Ifrane, Midelt, & Sahara Desert
“For all the toll the desert takes on a person, it gives compensations: deep breaths, deep sleep, and the communion of the stars.”
–Mary Austin
Day 6 – Monday, January 15, 2024
Just after pulling away from our hotel, Adbul had the bus stop at a bakery, returning with several large boxes of cookies. Leaving Fes, we drove south on RN8 to Ifrane, where we stopped for coffee and a potty break. Ifrane is a town in Morocco’s Middle Atlas Mountains (sometimes referred to as “the little Switzerland of Morocco”). Here Abdul also broke out the first box of fancy Moroccan cookies—delicious! Ifrane is known for its alpine-style architecture and nearby ski slopes and forests. A stone statue of a lion near leafy Parc la Prairie is a well-known landmark.
At this time, we discovered the bus was experiencing engine trouble and we needed to wait for a replacement. We wandered around Ifrane while we waited and enjoyed the charming town and its cool weather.
All abord our new bus we continued south toward Azrou, where we turned onto RN13, taking us over Col du Zad (7,146 ft) and into Zaida. Abdul took lunch orders on the bus, phoned them in, and our food was ready when we arrived, allowing us to make up precious time lost waiting for the new bus. Zaida was a beautiful valley, with topography reminiscent of the colorfully carved rock formations of the deserts in the American Southwest. Afterward we passed through Midelt, famous for its apples. Abdul stopped and purchased a bag for us to enjoy. Over the mountains we passed Reservoir du Barrage A Hassan Addakhil, and then stopped for a potty break at Lune de Desert, just outside Errachidia in the Ziz Valley.
For most of us, the rush was to arrive at our 4x4s in time to race to the northern edge of the Sahara Desert before the sun set. It was tight, but we quickly transitioned into our vehicles and were off. Dave and I shared a vehicle with Claire and Andy from Southampton, UK. I knew there was the option to ride camels, but had no idea they were our only means of reaching the sand dunes for the sunset.
Something you won’t find on camel saddles: stirrups, which makes the ride less than comfortable to say the least. Despite the lack of comfort, as you see in the photographs, the evening lighting on the dunes can only be described as magical. Twenty minutes and a few hemorrhoids later, we arrived at our spot to watch the sun disappear over the western horizon. It really was a moment to savor and treasure.
Back on the camels for another 20 minutes and we arrived at our “camp” where we received free tubes of Preparation H. Camp is in quotes because our tents had full beds, heating, flush toilets, sinks, and hot showers—not exactly roughing it. The official name was Auberge du Sud (Southern Hostel), based out of Merzouga. Dinner was served in the massive dining tent and then we all moved to the outdoor fire pit to enjoy local music. A bit of desert star gazing was the perfect end to another perfect day.
Sunrise from the bus shortly after departing Fes.
The major mountain ranges of Morocco: Rif, Middle Atlas, High Atlas, & Anti-Atlas
A wonderful cappuccino at Café Restaurant LA PAIX in Ifrane, the Little Switzerland of Morocco found high in the Middle Atlas Mountains.
Outside the café.
Ifrane’s stone lion was carved by a German soldier during WWII, when Ifrane was used briefly as a prisoner-of-war camp, in exchange for the prisoner's freedom—or so the story goes.
The statue commemorates the last wild Atlas lion, which was shot near here in the early 1920s. Not the cheeriest backstory, which is not unlike the grizzly bear on the California flag I suppose. Having your picture taken with the lion is something of a ritual for Moroccan day trippers (and tourists alike, apparently).
The ever-present stork. The chimney could be either a real plus or a real negative for this stork family, hard to say which.
Local police vehicle
Our new bus arrives
Pine forest in Morocco—unexpected.
Vasts deserts with nomadic peoples—expected.
A city known for apple production—didn’t see that one coming either.
Midelt is very proud of their apples…
Very proud.
A little on the mealy side for my tastes, but not bad.
I tried to catch it earlier, but that’s a tight, one-vehicle-at-a-time tunnel behind us—wild!
You may see the landscape in the American Southwest, but not the building.
Passing the locals.
Step 1: Jump in Hassan’s 4x4, crank up Desert Rose by Sting, and head for the great Sahara Desert!
Step 2: Climb onto an ornery camel.
Step 3: Ride off into the sunset.
Dave, me, Claire, & Andy
Caravan in the sand
Dave & me (Look ma: no hands!)
My friend Edmund Camel
Pawprints from a desert fox.
Holding the sun
Dave
Heading…ouch…to…ouch…camp.
The moon hangs over our not-so-humble abodes (the little boxes between the tents are individual water heaters).
At dinner: Carey (Canada), Dave, me, Joe & Sharon (Bay Area), Cayla (Canada), & Andy (Southampton, UK).
Sam (China), Steve & Tina (South Carolina), Scott & Clay (Colorado), our guide Adbul, Natasha (Dallas), Andy (North Wales), and May (China).
The typical shared salad, although this one was exceptionally good: carrots, potatoes, mixed grains, eggplant/aborigine, and green beans. I don’t know how they prepared the green beans, but they were some of the best I’ve ever enjoyed.
Traditional Moroccan music around the campfire.
Good night Morocco. I said goodnight!
