Hiking in Chefchaouen: The Ultimate Locals Guide

Everyone and their brother’s sister’s cousin go to Chefchaouen to visit the unique and stunningly beautiful blue medina. But, this city is hidden away in the Rif Mountains. Therefore, hiking in Chfechaouen is a MUST, even if you’re not a big hiker.

Trust me, I am clumsy and wasn’t in great hiking shape when I visited Chefchaouen for the first time. But, thankfully, there are hikes in Chefchaouen to suit all skill levels.

Just do your research before you go hiking in Chefchaouen and pick the trails that are best suited for you. After all, the bright blue medina is only part of what makes Chefchaouen an amazing place to visit.

There is tremendous natural beauty throughout the region, some of which can be found within amazing local parks like Bouhachem Regional Nature Reserve and Talassemtane National Park.

So, lace up your hiking boots, grab some water, and let’s check out some of the best hiking trails in Chefchaouen.

After all, I have been to the city many times since I live in Morocco. When I’m here, I love to dicover cool new trails. Now I want to share my tips with you so that you can have the best experience possible.

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Best Hikes in Chefchaouen

There are a lot of great places to hike in Chefchaouen. So, if you enjoy hiking and are not sure how many days to spend in Chefchaouen, I would opt for at least two or three. This way you have more than enough time to hike.

If you do a day trip to Chefchaouen from Fes or a day trip to Chefchaoiuen from Tangier, you just won’t get enough time to hit some of the best hiking trails in Chefchaouen. You’ll just have enough time to explore the Medina.

Akchour Waterfall

This is the most popular hike in Talassemtane National Park and it will take you around 3 hours round trip to complete.

It’s not a difficult trail (easy/moderate) but it can be hard to follow in spots since weird blue arrows are pointing everywhere.

Additionally, the best waterfalls are at the start of the hike. So, if you are not into hiking then bring your suit and go for a swim at one of the waterfalls near the beginning of the trail.

This spot is definitely a top contender for one the most beautiful places in Morocco.

You can also grab some tea or food by the river since there are tons of vendors selling food and drinks along the river here.

In terms of the hike, it’s pretty boring. You just hike through the forest and walk across streams. There are no epic views or cool landmarks. I would bring water thought since all the vendors disappear about 30 minutes into the hike.

After 1.5 hours you’ll reach a rather lame looking waterfall. You can’t go swimming but you can take photos of the waterfall and just chill here on the rocks.

If you’re lucky, you.might find a guy cooking here. My friends and I found him here the first time we did this hike (I didn’t see him the last time I was here) and he made us a homemade tagine.

We sat at a plastic table at the end of the hike, looked out at the waterfall, and gobbled up delicious homemade tagine.It was a great way to end the hike since we were all super hungry and tired.

God’s Bridge

Easily one of the most popular hikes in Talassemtane National Park, the hike to God’s Bridge is on the right as you’re walking towards the big dam near the entrance of the park.

It’s a short, steep, 30-minute hike that is basically uphill all the way. There is also no cover, so be sure to bring a hat, water, and sunscreen.

However, this climb is worth it since you’ll enjoy epic views of the canyon below and a giant land bridge that extends across the canyon.

Honestly, the views are really pretty and you’ll end the hike standing on top of the bridge. I’ve heard you can continue and connect to the Akchour Waterfall hike, but we didn’t do this.

We just went back the way we came and then did the Akchour Waterfall hike afterward. It’s not a technical climb but is steep. So, wear good hiking shoes.

Jeb Al Kalaa

The good thing about this challenging hike is that you can access this trail from the Medina in Chefchaouen. The bad thing about this hiking trail in Chefchaouen is that it is extremely hard to follow.

Yeah, there are no markers and the trail seems to disappear in spots. It’s also hard to ask passing locals for help since many don’t speak English.

However, the second time I did this hike I realized that you can follow a road up. I dunno. I hate hiking along roads. But, if you choose the trail it’s a real pain in the ass.

Anyway, once the road ends you have a bunch of trails you can choose from to get to the top. Your best best is to follow the rocks with blue dots on them.

Then, after about two hours, you’ll reach the top and can enjoy exquisite views of the Rif Mountains.

Mount Lakraa Summit

Also located in Talassemtane National Park, this challenging, 5.7 mile hike will take you around 6 hours to complete. It’s one of the best hikes in Chefchaouen if you’re looking for a bit of solitude since not many people actually know about it.

While it is possible to do this hike solo with the help of GPS, I highly recommend using a local guide for this trek. They’ll help you stay on the trail, get off the beaten path, and find some cool hidden gems in a park that is heaving with people.

I’d also try and get here as early as possible since the bad weather can move in quickly. Your best bet is to get up and hit the trail as early as possible. Also, earlier in the day = better views.

You’ll do a lot of hiking through pine forests and be careful in the winter since there can be snow at higher elevations.

Spanish Mosque

Okay, I know this is more of a walk than I hike. But, I wanted to give people a nice option if they’re not super into hiking.

So, the Spanish Mosque sits high atop a hill along the northern end of the medina in Chefchaouen. It was built in the 1920s by the Spanish but was never actually used.

Today, people can use a paved path to climb uphill from the Chefchaouen Medina to the Spanish Mosque. The walk is easy and takes around 20 minutes

If you can, try and time your visit for sunset since the views are stunning. Just be sure to get here early since seats for sunset fill up fast.

I have done this walk many times and absolutely love it, even if it is mad crowded since it’s one of the best things to do in Chefchaouen.

How to Get to Talassemtane National Park

Since three of the best hiking trails in Chefchaouen are in Talassemtane National Park, I’d thought I’d walk you through exactly how to get here.

Essentially, this national park is about a 45-minute drive away from Chefchaouen. The cheapest way to get here is with a Grand Taxi. The Grand Taxi station is right beneath the bus station if you’re walking here from the Medina.

If you’re not sure where it is, just ask your hotel in Chefchaouen and they’ll be able to point you in the right direction.

Essentially, a Grand Taxi is a shared taxi and each person pays 25 Dirhams ($2.50) to get to the park.

The catch? You have to wait for the taxi to fill up with 6 passengers before you can leave. So, this can take a while.

Alternatively, you could pay a bit more per person and ask the driver to leave with fewer people since the cost is 150 Dirhams per car.

So, as long as all the passengers pay 150 Dirham total, the driver doesn’t care how many people are in the car.

You’ll then get dropped off near the start of the Akchour hike and the hike to God’s Bridge. After your hike, just walk back the way you came and you’ll see all the people waiting for a taxi back to Chefchaouen.

Just stand here and do the same thing to get back to Chefchaouen.

Best Time to Go Hiking in Chefchaouen

The best time to go hiking in and around Chefchaouen is between April in June. The weather is warm and the days are long, but it’s not brutally hot like it is in the summer.

Winter is another great time to do some hikes in Chefchaouen. However, there can be snow at higher elevations. Therefore, I would check trail conditions and only hike at lower elevations if you do not have experience hiking in snow.

I know I went to Talassemtane National Park in February and the trails were totally fine and there was absolutely no snow on the ground. However, this will vary based on where you go and the trails you use.

Do I Need a Guide to Hike in Chefchaouen?

Honestly, this really depends on where you are going and what hikes in Chefchaouen you are doing. I know I went to Talassemtane National Park and did the hike to God’s Bridge and Akchour Waterfall with friends.

Both hikes in Talassemtane National Park were pretty straightforward. But, these trails are so popular that you can always ask for directions along the way if you do get lost.

In contrast, many other less popular hikes, like the one to Jeb Al Kalaa, have trails that are notoriously difficult to follow since trails in this area really don’t have trail markers.

You also likely won’t have any servive since you’re in a pretty remote part of the country.

In that case, I would 100% hire a guide. Safety is way more important than saving money. Gite Talassemtane is a great ecotourism company where you can hire awesome local guides.

You can also sign up for a bunch of cool tours or just ask their experts to help you plan a fun backpacking trip.

Another benefit of hiring a guide is that they can help you avoid local hashish farms. They are commonly found throughout the air and don’t like attention since weed is still illegal in Morocco.

However, if you are an expert hiker who wants to go it alone then at the very least download ViewRanger Skyline. You can download the maps in advance and then use the app while you are offline.

But, real maps are always better than apps that can malfunction or run out of battery.

What to Bring With You Hiking

Some of the hiking trails around Chefchaouen are pretty remote. So, depending on where you go I would pack enough food for the day and bring a water bottle with a water filter or a life straw.

TBH you kind of need this in Morocco anyway since many people get sick from the tap water. I don’t since I have been here for a while but I wouldn’t take a change and would just bring a water bottle with a filter.

If you’re hiking during the warmer months, I would wear breathable hiking pants (I love these), a long-sleeve hiking shirt, and good hiking shoes.

I have a random Italian pair I bought in Cappadocia but I have used these Columbia hiking boots in the past and loved them. A hat and sunscreen are also a good idea since some trails are exposed and the sun is quite strong in Chefchaouen.

Additionally, you may want to bring hiking poles too. They are super useful on hikes with a lot of elevation gain and helped protect my knees on the way down from some of the taller mountains in the area.

I would also wear plenty of layers and pack a raincoat (if needed) since the weather can change dramatically once you get into the mountains.

Local Tip: If you plan to hike to God’s Bridge and Akchour Waterfall then don’t worry as much about food. Bring snacks but there are plenty of places to eat in the park.

I would also get a Moroccan SIM card so that you can call for help if you need it.

What Mountains is Chefchaouen in?

Chefchaouen is in the Rif Mountains at sits at the base of the mountains at 600 meters (1967 feet) above sea level.

Jebel el-Kelaa (1616 meters or 5300 feet) is a mountain behind the city and Jebel Tisouka (2,118 meters or 6948 feet) is also nearby.

Where Can I Walk in Chefchaoeun?

There are many places to walk in the area, which is why Chefchaoeun is worth visiting. You could walk to the Spanish Mosque, explore the medina, hike through Talassemtane National Park, and climb up Mount Lakraa.

That wraps up this guide to hiking in Chefchaouen. Did your favorite hikes in Chefchaouen make the list? If not then let me know.

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