Storyline: Highlights of Morocco
Jan 22
Today we hiked in the mountains and I felt at home again. Left the hotel at Aït Benhaddou around 8:30am and drove up pretty windy narrow roads through many small villages. We stopped at a place to observe and take photos of a typical Berber village, where the houses were built into the cliffs.
The road was zig-zagging (like a switchback on railroads) along a deep river gorge with small agricultural fields and old houses down the valley. The newer houses are built by the road. Most of the younger generation work in tourism or in the cities, and support their families in the villages.
We drove for about an hour, following the gorge on the left before we descended to a bridge and crossed the river, leaving it on the right side. Here in the high altitude we spotted many walnut trees.
Shortly after, we left the river valley and entered the snowy mountains, the sun shining on their peaks. The road opened up to a wider valley as we crossed through the town of Telonet. The mountains were so very different from what I’ve experienced.
They were etched by erosion and instead of sharp rocks, one sees sandy rounded peaks. And so, although we were at over 2000m, I had the feeling we were driving through hills. The road was still following the river but the valley was much more open.
After an hour or so, we joined the highway from Merzouga to Marrakech. It was still rather winding high above the river and there was lots of construction to keep the erosion at bay.
We drove through the Tizi N-Thichka pass at 2260 m above sea level and began our descent.
At a curve in the road there was a widened area for us to stop (along with half a dozen other small tour groups) for a panoramic photo or two of the much-photographed Thichka pass.
And then we had a nice coffee stop, where we enjoyed the sun warming the crisp air. After the previous day’s hail, rain & snow and not knowing if the roads would be open for our high mountain adventure, it turned out to be a great sunny day.
When back on the bus, Said gave us a French menu to select from for our lunch that he had to pre-order by phone. Alex and I appeared to be the only people who understood French, so Alex ran by everyone and helped them select.
In the meanwhile, the road was scary narrow given all the construction trucks. At noon, temperatures were still around zero with lots of ice at the edge of the road. This lasted about 15 min until we descended further and the roads improved. Here, we saw many deciduous trees, including olives, and even a few poplars.
Our lunch was close to Marrakech from where we’d branch off for the mountains. We stopped at a chain restaurant by a gas station, where our driver filled up and washed the van while we were having our lunch. He washes the van every morning before he picks us up; however, this morning there was ice on the windows and he had to defrost it before we left.
After lunch we turned towards Mt. Tupkal, the highest mountain in Morocco at 4166m. We had a panoramic view of beautifully layered snowy mountain ridges. The road was straight and good for a while, with bike lanes on the side.
Many houses, schools, sheep, bikes and cars. After about 30 min we entered a rather big and busy town of Onrika, drove by the markets, then through the town of Tahnaout, the houses of which all looked new. We stopped for a photo and eventual shopping break. This time the subject was Azaru, the oldest village in the area.
Shortly afterwards the road became narrow and winding again following the river gorge with tight 180° turns. Cherry and apple farms abounded around Ansi village. We also drove past walnut forests (80% of the trees in the area were walnuts), then passed by Richard Branson’s Kasbah, where he has a foundation for girls schooling, and finally reached Imlil, Said’s home village.
With only our overnight backpacks, we disembarked the bus and said goodbye to Larbi and our luggage.
After a coffee break, we met the muleteers and the mules, dropped our overnight bags into the big saddle bags/baskets and began our hike.
Loved the lazy hike with many photo opportunities that no one missed. It took us about two hours before we reached the village of Armed at about 2000m. Such exceptional views! Oh, and the freshness of the air!
Armed is a small Berber village and is the highest village in the Aït Mizane Valley. As such it is a base for summitting Mt Toubkal. The village life is organized primarily by a local development organization led by the elders of the village.
Our gite was one of the re-purposed houses. It had a few rooms with 3 beds each. Many warm blankets.
No heating at all, aside from in the small sitting area’s wood fire that would burn to ashes before we even had dinner. It was freezing, but I was in my element. Upon arrival we sat on the terrace, and as expected we were served the usual mint tea and “traditional Moroccan” (not really) popcorn. Stunning!
It reminded my youth, the mountains where I used to hike. It reminded me the huts in the high mountains, which could only be reached by hiking, sometimes days of hiking. I tried to take it all in while the dark was descending on us.
We gathered by the fireplace, many wrapped in the blankets, while waiting for dinner to be served. There was a gas (propane) heater in the dining room – a small area with a table that barely fit all of us.
The heater was turned on while we ate, but shortly after it burned out. The dinner, a cous-cous with vegetables and chicken tagine, was delicious, as we had come to expect.
Especially in the cold fresh air surrounding us. After dinner we cocooned in our beds. I was in my light summer sleeping bag topped with at least 5 warm, heavy wool blankets. It was around -8C to -12C. Or perhaps colder. But in the morning, everyone would say this was their best sleep of the trip.
After breakfast the next morning, we would descend by the same trail to Imlil from where Larbi would take us to our next destination.
I gladly would have spent a few days in the area.
Now transcribing my notes in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and knowing that travel will be out of question for at least a year, most probably two, I am even more nostalgic about the fresh, crisp, thin air of the high Atlas Mountains.
Great post ?