Get ready for the most epic road trip of all times
Here’s something you need to know: A visit to Morocco is never complete without experiencing its amazing South east. From the High Atlas mountains to the famous Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, Dades valley and the Sahara: it’s breathtaking. It’s mesmerizing. It’s incredible.
So let the road trip begin! At the morning of June 7th we were picked up at our hotel by two members of the amazing Sahara Desert crew team at 8am. Ready to go.
Before I continue, a disclaimer: I know we’re way too overdressed for a road trip. But hey, don’t forget that one of FashionContainer’s main philosophies is to travel in style. SO.
From Marrakech to Dades Valley
With a good 700 km to drive from Marrakech to Dades Valley in front of us, we better get moving. I never really mind a drive, staring out the window watching the landscapes pass by while listening to my favourite tunes and making a pitstop for some lemonade here and there might as well be one of the best things there are in life. And after all, you know what they say: it’s about the journey, not the destination.
We made many small stops along the way, a favourite being the one in the High Atlas mountains at the Tizi N’ Tichka pass at 2260m altitude. From here you have fantastic views over the valley below and small Berber villages that camouflage in the earthy dark brown landscape.
Hot, hot, hot!
The further south east we drive, the warmer it gets. By the time it’s 1 in the afternoon we’ve finished 3 1.5 litres bottles of water between the two us. We feel terrible for our driver and guide, who are both fasting for Ramadan. After we drive into a village nearby the famous Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou, we stop for a traditional Moroccan lunch. Harira soup, a tagine, beef skewers and a delicious milky coffee as a side treat. Delicious! After being completely fuelled up and well rested, we start making the walk to the top of the Kasbah.
the Kasbah of Ait Ben Haddou
I’ve never witnessed a more ancient looking place than this! It somehow reminds me of a movie, which isn’t surprising, because several have been recorded here. Including the Gladiator, Obelix and the Jewel of the Nile. After what feels a few hundred steps up later, we make it to the top of the Kasbah from where you look out beautifully over the village, valley and mountains in the distance. And yes, as you can see in the pictures below, we felt that reaching the top meant that a little victory dance in place!
After visiting the Kasbah, the drive continues. We still have a couple of hours left to make it to our destination of that day before sunset! The closer we get to the Dades valley, the more interesting the scenery becomes. From magestic rock formations to a river, villages in the mountains and view points. It’s breathtaking. We stop by one of the viewpoints right in the rock formations: see pictures below. This was my personal favourite moment of the day, the beauty and atmosphere was something hard to put in words and especially with the late afternoon light shining over the mountains that surrounded us, it was magic.
Lucky for us, we stayed in a hotel only a 10 minute drive from here, right in the middle of the mountains. We watched the sun go down from our balcony while sipping on some freshly brewed mint tea. Bliss!
Thanks to Sahara Desert Crew for hosting us on this journey. Stay tuned for the coverage of the next part of the trip!
