Riad Ait Ali Oulhaj Ouarzazate

... You can travel second class, which saves you 6 euro but also allows you to sit or stand with whoever you (don't) want First or second class it's definitely best to bring your own sandwiches, as they're more expensive than the fare. <br> <br>We stayed the night in Marrakech in a really wonderful Riad, Which a had a beautiful internal courtyard with a fountain in the centre, the guest rooms around the edges ...

Just quick entry to set the map pin. Suffice I lucked out and nabbed a guide in Merzouga who just happened to be headed to Marrakech to pick up 3 Spanish clients to guide them on a 10 day tour of Morocco.<br><br> Thus, instead of struggling w/ mind-boggling taxi negotiations to navigate to Quarzazate (about 8 hrs. from Merzouga), I ...

So here we are in the Dades Valley, attached to a Nomadic Berber (extended) family with their 230+ goats &amp; sheep, 3 Mules, 10 Camels, 4 Dogs, 3 Donkeys, &amp; 2 Chickens. Family runs from Grandma down to the 2 year old &amp; from here for 7 days it's trek, camp &amp; cook with them.<br>We have our guide (Lassan) &amp; cook (Ahmed) so we can communicate &amp; eat if not easily wash etc.<br>On the way up we drove through Ouarzazate (think film sets ...

Ait Ben Haddou is one of the oldest Kasbahs in Morocco. Onthe way to the hotel we saw goats on the side of a maountain. And from the roof of the hotel I took pictures of the kasbah and the neighbors garden. We met 2 German girls the next morning and gave them a ride to Casablanca. They were lots of fun.

Ouarzazate in itself is not a very interesting town. But because of its location, it is great as a jumping off point for excursions into both the sahara and picturesque gorges, two trips we wanted to take. We arrived on an unusually rainy and cold day. We had no idea how we would do these little excursions; busses didn't really go where we wanted and renting a car was too expensive. We were intent on meeting some people ...

... was about 23 people in the bus at any given time :) Arrived in Ait Benhaddou in the late afternoon, very very tired! However, still had enough energy to climb the Kasbah and just miss out on sunset unfortunately! Last thing to do for the night was to have a cooking demonstration of cous cous and tagines by "mr action" (who has been an extra in about 20 movies including indiana jones) and his sister.

... achingly slow up the winding Anti Atlas mountain pass, made slower for all the drops for locals in tiny village towns along the way until eventually descending into the Ameln Valley where Tafraoute is nestled. Despite standing for alot of the way, we loved every minute for the outstanding scenery. Arrived to be met by the mandatory local 'guide' who directed us to a hotel, his bike shop, jewellery &amp; carpet shop- off to check out a hotel written up in the lonely ...

... They're dotted with beautiful kasbah towns, perched up on hills with their own mosques and Berber charm. O top of that, the road was hazardous and our bus dr8ver had obviosly been replaced by an escapee from the local mental hospital. I almost asked the driver to recommend a good mental trauma hospital for myself. Not many photos as it got dark half way into the trip.

Issam was going to work that morning and had promised to wake me up before he left, because I needed to be at the car rental place early, to take advantage of the day - but he didn't. And I didn't have my cellphone, since it got lost in Casablanca, and therefore no personal alarm clock. So I didn't wake up until at 12:30. I did wake up earlier at one point, but Issam was still sleeping, and as he had to be at work at 6am, the time must have been less than that, so I ...

... you know how people often leave something to hold their seat while they're gone; a jacket, a book, a bottle of water? Well apparently in Morocco some guys leave grain scythes. Djemaa el-Fna; the heart and soul of Marrakesh. One of those place that exceeds expectations and, as cliché as it may be, really has to be seen to be believed. It's strange shape is outlined by roughly 60 portable stalls, about 3/4 of which sell orange juice squeezed while you wait (not ...