Motorhomers on Tour : The N10 to dusty Skoura Oasis/Dades and Todra Gorge

We were glad to get inside the gates of our campsite today, as we had been hassled from all angles today. We had Kids running out in front of the motorhome (some even laying in the middle of the road) or as soon as we stopped they were running up to the windows wanting sweets. Everywhere we walked we either had adults begging us for money, old men trying to sell their fossils that just look like dusty rocks or being hassled by traders selling jewellery, scarves or carpets. We understand that these people are poor and always try to give when we can but today was just relentless and we had just had enough!

So, we are happy to be parked in Camping Atlas (N 31.55307 W5.58547) on the Todra river at the bottom of the gorge and surrounded by palm trees.

Sonny, the motorhome enjoying his new resting spot for a couple of days

It’s been another hot day today, reaching 28°C but the beauty of this country is that the temperature drops at night to around 20°C by 9pm and down to anywhere between 15°C and 10°C during the night so you get a good night's sleep as it's not too hot!

Leaving our campsite at Assfalou (near Âit-Banhaddou) we travelled 60kms to Skoura but the road was slow as the police were out in force. King Mohammed VI (Morocco’s Head of state) was flying in to open a solar power plant in Ouarzazate and there were flags lining the road for miles and people coming in to the outskirts of the town droves in busses and cars, all with the Kings picture in the window. Apparently, he is quite well liked by the people in Morocco and especially in this part of the country.

Morocco flags all down the straight N10 for about 5kms. It must have taken them weeks to put them all up!

Next door to our campsite at Skoura (N31.04952 W6.57655) is Kasbah Amridil. The Kasbah is the grandest and most extravagantly decorated Kasbah in the oasis, and is one of the most photographed and on the front of the old 50DH note. It is reached by driving/walking across the river Oued Ameridil, which is dried up this time of year. Apparently it was full 6 weeks ago from a heavy downpour of rain, it's only the second time it has rained this year in Morocco and they are desperate for some more.

Dried up riverbed leading to the Kasbah Ameridil

Kasbah Amridil - the only 5-tower Kasbah in Morocco

There was a film crew here preparing for using it as a set for a new Jackie Chan movie that is being filmed in Morocco. The Kasbah was built in the 17^th century for the Caïd of Skoura and has a grand door and key to open it - as our guide liked to demonstrate.

There are various original implements that can be found inside.

Barley/wheat grinders and an old tagine made from wood from the Tamarisk Tree

Olive press and large trough used for making the mud/wood mix for the Kasbah walls

Sundial so they knew when it was 'call to prayer' time

In the kitchen you find the remains of the ovens used to cook the bread.

The campsite a Skoura is lovely but the place is really sandy and dusty and every so often the dust/sand would swirl it all up in the air like a mini tornado almost blinding you before settling back down again. Poor old Sonny constantly had a film of dust both inside and out. Oh well, good practice for the dessert I guess!

The following day we drove further along the N10 to Dades Gorge, along what is known as the valley of the roses, although we didn’t see any roses just loads of shops selling rose products. Dades gorge is made up of high limestone cliffs with some strange rock formations.

Monkey's Fingers rock formation at Tamlalte

En-route Mel was happy to come across this old Bedford truck in one of the villages. It was piled fairly high with all sorts!

The road ahead looks steep, with crumbling rocks! You can just see another motorhome winding its way up.

Looking back at the coil of hairpin bends to get to the top

Looking back down the valley of Dades Gorge

Going through the narrowest part of the gorge - watch out for those rocky overhangs!

The gorge is dominated by the Isk n’Isladene cliffs with incredible swirling patterns.

The surface roads from here slowly turned to dirt tracks, large potholes and sheer drops, which wasn't good for my fear of heights or for Sonny's suspension, but Mel loved driving these roads!

The road then snaked up and crossed the face of one of the huge canyon loops before it headed down to Msemrir.

You can just make out the road we took going around the canyon to Msemrir - no safety barriers and sheer drops!

Apparently, you can only continue further along this road to Tamtatoucht, north Todra Gorge. It is described as a ‘piste’ and we figured it was only going to be good if we had a 4WD and we weren't going to risk it in the motorhome, so we turned around and went back to the gorge to Tamlalte and stopped on a campsite/hotel overlooking the Monkey’s Fingers rock formation. Wow, what a view!

We got talking to an Australian couple (Ray and Lou) who were stopping in the hotel and were travelling around Morocco for a month. But instead of hiring a car decided to use taxis and buses, staying in small guest houses/hotels along the way. We thought they were mad but everyone likes to travel in different ways. They are a well-travelled couple and it was interesting to hear about all the places they had visited.

We then thought it would be adventurous to climb down to the bottom of the rock near the river and yes it is as sheer as it looks!

Excited that we made to the bottom in one piece - the climb back up was easier!

The next morning we woke to find these guys from the hotel mixing a mud/wood/cement mix with their feet!

And then it was back down the the long and straight N10 to Todra Gorge.

Where does this road end!

Once we turned off the road leading to Todra Gorge it became much more interesting.

And along the Todra Palmery - wow that's a lot of palm trees!

Then into the gorge itself, which was absolutely stunning and the photos don't really do it justice.

Mel couldn't resist a paddle

Just through the other side of the gorge we parked up to do some walking and got ambushed by all these goats. The herder was moving them up the valley to find more grass/gorse for them to graze on.

We took a short walk up the mountain, but it was far too hot to walk far. This is great territory for rock climbers, so we stopped a while to watch them.

Climbers are up there, honest, -you just have to look closely!

We then headed further round the gorge and planned to stay at a campsite in Tamtatouchte - which is as far as we can go through the gorge in the motorhome - the other side leads round to Dades Gorge and only with a 4WD!

The town was pretty grim and looked like a run down building site, that and the fact that the motorhome was soon surrounded by about 10 young children helped us make up our minds pretty quickly and we did a quick u-turn and headed back down the gorge to the little gem that is Camping Atlas on the edge of the Todra Palmery.

Sonny at Atlas Camping with his sun hat on!

From the campsite there are pathways in and around Todra Palmery, that takes in some ancient Kasbahs, lots of Palms, Fig and Olive Trees, and for most of the way follows the river.