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Tour dates: 29 Dec to 05 Jan 2007.
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View Photos of Marrakech | Walks | Essaouira
Nomally a walk along a vehicle road. This time the meanders of the river had washed the road away.
So here we were on the higher path.
The path is a well-made.
Later we had to do some river crossings.
Finally we made our way to a sunny lunch spot.
(Lower than the usual one, having lost time with multiple river-crossings)
Our return path took us back and forth across the river again.
The peaceful-looking river that we were crossing took more than 166 lives
on 17/18 Aug 1995 during a night time storm.
The bridges are a little primitive, but safe.
In the background you can see how the river has cut back right to the cliff and its perched houses.
We went above the houses on the same path as outwards.
The start of the walk was via some spectacular red hills.
Our lunch stop was in the shade of an Olive grove.
Mohammed and Mubarak set up their "souvenir shop".
The second half of the walk passed though several villages (one shown here).
The finish was a cafe stop at the "Sanglier qui fume" in Ouirgane.
We returned to Marrakech via the spectacular section of road from Asni to Tahanaoute.
(See a section of the road in the photo)
The villagers along the road must get plenty of exercise.
Again we got good weather and good visibility for our walk.
We started from the outskirts of Amezmiz and walked up the hill road to the south.
A few local goats kept their eye on us.
This is the village of Ait Ouskri.
We found a shady lunch spot below the village.
We started ourt walk from just above Moulay Brahim and set off across the plateau.
The name means the "Wheat Plateau".
After the first winter rains the plants are sprouting.
There must be an impermeable layer below the soil.
The villages have well water available, even in the dreadfully hot and dry weather of July and August.
We stopped at a village house in Tiouli.
We had tea and were served bread, oil and cakes.
Afterwards we walked on across the plateau.
We had another lunch stop...
...and another sales session.
Later our walk gave us a good view of the distant Mount Toubkal.
(It is the pointed one in the middle of both photos)
Finally, at the edge of the plateau, we descended to the Fossil Shop and the waiting coach.
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