The Souss Valley is the hub of all commerce in Morocco’s grocery trade: banana and orange groves flourish amongst the extensive vegetable crops, and this is the only area in which the argan nut - virtually unique to Morocco - flourishes, the gentle foothills of the Anti-Atlas dotted with argan trees. The Chleuh Berbers are the original inhabitants of this area and most men travel to other regions of Morocco to trade, returning to the area in their retirement and building large villas amongst the typical small stone villages of the Tafraoute oasis. Here the granite rock formations dominate the landscape, palm plantations line the beds of the valleys and the distinctive red painted stone houses enhance the region’s independent character.