Khoukhate
Khoukhate is a village in Khenifra Province, in the Middle Atlas mountains of Morocco.
Get in
Khoukhate is about halfway between Fes and Midelt on Route 503, the road connecting Fes and Errachidia, south of Boulemane and north of Tamayoust. Getting in and out by public transportation is tricky, but easy with a private car.
See
Seven natural springs make this one of the most fertile valleys in the region. Khoukhate is surrounded by four plateaus that can easily be climbed for a breath-taking view of the High Atlas mountains.
Do
Visit the women's association in Khoukhate to see how they roll couscous by hand the same way they have for centuries. Participate in a half-day introduction to preparing couscous from scratch, including rolling it and then cooking it with all the delicious Moroccan vegetables and spices. Sit down to a hearty and memorable lunch of the couscous you just helped to prepare in a traditional Moroccan home.
Buy
You can purchase packaged kilos of the village's handmade couscous to take home and try in your own kitchen. The women of the Association also make traditional Berber carpets by hand on their traditional looms, which are a classic souvenir of Morocco.
Eat
Couscous is this village's specialty, so don't miss out on tasting it. It is well-known as the region's best couscous. There are no marked restaurants, but if you inquire at the Association, you'll certainly find someone happy to open their home to you.
Sleep
Bring your tent and sleeping bag and camp on top of one of the many plateaus