Morocco > From Tata to Tafraoute

Waking up this morning was no problem. The rooms were fairly noisy, and before my alarm went off, several nearby alarms had already sounded. After breakfast, which included a pancake, the luggage was strapped back onto the Landrovers.

Morocco - The hotel in Tata

We departed at eight o’clock and immediately stopped in Tata to purchase supplies for our picnic lunch. The village looked much more cheerful and lively in daylight than it had the previous evening. We left Tata heading toward the mountains. After about half an hour, the paved road ended, and we continued over a rocky path. In a Berber village, we got out of the Landrovers and continued on foot. We walked through the village under considerable local attention. The village was situated in an oasis, so the surroundings were quite green. We followed the path along the dry riverbed. On the way, roadwork was underway—the road was to be paved. While it was a shame for such a nice walking route, it would spare the locals a lot of dust when traffic passed. After more than two hours of pleasant walking, we met the Landrovers and drivers again. They had parked the vehicles in the riverbed and prepared lunch next to the jeeps. In the sunshine, sitting on a blanket on the river stones, it was a wonderful spot to relax. The lunch was again well-prepared, this time with sardines for fish. After lunch, we got back in and drove along a beautiful route through the mountains. The road was mostly unpaved, with stones and rocks, and with some jolting, we zigzagged upward quickly.

Morocco - A walk through the oasis

From the steep ridge, we enjoyed a magnificent view over the valley. Fortunately, we met no oncoming traffic, as there was barely room to pass. At the top of the pass, we made a short photo stop. Standing at over 2,000 meters, the wind made it quite chilly. After taking a few nice photos, we drove down a stunning descent to Igherm. In this village, we stopped briefly for a drink and to shake off the dust from the car ride. Chairs were quickly set up for us on the terrace (people had to get up to make room). All the chairs were lined up along the wall, overlooking the street. Meanwhile, a row of children had gathered on the street, staring at us. Who was watching whom? Just reaching for the camera made everyone disappear or turn away. That alone was enough of a signal not to take any photos there. The tea was so awful that we simply couldn’t drink it. Perhaps not polite, but we left it. After a short walk through Igherm, we drove to Tafraoute on paved roads. Along the way, there were stunning hairpin bends and many rises and descents. Around four o’clock, we entered Tafraoute. The town is charming, serves as a regional hub, and is more accustomed to tourists. Normally, we would have spent two days here, but the intended hotel was under renovation, and the work had been delayed. The alternative (and more expensive) hotel did not have enough beds available for the first night. Therefore, we had to drive another hour to a hotel on the way to Tiznit, near Tighmi. Before driving there, we had about an hour to walk around Tafraoute. The meat and chickens were literally and figuratively hanging exposed in the stalls. The final leg to the hotel was challenging.

Morocco - On the top of the mountain pass

We spent over an hour in the vehicle, and it seemed as if the driver kept going faster. Meanwhile, the sun slowly set, and darkness fell. The hotel was perched on a rocky hill—likely, it would offer a beautiful view in daylight. In the restaurant, we ordered the usual dinner (this time meat Tajine) for eight o’clock. We had a pleasant two hours on the room afterward, showering and resting. The food was good, though not exceptional. We were getting used to Tajine. It turned out that the saffron some people had bought in Tafraoute was not saffron at all, but simply curry. The soup starter, with plenty of curry, quickly passed for “saffron soup.” After the meal, we had a drink at the bar. When paying, Maarten and I were offered a glass of whisky by a man at the bar (the exact reason escaped us, but a gift is a gift…). Amusingly, there was cola available for the whisky, whereas earlier in the evening the cola had run out (without whisky, that is). After a short chat with the man about his dog, we went to bed around half past eleven.