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Morocco – From the Flats 2 the Mountains
After having crossed all kinds of Mauritanian’n’Moroccan flats the last week we need more hilly areas. So we decide 2 visit the Anti-Atlas with its numerous mountain chains, valleys, and its hidden villages high up on the hills.
Well, 1st we have 2 say goodbye 2 Agadir with its huge hotels and its excellent selection of world-class food chains.
Agadir 2 N’Kob
We take the road thru the mountains 2 Tafraoute …
On the way, we visit the famous Kasbah Tizourgane, a fortified village used by the population until mid of last century during unruly times.
Late afternoon in Tafraoute. After having checked the hotel’s offers we decide 4 the campground. Camping Les 3 Palmiers is not a real highlight, but so conveniently located near the town that we could not resist.
Next we head 4 the Ammeln Valley, famous 4 its villages perched high up in the mountains and the narrow steep roads leading 2 them.
Indeed the road 2 Tagdichte is pretty narrow, but the view awesome.
Later we have to visit the famous painted rocks, an oeuvre of the artist Jean Vérame – according to unconfirmed rumors, he tried to stimulate the local paint shops with this action. Whatever the reality, they look great in the desert.
We visit the Gorges of Timguelchte and Aït Masour just south of Tafraoute.
The road signs are definitely not always clear, thanx 2 the GPS we finally make it somehow, …
… in the evening the Prado needs some fuel, …
… we require some money,
…… and we all are happy again.
We move further south 2 Amtoudi with its famous fortified villages. We crossed the Anti-Atlas 2 the south; some roads are excellent, but others still show their potential for improvement.
We pass thru isolated villages, …
… and finally, under the rigid supervision of a local expert, we make some wheel-changing exercises.
We stay at the very nice Ondiraitlesud Guesthouse, …
… in the evening we walk up to the fortified storage houses of Id Aïssa.
We move on thru the Anti-Atlas towards Tata.
On the way we have to take care of our flat tire, and on we go,…
… and make a detour in Akka 2wards Igherm.
A round trip with some fantastic desert’n’mountain scenery.
In the evening, after having had an in-depth look at the hotels in Tata we prefer our Lodge on the Rooftop at the Dar Ouaniu Campsite …
… and celebrated that decision with a nice ice-cold beer.
The owner of the guesthouse in Amtoudi highly recommended us to drive from Tata 2 Taliouine directly by the village of Agounion. 1 of the most spectacular trips in the Anti-Atlas, a petrified waterfall (if that exists), and the narrowest and steepest road in Morocco – we definitely have 2 do this.
And all this is, 2 our knowledge, mentioned in no travel book.
Finally, we can c the sheer cliffs at the end of the valley – somewhere there must be a way up, …
… defintely not for a small car, neither for a camping-car. 4 a 4×4 in low range it may be ok.
After this ascent, the remaining road is fine, not spectacular, but worth the trip.
In the evening at the campsite Toubkal. Monika at her all-prefered work – a task she normally generously delegates 2 Martin (comment Monika: liar!!!!). But as he got a kind of a cold she is exeptionally ready 2 replace him once.
Well, after this nice experience, Martin decids 2 get a real cold. Therefore, and as mommy said a long time ago he needs a rest. The place 4 this: a real kitsch Kasbah hotel in Ouarzazate.
After 2 days we drive on 2 Draa Valley – another Moroccan tourist hotspot
In Agdz we visite the famous weekly market, …
… and the next day the old Kasbahs in the valley, the famous villages all constructed out of mud. Still, we’re astonished at the degree of decay of all these famous houses.
On we move. 2 N’Kob. Here we have 2 visit the famous Tizi Tazazert. 4×4 only, no small or 2 big cars.
And finally the 6-pack of the post:
No problem if u have no hair.
But if u have some – u have 2 maintain it carefully. For that reason, there’s a profession called hairdresser. They promise a lot, but who knows the result?
In Europe they show the hell a lot of photoshopped pics of happy customers – all lies. In West Africa it’s easier: An artist just paints his girlfriend the way she should look like – and that attracts everybody.
And few customers even look like having survived a hurricane when they leave the hairdresser’s shop.
