Head to the Sahara desert...
- Bev Baraka
- Sep 9, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 12, 2023
Anyone who has read about Morocco has seen the red Sahara so it's no surprise that people head to Morocco to visit the unparalleled Sahara desert. So let me take you there - but, there is so much you can do on the way so I'll show you that first. Usually you start in Marrakech and drive over the mountains to access the desert.
A good way to experience the Sahara is to book an all included tour to get you there. The reason is because you then have the option to stop when you want to: to take pictures, stop for tea, take a side trip etc. My friends and I did just that and had an unforgettable trip. The driver and guide
(shown here) picked us up early at our hotel, after a wonderful breakfast, and we climbed into the SUV. It took a bit of time to get out of the city but we were entertained by the city madness - the apartments with laundry stacked on bars hanging out of the windows, the street stalls with rising steam as they offer coffee and pastries to the morning crowd, the traffic with five cars across - on a two lane road - where you make bets on how the cars will all get through the intersection without a collision! Finally, we were out of the city and heading into the Atlas Mountains. The Sahara is on the south side of the Atlas mountains, and about a day and a half journey from Marrakech. If you go to Morocco, you must go to the Sahara desert.
The road started to climb... and wind. The landscape became dryer and trees became scarce. We were holding on to our seats as the vehicle strained to climb and the turns become tighter. We reached the top of a ridge and then coasted down into the next gorge. Sometimes rivers creep through the bottom of the gorges, splashing green along the joint between the two ridges. Then up again to climb the next high spot. The view was amazing..... you could see f o r e v e r.
Across the gorge, we could see horizontal marks that didn't quite fit the environment. Around the next bend, we saw a similar phenomenon.... then we realized... they were houses and buildings. Wow, it was a village - built right into the landscape. I mean it was part of the landscape. It tumbled down the slope like it had fallen there. We would have loved a closer look but they are not too easy to get to so I put it on my to do list for another time.
The road landed on a flatter area and passed through larger, dusty villages. Goats and donkeys searched for grass along the roadside. Dead ahead was Ouarzazate, the Hollywood of Morocco. It was there, that many classic films were produced. Some films were: Lawrence of Arabia, The Jewel of the Nile, Mummy, Gladiator, Sahara, Bourne Ultimatum and Mission Impossible to name a few.
Over the next rise, we could
see a wide 'stream' of green meandering through the bottom of the gorge. It looked like trees but we hadn't seen trees at all - except olive trees. As we got closer we saw it was palm trees. Not just palm trees but an oasis. Our driver explained that it was Tafilalt, the largest Oasis in Morocco - it runs for 30 miles and supports a large community. Huge cement construction in the village made up a continuous apartment complex where extended families lived together, with the animals in the open, ground level area. They grow and export dates as well as other products.
Channels run throughout the oasis and everyone shares the water. Channels can be blocked and opened by moving rocks. Each family is assigned a certain number of hours a day, on a cycle - they must go and move the rocks to allow water to flow in and irrigate their particular fields. On the next cycle, a family member goes and moves the rocks so he can get water to his fields. In this way, the community can live off the land even though they are at the edge of the desert.
It's a rush to get to the Sahara from Marrakech in one day so most people stay overnight on the way. Tenghir is a great choice for a bit of a break. There is the most amazing Kasbah hotel (a square fortress that was defendable if attacked) with lots of history and Moroccan woven rugs, lanterns, and cushions everywhere - Hotel Tomboctou. I stayed there on my first trip to the Sahara Dunes and have never forgotten it. They have since updated it. I certainly
hope it is still there because it embodies the ancient spirit of Morocco. It has original cool plaster walls, a Bedouin-style tent dining-room, and a refreshing pool - all offered for a reasonable price. It is built in an old Kasbah and you can go up on the top to see the surrounding area. The second time I stayed there, I slept in one of the corner rooms on the roof. Fabulous.
The air cools dramatically as the sun set. The breeze picked up and the curtains in our tented dining room billowed and breathed as the temperatures fell. Breads and dishes of olives were deposited on our table. Then dishes of pickles and relishes were brought to dip the bread in as we waited for the meal - a typical tagine dinner. The aroma was amazing and it intensified as the cone-shaped lid was removed. My favourite tagine is Chicken Lemon or Beef and Prunes. Just thinking about these makes me hungry now! Desserts followed - a selection of Date cakes, figs, Almond paste cake, Semolina cookies, and fresh fruit.
We could hardly move after the feast, but we climbed the stairs to the top of the four-cornered kasbah to gaze over the simple village. The village lights are minimal and as a result, the starry sky appeared to descend and surround us. The low lights in the village give a warm glow across the land with the stars hanging just over our noses. We could see more stars than I'd ever seen before!
The next stop was the desert itself - it was so hard to sleep that night!
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