Tag: Tinghir

A Driving Holiday In Morocco, 7 to 21 November 1997, Placeholder & Links

Our sole navigation device – which might be described as a “map nav”

Janie and I had a superb action and fun packed driving holiday in Morocco in the autumn of 1997.

I have now written this up from my travel logs as part of my “25 years on” series. You can start by clicking here or below if you like reading forwards:

Driving Holiday In Morocco Day One: Fes (aka Fez), 8 November 1997

Alternatively, if you like reading stories backwards, you can start with the ending here or below:

Driving Holiday In Morocco Days Thirteen & Fourteen: Relaxing In Marrakesh, Including Premature False Start To Our Journey Home, 20 & 21 November 1997

For enthusiasts of highly summarised words and pictures, the itinerary is shown below, followed by links to the photo albums, which contain over 200 items of eye candy, such as this one:

Below is a scan of the itinerary, which we arranged through Steppes East:

Below are the two photo albums (just over 100 photos each) on Flickr:

001 8 November 1997 - Only mules and pedestrians allowed in these Fes streets M_J1_Photo (2)
048 Palace de la Bahia - we had to leave out lots of good shots too M_J6_Photo (33)

Driving Holiday In Morocco Day Five: Tinghir (Tinerhir) To Ouarzazate Via Dadès Gorges, 12 November 1997

Why not? – Gorges yourself!

Headed off quite early – visited Dadès Gorges – went in as far as car will sensibly go – attractive.

Drove through relatively hassle free villages…

The reference to “relatively hassle-free villages” was actually a throw back to the previous day, when we had encountered several instances of “little treasures” finding it amusing to throw stones and pebbles at our car as we passed through their villages on the Erfoud to Tineghir run.

…then drove out to Ouarzazate – arrived at hotel, nice and early – relaxed around pool.

Rested in room and unexceptional dinner in overflow room at Riad Salam, with monotonous music and interesting Irish journalists.

I don’t think we were wild about that hotel, with the “interesting Irish journalists” being the only highlight. We didn’t photograph the place at all.

All the photos from the first part of our journey are on this Flickr album – click here or below:

001 8 November 1997 - Only mules and pedestrians allowed in these Fes streets M_J1_Photo (2)

A placeholder and links for information about this whole trip can be found here and below.

A Driving Holiday In Morocco, 7 to 21 November 1997, Placeholder & Links

Driving Holiday In Morocco Day Four: Erfoud – Erg Chebbi Sunrise Then On To Tinghir (Tinerhir), 11 November 1997

Me & Guide Hassan – Erg Chebbi sunrise

Rose at 4:30 am to head off for sand dunes with our guide Hassan.

My abiding memory of this early morning jaunt is setting off from our hotel in our modest Renault 19 with Daisy at the wheel. Daisy, because I didn’t have the confidence even to attempt driving “off piste” in a Renault 19 before daylight. About five minutes into the tentative journey, Hassan said, with some authority, “if you want to get to Erg Chebbi in time to see the sunrise, you’d better let me drive.” So he did – and so we did see the sunrise.

Watched the sunrise at the large dunes, then went to examine the smaller ones…

…before home for shower and breakfast. Set off in direction of Tinerhir – an unremarkable, Sub-Saharan drive until we reached Todra Gorge…

…drove right into the canyon.

Todra Gorge Canyon

Tinerhir looking at its very best, as seen from Todra Gorge

Got to hotel in Tinerhir, to discover the whole town lacked water. After two to three hours of contingency planning we [decided to] stay put – [the] water came on – [we] ate an unexceptional meal.

All the photos from the first part of our journey are on this Flickr album – click here or below:

001 8 November 1997 - Only mules and pedestrians allowed in these Fes streets M_J1_Photo (2)

A placeholder and links for information about this whole trip can be found here and below.

A Driving Holiday In Morocco, 7 to 21 November 1997, Placeholder & Links