Imouzzer, Ida Outanane

Win Timdouine Cave

A mountain day at 1 250 m above Imouzzer: the mouth of the Win Timdouine cave, a natural pool beside it, and a walk you choose the length of.

Length: Full day
Time out: About 8 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
From Agadir: 70 km
Drive time: 1h30
Altitude: 1250 m
Best time: Spring, summer and autumn
Phone signal: Patchy phone signal

The day does not include going into the cave or any caving. We explore the entrance, the pool and the plateau around it.

Seventy kilometres from Agadir, up the mountain road past Imouzzer, the Ida Outanane range opens onto the plateau of Tasroukht at around 1 250 metres. Win Timdouine is here: the entrance to a cave system shaped by underground water, with a natural pool beside it.

We do not go into the cave. That takes ropes and caving experience, and it is not what this day is. What we do is walk around it. There are three ways to spend the day, and you choose: fifteen easy minutes to the cave mouth and the pool; a 6 km loop around the plateau with the canyon views; or a 16 km hike for people who want a proper day on their feet.

Whatever the route, there is a swim in the pool by the cave, mountain plants and argan on the slopes, Amazigh villages, and tea made with local herbs, or a tagine if you ask in advance, cooked by people from the village.

What makes it special

The mouth of the Win Timdouine cave, at around 1 250 m
A natural pool beside the cave that you can swim in
Canyon and mountain views from the Tasroukht plateau
Three routes, from fifteen minutes to 16 km
Tea with local herbs, or a tagine, cooked in the village

The story

Win Timdouine means "cave of the lakes" in Amazigh, and it is the water that made the place: a limestone system carved out over a very long time, with lakes inside it and a pool at the mouth. Even from the outside, the day is about how water shaped these mountains.

What you can do here

Hiking, on the route your group chooses
Swimming in the natural pool beside the cave
Photography — the cliffs, the pool and the plateau
Discovering the mountain plants and the argan
Visiting the Amazigh villages around the plateau
Tea with local herbs, or a tagine ordered in advance

Everything here is included in the day if you want it, and nothing is compulsory. Tell us in advance what you are hoping for and we will plan around it.

When to come

Spring is the best time, with mild weather and green slopes. Autumn is good for walking. Summer is fine if we set off in the morning and avoid the heat. In winter it can be cold and wet up here, so we check the forecast and the tracks before we go.

What to bring

Comfortable walking shoes
Enough water for the route you pick
Sun hat and sunscreen
Clothes for the weather — it is cooler up here than on the coast
Swimwear and a towel
A light snack

Good to know

Watch your footing on the slopes and rock, especially after rain.
Phone coverage is weak in parts of these mountains. Do not rely on it.
Tell us which route you want when you book, so the day is planned around it.

Half day or full day

Ait Lahcen Waterfalls

Waterfalls, pools and a palm oasis an hour from Agadir — with an optional climb to a 1 160 m summit looking back at the coast.

Distance from Agadir: 32 km
Drive time: 1h
Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Private tripAsk for a price

Half day

Ait Chleuh Valley

A green valley in the Ida Outanane mountains with water running all year, reached on foot through an old Amazigh village.

Distance from Agadir: 43 km
Drive time: 1h15
Difficulty: Easy