A Walk in the Dades Gorge, Morocco

Details
Parent Category: Travel Over There
Category: 2014 - Gap Year
Created: Friday, 28 February 2014 17:13

DA 01The River Dades was an important trading river along the Route of a Thousand Kasbahs, and it has carved a beautiful gorge to explore. One of the features that makes the Dades gorge stand out is the mountain ridge called Monkey Fingers, a formation of rocks that have been smoothly eroded to look like fingers rising from the earth, sometimes intertwining in wonderful combinations.

Even though I am still suffering from the head cold that has afflicted me since Marrakech, I cannot pass the chance up to walk in this wonderful place. My guide today is Hussein, a young local man that guides many tourists through this area. Hussein explains that very few English speakers visit here, mostly it is French and Italians, thus his English is not fluent but it is enough that we can communicate, although sometimes requiring a mix of other languages (and Google Translate).

We start the walk at a bridge near the beginning of the valley, crossing the river we follow the road through a village then down to the river. The path we take has a great view of the Monkey Fingers reaching up to the sky. Soon we take a side path through a cleft in the rocks and walk a path eroded by centuries. There is a small amount of bouldering to be done but it mostly a dry creek paved with pebbles.

DA 04

You emerge from the gorge to a series of hills rising up to a plain. The Monkey fingers gradually change to common rock faces as the land flattens out. Here there is a choice in the path – to the left is a broad downhill leading to a dry river bed and back to the township, or to the right a longer walk of around four hours that takes you around the back of the Dades ridge. Through the walk so far, I have had several coughing fits due to my illness and so I opt for the easier path, but if I return to Morocco, I am taking the other path. Hussein also tells me that there are several multi day hikes in the area as well (which is enticing me to return even more).

DA 02DA 03DA 05

We make our way down to a dry river bed, past stone circles used by nomads to erect their tents when they visit in late summer, and make our way back to town, stopping for lunch on the side of the Dades River. My hotel is at the end of the valley and Hussein takes me on a variety of paths along the Dades ridge to get back. Some of the paths are well worn tracks, while others are the edges of farm plots, or irrigation canals. After a few kilometres, we emerge from the river into a town and make our way by road.

DA 06DA 07

DA 08DA 09

It was an excellent day out and I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good bushwalk, and to any who want to experience more there are many wonderful opportunities to explore.

Walking the Dades Gorge, Morocco


 

Other Experiences in Morocco:
Marrakech
Essaouira
Marrakech to Imil
The Route of a Thousand Kasbahs
A Night at Erg Chebbi, the Sahara 
The Middle Atlas
Northern Morocco and Gouffre du Friouato

 

The Route of a Thousand Kasbahs

Details
Parent Category: Travel Over There
Category: 2014 - Gap Year
Created: Wednesday, 26 February 2014 19:56

TH 01There is a section in Morocco that stretches from the mountains to the desert, following the course of the rivers through oasis after oasis that is both incredibly beautiful and depressing, this is famed trade route: The Route of a Thousand Kasbahs.

The Mountain roads that lead there weave around mountain tops and through valleys, some fertile and populated and others desolate and barren. Descending from the snow-capped mountains of the high atlas your eyes widen at the vast plain stretching to the horizon. Quickly you encounter a small village and have the first Kasbah pointed out to you - a crumbling wall and a partially collapsed tower.

A Kasbah is a fortified house and were important waypoints between the desert and Marrakech, owned by wealthy land owning families that offered protection to passing caravans. In the 21st century, a great many of the Kasbahs have been left to ruin with the families either moving on or building modern houses nearby. This is what make the route so depressing to view, once grand structures crumble neglected by the present one after the other.

What makes the route so incredibly beautiful are the rare Kasbahs that have been maintained, the stark simplicity of their design casting a foreboding shadow over any who approach. It is easy to imagine in centuries past a trader having some trepidation at approaching a Kasbah looking for protection or trade on the long journey, even more so to a bandit looking for a prize to steal.

TH 02One of the most famous of these Kasbahs that almost every tourist is taken to is Ait Benhadou located around 25 kilometres from Moroccco’s Hollywood, Ouzerzate. It is an intimidating fortified town built next to a river and onto a hill. It has an impressive field of view that would have been easily defended. It has also been used in several films including as a backdrop for Gladiator and Prince of Persia. The interior of Ait Benhadou is a series of alleys between buildings that have been co-opted as souvenir shops.

Ourzezate is the middle of the Route and is actually several towns that have been joined together to become a desert metropolis. It has numerous old sections linked by an array of new buildings designed to look old and new roads lined with stylistic artistic light poles. Ourzezate is a prized city for the current king, and has been the recipient of a massive amount of investment. The first decade of the 21st century saw numerous films made here, and in the last few years has become the site of a 500MW solar power plant.

40 Kilometres from Ourzezate in Skoura is a Kasbah truly worth visiting. Kasbah Amradil is well maintained and while not an operating Kasbah does operate as a museum offering informative tours, and a new hotel next to it. Our guide was enthusiastic taking us through the many rooms informing us of their design and historical functions. A part that I very much enjoyed was when we were guided to a tower and shown how to defend a Kasbah. The towers jut one metre out from the walls with a series of windows overlooking the wall and surrounding areas, maybe 10cms wide by 20cms high, while the interior of the window is much larger. It allows for a person in the tower to have an incredible field of view while placing themselves in very little danger of being seen. The windows are placed at distance to allow a person to move quickly between them, unseen from the outside. It is an elegant and efficient design. I heartily recommend that when you come to Moroccco, you take the time visit Kasbah Amradil and gain an appreciation for why the Kasbah was such an important part of Morocco’s history.

TH 03TH 04

From Ourzezate, we continue our way toward the desert passing through the Dades and Todra Gorges, incredibly beautiful valleys that were very important to the caravan trade.

The Route continues several hundred kilometres further to Rissani, the gateway to the desert, past more Kasbahs and towns. Along the highway mounds of dirt begin to appear, a few metres high and ten metres between, and then you notice that there are several rows of these mounds on each side of the highway. Ibrahim pulls over to a hut on the side of the road and we are introduced to the purpose of the mounds. Centuries ago, the locals dug an underground river stretching from the mountains to the oasis to ensure fresh water throughout the year and the mounds are the surface access points used in the creation. Each tunnel was dug by hand, and stretch for at around 20 kilometres. At first there was only one tunnel but then each family dug their own. The tunnels are now dry and make for an interesting historical footnote.

TH 05TH 06

A little later, Ibrahim stopped off at a Ksar to show us one of the great beauties and tragedies of modern Moroccan life. A Ksar is a fortified town that is still home for many families. Ksars are majestic structures, centuries old, traditionally built of quality mud and palm thatch, they are warm in the winter and cool in the summer, with many covered streets to protect from the elements, and slowly falling to ruin. As it is, parts of the city are in a state of collapse and when a section of the town collapses, the families in the affected area move from the Ksar to a nearby modern town. Each time a family moves, a part of this history is lost and within a generation or two they will be forgotten. Tourists do not visit these places which is a great shame as this is how many people still live, and if they were visited they could possibly earn enough money to repair and maintain the town.

Rissani is an old town, older than Fes, in centuries past caravans would converge from the desert and trade before taking the Route to Marrakech. When we visit, the markets are open. These markets operate three days a week and are still hugely popular for the remaining nomads as well as the surrounding villages. Much like those at Ida Ougourd you can get everything here, the biggest difference though is the size. Rissanni’s markets cover whole blocks and was once the largest market in North Africa. The blocks are divided by product: fresh vegetables, livestock (sheep and donkeys), textiles and homewares, there is even a block solely dedicated to dates. As with all good markets, there are small tents that offer lunch. We stopped at one and had Duez, a stew of vegetables and meat, which aside from being incredibly tasty, fed the three of us for 40MAD.

TH 07TH 08

From Rissani, we head out to Erg Chebbi, to experience the edge of the Sahara.

Other Experiences in Morocco:
Marrakech
Essaouira
Marrakech to Imil
A Walk in the Dades Gorge
A Night at Erg Chebbi, the Sahara 
The Middle Atlas
Northern Morocco and Gouffre du Friouato

 

Marrakech to Imlil, Morocco

Details
Parent Category: Travel Over There
Category: 2014 - Gap Year
Created: Thursday, 20 February 2014 08:30

Im 01 PartyWe arrived back in Marrakech at midday on Sunday. I was beginning to feel unwell, having developed a head cold. I relaxed through the afternoon while Rina went to the nearby Henna Café to get a small pattern on her wrist for her birthday.

In the evening, Ibrahim (our guide) and the staff of the Riad threw Rina a party, including traditional Berber clothes. We were treated to a wonderful filling meal of tagine Kefta and salad, some dancing and a Chocolate Mousse Cake.  A family that was staying in the hotel came and joined the party and made for a great evening. We then went out on the town for a quick beer at a rooftop bar Red Hotel and some Shisha.

The follow morning, I was feeling worse than ever, but not wanting to miss a thing, I rugged myself up and went out for a walking tour of Marrakech. Our guide Sharriff was excellent, taking the time to answer our question regarding living in the Medina, but also regarding Islam and many other aspects of Moroccan society. For three hours we made our way through the area visiting the Saadian Tombs (10 MAD entry fee) (Meticulous and elaborately decorated tombs with some exquisite Moroccan stucco), the Bahia Palace (10 MAD entry fee) (The former residence of the Grand Vizier), the Kasbah, and the Jewish quarter. It was a great experience to walk the streets and be shown the various monuments of the city.

Im 02Im 03Im 04

We stopped by a herbalist in the Kasbah and picked up some Sanouj (the Arabic name for Nigella Sativa seeds), which are commonly used as a remedy for pretty much everything in the Arab world. For me, I intended to sniff the vapour of the seed oil to clear my sinuses. Amazingly, sniffing the oil acts like a desiccate, drying my sinuses almost immediately and providing relief.

In the afternoon we visited the Majorelle Garden (50 MAD entry fee), established by French artist Jacques Majorelle in the early 20th century and opened to the public in 1947. It is very well constructed garden containing a range of plants not familiar to the area, the layout is highly structured and reflects more a work of art than a slice of nature.

That night I went to sleep very early in an attempt to conquer the cold that was overtaking my senses. The night was filled with fever dreams and when I woke in the morning, I was feeling better. I wanted very much to be better as today we were travelling to Imlil in Toubkal National Park to go hiking, and as hiking is one of major reasons I travel anywhere, I really wanted to be able to enjoy it.

We arrived in Imlil around 10:30am and picked up our guide, Mohammed, then stopped off at our Riad for a quick mint tea. We had booked for a hike with an overnight at a Gite but as I am still a little under the weather staying at a Riad works best.

Im 05Im 06Im 07

The walk took us up through the valley to the Tizi Tamatrte pass (2300m) on a path that winds through a village then through a pine forest and above the snow line. The weather was cool but the sun was shining as we ascended. There is a small store at the pass where you can stop for a bite and get some tea. We met a couple of guys at the top who had mountain biked and chatted a while.

Im 08Im 09Im 10

While we waited the weather began to change, the clouds were being drawn down into the valley, the thermals twirling and curling the vapour like a ballet. With the weather changing and my health, we opted to walk the road along the valleys edge rather than descend to the nearby village (which is what we would have done if we were staying at a Gite). We walked a few kilometres then returned to the store and ate a lunch of tuna, cheese and bread. This time we met Australian and Canadian doctors who were walking to the Gite down below. For the walk back to our Riad we opted to take the return road rather than the trail to see Imlil from a different perspective. On the way down, it began to snow and we enjoyed the very novel experience.

Im 11Im 12Im 13

Imlil, Morocco

Other Experiences in Morocco:
Marrakech
Essaouira
The Route of a Thousand Kasbahs
A Walk in the Dades Gorge
A Night at Erg Chebbi, the Sahara 
The Middle Atlas

Joomla! Debug Console

Session

Profile Information

Memory Usage

Database Queries