The Friouato Caves

The Friouato cave begins as a hole in the plateau south of Taza: a wide, open shaft dropping straight down through the limestone, with a staircase of several hundred steps built against the wall to reach the bottom. From there a guided route continues through chambers of stalactites and flowstone, some of them large, and the further sections involve stooping, scrambling and squeezing rather than walking. It is one of the deepest caverns in North Africa that ordinary visitors can enter, and it is not a polished show cave: lighting is by hand lamp, the rock is wet, and the way out is the same staircase, climbed rather than descended.

What you actually see

• The open shaft - the daylight pit you descend at the start.
• The staircase - hundreds of steps cut and built against the shaft wall.
• The formation chambers - stalactites, columns and flowstone deeper in.
• The tight sections - low, muddy passages beyond the main chambers.

When to go

The cave holds much the same temperature all year, so the season matters mainly for the drive and the plateau above; spring and autumn are best. Go in the morning to leave time and daylight for the climb back out. Guides wait at the entrance. After heavy rain the shaft is wetter and the steps more slippery.

Honest expectations

The climb back up is hard work, several hundred steps after an hour underground, and people with weak knees or a fear of heights should think twice. It is wet, muddy and cold in places, so wear clothes you do not mind ruining and proper shoes. Lighting is minimal and depends on hired lamps. Guides negotiate their fee at the entrance and quality varies.

Nearby

Tazekka National Park surrounds the cave, and the old town of Taza is half an hour north.