Marrakech: An overview - Part 34

Road trips out of Marrakech – continued,

A road trip to the east takes you into The Valley of the Kasbahs. Here I will give just a short overview of the things you can explore on your journey.

Skoura is the first town east of Ouarzazate and is notable for a palmeraie with imposing old kasbahs.
This includes the Kasbah Amerhidil which is now part hotel and part museum. It was once owned by the Glaoui family.

El Kelaa M’Gouna is a small town that lies at the heart of rose growing area. In this industry most of the petals picked each spring are exported for use in the perfume industry.

To get to Dadès Gorge you just follow the road north from Boumalne du Dadès to find this stunning gorge. It also acts as a spectacular backdrop for several kasbahs.

Tinerhir is built on a rocky outcrop. It is the region’s administrative centre and is bordered by lush palm groves. It is also known for its silver jewellery as it has several working silver mines nearby.

Take a trip to the Todra Gorge and see sheer cliffs dramatically rise on either side of this narrow gorge. It has the attractive village of Tamtattouchte at the northern end and with two hotels it makes an overnight stay possible.

At Goulmina you can see the fortified villages, or ksours. They were built here to provide a strong defence against the pillaging nomads. A walled settlement east of the Erfoud road is worth taking a detour for.

From the town of Er Rachidia the extensive palm groves of Ziz and Tafilalt start. This place presents an interesting chance to take some unusual photographs. This place is also known for crafts such as pottery and carved wooden objects. Again you can get some good photos but you may have to make a small payment to any of the craftsmen you want to include in your shot.

Erfoud is a peaceful town that serves as a base for tours to the soaring Erg Chebbi sand dunes and the Tafilalt palm grove. It also hosts a three day Date Festival each October following the annual date harvest. If you like dates time your trip to include this.

Rissani is an ancient town dating back to the 7th century and lies on the very edge of the Sahara. It also has a very famous souk.

Merzouga is a Saharan oasis at the foot of the Erg Chebbi dunes. Here you can find Camel drivers that offer anything from one hour to two day tours into the dunes.

Continued in part 35