Al Hoceima National Park

Al Hoceima National Park covers roughly 480 square kilometres of coastline and Rif mountain terrain west of the town, established in 2004 and now a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The park protects dramatic sea cliffs, hidden coves, cedar and cork oak forest, and a surprising diversity of wildlife for such a compact area. The coastline is almost entirely undeveloped, and the coves accessible only by boat or on foot are among the most beautiful on the Moroccan Mediterranean coast.

The easiest way to explore is by boat from the town port — local fishermen offer trips to the sea caves and isolated beaches that lie within the park's boundaries. The cliffs are home to nesting Eleonora's falcons in summer and griffon vultures year-round. For hikers, trails in the Boussekour forest above the coast pass through areas where Barbary macaques can sometimes be spotted. The park infrastructure is limited — bring water and expect a somewhat wild experience, which is exactly the point.

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The park protects one of the last viable populations of Barbary macaque in northern Morocco — a species that was once common across North Africa and southern Europe but is now endangered, surviving mainly in the Atlas Mountains and a few Rif forest remnants. The coastal cliffs within the park are also one of the last nesting sites of the Eleonora's falcon in Morocco, a species that times its breeding to coincide with the autumn migration of small birds, which it feeds to its chicks.

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