Under Moroccan Ground

We've established that Morocco has some pretty great mountains, but who knew that it is also home to the largest cave system in North Africa? Called the Gouffre du Friouato (the "Abyss" of Friouato... who or what Friouato is I don't know), this natural wonder can be found thirty-five kilometers outside of the small city of Taza, two hours northeast of Fes.

My friend Matt had gone caving there when he was in Morocco seven years ago and was sufficiently impressed that he got together a group of us to trek out there for a return adventure this Saturday.

Really, really cool. Not hard to see why he wanted to go back.

The caves, discovered in the early 1930s and still only partially explored, plunge some 230 meters underground and have a horizontal extension of almost four kilometers. To descend, we walked down over 500 stone steps, wriggled through a narrow passageway and continued down another 200-step flight of stairs, hacked into the rock. The initial cavern is huge, with a small opening to the sky above, and the rest of the caves vary in size, widening and tapering as you make your way through them by way of flashlight. Stalactites and stalagmites abound, as do sparkly outcroppings of some rock or another; most everything is covered in a thin layer of slimy mud that was crusted all over our clothes and shoes by the time we emerged from the cave mouth some three hours later.

Morocco, Morocco... will your wonders never cease?

The steps leading down the initial cavern.

Into the abyss...

In a couple spots, there were planks or ladders built in to help people out.

Sparkles!