Over the High Atlas Mountains via Marrakesh

We are in the Atlas Mountains and parked up at a lovely campsite 3kms down the road from Âit-Banhaddou.  Sonny has a perfect spot overlooking the river Asif Ounila towards the High Atlas one side and a pool the other.  

It has a parking area for a few motorhomes but we are the only one on here.  The site also has small chalets and as it is quite, the owner has let us have access to one of the chalets to use the bathroom/shower facilities and charging us only 80DH (about 7.50 euros) a night with electric – wow I think we will stay here until winter!!

Leaving the campsite at Ounagha, on the road to Marrakesh, we came across this strange sight - goats in the branches of Argan Trees.  

The goats like to eat the fleshy part of the argan fruit.  The inner nut is crushed and used to extract the Argan oil.  As soon as we pulled up to take photos we were ambushed by a Moroccon goatherder (armed with baby goat) demanding money for the photos.  We ended up having to part with 12Dh and some bonbons not much I know but we could have taken the photos for free!

Another sight you see a lot of in Morocco – a horse and cart walking down the road, only this on had so much stuff on it you can hardly see the man driving it!

Once in Marrakesh we parked up on an Aire (N31,62366 W7.99605) right next to the Koutoubia Mosque, the 12^th century Minaret is 70m high and is visible for miles around.  Costs 80DH a night and no facilities, but a plus side is we are right in the centre.

The Souks in Marrakesh are a vast maze of alleys and small squares.  They are just row after row of shops and stalls selling the same merchandise: rugs, leather goods, wooden boxes, jewellery, clothing, herbs and spices, pottery and lots of tacky souvenirs.  You also get haggled from every angle –“come into my shop, I give you good price."  "Ah, you are English, I give you a better price” The only trouble is you get in the shop and it then becomes a battle to get out without buying anything but that said it all adds to the experience of Marrakesh.

Jemaa el Fna – the city’s famous central square is surrounded by cafés and street entertainers.  Unfortunately, you see the cruelty of the snake charmers and monkey men with the Barbary macaques (an endangered species) on chains and they try and get money out of you to have your photo taken with them.  We decided not to take any photos here!

After the hustle and bustle in the Kasbah we walked up to Majorelle Garden.  The beautiful mature 12-acre botanical garden, created by French painter Jacques Majorelle in the 1920s and subsequently owned by fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent is a really tranquil place to wander around.  When YSL died in 2008, his ashes were scattered in the garden which now contains a memorial to him.  The Art Deco pavilion at the heart of the garden is painted in striking cobalt blue, which he used to brilliantly offset the plants

There were some many lovely photos taken here, it was hard to limit to just a few!

Lilly Pond with Koi Carp

Memorial to Yves Saint-Laurent

Designs by YSL used by him as Christmas Cards

In the evening we went back to Jemaa el Fna, where it was bussling with musicians, acrobats and storytellers and hundreds of people in the square milling around or eating.

One of the many street entertainers

We stopped at one of the street stalls to have some couscous and barbequed lamb, which was quite tasty!

The next morning Allah O’clock (otherwise known as ‘Call to Prayer’) came way too early – 5.15am!  We have got used to being woken up by this most mornings around 5.45am/6am and the call lasts about 30 seconds, so you can roll over and go back to sleep.  Not so in Marrakesh – the wailing/chanting went on for about 10 minutes, that will teach us to park up right next to a mosque!  So given the early morning alarm call, we decided we would have an early start as it was going to be about a 190kms drive on the N9 and over the High Atlas Mountains via the Tizi n’Tichka  to Âit-Banhaddou.  It was slow bumpy road in parts and then we came to the Tizi n’Tichka. A series of switchbacks and hairpins as it climbs to 2260m.

Tizi n'Tichka Pass over the High Atlas Mountains

The first half of the road (view above) has seen major improvements, the second half however is still to be done and this in parts was like a dirt track.  The route provided some amazing views on the way, passing through small villages and fields. 

Road stalls line the road in parts trying to sell their wares of mostly fossils and jewellery.  This one was right on a bend – bit risky stopping here!

The southern gates of the Tizi n'tichka.  These and the norther gates close when the weather is bad

Âit-Banhaddou comes into sight as the road doubles back towards the High Atlas mountains.

Five hours later we arrive at Camping Defat Kasbah, Assfalou and enjoy a glass of whiskey Berber with our Berber hosts.  We are beginning to get a taste for this mint tea stuff!

Sally x