Wednesday, 24 April 2013

Sahara & Todra Gorge

Monday 22 - After a quick visit to a Franciscan Nun co-op which makes beautiful embroidery and woven carpets we followed the Ziz River which forms a 100 km long oasis through the desert until we reached the edge of the Sahara dunes. We then mounted our trusty camels (Sam & Fred) and headed out across the sand dunes to our Berber desert camp in the middle of the dunes. Our hosts cooked a feast of chicken & veg Tagine followed by sliced oranges with cinnamon and mint tea. Then off to bed in our tent made from camel hair blankets tied to bamboo stakes. It blew a gale all night & we woke with sand in everything – including mouth & ears. A wild & forbidding place but a fantastic adventure.


Sahara

Sahara
Oasis

On our way to camp

Our camp


Tuesday 23 – early start to climb the massive dune beside our tent to catch the sun rise then back on the camels and off to Todra Gorge via the fossil fields and amazing series of linked bores.
Wednesday 24 – typical breakfast of bread, cheese, olives, bread and flat bread with jam plus freshly squeezed orange juice & coffee. Today we did a 4 hour walk through and above the Todra Gorge – spectacular views. Morning mint &herb tea at a Berber tent & caves near top of hill. He runs goats & uses tents and caves to live, store food etc for him and 10 kids. Anne off to Hamam (public baths for black soap and scrub then hot tub). Quiet arvo for me.
Atop the dunes
Todra Gorge walk
Todra valley
Todra valley from walk

3 comments:

  1. Great to hear alls going well. Morocco is a fascinating place - hope you get the receipes for some Tagines (not the camel one)!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good to hear you are having a good time, photos look amazing, very jealous. I hope you remember to declare all the sand you are stashing when you go through customs.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, this is getting really interesting! Love the photos and blurb. Nice bath Anne?

    ReplyDelete