Chefchaouen and the Rif Mountains

This past weekend I spent 3 days in Chefchaouen, a small mountain village in the heart of the Rif mountains in northern Morocco. It’s a popular traveler destination for its laid-back attitude and relatively no hassles. Built onto the mountainside with a beautiful medina splashed with a light purple whitewash, it’s one of the most beautiful towns in all of Morocco. 

Chefchaouen is the mountain counterpart to the relaxed coastal town of Essaouira. Both are small, have a strong hippy vibe, and are home to some of the nicest Moroccans you’ll ever meet. But Chefchaouen is a popular hippy destination for more than just the spectacular views and laid-back atmosphere. Chefchaouen is in the heart of the Rif Mountains, home to 42% of world’s cannabis production. In fact, the term “reefer” is derived from the name “Rif” Mountains. Although the king officially condemns cannabis production, it is one of Morocco’s most profitable exports and its prohibition is loosely enforced. While in Chefchaouen, I was offered hash dozens of times, in plain daylight and in the middle of main thoroughfares. Most of the local men in Chefchaouen smoke kif, a mixture of hashish and tobacco, which they smoke in long wooden kif pipes. These Moroccans smoke it casually like cigarettes. However, since they use very little hash they are rarely ever blazed.

But there’s a more remarkable aspect to Chefchaouen. There is no crime. Well, at least no petty crime. My first night there I walked around the town at 2am. As I passed the outdoor shops in the main plaza, I noticed that the owners had left all their goods lying out on the stands, tables and racks, completely unwatched and unguarded. The shops didn’t even have any doors to lock if they wanted to. The most security I saw was at the fruit stand where a blanket had been thrown over the produce. There was no one on guard and the streets were deserted…so I took everything I could carry. Okay, so I didn’t really take anything. There’s too much mutual respect to take anything. For example, the first night at the hotel, the owner didn’t even ask for any money up front. He just showed us the room and said to pay whenever we wanted.

My second day in Chefchaouen, I went to see the nearby cascades and Bridge of God, a natural rock formation that spans the river from hundreds of feet above. The falls and bridge were a 30 km grand taxi ride outside of Chefchaouen. We hiked about 45 minutes to the lower cascade, which was beautiful, tucked away in a small gorge. A few people went swimming in the ice cold and crystal clear water. 

While there, we met a cannabis grower who took us to his farm, about 10 minutes off the trail. It was about an acre or two in size and on a hilltop with a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains. He had already harvested his crop earlier in the season and all that was left in his field were dried stalks and a few leaves and buds on the ground. Afterwards, we ended our hike on a mountain peak, eating our afternoon lunch while surrounded by spectacular mountains and the Bridge of God in the distance.