Morocco 31 Aug to 8 Sept 2013 (Section 2)

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Morocco 31 Aug to 8 Sept 2013 (Section 2)

DAY 4 THROUGH THE ZIZ GORGES TO ERFOUD AND WESTERN SAHARA.



We left the bustle of the city behind and headed for the spectacular High Atlas Mountains which are snow capped in the winter. We then passed through Ifrane before reaching the great cedar forests of Azrou. We also travel up through the magnificent Ziz Gorges, past palm fringed towns to Er Rachidia, built by the French at an important crossroads. When we arrived in Erfoud, we saw the red sand buildings contrast against the surrounding desert.



We then were divided into groups of 4 and 5 and jumped into jeeps from our hotel and travelled 50 km to the sand dunes of the Sahara, which took us to a point where we witnessed the glorious sunset in the Sahara. All but 5 of our group also hired camels to ride out into the desert. We hadn’t done this since Alice Springs along the Todd River. It was a lot of fun.



We took a bottle of red wine and tapas up on the dunes with us to watch the sunset. It was beautiful. The temperature was perfect also. We got back to our hotel for dinner. It was a great day.



DAY 5 HIGH ATLAS MOUNTAINS, OASES & OUARZAZATE.



After a 7.00am rise, we ventured towards the oasis of Tinehir, and then on through the Todra Gorge – the Grand Canyon of the Sahara. This was amazing, with cliffs towering up on both sides of the road.

We then went to Boumalne-du-Dades, where we encounter the dry rugged Dades Valley, dotted with oases of figs, olives, date palms and with castellated mud houses hugging the slopes. The colour contrast between the brown/red mountains and cliffs with the green oasis on the valley floor was stunning. There are many aquifers and springs in this area.



We then stopped in the desert for Berber tea and almonds at an Imam’s house at a traditional Kasbah. We were able to ask him many questions on his life as an Imam.



Our route of 1000 Kasbahs concludes at Ouarzazate, film capital of Morocco, with everything from Lawrence of Arabia to Star Wars being filmed here.



Our hotel was beautiful and is the hotel where all the actors stay when they are filming. There were many statues and other props dotted all around the hotel. There were Egyptian statues and many others. There was a massive pool and even a table tennis table that Tom & I had a game on. Dinner was in the hotel that night.

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