Proof Of Volunteer Service Letter

In spring 2010 we will be the third time in Morocco.
This time there is a round trip with car hire mostly south of the High Atlas to the program. Starts and ends in Marrakech (which we already know).

Overall, we come to 1800 km. For 14 days not too much. There will be plenty of time, landscape, people and culture to enjoy. We have
follows the route as planned:
From Marrakech airport (arrival at about 9.30am), we cross the Tizi-n-Test to Taroudant (3 nights), with a detour to the oasis Tiout.
From here, the south by the Anti-Atlas of Igherm to Tata / Agadir rest (1 Ü). Next
on Akka (with a detour Rahal Ait) to the oasis with Amtoudi Agadir Id Aissa (1 Ü).
then only a short step to the Oasis at Ait Bekkou Guelmim (2Ü). About
Sidi Ifni interesting along the Atlantic coast to Mirleft (1 Ü).
from there back to the Anti-Atlas to Tafraoute (2Ü). Here is a round trip through the Gorges d'Ait Mansour is planned. About
Ait Baha (various old castles memory) and on to Agadir Essaouira (3Ü). On Sunday the plan is the visit to the market in Had-Draa. Then there is
for Ü back to Marrakech to the next day to board the plane to Germany.

Back home, we come now to our trip report (a few pictures Text and lines can of course do not reflect the overall impression of the journey):

way, arrival and assumption of the rental car (Dacia Logan, not quite new, of MEDLOC) in Marrakech at the airport have worked smoothly. We then set off with light cloud cover and were wondering after a few kilometers to the right and left of the road towards Asni stream flowed ... Once there, we learned that had been raging in the storm last night with heavy wind and rain. After we had stashed water and bananas, we left towards Tizi-n-Test pass on - and were thwarted
soon.

The river valley was extremely swollen, gravel and boulders were on the road that was partially and undermined.

A small landslide was cleared away, one of a bulldozer cleared Wade's free again - until we had to give up after about 85km Marrakech, because here was nothing more. That meant back to Marrakech (a small side road connection was also impassable) and go through the unfortunately very busy main road towards Agadir. And towards the pass was then rain, and it was dark ... The last 30km to Taroudant then snaked in the dark and in light rain from donkey carts, pedestrians and unlit bicycles on bad road to go there.

Our hotel in Taroudant (Le Palais Oumensour) compensated us for the effort:

And certainly the view from the room on the snow-capped High Atlas mountains the next morning:

two days (= three nights) stay with a visit to the souks, where the tanners, and in the oasis Tiout were as quiet start in 14 days full of pleasant impressions.

On Friday ging es dann endgültig auf unsere Rundfahrt. Durch wegen des vielen Regens in den letzten Wochen und Monaten grüne und blühende grandiose Landschaft fuhren wir über Igherm bis zum Tagesziel Tata:

Weiter südlich wurde es dann doch trockener und kahler, aber durch die immer wechselnden Felsformationen dennoch weiterhin sehr abwechslungsreich:

Tata (wie die weitere Strecke bis Amtoudi auf ca. 800m Höhe gelegen) ist eine kleine ehemalige Garnisonsstadt mit dem "gewissen Etwas" - fast unberührt vom Tourismus. Die People here in the south are very friendly and greet you:

It continues on Saturday then through a gravel and stone desert to Akka to the Oasis Ait Rahal and the magnificent fortress situated village Ouzrou :

Through ever-changing rock formations, some with savannah or desert character, we went to the oasis Amtoudi.

We got the "Ondiraitlesud" (there is plenty of information about the area) nur noch Betten im Gemeinschaft-Schlafsaal - waren dort aber allein. Nachmittags besuchten wir dann noch den wie ein Adlerhorst gelegenen Agadir (=Speicherburg) Aglouy und wanderten anschliessend bis zur "Quelle" (Beginn des Bewässerungskanals) das Oasental bergauf (insges. gut 3 Std.).

Am nächstem Morgen sind wir dann zum hoch über dem Ort liegenden Agadir Id- Aissa aufgestiegen. Der Blick von hier weit über die umliegende Landschaft ist einfach fantastisch!

Sunday noon departure for the short stage to Tighmart at Guelmim. Heading back "pure landscape":

Our stay here was an authentic oasis Farm, run by a French woman living there since 2002. Very simple, but for two nights and one order. A three-hour hike through beautiful flowering desert oasis along the stream was a highlight.

Guelmim is not a tourist attraction - but a typical, perhaps because of attractive City in southern Morocco (where it rains in March even!):

Tuesday departure to the coast (unfortunately still a little bad weather). Sidi Ifni disappointed by the total emptiness and silence. Appears at the moment almost extinct ...

Interestingly, it will be at least a few miles in stormy seas on the beach of Legzira with his rock gates:

We stop in Mirleft, a bustling small town with a large beach between rocks. Hotel Atlas has a charm and invites you for a night.

IMAX Tafraoute (about 1000m high). By green and flowering landscape, it is about Tiznit (Old Mosque) and the Col du Kerdous to Ammelntal.

quarters in "L'Arganier d'Ammeln" - a beautiful setting, good restaurant, decent rooms, nice staff .

The next morning we drive to the Gorges d'Ait Mansour, a oasis located in a ravine. The mountains here in the Anti-Atlas are up to 2350m high! Since a round trip because of bad road is not possible, we walk tot two hours in the valley and back.

A few typical Ammelntal details:

... and towards Ait Baha with a short stop in the Kasbah Tizourgane, a mountain village situated on a Plate:

Shortly after Ait Baha is in a small village of Agadir Imchilguigueln interesting. The very nice Schlüsserverwalter with his "gazelle" and daughter were immediately on hand to look at the memory (Bank Suisse) to show. Here are some subjects still used by locals.

Another memory (Ighil) was closed:

We the hill country can now behind us, drive around Agadir and curves along the coastal road to Essaouira:

Essaouira - a Port city with flair, charm, energy and tradition. Let the pictures speak:

particular, the harbor - would have remained as if time:

Our Hotel "Riad Chakir" fits fully into the picture:

Sunday market in about 30km away Had Draa - Images and words can reflect the feeling in any way. Lots people, animals, goods of all kinds, crafts, livestock and human transporter ....