"Almost" a Year in Provence: Outside Marrakesh

This blog entry is a continuation of our trip to Marrakesh, Morocco. On our fourth day, took a fabulous day trip to the Atlas Mountains. We met our now very good friend and driver, Abdu, at 9:30 in the morning and off we went. Nick and I enjoyed this day more than any other we spent in Morocco.

The Atlas Mountains are a range of mountains that stretch across a northern Africa extending about 2,400 km (1,500 miles) through Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The highest peak is Jbel Toubkal with an elevation of 4,167 metres (13,671 ft). Our destination that day was to a kasbah beneath this peak.

We couldn’t believe that contrast in geography as we drove south from the Marrakesh toward the mountains. We left dry, flat desert, drove through river valleys into low lying hills dotted with Berber villages and ended up under the snow capped mountains! All this in about an hour and a half’s drive!

Our route took us south from Marrakesh through the town of Tahanaote, past Moulay-Brahim. Here, we saw the Berber camel traders watering their camels by the river...

In Asni (1,150m), we stopped to have a look at Sir Richard Branson’s lavish Kasbah Tamadot. If you're wondering "What is a 'kasbah'?" it's a North African castle or fortress. Throughout North African history, the kasbah served as the seat of the local ruler, or feudal master, as well as the hiding place of the local population during attacks. As described by Abdu, it would have been the grandest dwelling place in any tribal area. Some are grander than others. The former owner of this kasbah was clearly very well to do and Branson did a major 7 year renovation prior to it's opening in early 2005.

In days gone by, this was the entrance door for the camels and horses; people on foot would have entered through another adjacent door...

The grounds were lovely and the whole place had a real peace about it. During our visit we saw about 10 people lounging by the pool...

Nice tree house!!

We continued on our way up the valley. Along the way there were a few Berber villages close to the road. Here, a woman is carrying water from the river across the bridge to her home in the hills.

The Berber people live a very rustic life out here, spending their days clearing stones from the fields, grazing a cow or two and gathering firewood and water. However, we noticed satellite dishes on many of their roofs so we know what many of them are doing when the sun goes down!!

The landscape changed dramatically as we neared Toubkal. The hillsides became steeper and greener. The Berber peoples who inhabit these lands have 'tenaciously created fertile garden terraces from a wilderness of stone". If you look closely at this photo, on the left, you will see the terraces in the hillside. In many of these terraces we were surprised to see apple trees! They were growing all over the valley. We would have thought it too hot in the summer for them to grow here, but apparently not.

We stopped to soak up the view, smell the fresh air and listen to the quiet. It was really magnificent...

A short while later we ended our journey in Imlil where we left the car and hiked up to the more rustic Kasbah du Toubkal(1,800m) at the base of Jbel Toubkal(4,167m). This peak is well known by climbers from all over the world and this kasbah is a popular starting off point. From the moment we started our hike we were rewarded with these spectacular views...

As we walked up to the kasbah, we were not alone. Villagers walk almost everywhere, often with their animals...

Guests arriving at the Kasbah du Toubkal usually hire a young boy, like this and his mule to carry their luggage, note the red suitcase in his basket. Mules here are also called Morocan 4X4's!

The Kasbah du Toubkal is an extraordinary venture, the product of an imaginative Berber and European partnership. They have a shared belief that the beauty of the Toubkal National Park should be accessible to all who respect it. The kasbah has expanded in an ad hoc, architect-free way and has become a hill top hamlet of hospitality in the area. It is a welcoming environment for indigent backpacker, those seeking a comfortable mountain refuge as well as for those desiring superb rooms in a stunning setting.

The Kasbah du Toubkal is not a hotel in the traditional sense, it is more an extension of the hospitality that stems from the home of the Berbers who run it.

The main 'house' with rooms as well as dining and congregating areas...

On this tapis-covered, roof top terrace, day trippers like us could sit and have a meal or a cup of sweet Moroccan mint tea and enjoy the view...

Sleeping bags taking advantage of a warm, sunny day...and the view!

Neither Nick or I have ever been to Tibet but we felt that in Toubkal we had found that a mountain landscape of Tibetan grandeur and isolation. It may not be Tibet, but, as Martin Scorsese discovered when he filmed part of his Dalai Lama here, it’s pretty close. If Nick and I return to Morocco someday, we would definitely include a stay here!

Back from our long day, we enjoyed another wonderful private dinner at our riad. That night there were a few new guests who shared ‘our’ roof top dining room with us. A very pleasant Dutch woman, Zoe, who now lives in southern Spain sat next to us and we chatted a bit. We enjoyed her so much that the next morning at breakfast, we decided to accompany her to a few special stalls in the Djemaa el Fna for a bit of last minute shopping. I wished we’d had Zoe with us earlier in the trip; she had the confidence which comes from wheeling and dealing with these vendors before. Not only did she know the best dealers, she knew how to get the best prices as well.

At 11:30, a taxi picked us up at Riad Azzar and took us to Amanjena("peaceful paradise"), a luxury resort just outside Marrakesh, recommended by Mohamed. At his suggestion, we had decided to spend a relaxing, last day here having a fabulous massage at their Health and Beauty Center followed by a relaxing lunch at their pool terrace restaurant.

As Amanjena's brochure says, "Flowing water is a gift in this desert country, a symbol of grace and abundance". Water is everywhere at the resort

Over lunch, we reflected on all we had seen and experienced here in Morocco and decided it was by far the most eye opening, unique place we’ve ever visited. We also decided an afternoon at Amanjena was a heavenly way to end a vacation!