After a long time, we’re back. For some 5 weeks, we could simply not access our website. After asking our dear provider we learned that he does not provide this service in this country. Whatever that may mean. We put some energy in friendly correspondence with them without a too concrete answer. But finally, we got a kind of perspective to have it activated again once out of Morocco.
But let’s go back to the place we stopped 5 weeks ago: N’kob in the Moroccan Anti-Atlas.
2nd November 2014
We moved on to Zagora. On the way we visited the stone carvings in Aït Ouazig. Please read the full background about this place in our newsletter.
In Zagora we went 2 the beautiful campsite Oasis Palmiers, visited a few surrounding villages and enjoyed some dolce far niente.
4th November 2014
And then we had 2 go to the desert. Drive thru deep sand, camp between the dunes and observe the Milky Way without any disturbances from electric bulbs.
M’hamid some km south of Zagora was our planed starting point; Foum-Zguid some 200 km to the west the village to arrive hopefully.
On the way we observed that the weather got worse’n’worse. It got more and more dusty, a few km before we arrived in M’hamid, we had to admit that it turned into a real sandstorm. Nevertheless we visited a nearby Ksar – one of these traditional villages with houses constructed with mud.
In M’hamid we simply tried to follow the track on the GPS. After a few km we stated that the sight was next to 0. So why should we visit some famous sand dunes if they arrive at our car grain by grain.
We turned back and drove to Taliouine in the Anti-Atlas.
6th November 2014
We still had to visit Lake Ifni next to Jebel Toubkal, the highest mountain in North Africa.
3h by a spectacular road then another 2-3h hike up to the lake at 2700 m.
Well, we were back quite late at night, but it was definitely worth the effort.
Next day on to Tiout. The only thing we remember was the only hotel in this village – highly discommended.
8th November 2014
Of course, on no trip thru Morocco driving Tizi-n-Test is mandatory. Unfortunately they’re building a new road up to the pass, so most of the adventure has gone; except for the small part high up in the mountains where a landslide has gone down.
By the evening we reached Ilmil, a hill station near Marrakech. At 1800 m and not far from snow it was icy cold.
The next morning was slightly disappointing: rain and fog.
So we moved on to Marrakech.
9th November 2014
1st and most important issue in Marrakech: Monika needed some real food. So we went to McDonald’s to have a Big Mac. U know these hamburgers with a taste of an old foam mattress soaked in fishy oil.
After this great meal we went on to discover Marrakech.
Well, it was quite strange to be in a town where you have the impression half of the inhabitants are tourists and the locals are getting slightly tired of them.
We didn’t discourage, we went on exploring local’n’tourist life in the town.
After all these explorations there was only 1 place for dinner: the food stalls at Jamaa-el-Fna.
If you just have 1 evening in Marrakech – go there and top up your dinner with a box of assorted sweets from the vendor passing by.
12th November 2014
Then we moved back to the desert. To Ouarzazate over Tizi-n-Tichka and on to the village of Skoura, situated in a big palm garden.
Up to Ouarzazate still within the tourist hot spots, then in Skoura we stayed at the Kasbah Amridil – quite a nice place, we were a kind of private guest; we had the whole hotel for us. Consequently enough space to do some washing.
15th November 2014
Then we started our trip on the back roads of the Routes des Kasbahs between Ouarzazate and Errachidia.
1st we had to drive up quite a tricky road on the way to the Rose Valley, where we had to shrink Prado and Monika had to recover after that.
For full details please read our newsletter.
In the Rose Valley we stayed at the very nice Chems Kasbah high above the village of Tamaloute.
16th November 2014
Here we learned about the most spectacular road in Morocco. Maybe it’s true – we had to try the way up to Tizi-n- Aït- Hamed getting us up to the snow in 3000 m to check it.
The gravel road was fine, the views definitely spectacular.
Well, so far our adventures in the present post. Some more in the next one.
