Driving Toward the Sahara

Leaving Fes, we had a 9-hour journey ahead of us to get close to the Sahara Desert. We crossed two mountain ranges—the Middle Atlas and High Atlas—and saw the scenery change from green farmland, fruit orchards (apple, cherry, almond) and forests (cedar and oak), to dry, rocky, tan-colored terrain.

We stopped every couple of hours—once in the charming alpine ski village of Ifrane (only around 4,500 feet elevation). The town was built during French occupation, which accounts for its European architecture. Another stop was for a short hike in a cedar forest. Cedar trees are protected here, and most of the wood decoration in the old cities is from cedar wood.

We passed what’s called “semi-nomadic” settlements—makeshift huts where the nomadic people are living. They traditionally would live in caves in the mountains during summer, near a water source and tend their herds of sheep (and some goats), then move to lower elevations in the colder months. But nomads are finding it harder to find places to bring their herds as the land is getting more built up. The sheep are kept for their wool for carpets and clothing.

All of northwest Africa used to be nomadic. Now there are only about 25,000 nomads left, and the number is decreasing because the younger generation don’t want to live that way anymore.

Our road south was once an old caravan trail, between the desert and Fes. Many former casbahs (fortresses) were perched on the cliffs to protect the trade route. The asphalt road was constructed by the French foreign legion in 1926, and obviously kept since then. By the way, the roads have been in excellent condition everywhere we’ve been.

Although the ride was long, it wasn’t boring—the scenery was interesting and Mohamed kept us entertained with stories and information. Our hotel tonight is in a replica of a kasbah, called Kasbah Hotel Xaluca and is wonderfully decorated, inside and out.Read more