Following Goats - Hiking to the Peak of Jebel El-Kelaa Mountain Overlooking Chefchaouen, Morocco

Chefchaouen is a beautiful blue city perched up in the Rif Mountains of Northern Morocco. In my last post, I shared my experience taking a short hike out of the city to view the sunset. Today, I will venture deeper into the mountains, on a much more difficult hike to the peak of Jebel El-Kelaa Mountain.

This hike starts in the ancient part of the town, at The Kasbah, a 15th-century fortress in the heart of the Medina. I always enjoy seeing old fortifications, and I often imagine what it would be like while some medieval battle was taking place there. It is also cool to see how nature has started to take back these old places, with trees growing out of the ruins. I find it fascinating to think about the slow but constant advance of time; how humans inflict periods of great and rapid change on our environment, but nature is always there to take everything back, just over a slower and more protracted timeline. In a weird way, this thought calms me.

You will follow the road that heads towards the Bab Souk gate, which leads you uphill along the inside of the wall.

Once you pass through the small gate, you will see the wall of the city from the outside. There are stairs to the side of the wall, which you must follow up to the mountain ridgeline, where the trailhead continues uphill towards the forest.

After the stairs, the trail becomes a rocky dirt road, which seems only suitable for sturdy trucks or on foot. I follow the path, and I am pleased with just how fast you transition from cramped alleys to wide open nature.

The morning is cloudy, and there is a mist in the air. As I go deeper in, the clouds become closer and closer, as if threatening to open up at any moment, should I somehow disrespect the mountain. As I follow the rocky path, It isn’t long before it narrows to a point where no large vehicles could access it.

Before long, I come across my first herd of goats, which are dispersed and grazing sporadically across the mountainside. They “bahh” to me, and I “bahh” back. I do not see any herders around, but I do notice a small rocky hut about 10 meters away from the trail, down the rocky hillside. I wonder how much time the herders spend living in the small huts, and if they are mostly just used as temporary shelters.

About 3 hours into the hike, the trail becomes very rugged, with many rocks strewn across the path. There is a cool rock formation ahead, and I can see we are not far from the summit.

The closer you get to the summit, the less defined the trail becomes, until it is unclear where exactly you are meant to follow, but the general direction is clear: up. There will be some scrambling over large boulders, as well as up loose gravel, before reaching the peak.

The view from the top is truly magnificent, and well earned after nearly 4 hours of hiking.

Having a better vantage point at the summit, I think I can see a better route down to the main trail. The clouds are looking awfully dark, and the sound of thunder can be heard not far away, so I take a chance at taking the more direct route down.

Luckily, I get back down to the city within about 2 hours, and only get a light mist on my face.

This hike was moderately difficult, but an interesting and satisfying escape into nature, which I would recommend to any hiking enthusiast who visits Chefchauen. I suggest bringing sturdy shoes, lots of water, and reserve about 5-7 hours, depending on your pace. The summit of Jebel El-Kelaa is 1,350 meters, and the elevation gain on the hike is roughly 800 meters.

All photos were taken by me. I hope you enjoyed my post. :)

If you enjoyed this post, please consider checking out my other article where I explore the beautiful blue alleys of Chefchaouen, which you can read here.
As well as my hike to a scenic sunset viewpoint overlooking the Blue Pearl, which you can read here.