of barrenness, there is a variety of vegetation at differing altitudes within the range.

Cultivated olive trees can grow up to about 1300m, principally in the western end of the range. Almond trees, while common in the Anti-Atlas to the south, are not as widespread as walnut trees, which are the main cash crop for some villages. Cherry trees are grown in valleys north and south of Toubkal, while apples are cultivated in large numbers notably in the Asni/Imlil, Ait Bougammez and Ayyachi/Maasker regions. The endemic argan tree is found in the far western reaches of the range, as is a cactus plant (Opuntia ficus-indica) that produces a yellowy-red ‘prickly pear’ which is harvested and sold in the local towns for eating.