1200km of stunning landscapes

Waterfalls, caves, valleys, astroblemes, flora and fauna,

Departure Marrakech : 5 days. (1200 km (745.6 miles))

This tour will be a pure retinal experience for your eyes. The landscapes you will discover are some of the best nature in the Marrakech area has to offer. We follow a feasible rhythm of about 200 km per day to take advantage of the extraordinary views without the stress associated with it.

We follow national roads. The speed limits on these roads are as varied as a flashing light. There is always a smiling cop who is ready to fine you.

You better stick to the limits and drive defensive even if there is always a bus driver or other idiot who thinks he is on a Formula One circuit.

The tour that we designed and tested is a suggestion. You adapt it as you like as there are no obligations. If you feel good somewhere just stay there longer and enjoy it because this is what "travel" is all about.

D - 1 Marrakech - Cascades D'ouzoud - Bin El Ouidane (km190)(118mi) or

Beni Mellal ( km 240 )(141 mi.)

The first day we take our breakfast to fill up the car and do a little check before we hit the road. Repeat this every day as the quality of rentals car might be in general different from the ones that you use in your home country. Just before we have to take the right turn on the R210 we include a little stop and buy at the crossroad some fruits and continue to the city of Demnate. Demnate, a typical Berber town at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, is considered to be the oldest town of the South. It used to be the connection between the south and Marrakech. Once you arrive you will easily find a small picturesque road that will take you to the natural bridge of Iminifri which is about 6.5 km from Dimnate. The same road will bring you to the 110-metre high Ouzoud Falls that are embedded in the beautiful nature and where you come face to face with the barbary macaque for the first time. After having enjoyed this beautiful environment where especially the red sandstone slopes that run through the landscape like brushstrokes impress us, we decide to make the first adjustment to our program. The weather is perfect, so we prefer to spend the night at our next stop. The artificial lake of Bin El - Ouidane which is one of the most elevated barrages in Africa. When we arrive we book a room with a view and decide to stroll along the lake where some fishermen are trying their luck. We end the evening with a nice dinner 'mhhh yeah correct fish".

D-2 Bin El -Ouidane - Midelt ( km 270 ) (167,7 mi.)

After an early breakfast. We want to make up for yesterday's lost time we leave for Midelt. We limit our visit to Benimellal to Ain Asserdoun. The waters of Aïn Asserdoune derive from the imposing mountain range of the Middle Atlas. With a flow rate of 2,000 litres per second, it also irrigates surrounding farmland whose harvested products find their way everywhere to the market. In any case, we are pleased to have taken the time for this refreshing visit. Time to continue to El ksiba, the Pearl of the Atlas.

El Ksiba is known for its inexhaustible springs, its lush flora and its beautiful nature. The region is full of tourist attractions and historical sights and it really is worth spending more time here. Let me put it this way for a bloke like me who has his base in Marrakech this region is like having a boost of oxygen. So we decided to get the most out of it and we decided to visit also the caves. These caves were once used as stables, barns, granaries and even as a habitat for the population. The Ifri N'Mjghoul (Hyena Cave) is located 12 km southwest of El Ksiba and 780 m above sea level. Ifri N'Mjghoul consists of two large galleries. The presence of bones, pieces of pottery and an abundance of flint fragments bear witness to human habitation throughout the centuries. 6 km southwest of El Ksiba and at an altitude of about 1650 m lies the Bear Cave which is today another perfect habitat for monkeys.

It is now early afternoon, and the next 180 km to Midelt lies still in front of us.

D- 3 Midelt - Rich - Imilchil ( km 220 )

Breakfast at the hotel in Midelt.

Midelt is situated at an altitude of 1,521 m in the Atlas Mountains and has a mountain climate with frequent snow in winter. At this altitude, the mountain vegetation (spruces, cedars) mostly replaces the Mediterranean vegetation, which makes for a pleasant change.

We cross the Ziz valley to reach Rich Imilchil. Imilchil is the heart of the Middle Atlas and the capital of the Ait Haddidou. Ait Haddidou owes its fame to the Moussem of the fiancées, which takes place there each year September. But there is another thing where we have been looking forward to since the last days. " The astroblems".

The lakes of Isli and Tislit d'Imilchil whose origins are due to the impact of a "40 thousand-year-old metallic meteorite! The diameter of the meteorite fragment at the origin of Lake Isli, would be 75 m and weigh around 1.7 million tonnes, while, that of Tislit would be 46 m and weigh 950 thousand tonnes. Lake Isli covers an area of 2.55 km2 and is 95 m deep. Lake Tislit covers an area of 1.3 km2 and is 27 m deep. These two natural sights are considered to be one of the largest and most beautiful of their kind in North Africa. And who knows, you never know if you might stumble across one of the coveted parts of the universe during the visit. We sleep here in a modest but clean and comfortable guesthouse run by a local family where we enjoy a deliciously prepared dinner.

D-4 Imilchil - Tinghir - Kelaa Mgouna ( km 210 )(136,7 mi.)

Breakfast at the hotel with an extra picnic prepared by the house host for on the way.

On our road to Tinghir we pass via Agoudal, Embedded at an altitude of 2,300 m, Agoudal is considered to be the highest inhabited village in Morocco which goes back to the 17th century.

When you visit the village, it seems as if you have just boarded a Delorean and entered a date in the distant past. Breathtakingly beautiful. As Icing on the cake, there is at 7 kilometres from Agoudal, in the direction of the Dades valley, the Akhiam cave, which is situated 2690 m above sea level. It is not so easy to get there, but once you get there, you will be amazed and happy to have taken time for the visit. We continue our mountain road before reaching the spectacular " Gorges de Todra", known for its exceptional beauty with cliffs reaching a height of 300 metres. But even more impressive for us was the fertility of water. Following the Todra river, we saw how the river turned the region green. When I checked later on satellite view, I saw the most impressive carpet filled with all variations of greenish. That day we decided to have a picnic in one of the most spectacular impressive palm groves of Morocco or one on the green dots on the green carpet.

The last part of the road (the road of 1000 Kasbahs) brings us to Kelaa M'egouna, the capital of roses. The' Rose Festival 'of Kalaat m'gouna takes place every year, for 3 days, during April ( normally the end of April). It is a celebration of rose harvesting. You will recognize the taste of l' Eau de rose without a doubt in the typical local pastries. I personally have always a few bottles in stock, as I use it to relax my eyes while eating the pastry.

Dinner and overnight stay in one of the Kasbahs how can it be otherwise?

D- 5 Kelaa Mgouna - Ouarzazate - Marrakech ( km 300 )(186,4 mi.)

Breakfast at the hotel.

On our way to Ouarzazate we continue the discovery of the valley of the thousand kasbahs, where the oued Dadés makes its way through the palm groves and gardens. After arriving in Ouarzazate, we visit the famous kasbah of taourirt .

We take lunch in my favourite restaurant on the Avenue Mohamed V and continue to visit Ait Ben haddou, which we reach after 35 km on our way to Marrakech.

After the visit of this monument, which has been used as a backdrop in many films, all that remains is to conquer the snake road from Tizi n'Tichka (called Col du Tichka in French) . ( A high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.260m (7,410ft)) before we arrive back in Marrakech.

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TIPS

Nice to do in the spring or from September to November.

Roads can be in bed shape.

Look that you have enough with you to be independant for up to 2 days.

Grab always the phone number of a local contact.