Day Trip to Talaouine to Celebrate Saffron

Day trip to Talaouine to Celebrate Saffron

From mid October until mid November each year, our “Real Morocco” programme celebrates the harvest of saffron (Crocus Sativus) in the beautiful Jbel Sirwa in the Anti Atlas Mountains around Talaouine, the saffron capital of Morocco.  At harvest time saffron flowers cover the landscape in a spectactular show of vibrant colour. The saffron produced in the area is reputed to be amongst the best in quality in the world. It requires a hundred and fifty thousand saffron flowers to produce each kilogram of the spice, which explains its astronomical price and nickname “red gold”.

Our special Real Morocco saffron programme runs for 5 weeks each autumn, providing a unique insight into the harvesting and production of this very precious and special spice as well as the option to join in the festivities of the Saffron Festival (on one of the dates- see below) where music and dancing will be a prominent feature.

Our trip starts with travel along the Souss valley which offers fine views of the High Atlas. Drive through a variety of other landscapes en route including a huge area of sweet smelling orange groves and the Aoulouz reservoir in the foothills of the Anti Atlas mountains, a good area for bird spotting.

On arrival in Talouine area begins with a visit to villages around the town to see the saffron fields. Here you will learn about the saffron crocus and its cultivation; why it is so valuable – it is known as l’Or Rouge (“Red Gold”); why Talaouine saffron is special; how to recognize “real saffron”; its benefits to health and its special qualities in cooking

After a picnic lunch near Talaouine Kasbah- a magnificent, but fast decaying Glaoui Kasbah, you will visit the Cooperative Souktana de Safran and its Museum and have the opportunity to buy local organically grown saffron. Your visit to the area concludes with either a visit to the Monday souk at Talaouine or a walk in the foothills of the spectacular Jbel Sirwa

Dates for 2010: Monday 18^th, 25^th October and 1^st, 8^th and 15^th November. In the week starting 1^st November 2010 (date not yet fixed), you may join the festivities of the Saffron Festival – music and dancing will be a prominent feature during the day.