Aromatic and Medicinal Plants

The province of Taounate is blissfully remote but also has considerable cultural and environmental wealth that could make of it one of the best eco-tourist resorts in the country, but at the moment it almost unheard of.

As part of the vision of preserving and promoting ecotourism and human development here, we are providing a:

Ethno medicine is prevalent here and some of the plants used have important phyto chemical properties. However, preservation and transmission of this knowledge is vulnerable as the communities are exposed to outside interventions.

At certain times of the year, there is the opportunity to witness the agro-industry of plant distillation and here in the mountains of northern Morocco, there is both the National Agency and a certified organic farm with over 1500 acres of plants grown for aromatic and medicinal use.

Whilst you are in this area we could also include a more hands on experience learning the traditional production methods used in myrtle oil in a local village environment.

Follow link below to read a thesis written in 2002 discussing the astonishing results of a study of rare and endemic plants (205 plants of 55 families) of potential medicinal value, not investigated before, which were collected from the mountains of Morocco including this area in the Rif.

Aromatic & Medicinal Plant Distillation

Day 1: National Agency for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants

This morning, we will take you to the National Agency for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants which is located in a rural commune, less than 2 hours from Fes.

Here you will see the operation of transforming the plants (Bitter Orange, Rose, Lavender & others) into a cosmetic, medicinal or aromatic product through different processes.

The Centre consists of

A garden of medicinal and aromatic plants (7.5 ha)
A technological hall with several application workshops (drying, distillation, extraction and formulation)
A Quality Control laboratory for PMAs and derived products
Seven laboratories:
- Botanical
- Agrotechnics
- Phyto-Biotechnology
- Phytochemistry and analytical chemistry
- Pharmacology – Toxicology
- Biochemistry
- Microbiology

This is a hands off experience and we suggest that the tour and visit are suitable for a half day visit.

Day 2 : Botanic Farm

Today, we will visit a Botanic Farm in the same area, to explore a wide selection of aromatic and medicinal plants cultivated there. You will have the amazing opportunity to witness the certified organic methods and techniques to learn how the essential oils are distilled and extracted.

You may be able to see the results of the harvests of As an example, you may be able to see the results of the harvests of Bitter Orange Blossom, Lemon Verbena, Chamomile, Rosemary and Rosa Damascena depending on harvest dates.

We will also include a more hands on experience learning the traditional production methods used in myrtle oil in a local village environment (dependant on season).

We suggest that this experience takes place over two days and we will collect you and return you to Fes (or another location if required).

Simple accommodation will be provided at the guest-house of our local representative.

Perhaps combine this experience with our traditional pottery workshop and / or include some of the other experiences available here in the Rif, such as hiking, boating, bread making, organic farming, cane crafts and various cultural interactions.