Azougui

Azougui was the first capital of the Almoravids, the movement that came out of the western Sahara in the eleventh century and went on to take Morocco and much of Spain, and the ruins of its fort stand on a low rise above a palm oasis northwest of Atar. Stone walls, foundations and a cemetery survive. The date grove below is still worked. Imam al-Hadrami, a scholar of the movement, is buried nearby.

What you actually see

• The fort ruins - stone walls and foundations of the Almoravid stronghold.
• The Almoravid origin - the first capital of a movement that reached Spain.
• The palm oasis - the date grove still worked below the ruins.
• The cemetery - the burial ground including a tomb attributed to al-Hadrami.

When to go

November to February is the cool season. Summer heat in the Adrar is extreme. Dates are harvested around July and August.

Honest expectations

Very little of the fort survives above foundation level. There is no interpretation on site and a guide is needed to make sense of it. The track in is rough.

Nearby

Atar is southeast, and Terjit is south.