SEGMENT 4
Oct. 15: After stocking up in Zagora, we continued north along the beautiful Drâa Valley full of fertile palm oases - dates are the main produce in this area. The valley is studded with impressive Kasbahs (see Segment 2) and we visited the Taourirt Kasbah in Ouarzazate which is beautifully restored (pic 01). We were impressed by the ornate detail of the wooden ceilings and tiled walls in some of the halls. The Dadès Valley is also called the Road of the Kasbahs, a nickname given by the French colonialists, as several Berber clans established their mansions here. A highlight for most Morocco visits are the two gorges of the Dadès and the Todra which are partially paved and then connect through two 4x4 trails. One makes for a longer loop over a mountain pass; the other, a shortcut, had been completely washed out during the recent thunderstorms and was impassible. For once, this didn't bother us much as we had planned on taking the longer route anyway. The drive through this desert mountainscape (pic 02) was absolutely spectacular, and except for a few shepherds and small Berber villages we didn't meet a soul. We camped out at almost 3000 metres (10,000 feet) altitude and temperatures at night dropped below freezing (pic 03). While the mountains seem barren and dry, the valleys are very lush and every inch is covered with fields where the local Berbers grow corn, tea, potatoes, pommegranates and apples (pic 05). Once a week, they travel to the next village to sell their produce at the market.

As we followed the Todra gorge downstream, we were shocked by the sudden onset of tourism. While the Dadès Valley had been very quiet, this gorge draws busloads full of tourists as well as a myriad of local souvenir sellers.

Upon leaving the gorges area, we didn't stay on asphalt much and soon set out for another adventure along the roads less traveled. Following a narrow dirt trail across the high plateau of Timassinine, we headed west and discovered a bizarre landscape colored by washed-out minerals.

Just as breathtaking was the scenery along another detour which took us past several kasbahs including the well-known Aït Benhaddou which featured in several Hollywood movies such as "Lawrence of Arabia", and on a fairly challenging off-road track. The route was listed as a "secondary road" in our map, implying at least grading if not partial pavement, but two spots were pretty iffy due to severe washouts, and one even got us high-centered (pic 06). Thanks to our Hi-Lift jack and after stacking some rocks, we were able to free the Jeep and continue along the scenic valley where red rocks contrasted sharply with green vegetation (pic 06). Eventually, we joined the main road connecting the south with the north, and along a windy paved road we climbed another pass until we finally reached Marrakech.

Marrakech is the third out of the four imperial cities we have visited so far. We checked into a beautiful campground and took a taxi to town where we wandered through the medina. Once again, the rain caught up with us and it startet to pour down. We ended up spending the rest of the day in several cafès and restaurants before catching a ride back to the campground which was mostly flooded. The next morning, however, greated us with sunshine.

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