Monkeys and a lion

As we moved towards the North of the country, the landscape changed from a rugged, arid climate with palm trees and brush, the main crops being dates and olives, to a more Mediterranean climate, with apple orchards and pine trees.

About half an hour before reaching Ifrane, we encountered a group of monkeys right there in the middle of the street. Two locals were selling peanuts for tourists to feed. Of course, we stopped and the monkeys got fed and photographed for a few minutes before we continued to our next resting stop.

Ifrane is a town in the Middle Atlas also known as "Little Switzerland" because of the European style architecture and the fact that it has an alpine climate - including cold winters and enough snow for winter sports.

It is here that you'll also find the Ifrane Lion, carved out of stone during World War II by a German soldier in exchange for his freedom. It commemorates the last wild Atlas lion, which was reportedly killed in the early 1920s.Read more