I left Marrakech at 7:00am for my three day trek into the desert. My tour group was dubbed the "mixed salad" because of our varied backgrounds: A British Indian, British Nigerian, American, Canadian, German, and me - an Australian Malaysian-Chinese. We were guided by a friendly Moroccan called Farid and our driver was called "Red One". We drove 200km across the High Atlas Mountains with a short stop for breakfast and some amazing views in Tardart.
We continued along the winding road, passing stunning scenery: flat-roofed, earthern Berber villages clung to the mountainside, their mud-brick walls merging with the dirt surrounds. As we climbed higher, we reached areas covered in snow and we stopped to feel the chill in the air, take in some stunning views and have a bit of a play in the snow.
We then journeyed down into the barren lands below, having first past the lush greenery of fields irrigated by sparkling streams and filled with walnut and flowering white almond trees. As we drove away from the mountains, it was amazing looking back and seeing the juxtaposition of the snow-capped mountains and the dry, dirt land below.
Our first major stop was a visit to Ait Ben Haddou and its kasbahs. To access the 16th century fortress, we rode donkeys across the River Ourzazate. The place was awesome - a collection of crumbling, mud-brick walls and staircases. It was fun climbing amongst the ruins and the views from the summit of the kasbahs and surrounding grounds were great. It was also the place where several movies had been filmed including Laurance of Arabia, Gladiator and The Mummy. We then stopped for lunch (an excellent cous cous aux poulet).
Afterwards, we drove on to the oasis town of Ourzazate, passing by its famous movie studios and stopping at the shops for some supplies. We continued on through the Roses Valley and along the Road of the Kasbahs. We passed empty, barren lands, broken up here and there by small, isolated villages. We observed village life: children walking to school; old men cloaked in djellaba, clustered in groups and talking to one another; donkeys loaded with massive packs being guided along by weary men; an old woman sitting on the steps of a house, pondering.
We arrived at the Dades Gorges just as the sun was setting, casting shadows into the rocky depths. The moon was already out - pale white and stark against the intense blue of the sky and redness of the rocks.
We spent the night in hotel Ait Oudinar. Pre-dinner drinks and shisha on the terrace were followed by an evening meal of soup, tajine and orange salad.
Here are some photos. Enjoy!
We continued along the winding road, passing stunning scenery: flat-roofed, earthern Berber villages clung to the mountainside, their mud-brick walls merging with the dirt surrounds. As we climbed higher, we reached areas covered in snow and we stopped to feel the chill in the air, take in some stunning views and have a bit of a play in the snow.
We then journeyed down into the barren lands below, having first past the lush greenery of fields irrigated by sparkling streams and filled with walnut and flowering white almond trees. As we drove away from the mountains, it was amazing looking back and seeing the juxtaposition of the snow-capped mountains and the dry, dirt land below.
Our first major stop was a visit to Ait Ben Haddou and its kasbahs. To access the 16th century fortress, we rode donkeys across the River Ourzazate. The place was awesome - a collection of crumbling, mud-brick walls and staircases. It was fun climbing amongst the ruins and the views from the summit of the kasbahs and surrounding grounds were great. It was also the place where several movies had been filmed including Laurance of Arabia, Gladiator and The Mummy. We then stopped for lunch (an excellent cous cous aux poulet).
Afterwards, we drove on to the oasis town of Ourzazate, passing by its famous movie studios and stopping at the shops for some supplies. We continued on through the Roses Valley and along the Road of the Kasbahs. We passed empty, barren lands, broken up here and there by small, isolated villages. We observed village life: children walking to school; old men cloaked in djellaba, clustered in groups and talking to one another; donkeys loaded with massive packs being guided along by weary men; an old woman sitting on the steps of a house, pondering.
We arrived at the Dades Gorges just as the sun was setting, casting shadows into the rocky depths. The moon was already out - pale white and stark against the intense blue of the sky and redness of the rocks.
We spent the night in hotel Ait Oudinar. Pre-dinner drinks and shisha on the terrace were followed by an evening meal of soup, tajine and orange salad.
Here are some photos. Enjoy!
First glimpse of the snow-capped
Atlas Mountains from the van
Atlas Mountains from the van
Breakfast at the Berber village of Tadart
Drive through the High Atlas Mountains
Berber village
Snow!
Scenes from the road
Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah
Crossing the river via donkey
Gladiator was filmed here!
Contrast of snow and "desert"
Me and my donkey
Arabic coke
The Gorges
Our van
Dades Gorges
The moon
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