We signed up for a tour with a driver and a 4WD to take us over the Atlas Mountains into the Sahara, on the way from Marrakech to Fez. Details of the plan with the company Morocco Explored.
Our driver for the next four days is Abdoul. He speaks good English, and has a great sense of humour.
Theme music for this blog entry: 'A Horse with No Name'.
Carpets drying
Zat Valley
Heading into the High Atlas mountains in late April; snow still on the tops. Jebel Toubkal is the highest peak in north Africa at 4,167m (13,671ft). The coastal areas are mostly Arab. Inland they are mostly Berber. Further south are Tuaregs.
Repairing a slip near Teddart Village
Pottery for sale at Ait Hakim
Friendly man in Tazlida market
Berber man
Our driver told us this was a 'dark village'. People living here come from further south; more African than Arab.
Tizi n'Tichka Pass
Descending from the High Atlas. Country getting drier.
Road in to a salt mine
Ounila Valley
Aït Benhaddou
Several films have been shot here, including:
Sodom And Gomorrah (1963)
Oedipus Rex (1967)
The Man Who Would Be King (film) (1975)
The Message (1976)
Jesus of Nazareth (1977)
Time Bandits (1981)
Marco Polo (1982)
The Jewel of the Nile (1985)
The Living Daylights (1987)
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)
The Sheltering Sky (1990)
Kundun (1997)
The Mummy (1999)
Gladiator (2000)
Alexander (2004)
Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
Babel (2006)
One Night with the King (2006)
Prince of Persia (2010)
Son of God (film) (2014)
Also used in parts of the TV series Game of Thrones.
Climbing Aït Benhaddou
Father and daughter on a camel
We had better get some turbans for the camel trek
The road to the Sahara
Other road users
George helping with a desert well
What could possibly go wrong?
Valley in the Middle Atlas
Saghro Mountains
Our Pajero going off-road at Botghrar
Driving off-road
Rock formation on off-road section
Kasbah in Dadès Gorge
Re: What could possibly go wrong? That must be the world's biggest doormat or the world's smallest truck.
ReplyDeleteStunning photos Dave. Amazing really. Nice picture of Georgina in her hat better than any turban. Chris
ReplyDeleteLovely photos Dave. Interested to hear that all those exotic films have been filmed there....Penmans has just had been the set for a new blockbuster....sadly nothing wonderful ...."Gangs of London" (HBO/SkyAtlantic) to be aired next year!
ReplyDeletePedro
Thankyou for sharing. Wonderful photos!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. Wonderful photos! Enjoy!
ReplyDelete