The goats that climb trees (and how we saw them in Morocco… and in El Torcal).
There are images that are engraved in the memory. Some for their beauty, others for their unusualness. And then there are those that combine both: like seeing goats perched high up in a tree, defying all logic… and gravity.
During one of our trips in the south of Morocco (Anti-Atlas-Draa Valley), we came across a scene that looked like something out of a Berber fairy tale: about twenty goats climbing different argan trees. It was neither a performance nor a tourist attraction. The shepherd was more than a hundred meters away, without even looking. They were going about their business: eating leaves, fruits and climbing from tree to tree with amazing agility.
Argan tree climbing goats are now almost an icon of the Moroccan landscape. They do it out of necessity (vegetation is scarce in this semi-desert area) and skill: they are expert climbers. The argan tree, with its low, sturdy branches, is perfect for their vertical excursions.
The curious thing is that it is not something exclusive of the Moroccan south, although not usual. In El Torcal de Antequera, we lived a similar scene. Last year, after a severe drought, and an unusual lack of pastures and plants, we found several mountain goats perched high in the trees. More shy, more elusive, but just as skilled.
In both cases, it was a reminder of what we love about these trips: the unexpected, the authentic. Scenes that are neither planned nor sought after, but that become the best part of the journey.
Undoubtedly, an amazing place El Torcal de Antequera
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