Vicy's Morocco Trip

Monday - The drive from Merzouga to Rissani, Tinerhir, Dades Gorge and Ourzazate

In the morning we set off for a long drive at 8am. We headed for Dades Gorge, driving back through Rissani, through Erfoud, and Tinerhir. The drive was long, but there were many beautiful sites and views. After Dades Gorge and a nice rest and food, we headed to Ourzazate, where we found a decent hotel, and spent the evening shopping and eating!

Mohar - Owner of the Sahara Auberge - a fantastic host!

Me and Mohar

Rissani

A strange building

A rock

Moroccan clouds lol

If you look closely, you can see the Kasbah carved into the rocks in red.

The valley, on the way to Dades Gorge

Women washing on the banks of Dades Gorge

The start of Dades Gorge

Dades Gorge - Spectacular, photo does not do it justice (and couldn't fit it all in!)

The drive took hours, and hours, and hours.. but lots of desert shrub land to see!

Finally! View from top of hotel in Ourzazate

The next day (Sunday?)

In the morning we got up at 5.30am to watch the sun rising over Algeria, was way too sore to climb up the huge dune again, so made do with a smaller one to sit on as it was freezing!

We trekked on the camels to the Sahara Auberge where we were staying. I was lovely to have a nap, sunbathe and have a swim in the pool. In the afternoon we went to the village to get some food, but it was pretty much a ghost town, nothing was open apart from a small amount of shops, selling not a lot.

We had a fabulous evening meal, where we also met a belgian guy called Jos, who has kindly offered to take me back to Marrakesh via some other destinations as he had a car on hire.

Back at the Auberge

View of the back garden

Camels getting ready to set off from camp

Sunset over Algeria

The dunes turn red at sunrise

The back of the auberge

My camel - Justin (note the Justin Timberlake hair!)

Me and Justin (the camel)

Laughing Jamel

Merzouga village

Merzouga village (like a ghost town)

The pool at the Auberge

Sunbathing in the desert? hot hot hot!!

Back of the auberge, breakfast area

Berber Pizza! The night in the desert dunes

Berbers dancing

Me doing an african war dance

Chris and Sayward doing a Ghana stance

Japanese girl - forgot her name

Crazy berber

Berber music, partying hard in the desert

Making the Berber Pizza - dough filled with grated carrots and mince with spices

Placing the pizza dough onto to the hot sand and ashes, and covering with more sand to cook it

Taking the now cooked pizza out of the sand

Slicing the Berber Pizza

Maffia, the Berbers' kitten

Day 4 Merzouga/ Sahara Auberge

Well, we started the camel trek into the desert about 3.30pm in the afternoon - allowing us to get to the camp in order to see the sunset. We trekked for a couple of hours, and finally got camp with sore asses lol. The camels were great, I called mine Justin, becasue he had Justin Timberlake hair!!

When we got to the camp, we climbed the tallest sand dune to watch the sunset. This was great, an amazing opportunity to stretch our muscles!

The sunset was beautiful. We could see over the Algerian borders. The desert is an amazing place - so peaceful and tranquil and silent. There is no noise, not even birds! The only sound you can hear is if to turn your head slightly so that your ears can pick up the quiet blowing of a slight wind. Shanti!!!

Anyway here are some pics of the trek on the way to camp, and the sunset.

Two of the best nights sleep I have ever had in my life were in this desrt!