Blogs from Ourika Valley, Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz, Morocco, Africa

Wednesday, October 16, 2019 - Day 11. We could have easily spent our second full day in Marrakesh discovering new sites in the “Red City” or spending more time at our favorite places seen the previous day. But the possibilities of going farther afield to see new sights and gather more experiences won out as usual when I have a choice. In this case a travel video I had seen enticed me to opt for a day excursion into the Ourika Valley. Beginning the day with an early wake up call and light breakfast, we were on the road by 8 am headed to our day’s destination. Traveling south and once more crossing the Plain of Haouz, our route backtracked some of the roads we had taken only days before when we were leaving the High ... read more

I am sitting by the pool at our lovely hotel Chez Momo, outside the small town of Ouirgane. I’m enjoying a Flag Speciale beer, as I start the blog, after a one hour walk through the nearby Berber village. Susan enjoyed her beer while I was on the walk. Today was a long travel day driving over the High Atlas Mountains, through the highest pass in Morocco called the Tizi n’Tichka (elevation 2260 metres). The day started out well, as we enjoyed a hot shower and breakfast at the Riad Maktoub. I started out with hard cooked egg, bread, laughing cow cheese, olives, delicious freshly squeezed orange juice, and nice strong coffee. Then they brought out pancakes - I was getting full but had 1/2 pancake with honey, yumm. Then they brought out another pastry type ... read more

Took a grande taxi to Setti Fatma in the Ourika valley, about an hour and a bit away from Marrakesh. Stayed at Au Borde De L’Eau guest house just outside the town, small cabins by the river run by a very friendly Belgian couple. The guest house is a haven away from the crowds who come on day trips from Marrakesh to enjoy the restaurants with chairs and tables in the river and the walk up to the waterfalls. We crossed the river in town and followed the route everyone else was taking up the side of the stream. The first part is through lots of Berber stalls selling trinkets and small in the river cafes. The whole walk was very crowded with young men out for a weekend jolly from the city. The following day ... read more

We left Marrakech around 9:30 am by taxi, with a new driver (the one we had booked had his cousin? take us instead). He turned out to be great, driving carefully and asking politely if we wished to stop at any of the dozens of tourist traps we passed. We did agree to go into an argan oil women's coop, where Lynn bought oil that is maybeargan and had a great 6 minute massage. We arrived in Setti Fadma around 11:30am and were immediately accosted for hotel/guide/restaurant help. We finally escaped and found a hotel for about $35/night. We next set off to do the famed 7 waterfalls hike. There are no signs for the trail which begins somewhere in the maze of riverfront restaurants, and we attracted the attention of a very persistant guide. I ... read more

About two weeks before we left for America, four friends and I went to the desert. I booked a "budget best-value" tour online to be picked up in Marrakech and driven out into the town of Ouarzazate and after that to Zagora. From there we would ride camels into the sunset and sleep in tents with Berber nomads...well, not with the Berbers. So come Thursday night we got out of our class at 7:15 and rushed to catch our four or five hour train to Marrakech. We arrived at Marrakech at about 1am, why it took so long? It's Morocco. Our next mission was to find the cheap hostel I so willingly put my trust into online. It was called "Trip and Friends" and cost about 4euro a night. Petite Taxis, the kind that stay in ... read more