The cape of the three forks and its buried treasure

The Cap des Trois Fourches is located about thirty kilometers west of the city of Nador, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Breathtaking landscapes, deserted beaches and discoveries of several monuments classified as cultural heritage of Morocco, await us on site.

In order to reach the Cap des Trois Fourches which constitutes the most salient point of the eastern Moroccan Mediterranean, it will be necessary to take the road from the city of Nador towards the enclave of Melilla. Bypassing the Gourougou massif, it will still be necessary to pass the Spanish enclave, then the town of Farkhana, before reaching the forest of Trifa. From there, more than twenty kilometers on a fairly cramped road remains to be covered before reaching the cape.

A first stop is essential in the small fishing village of Tibouda. For the guided tour, it is Abdessalam Ouaalih, president of the Tibouda Association, who is delighted to give explanations.

The small village of Tibouda, in the Cap des Trois Fourches./Ph.DR

The village is dominated to the north, as well as to the east and west by the sea. Although the village welcomes a few tourists, “here we are all facing the sea, almost all the villagers are fishermen”, explains Abdessalam. Ouaalih. Moreover, during your stay you can also attend the fish auction that animates the village.

Abandoned villages and deserted beaches

Depending on the time you plan for this stay, be aware that several circuits are offered. For accommodation, Abdessalam explains to us that it is possible to rent a small plot from the inhabitants to set up camp or rent a room directly from the inhabitants, many of whom offer it.

The first circuit proposed is that from Tibouda to the Cap des Trois Fourches lighthouse, which has stood on the coast for more than a century. Built in 1909 and commissioned a few years later, the lighthouse, which is over 22 meters high, is still operational. Therefore, it is only possible to admire it from the outside or to be dazzled by the bursts of light that it emits every twenty seconds and visible from more than 35 kilometers away.

Much longer, the second circuit proposes the discovery of the abandoned village of Boumahfoud. A circuit that is done by the sea and for which it will take at least 6 hours of walking. Unlike the village of Tibouda, Boumahfoud has been deserted by the inhabitants, and this for a simple reason: Located behind a hill, the village is only accessible on foot or by donkey.

Beach in the Cap des Trois Fourches. / Ph.DR

The third circuit, still overlapping deserted beaches, leads us to Cara Blanca beach. When traveling from Tibouda, Abdessalam advises using a guide who knows the shortcuts from the coast to be able to make the most of every moment. You can also take a dip in crystal clear waters where only the sound of small waves breaks the silence.

A treasure buried in the sea

Once in Cara Blanca, one is intrigued by the cone-shaped rock formations on which quite imposing rocks stand almost miraculously. Commonly called Copa del Mundo, this attraction is one of the most popular spots in the region. However, the essential activity in Cara Blanca remains scuba diving, to discover a treasure buried underground and of which few people know the existence.

Indeed, due to its strategic position, the entire Cape of Three Forks is home to an important marine fauna and flora. The coast with a very irregular outline, where rocky advances and small bays follow one another, has a large number of cliffs and caves. Many of these caves are semi-submerged or completely submerged.

To discover the treasures hidden there, you will have to dive. Corals such as the white or red gorgonian, the orange coral, which is an endangered species, or the red starfish or the little cicada Scyllarus arctus, all have refuge in the cape. Besides, a study carried out jointly by Moroccan and Spanish researchers had highlighted the presence of beaches on the seabed which could constitute an ideal habitat for the monk seal, which is in danger of extinction.

Photo d’illustration./Ph.DR

More visible, the fauna and flora richness of the Cape of the three forks is worth to him to be classified, since 1996, Site of Biological and Ecological interest (SIBE). Also encompassing the coastline, this status is also a tribute to the thousands of species that the site is home to. Indeed, here all the ingredients are gathered for the development of seabird species, among which we can mention the Audouin’s gull, the passenger tern or the kittiwake, all rare and endangered species. The rugged nature of the coasts offers ideal escarpments for imposing species such as the lesser kestrel, which is one of the 69 species that have chosen the Cap des Trois Fourches.

Finally, it is important to point out that a volcano is found to the very north of Cap des Trois Fourches. Being in reality a complex of lavas and tuffs, it is not so easy to spot. You will have to open your eyes… or more simply take advantage of the knowledge of your guide.

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