It has been a busy couple of days.
After leaving Midelt, Monday morning, our aim was to head to the Sahara Desert, but we did some really interesting things on the way.
The morning was spent driving over the High Atlas Mountains (our highest elevation was over 2200m). Along the way there were some spectacular views and some terrific oases.
After lunch in Erfoud ( we saw at least 4 different spellings of this on official road signs!).,we visited the area known for fossils on the rocky edge of the Sahara. The temperature was around 45C so we didn't stay there long.
Next port of call was a visit to Berber(Nomads) camp/home where had a look at their primitive life style. Don't think many of us would last a weekend living like they do!
From the Berbers we did some 4WD across the rocky desert. Eventually we came out near the dunes of the Sahara. We had an opportunity to have swim and a relax before going on the highlights of the trip.
We climbed aboard our camels ( hump) and headed easterly into the desert towards the Algerian border. Kristin took to camel riding like a duck to water, but Andy didn't find it comfortable or enjoyable. After an hour ride with our Berber guide, we reached a camp settled into the dunes. Here we took photos of the sunset, ate dinner and slept under the stars. Incredibly as it may sound but half way through our meal a cat appeared. According to our guide, Mohammed, it would have came from the village (several kms away through the sand dunes!). We rose before sunrise, climbed the nearest tallest dune and took several hundred more photos! Then we rode the camels back to the hotel, although Andy pulled the pin halfway and trekked back alongside the camels, and had a swim, shower and breakfast. A great experience. (Billy & Declan 100 times better than our camel experience in Tunisia in 2009).
Tuesday journey began with a visit to a village that is famous for its music. The village consists of descendants of African slaves. They are all dark skinned.
From the music village we visited the Souk(market) in Rissani, where the highlight is the " donkey parking lot"
After a lunch break continued the trip westward. We first visited the Toudra Gorge, a spectacular site and used by many locals to escape the heat and the boredom of Ramadan.
We continued to our hotel(Chez Pierre) for the night at a second gorge, the Dades Gorge. Here we could gave swim and relax. The supplied dinner gad 3 courses and was very nice. The owner of Chez Pierre is French so the food was of a French/Moroccan style. It was a nice change from the standard tajine or skewered meat.
Cheers,
A & K.
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