I
have crossed another adventure from my bucket list this year.A movie buff from way back, I’ve watched
"Lawrence of Arabia" many years ago and ever since, I have dreamt of going into
the desert riding a camel.I recently realised
this dream when I visited Zagora; a small town in Morocco’s South.As I began to gather some information on
Zagora, I found out that some of the scenes of that famous movie had been shot in
that region.My planned desert trek suddenly
became that much more exciting.I simply
loved the time I spent there.
The town of Zagora sits at
the foot of the Atlas Mountains and on the shore of the Draa Valley in South
Eastern Morocco.It is flanked by the
mountain Zagora from which the town got its name. The ancient name of the town was “Draa,”
alluding to the valley.Not until the
twentieth century was the town renamed Zagora although some Bedouins still
refer to the town as “Draa".
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Stop over before arriving at Zagora - Morocco
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Round-about at Zagora - Morocco
Zagora
boomed in the eleventh century when the Almoravids built an imposing fortress
that protected the town against outside aggression for many centuries.As the city of Zagora is over 700m in
altitude, it is a little less scorching here than in neighbouring towns.It is still an arid climate however; with
summer temperatures reaching 35°C to 42°C, and middle of winter temperatures
getting down to -10°C at night.
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Locals resting in a street, Zagora - Morocco
The Draa Valley is a considerable resource for
the hundreds of families in Zagora.Millions of palm trees grow and produce dates each harvest season.The date sector plays an important role in regional
development, providing Morocco, and overseas countries with various kinds of this
delicious fruit.
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Date Palms all around, Zagora - Morocco
Zagora and the region is now home of several
ethnic communities including black African groups who emigrated from
Sub-Saharan Africa, along with clans from the Caravans which have emerged and
co-existed since the first Saadyin dynasty.Arabs have also settled in Zagora, coming from Marrakech since the
medieval times.Today, most of Zagora’s
residents live either as field workers in the oases of Draa, or in the tourism
industry, while a few others are state employees working in public institutions.
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - A local man chatting with the tourists, Zagora - Morocco
A camel trek in Zagora is the experience of a
lifetime. This activity involves riding
camels while exploring the breath-taking desert sights and the warm hospitality
from the locals.
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - The Caravan waiting to take us to the Desert, Zagora - Morocco
I took a two-day track to Zagora which took me from Marrakech to the barren and spectacular Atlas mountains on to Ouarzazate and then Zagora where camels or should I say dromedaries were waiting to take the group I was travelling with to the edge of the mighty Sahara Desert.
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - My assigned mode of transport
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Interesting feet of the Camel as they are feet not hooves!
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Camel tracks on the ground
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Heading to our overnight camp in the Desert
At the overnight camp, we were greeted with the
traditional mint tea and allocated our tents for the night.We enjoyed a delicious dinner of hot soup,
tagine, and fresh fruit.After the meal,
we sang and danced to the sounds of Berber drums and songs late into the night.
The next morning, before returning to Zagora, we watched the sun rise over the dunes. I had never experienced the miracle of nature as intensely as I did that morning.
Soon after, we rode back to Zagora where our bus
was waiting to take us back to Marrakech by the evening.
I simply could not tell you what I have most enjoyed
out of this magic trek.The scenery, the
local hospitality, the history of the place, the architecture, the desert, the
cranky but so adorable and tenacious dromedaries, the food, the sounds, the
smells, the music.
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Sunrise in the Desert
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - The Dunes of the Mighty Sahara Desert
Everything combined made this trip an unforgettable experience which I highly recommend to anyone willing to discover something totally different and unexpected.You simply must go there; you will love it.
Ouarzazate was the first
stopover on my trip to the desert.I
left Marrakesh one morning with another ten or so fellow travellers and headed
south to the town of Zagora.After a few
hours’ drive and having crossed the cold and wind-swept Atlas Mountains, we
enjoyed a stopover and a visit of the Old Ouarzazate and a well-deserved lunch.
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - The mighty Atlas Mountains
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Pottery for sale on the side of the road
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Isolated houses and cultivation fields on our way to Ouarzazate
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Local pottery for sale
Ouarzazate,
nicknamed the “Doorway to the Desert”,
is a city in south-central Morocco.It
is located at 1,200 metres above sea level in the middle of a bare plateau
south of the High Atlas Mountains.To
the south of the town is the desert.The
name Ouarzazate comes from a Berber phrase meaning "without noise" or
"without confusion".As in
many cities around the world, there are two districts in Ouarzazate, the Old
and the New.That day, we visited the
old district and left the discovery of the new section of the city upon our
return from Zagora and our desert trek.
The town is chiefly inhabited by a Berber-speaking
population, who constructed many of the prominent Kasbahs and buildings for
which the area is known. Ouarzazate is
an important holiday destination in Morocco and a base for excursions across
the Draa Valley and into the desert.
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Mud bricks used for the buildings inOuarzazate
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Shop keeper and her merchandise of beautiful vibrant clothing
Also Nicknamed “Ouallywood” the Ouarzazate
area is a noted film-making location, with Morocco's biggest studios inviting
many international companies to work there.Films such as Lawrence of Arabia, The Last Temptation of Christ, The
Mummy, Romancing the Stone and Gladiator to name a few were shot there, as was
part of the TV series Game of Thrones.
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Sign indicating where some of the scenes from Gladiator were shot
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Part of an Egyptian Temple at the Movie Studio - Ouarzazate, Morocco
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - A street in the Studio - Ouarzazate, Morocco
Many directors have held an obsession with the
beautiful range of landscapes and locations which are in easy reach.These include Orson Wells, Ridley Scott, and
David Lean.Any movie buff and I count
myself as one simply could not have gone there and not visited the
studios.What a magical place!!From narrow streets in the souk; Egyptian
chariots to jet planes and more, everything was there to let your mind wander
and marvel at the magic of movie-making.I had a wonderful time there.
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Jet plane used for Romancing the Stone...I think?
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Part of a Buddhist Temple at the Studio - Ouarzazate, Morocco
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Ancient piece of machinery at the Studio
The new, more recent, and modern section of
Ouarzazate caters for its population increase but also for the growing number
of tourists requiring a wide range of services when visiting the area.
The area is also known for its Ouazguita carpets
with geometric designs of red-orange on black background.The city was part of the route of the 2006
and 2007 Dakar Rally.
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Carpets for Sale
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Rugs and Carpets for Sale - Ouarzazate, Morocco
Daniel's Food and Wine Tours - Carpet Merchants waiting for the tourists - Ouarzazate, Morocco
The main reason for spending time in Ouarzazate is
its prime location for many day trips and overnight excursions to oasis valleys
and the Sahara Desert.After a
well-earned break and a delicious lunch, the next stop was to be Zagora and the
camel trek that was to take the group to the overnight camp in the desert.I had waited a long, long time for this
moment.
