ATLAS MOUNTAINS, TELOUET, AIT BEN HADDOU, OUARZAZATE

MEET HABIB NAAMANI, OUR TOUR GUIDE AND OWNER OF SAHARA DREAMS MAROC.

Collage of Habib

HABIB IS A BORN AND BRED BERBER NOMAD WHO GREW UP IN M'HAMID
ON THE EDGE OF THE SAHARA DESERT.

HE MAKES HIS LIVING BY DRIVING TOURISTS LIKE US THROUGH HIS COUNTRY.
HABIB ALSO EMPLOYS OTHER DRIVERS. WE MET ONE AT THE DESERT CAMP THAT
WAS DRIVING SOME PEOPLE FROM FRANCE.

IT WAS AN HONOUR AND PRIVILEDGE TO HAVE HABIB SHOW US AROUND.

THIS TRIP WAS AN ADVENTURE OF A LIFE TIME. WE ENJOYED IT SO MUCH THAT
WE WOULD LOVE TO DO IT ALL AGAIN.

BELOW IS THE START OF OUR AMAZING ADVENTURE THAT WOULD TAKE US
FROM MARRAKECH, THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS, INTO LUSH VALLEYS,
TRAVERSING TIGHT WINDY ROADS THROUGH GORGES, CROSS COUNTRY
IN THE 4X4, MEETING BERBER NOMADS IN THEIR CAVE, SLEEPING OUT
UNDER THE STARS IN THE DESERT, RIDING CAMELS OUT OF THE DESERT,
HAVING LUNCH WITH HABIB'S RELATIVES IN THEIR HOME,
GUNNING THE 4X4 THROUGH DESERT SAND TO THE CAMP SITE AND
MUCH, MUCH MORE!

SO GRAB SOME SNACKS, A DRINK OR 3 AND FOLLOW ALONG WHILST I
RELIVE OUR ADVENTURES HERE ON MY NEW HOME TRAVELLERSPOINT

~~~oOo~~~

DAY 1 - ATLAS MOUNTAINS, TELOUET, AIT BEN HADDOU, OUARZAZATE.

FAVOURITE PICTURE.
TAKEN BY HABIB IN FRONT OF THE FAMOUS AIT BEN HADDOU-
MORE ABOUT THAT LATER.

ATLAS MOUNTAINS

ONE OF THE MOST ENJOYABLE PARTS OF THIS TRIP WAS THE CHANGING
SCENERY. HEADING OUT OF TOWN AND TOWARDS THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS
IT WAS FLAT AND SPARCE.

ONCE WE ARRIVED AT THE FOOT OF THE MOUNTAINS THE ROAD
NARROWED AND WAS VERY WINDY AS WE DROVE UP AND AROUND
TO THIS FANTASTIC LOOKOUT.

HERE WE ENCOUNTERED HAWKERS SELLING AN ARRAY OF TOURIST
GIFTS. I BOUGHT A ROCK THAT OPENS UP TO REVEAL THE MOST
GORGEOUS ROSE CRYSTAL

THE ATLAS MOUNTAINS SEEM TO GO ON FOREVER......
NO WONDER! THEY ARE OVER 2,500KM AND SPAN 3 COUNTRIES -
MOROCCO, ALGRIA AND TUNISIA!

FIRST NOMAD SIGHTING

THIS WAS OUR FIRST NOMAD SIGHTING. THEY WERE HEARDING THEIR
SHEEP AND GOATS ACROSS THE ROAD AND UP THE STEEP HILLSIDE.

WE STOPPED TO LET THEM BY AND OPENED THE WINDOWS TO TAKE
SOME PICTURES.

HABIB EXPLAINED THAT SOMETIMES THE NOMADS
DO NOT LIKE TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED BY TOURISTS....
AND SURE ENOUGH..... THERE WERE A FEW HEATED WORDS SPOKEN.
OOOPS...

SO WE QUICKLY WOUND THE WINDOWS UP AND CONTINUED ON.

KASBAH DE TELOUET

OUR FIRST KASBAH. A KASBAH IS A TYPE OF FORTRESS WHERE
THE LEADER LIVED. IT WAS A DEFENCE SAFE PLACE FOR WHEN A
CITY WAS UNDER ATTACK.

WE ENTERED A LONG COOL HALLWAY WHICH LED INTO THIS ROOM
OF EXTRAVENCE. HERE WE WERE TAKEN BACK THROUGH TIME.
THE WHOLE ROOM WAS SURROUNDED BY INTRICATE CERAMIC TILES
TO WHICH THE MOROCCANS ARE SO GOOD AT.

ONE COULD IMAGINE BEING WINED AND TINED HERE.

AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THE ORIGINAL OWNERS DID TO THIER
ADVANTAGE.

THE STORY OF THIS KASBAH GOES LIKE THIS -
THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THIS AMAZING FORTRESS WERE
CUNNING AND CLEAVER. THEY DUPED EVERYONE THAT CHALLENGED
THEM WITH THEIR AMAZING HOSPITALITY.
SO MUCH SO THAT THEY WERE BYPASSED WHEN A POTENTIAL
CONFLICT AROSE AND KASBAH DE TELOUET SURVIVED WHEREAS
OTHER KASBAH'S FELL TO THE ENEMY.

TIME FOR A PIT STOP, REFRESHMENTS AND A NICE VIEW OVER THE
VALLEY.

DIVERSE LIVING SCENERY

WHEREVER I TRAVEL, NOT ONLY AM I INTERESTED IN THE LANDSCAPE
SCENERY, BUT I ALSO ENJOY VIEWING THE VARIOUS LIVING CONDITIONS
OF THE LOCALS.

THIS PART OF MOROCCO WAS AS EQUALLY INTERESTING IF NOT BETTER
THAN I HAVE COME ACROSS BEFORE IN OUR TRAVELS.

SO BELOW ARE MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF LOCAL LIVING SCENES IN
OUTBACK MOROCCO. NO PARTICULAR ORDER.
LIKE MOST PLACES IN THE WORLD, THEY HAVE THEIR RICH, MIDDLE-CLASS
AND POOR.
HOWEVER, IT WAS NO SURPRISE TO ME TO SEE THAT NO MATTER HOW
RICH OR POOR ..... EVERY HOUSE THAT WE SAW HAD A SATELITE DISH!....

AIT BEN HADDOU

WE WERE NEARING THE END OF OUR FIRST DAY. HEADING TOWARDS
OUR DESTINATION FOR THE NIGHT OUARZAZATE, WE HAD ONE LAST
AMAZING THING TO SEE - AIT BEN HADDOU.

AIT BEN HADDOU IS A HUGE FORTIFIED CITY OR KSAR. IT IS A WORLD
HERITAGE SITE THAT IS WELL KNOWN FOR HOSTING A NUMBER OF GREAT
MOVIES LIKE STAR WARS, JESUS OF NAZARETH, GLADIATER AND
THE JEWEL OF THE NILE.

THIS WAS AN AMAZING PLACE!! WE WALKED RIGHT UP TO THE TOP FOR A
VIEW OVER THE VALLEY. APARENTLY THERE ARE STILL 10 FAMILIES THAT
RESIDE HERE.

HUBBY BOUGHT A COUPLE OF PAINTINGS FROM THIS GUY. WELL NOT
REALLY PAINTINGS AS SUCH. HE WAS USING CLAY AND COLOURED
STONES AND THEN FIRING THEM ONTO THE PAPER WITH A BLOW TORCH.
IT WAS QUITE INTERESTING TO SEE.

OUARZAZATE - SAHARA DREAMS MAROC

WE STOPPED BRIEFLY AT HABIB'S HOME BASE WHERE WE MET HAIAT,
ADMINISTRATOR AND TOUR PLANNER. WHEN I ARRANGED AND BOOKED
OUR TOUR, HAIAT WAS OUR POINT OF CONTACT.
IT WAS A PLEASURE TO DEAL WITH HAIAIT. SHE ANSWERED OUR QUERIES
PROMPTLY AND DEALT WITH EVERYTHING EFFICIENTLY AND SMOOTHLY.
WE FELT PRIVILEGED TO MEET HER.

RIAD DAR CHAMAA

RIAD DAR CHAMAA - A COOL OASIS IN THE DESERT.

WE ENJOYED A SWIM IN THE POOL AND DINNER ON THE
VERANDAH OUSIDE OVERLOOKING THE POOL. IT WAS A
PLEASANT PLACE TO STAY FOR OUR FIRST NIGHT.

IF YOU HAVE ENJOYED FOLLOWING ALONG AS I RELIVE OUR
MOROCCAN ADVENTURE.... PLEASE CLICK THE NEXT BUTTON BELOW
FOR DAY 2 - INCLUDING SOME OFF ROAD 4X4 DRIVING,
SHARING MINT TEA WITH BERBER NOMADS IN THEIR CAVE
IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, ZIG ZAGGING DOWN STEEP WINDY ROADS,
AND AN INTERESTING CARPET STORY.....