Guarded Car Parking in center Marrakesh, next to the Koutoubia mosque 5 minutes from Djemaa el Fna Square, Morocco

This is a nice place where you can leave your car as long as you want. Prices are fixed on a big board so no surprises like in so many other places in Marrakesh. Price for full day and night is 36 Dirhams, around 3.5 Euros. This time while I’m in town, the car is staying there for almost 3 weeks now and no problem. There’s a 24hours guard looking for the cars.

Printable file: Map Marrakesh

Massage Marrakech, Relaxing Massage with Argan Oil in Marrakech Morocco

I’m already in Marrakech for a few days now and today I decided to try one of the well known massage houses. Here in Marrakech there are many massage houses and hammams, all open recently as is now seen as a profitable business where tourists both women and men like to mix both culture and well being and healthy stuff.

In Kennaria street right here in the medina there are lots of massage houses but this one has been getting my attention. Jut the other day I went there to check out the facilities, prices and the different offers they have. I got interested.

Although just a few day I had another massage in the Riad I’m staying, Riad 107 - riad marrakech, where I payed 150DH ( +- 15EUROS ), today I offered myself a one hour relax massage 380DH ( +- 38EUROS ). This very nice massage made with argan oil which hydrates the skin very well. Argania Spinosa is extracted from the fruits in the southwest of Morocco, and it’s unique in the world, only exists here in the calcareous semi-desertic regions near Agadir.

So there I was ready to be relaxed and it worked. I enjoyed it a lot and this amazing beautiful “mulata” girl knew what she was doing. I got foot massage, leg massage, belly massage, back massage, shoulders massage and neck massage. Also a bit in the head and face which felt really great as I spend too much time reading in front of the pc this was great. I think that in a few day I’ll try the Thai massage or the Duo massage with 2 girls at the same time.

Rêves des Sens
Un voyage multisensorielle - Massage Solo ou Duo - Hamam et Massage
Rêves des sens, 146 Rue Kenaria “medina”
Telefone: 00212.1209.5915
contact@revesdesens.com
www.revesdessens.com

4×4 Morocco Travel: Atlas and Sahara Desert 4 days Tour

As I moved to Morocco recently and due to work reasons I now have to explore the country a lot, and, be with my clients to make photos and new itineraries around the country in their 4wd.

My last trip was 4 days with ” Marrakech Expedition 4×4” from my friend Ali whom along with his brother started this transport agency specialized in the southern part of Morocco. We went away for 4 days where I had the opportunity to talk, discuss and interact with them while traveling in their tour, and more or less the trip goes like this:

Atlas and Sahara Desert 4 days Tour.:

Day 1: Marrakech - Telouet – Ouarzazate = 200 Km total with 32 Km off-road
Day 2: Ouarzazate - Skoura Oasis - Kelaa Mgouna - Boumalne - Todra Gorges - Tinjdad -Touroug - Erfoud – Merzouga = 350 Km Total with 35 off-road
Day 3: Merzouga - Rissani - Alnif - Tazarine - Nkob - Draa Valley - Zagora = 360 Km Total with 90 Km off-road
Day 4: Zagora - Ouarzazate - Marrakesh = 350 Km Total

Everyday you mixed a bit of off-road as we were driving a nice 4wd Toyota Land Cruiser, and we pass from the big city of Marrakech to the other side of the Atlas Mountains arriving in Ouarzazate. Next day we went to Oasis Skoura to enjoy the nice palm groves and small little oasis in the middle of the palm trees. Omar was quite a friend as we left Ali in his office in Ouarzazate. Now both of us continued the trip south to Merzouga but passing the most beautiful canyons in Morocco: Gorges du Todra. We got to the desert to enjoy the Sun Set in the dunes. We made a lot of photos and are now sleeping in this nice hotel in the dunes of Erg Chebbi. There’s a chance to choose from sleeping on the hotel and take a camel trekking excursion into the dunes and overnight in a traditional nomad tend. The next day we headed to Zagora making the ancient Sahara track between Merzouga and Zagora. This is an extreme travel as the landscapes are pure and untouched, the real thing is here, this is the Sahara. We got to Zagora by the end of the afternoon. And that was it we now drove from Zagora all the way in the Draa Valley lunching in Ouarzazate with Ali who came to join us in a small nice restaurant near his office. We got to Marrakech around 6pm. Nice trip.

On this picture above, we stopped in Gorges du Todra to have a small snack and there were some donkeys in the river. Very nice place.If by chance you want to travel to Morocco and try this tour out please check their website at: 4×4 Morocco

Marijuana fields, Marijuana Morocco, plantations in the Mountains, Cannabis Rif Mountains, Northern Morocco

Marijuana fields can often be seen all around the 40km2 in the Rif Mountains northern Morocco. These are surprising huge plantations that can be seen while on the mountains. You do have to do some serious hiking to be able to see them as they are deep inside the mountains.

What is interesting about the picture above is that you can see a family playing in the river, so marijuana fields make part of a Sunday afternoon pic-nic landscape, a normal family environment for local people.

There’s an ancient law that gave permissions to this specific region in Morocco to produce marijuana. The present King can’t end with ancient laws set out by other older kings. These Marijuana crops are usually harvested during Summer and while on the region, the cannabis smell can be felt miles away. The smell is intense.

After the harvest, people pass to the next conservation step which is to be let down to dry open sky.

Marijuana in Morocco is a serious threat to public health in Europe as it is the first exporter of this herb.

Marijuana fields, Marijuana plantations in the Mountains, Cannabis Rif Moutains, Northern Morocco

Imazighen - Free Men of Morocco - Photography Book

The New Book of “Free Men of Morocco” is NO LONGER AVAILABLE available.

IMAZIGHEN - Free Men of Morocco

Photography in the land of the Imazighen: Northern Morocco, the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert.

Small collection of 28 carefully selected photos taken in 2005 by João Leitão.

Imazighen or Amazigh ( singular ) is the original ethnic group of the Maghreb region in North Africa. A.k.a. Berbers, these unique people persisted to exist and maintain their traditions even after several foreign invasions. In Morocco there are more than 20 million Berber spread around the country in few distinct tribes and groups.

This photographic research helps you understand the main differences between the Berbers from the North, from the Atlas Mountains and from the Sahara.

Morocco seen different

This 32 pages book shows a different Morocco. The Morocco beyond the eyes of foreigners, beyound the eyes of the cameras. We often think Morocco is just another Arab country but in fact that is not the reality. Berbers ( Imazighen ) kept their ancesters traditions well attached to their values, creating by this mean a certain gap between them and the Moroccan Arabic citizens.

The New Book of “Free Men of Morocco” is NO LONGER AVAILABLE available.

Berber Village of Imilchil, High Atlas Morocco

This is a small Berber Amazigh village in the middle of the High-Atlas Mountains center of Morocco. This village is located 2119m altitude and helds an annual marriage festival in mid September. Imilchil has great attractions nearby, the great lakes Isli and Tislit. Imilchil continues the road to Gorges du Todra, thru the mountains passing Agoudal, Toumliline, Tizi-Tirherhouzine Pass at 2700m, Ait Hani and Tamtettoucht.

Imilchil is surrounded by fascinating mountains, potato and wheat plantations. Food, at its best due to the organic produce planted all around the village.

More Photos and Information about Imilchil here:

Photos Imilchil

Imilchil

Hotel Imilchil

Photos Atlas Mountains

High Atlas Morocco

Village Morocco

Imilchil Morocco

Hotel Atlas Morocco

Photos Imilchil

Kingdom of Morocco

Morocco is an amazing country. Its the most wonderful place I’ve ever been to and somewhere I will always go until no more roads and villages are left to be discovered by me. I love Morocco and all it has to offer, either you’re looking for high touristy places or lonely villages in the middle of the mountains this is the place to be.

I backpacked first time to Morocco back in 2000 and since then I’ve visited the country more than 20 times. Ever little time I have spare from my work in Portugal I try to head South and enjoy great people, food, landscapes and of course the thrill of it all: The Sahara Desert which is quite special here, not by its greatness (although the biggest sand dune of North Africa is here located) but indeed for its special energy and relaxing ambiance.
I have the idea that usually many people search for cultural shock or cultural differences to enjoy the most of a trip and put on their mind to buy a faraway ticket somewhere thousands of kilometres away. No need. At least for me, Morocco stays precisely 520 kilometres (323 miles) from my city to the border of Bab Sebta. As the country’s already keeps records of being one of the most visited countries in all Africa, still many places need to be visited and apart from big cities and fancy touristy spots, there is a lot to be found and experienced.
I discovered that driving to Morocco is quite more easy than taking public transportation as the countries conditions are very much ok to enjoy a trip with your car without worries. This is the way you can take more advantage of the country and explore unexplored villages or mountains that usually Agencies or buses don’t go. This way you can also experience Moroccan extreme sense of good hosts and receive you with great hospitality, which you can but not as often find in big cities.

Great places to visit in Morocco are:

Merzouga’s Erg Chebbi Sahara Dunes
Marrakesh the Red Chaotic city
Bou Iblane Mountains and surrounding villages
Gorges du Todra and all villages after: Imilchil and Agoudal

Draa Valley and Tinfou Sand Dunes near Zagora
Ait Ben-Haddou Kasbah UNESCO village
Chefchaouen Blue painted city on the mountains

Transportation: Taxis and Buses in Western Sahara

Taxi are quite faster than buses. Some places dont even have buses. Prices here usually are not over charged.

Agadir-Layoune 150dirhams
Lauyoune-Dakhla 150dirhams (+-15euros)

I know there are taxis that will take you from Dakhla to the last Police check point in Bir Gandus. They will drop you off in the border as you can see on the picture (taxis are those red mercedes). i also know that a taxi will cost around 100euros, cos you have to pay the taxi driver back to Dakhla. From the border to Dakhla (if you’re coming from mauritania) can be cheaper if you make a good deal.
be careful with taxis, these region is know to have people getting kidnapped or robbed.

you can also get direct buses from northern morocco to south morocco in moroccan western sahara. Try CTM bus company.

Transportation: Bring your own car to Western Sahara

You can easily go with your car. be careful not to hit a landmine. after the first Moroccan police checkpoint you have 7km with bombed road and sand. as soon as you get to the first Mauritanian police checkpoint you have even worse desert tracks to get to the second police control house and “duane”. from there to enter Nouadhibou you’ll need a guide cos you don’t know the way into the sand. even with GPS it will be hard to pass due to the large amount of landmines.

Transportation: Dakhla border with Mauritania (Bir Guenduz)

I know there are taxis that will take you from Dakhla to the last Police check point in Bir Gandus. They will drop you off in the border as you can see on the picture (taxis are those red mercedes). i also know that a taxi will cost around 100euros, cos you have to pay the taxi driver back to Dakhla. From the border to Dakhla (if you’re coming from mauritania) can be cheaper if you make a good deal.
be careful with taxis, these region is know to have people getting kidnapped or robbed.

Imilchil Photos

Images kindly given by Merzougahotels.com: Hotel Merzouga

some more photos from imilchil and the altlas here: photos imilchil 

BUS in the Atlas Mountains: Tinerhir - Todra Gorges - Tamtettoucht - Agoudal - Imilchil Morocco

You can get the bus from Tamtettoucht to Ait Hani -15 dirhams

and Tamtattoucht-Tinerhir 15 dirhams (1.5euros)

Why went on top of the roof of the Mercedes van? Inside I counted more than 25 people and also on top of the roof with 3 people, there were 14 goats…

It was very cold. I remember you this is the Atlas and it also snows here.

If you want to experience the real Atlas mountains, you can take several of this vans inside the mountains. after ait hani, 20km from tamtettoucht the asphalt road is over until a few kms before the berber village of imilchil near the islit and itslit lakes. while in Tamtettoucht, this Berber village once a secret from the atlas, now a hotel poping berber village, nevertheless extremely beautiful and scenic, you can choose from many other hotel from Auberge Bougafer. It should be about the 3rd hotel on the right, in front of hotel baddou. auberge bougafer is the 2nd hotel build in this small berber village that counts with about 1000 nomads only inside the mountains, that during the year run down to by goods and go back to the mountains where they have huge herds of goats and camels. Tamtettoucht is good to stay for 2 days or just to stop for one night on the way to other less explored villages. a night in this family auberge costs 15euros for half board. very nice food, funny guys, great music as they play music for you. berber music live in the mountains. great experience. a must while starting and getting use to atlas mountain berbers. check out the website: auberge bougafer

Some pictures about Tamtettoucht aka Tamtattoucht:

photos taken from the website “People of the world” from the project “Free Men of Morocco“, a photographic insight on Berbers in Morocco.

Imilchil :

there is a huge market a few times per month in imilchil. you will be amazed about the goat market. imilchil during the winter is also very nice. once in imilchil try to reach hotel chez bassou. the best in town from all others. try this link here: hotel imilchil. in this hotel you will get family ambiance, where both bassou and his wife will take care of you. you will also meet his children. bassou is a official mountain guide so he can also guide you through the mountains at an affordable price. each day camping / trekking /hiking in the mountains costs around 25 euros per day per person all included. one night on his hotel rooms, very nice one with private bath costs around 15 euros half board.

crossing the mountain range from tamtettoucht to imilchil:

you can do this trip for several days in a row stopping in different villages. if stoping in agoudal search for Chez Ibrahim auberge. the only in the village, very nice guy and you’ll probably pay around 15euros for halfboard with room. there are lots of activities you can do in agoudal. this small village lost in the high atlas is unreachable during the worst winter times. although if you can manage to get a strong 4×4 and some good weather you might reach there. i already pass there during winter with a small town car. lots of snow on the tracks but if you drive slowly you might reach and actually pass until imilchil.

Auberge Ibrahim
52403 Agoudal, cercle d’Imilchil
Province d’Er Rachidia, Maroc
Tél. : 00 212 (0) 35 88 46 28
GPS : N 32°00”735′ / W 05°29”321′
Mail : aubergeibrahim@ht.st

photo taken from the website of this hotel guesthouse in tineghir: http://avenir.tineghir.net

Transportation: Europe -> Africa Ferry - Boats

This is the fastest way of going to Morocco. The Boat just takes half hour. When i go by car I always go to Ceuta cos gas is half the price than in Spain and Morocco. Ceuta is an independent city that belongs to Spain. Tax-free zone.
The boats going from Algeciras to Africa are quite different depending if you’re going to Ceuta (Autonomous spanish city in North Africa) or to Tangier (First Moroccan city on the North). Boats going to Ceuta are good quality, fast, clean and the ones going to Morocco directly are 3 times slower, not dirty of course (sometimes the bathrooms stink), but built maybe 30 years ago. instead of actually spending 30 minutes inside the boat you can spend up to 3 hours. Its up to you. If you’re going by car you should avoid tangier because is much quite easier to enter from Ceuta, but if you’re going walking and public transport you should go to tangier. price to tangier is a bit cheaper also.

The other option is to go directly from Tarifa or Algeciras to Tangier. This way all the passport formalities will be done inside the ferry boat. As soon as you arrive you’ll be already in Morocco so you don’t need to do much about border formalities.

Hotel Auberge du Sud - Erg Chebbi Dunes - Morocco

I've been going here since 2000. People are great and very friendly. You can go to the oasis 2 hours riding a camel to the dunes, or just chill out near the hostel and meet the locals. They are great. The owner of this place is Moha Noughou.

Auberge du Sud is located right on the bottom of the biggest sand dunes of the whole northwest part of Africa called "The Dunes of Erg Chebbi", having all the magic, wonderful and unique energy of the Sahara.
The Hotel has a restaurant with great Moroccan food with all the typical dishes of the region.
The rooms decorated with pure Saharian taste are indeed something to remember after.
Auberge du Sud's crew will give you thrill and adventure through out Sahara Desert and organize trips to other amazing places in Morocco. They organize programs like nights in Berber tents below the stars in the Sahara; Trips on dromedaries throughout the dunes and lost Oasis; Private groups to desert adventures; Journeys in 4WD to the South of Morocco and Desert tracks along the surroundings of Erg Chebbi Dunes and New Year parties.
Prices
Small rooms, double rooms, rooms with WC, family rooms etc, there's everything here it just depends of your money. From 3 euros to sleep on the tent for 50 euros for a luxury triple room private WC.
Directions
GPS
N:31º12,63 W:004º01,45
Phone
00212 61216166
Website

www.aubergedusud.com

E-mail
aubergedusud@gmail.com

Auberge de Charme - Ksar Sania - Merzouga - Morocco

Françoise, your host, welcomes you to pass unbelievable holidays on her «Auberge de Charme.»Auberge de Charme - Ksar Sania» is a special Auberge located right in front of the big dune of Erg Chebbi that provides fine service with superb quality accommodations right in the dunes of Merzouga.

This Hotel settles in a little Oasis on the bottom of the big dune of Merzouga, the Grand Erg – The Erg Chebbi- Sahara. The big dune of Merzouga rises up to 150m high and it shares with visitor’s excellent energy and amazing sceneries
The French management of Françoise, created in Ksar Sania an unbelievable Auberge where an excellent “décor de bon goût” and fine quality accommodations gets comfort in Sahara to its best. Its neo-traditional decoration and chosen background music indeed makes a different ambiance from what the Sahara is use to. «Charme» and Sahara all together.

Rates:

Rooms+AC
Single 500DHS
Double 350DHS p/person
Triple 305DHS p/person
Luxury Room 2 people 400DHS p/person
Suite (room+salon) 2 people 450DHS p/person

Standard rooms
Single 400DHS p/person
Double 300DHS p/person
Triple 270DHS p/person
Family room (4 people) 250DHS p/person*

Half-board accommodation in Nomad Tent: 175DHS p/person
Bivouac: Excursion with camel, diner, sleep and breakfast: 300DHS p/person
Camel circuit: 50DHS p/hour
QUAD or VTT renting: price depending of the duration
4×4 renting: 1000DHS for vehicle p/day

www.merzougahotels.com/auberge-de-charme-ksar-sania-merzouga.html

www.ksarsaniahotelmerzouga.com