Assa and Zag Oasis

Assa and Zag Oasis

Assa

Assa and Zag Oasis: Morocco, Oasis located in the Drâa valley, facing the Ouakziz mountains, 104 km south of Guelmim and 84 km southwest of Fam El Hisn.

Souk and administrative center, capital of the Assa Zag province in the Guelmim-Esmara region.

It is linked to the new road to Guelmim, which crosses the southern foothills of the Anti-Atlas.

Zag is 80 km away, Al Mahbas 157 km and Esmara 556 km, towards the Western Sahara. This was once a military zone of conflict, due to the presence of the Polisario Front on the Algerian border. Today, the area is much quieter.

Originally, it was an obscure stone Ksar, built on a rocky ridge and founded in the 13th century by Sidi Yazza, founder of other religious and intellectual centers in the Drâa region.

Assa and Zag Oasis

The tomb of the precursor marabout Sidi Yazza is still venerated by the locals today, and a moussem is celebrated on the Prophet’s birthday, during which it is possible to discover the rites and customs of the local population.

The buildings of the Zawiya and the Ksar are still relatively well preserved. From the town center, follow the “oasis” signs, cross the river, discover the historic Ksar Assa in the rocks and walk up to the Ksar, where you can admire some rock engravings.

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Crafts

Assa and Zag Oasis: As well as jewelry and traditional sewing, the province of Assa-Zag is famous for its fossils, from which springs and various decorative utensils are made. Basketry is also famous.

No quality accommodation is available here.

The town of Zag

Situated on the Hamada, south of the Ouarkziz mountains, 80 km from Assa, next to the Tindouf plateau. It shares with Assa the administration of the Assa-Zag province.

This recently built town is a military center and a local regional souk.

Located on the road between Guelmim and El Mahbas in the Western Sahara, it is an obligatory crossing point on the way to the Algerian border near the town of Tindouf.

It’s not a tourist spot. There are modest lodgings and nomad tents.

WHAT TO SEE AROUND ASSA

Assa and Zag Oasis: 8 km east of Assa (towards Tata) is IKHF IGHIR, with two cut-rock deposits.

25 km east of Assa, on the road to Tata, is BOUTSSARFINE, with a palm grove and spring, a place of interest for geology enthusiasts.

40 km south-east of Assa (towards Zag), at TOUIZGUI, we can appreciate a small pond next to the rocky Ouarkziz mountains, in the Oued Drâa valley, with rock engravings.

80 km to the east, we find FOUM EL HISN, an oasis and souk at the foot of the Anti-Atlas, on the banks of the Tamantt river, a tributary of the Drâa, on the Ifni – Zagora road. 150 km from Tata, facing the Drâa valley and the Ouarkziz mountains, we find a camel-breeding center.

Assa and Zag Oasis

50 km to the west, there’s a road to AOUINAT TORKOZ. At 55 km, in the Drâa valley (Aouinat Lahna), we can see an old Paris-Dakar rally track, now asphalted; at 80 km, we reach OUM LAAOUITGAT, a place with dromedaries and typical country tents to discover transhumance life. A local variety of acacia trees can be found here.

80 km to the south-west, we reach the LABOUIRAT spring in the Saharan hamada. The place is impressive for the wide expanses and rocky mountains that surround it. Other routes leave from this road towards Msied and Tan Tan, or towards Smara and the Seguia el-Hamra region.