The
Dadès Valley lies east of the
M'Goun mountain. The road off the main highway leads up the stunning gorge towards the interior. Like the gorge the day before we spend a day driving and exploring the valley.
The
Dadès Gorge was once one of the highlights of a tour in the south. According to our guide book, development has robbed it of some of its charm. We find no such thing. In fact, we find it more the case in
Todra Gorge where we are inundated with young kids trying to get us to stay at their family
riad in
Toumliline, further up the valley.
The road snakes up in a leisurely fashion
inside the wide walls of the gorge past several small villages.
The valley is surprisingly lush and we pass gardens and orchids along the way.
Wherever we go I notice the dwelling change to match the colour of the soil and rock in the area. In the dessert they are yellow, near
Fes they are gray, and now they are a burnt sienna red. Soon we will see they are white near the ocean.
There are some very interesting rock formations which, from some angles, appear to be freshly baked
cinnamon buns.
This first wider stretch of valleys is increasingly built up.
Eventually the road and scenery changes and the road winds up in a series of hairpin bends. The road pictured above is where we take switch backs up to the level the photo is taken. It climbs higher yet.
The road eventually flattens out again at a high altitude and the scenery has a much drier and simple look to it.
We travel back through the drastic gorge to the main highway.
There are several sitings of caves in the hillside. I imagine it is where the nomads bed down for the night. In the most remote places we drive it is not uncommon to see shepherds, sheep and goats.
We are back on the main highway heading towards
Marrakesh. I note that every so often in this desolate dry land we pass what appear to be gates fit for a grand estate (see above). But on the other side is just more vast wilderness. Maybe that is the point.
...with the
occasional village thrown in.
The Dadès Gorge was once one of the highlights of a tour in the south. According to our guide book, development has robbed it of some of its charm. We find no such thing. In fact, we find it more the case in Todra Gorge where we are inundated with young kids trying to get us to stay at their family riad in Toumliline, further up the valley.
The road snakes up in a leisurely fashion inside the wide walls of the gorge past several small villages.
The valley is surprisingly lush and we pass gardens and orchids along the way.
Wherever we go I notice the dwelling change to match the colour of the soil and rock in the area. In the dessert they are yellow, near Fes they are gray, and now they are a burnt sienna red. Soon we will see they are white near the ocean.
There are some very interesting rock formations which, from some angles, appear to be freshly baked cinnamon buns.
This first wider stretch of valleys is increasingly built up.
Eventually the road and scenery changes and the road winds up in a series of hairpin bends. The road pictured above is where we take switch backs up to the level the photo is taken. It climbs higher yet.
The road eventually flattens out again at a high altitude and the scenery has a much drier and simple look to it.
We travel back through the drastic gorge to the main highway.
There are several sitings of caves in the hillside. I imagine it is where the nomads bed down for the night. In the most remote places we drive it is not uncommon to see shepherds, sheep and goats.
We are back on the main highway heading towards Marrakesh. I note that every so often in this desolate dry land we pass what appear to be gates fit for a grand estate (see above). But on the other side is just more vast wilderness. Maybe that is the point.
...with the occasional village thrown in.
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