The Marrakesh Express

[garry55]

Day 11 in Morocco.
The disco kept us awake until the early hours, then the sites resident geese woke us up nice and early. A 5 hour drive to our next stop was not what we needed! We left Saidia on the N17, a nicely surfaced dual carriageway that took us the 60 Kms to the city of Oujda. On the outskirts of the city, the N17 became a nicely surfaced single carriageway for the next 88 Kms, until we reached the province of Bni Mathar, where it deteriorated into a pot hole strewn, sand covered mess of a road for the next 40 Kms. For the remaining 148 Kms, the road was smooth but badly eroded by the strong wind and sand which narrowed our lane and made passing on-coming trucks and buses a nervous affair.
But here we are in Bouafra, safely encamped within the grounds of the Hotel Climat du Maroc. We have EHU, toilet facilities, a restaurant and access to a shower in one of the empty hotel rooms. All for 100 dirhams. Tomorrow's drive will not be more than 2 hours duration!

 

[garry55]

Since leaving Saidia on Friday morning, we haven't seen another motorhome or camper van on our journey to Bouafra and Boudnib. But today, just 18 Kms outside of Bouanane, we happened upon a French registered camper van heading the other way. The first in 427 Kms of road travel! Possibly we are on the route less taken - we think everyone else heads inland for the safety of Fes and ignores this wonderfully barren wasteland.

 

[garry55]

Thanks for update, that makes our mind up to not go down there - sorry for your experience

I'm glad we went as Saidia is a lovely place to visit. Once

 

[MartinandBev]

I'm glad we went as Saidia is a lovely place to visit. Once

We’re going to head back inland I think, done nothing but rain here at camping raid ocean view, so will head back to Ifrane I think

 

[garry55]

That's a shame - it's such a lovely spot. We had dull, overcast weather and a very strong wind to contend with from Sadia to Bouarfa, then heavy rain during the night. This morning dawned bright, sunny and warm and has stayed like that all day. On our way here we saw evidence of some severe flooding, with river bridges washed away and a whole section of the road we were on that had disappeared. We had to bypass it on a temporary dirt track.

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[Jimbohorlicks]

That's a shame - it's such a lovely spot. We had cloudy / overcast weather from Sadia to Bouarfa then heavy rain during the night. This morning dawned bright, sunny and warm and has stayed like that all day. On our way here we saw evidence of some severe flooding, with river bridges washed away and a whole section of the road we were on that had disappeared. We had to bypass it on a temporary dirt track.

It's part of the adventure

 

[garry55]

It is, and we are loving it so far!

 

[garry55]

Day 12 in Morocco.
We left Bouarfa and skirted the Algerian border to our next stop at Camping Rekkam Boudnib. It's a lovely campsite, accessed via a rough gravel road, with good sized plots, ehu, grey and black waste and fresh water. The showers and toilets are clean and functional, the laundry service very good and we are off to check out the food in the restaurant as soon as I have posted this. Weather has been sunny and warm all day so we have spent this afternoon topping up our tans. It's a hard life!

 

[Just smiffy]

So glad your enjoying it…

 

[garry55]

So glad your enjoying it…

Oh yes - we are! Sahara next

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[garry55]

Today's cloud has just passed us by, offering us a brief respite from the 23c heat of the sun

 

[garry55]

Day 13 in Morocco.
Last night we ate in the site restaurant. A 3 course meal consisting of a lightly spiced puréed potatoe and green tomato soup plus the obligatory bread, a Kofta tagine for 2 and something gooey and sticky for dessert, all washed down with a bottle of house Rose wine (Le Petit Clos). So good, we have booked again for tonight's meal! Spent today sunbathing then had a walk into town to get a few provisions whilst fending off all the young kids that wanted to touch the 2 funny western dogs on strings. Having never seen a dog with a moustache and beard (Meg the Schnauzer) she became a source of great amusement to them. Tomorrow - Merzouga and the mighty Sahara

 

[garry55]

YAY!!!

 

[Jane NotRog]

Looks fantastic!

 

[garry55]

It is mind-blowing

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[garry55]

Shadow dancers

 

[garry55]

Day 14 in Morocco.
After another lovely evening at Chez Francoise,
we left Boudenib on the N17 for Merzouga and settled into the familiar vista of a vast expanse of nothingness. But a surprise was, quite literally, around the corner. After about 80 Kms we rounded a left hand curve to find ourselves sitting atop the Ziz canyon. As we descended we stopped in a viewing point full of Chinese tourists and took a few photos of the canyon, which just don't do it justice. It's jaw-droppingly beautiful and a wonderful snapshot of ancient Morocco. From there we continued into Erfoud, the fossil capital of Morocco, for a coffee break. And a fridge magnet. Then it was onwards to Merzouga and the mighty Sahara. We are staying at Hotel Les Roses des Dunes, where we are parked on the desert sand with a large dune as a stunning backdrop. We have ehu, sit down toilets and showers with lashings of hot water. We ate good food in the beautifully decorated restaurant and tomorrow we are doing the touristy desert trip in a jeep to have lunch in a tent somewhere in the desert, followed by a camel ride after we have dropped the dogs back at the motorhome. Early night tonight as we want to catch the sunrise in the morning.

 

[Just smiffy]

Make the most of the restaurants as you won’t find one open from Friday, for a month..

 

[Baggydave]

Like justsmithys thread we are following with envious eyes. Next Jan we will give it a go.

Keep it coming

 

[garry55]

Like justsmithys thread we are following with envious eyes. Next Jan we will give it a go.

Keep it coming

Do it - you won't regret it. Best motorhome trip we have ever done (so far!). Morocco is a wonderful place full of surprises, culture, fantastic vistas, lovely food and friendly, tolerant people. And it's CHEAP!

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[garry55]

Make the most of the restaurants as you won’t find one open from Friday, for a month..

They open late in the day and stay open until late at night. They will be full of Moroccans.

 

[Barriesimpson]

They open late in the day and stay open until late at night. They will be full of Moroccans.

Once the sun goes down, they're all stuffing themselves

 

[garry55]

Day 15 in Morocco.
Tourist day today. We booked a 4wd excursion which took us (and the dogs) to see the Flamingos on a nearby lake, then on to the Dar Ganaoua workers co- operative where we were treated to some live music. Across the scrubland to an abandoned lead mine that has stunning panoramic views, into a traditional Berber village for tea and then on to our lunch break in a Berber tent. After some "enthusiastic" sand dune driving we were dropped back at the hotel where our camels awaited us. So many experiences in one day!

 

[garry55]

Sunrise over the Erg Chebbi dune viewed from our bedroom window this morning.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Make the most of the restaurants as you won’t find one open from Friday, for a month..

They will all be open after sunset and will be very busy.

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[garry55]

Day 16 in Morocco.
We left Erg Chebbi early this morning and drove the 196 Kms to Tinghir, which sits at the mouth of the Todra Valley. We became engulfed in a brightly painted swarm of Renault 4L's en route - the little buggers were everywhere! Literally hundreds of them, all heading towards Alnif, they drove in small convoys or sat in groups at the side of the roads attending to a broken down companion. Turns out we became part of the 28th annual running if the Raid 4L Trophy, with entrants from all over Europe. Nutters!
As we approached Tinghit, we spotted snow atop some of the High Atlas peaks. The campsite, Auberge Camping Atlas, is small but very well equipped. Toilets and showers are spotless, with lashings of hot water available. There are the usual motorhome facilities plus a swimming pool and restaurant, where we are eating tonight. For the first time since we have been in Morocco, I can have the elusive Pastella dish. I hope it lives up to my expectations!

 

[garry55]

Day 17 in Morocco.
Having decided to stay an extra night here at Camping Atlas, we took a lovely walk through the palm and date tree grove that is on the other side of the river that runs behind the campsite. It's a well shaded walk, ideal if you have dogs, and follows the river before cutting back to the ruins of the kasbah and village of Ait-islem. On our way we saw women washing clothes in the river, carrying bundles of who-knows-what on their heads, tending crops in the fields and men working with the most basic of hand tools. But always a cheery smile and a "bonjour" greeting. There is no mechanisation here whatsoever, but on the other side of the river is the bustling town of Tinghir. Only in Morocco?
On our way back we stopped off at "the cafe by the lake" for an afternoon snack. More a pond than a lake, but a lovely setting for me to try my first Berber omelette (doesn't contain any Berber!) It's 3 eggs (not beaten) + vegetables cooked in a tagine pot and when it arrives at your table you are asked to let it cook for another couple of minutes. It was delicious!

 

[garry55]

Day 18 in Morocco.
Posted a day late due to a lack of wi-fi.
We had a GORGEous day today. We left Tinghir after breakfast and headed up the Todra Gorge, a truly spectacular site to behold. But instead of turning around and heading back for Tinghir, as it appears almost everyone else does, we pushed on along a challenging road that took us up and over the High Atlas mountains to Agoudal, the highest village in Morocco. From there, an even more challenging road, at times part- covered in snow, part blocked by a rockfall and a 15 Kms section devoid if any solid road surface took us down to Dades Gorge, via 3 sets of wonderful switchbacks. Sharon's research paid dividends as we pitched up at Amana Maktoub Camping, the prettiest campsite we have stayed at so far. But being within the gorge meant that we had no wi-fi, a small price to pay for such a beautiful, tranquil stay.

 

[Just smiffy]

Was there no water flowing through dades gorge..? Guess I’ll be taking the same pictures next week…

 

[garry55]

Just a small river.

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