After breakfast in Sahara, we were on our way to Dades Valley. There were many stops on the way –
- Souqs of Rissani
- Qanats in Fezna
- Todra Gorge
- Dades Valley
Souqs of Rissani – Nice place to shop for spices, dates, jewelry, leather goods, fabric etc. This souk also had a donkey market.
Qanats in Fezna – Qanats are underground irrigation system that consists of a network of underground canals that transport water from aquifers in highlands to the surface at a lower level by gravity. This technology provides water to people and irrigation in hot, arid, and semi-arid regions. The Qanata here have all dried up as the ground water pumping has lowered the water table.
Todra Gorge – near the town of Tinerhir – Both the Todra and neighboring Dades river are responsible for carving out these deep cliff-sided canyons, on their final 40 kilometers (25 mi) through the mountains. The height of the canyon walls can vary, but in some places can be up to 400 meter (1,312 ft) high.
We spent about an hour in this place and walked the entire length of this spectacular gorge.
Continuing our drive to Dades Valley, we noticed many buildings had bright green doors which looked striking against the red walls.
Dades Valley – We arrived in Dades Valley in the evening and stayed at Hotel Xaluca Dades, a modern hilltop hotel with beautiful views of the valley and city below. The dinner and breakfast buffets were impressive, offering a wide variety of Moroccan and European dishes.
Although we only stayed one night, spending an extra day would be worthwhile. A highlight to visit is the Monkey Fingers (Cliffs of Talmat), a unique rock formation shaped by erosion that resembles primate fingers rising from the Dades River.
After a hearty breakfast next morning, we were off to Marrakech with multiple stops on the way.