Moulay Idriss
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Moulay Idriss is named after Morocco's most revered saint, a great-grandson of the prophet Mohammed
and the founder of the country's firts real dynasty.
Moulay Idriss fled Mecca in the late 8th century AD in the face of persecution at the hands of
the recently installed Abbasid Caliphate, which was based in Bagdad.
Idriss settled at Volubilis, where he converted the locals to Islam and made himself their leader. From
there he went on to establish Morocco's first imperial dynasty.
The picturesque town of Moulay Idriss, nestled in a cradle of verdant mountains, is one of the country's
most important pilgrimage sites.
The Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss is the object of veneration and the reason for the country's
greatest annual moussem in late August. An importantpilgrimage for many, including the royals, it
is accompanied by fantasias, markets, singing and dancing.
As you climb up the hills, notice the only cylindrical minaret in Morocco. The green tiles spell
out in stylised script the standard Muslim refrain: la illah illa Allah (there is no god but Allah)
Azrou
Azrou is a cheerful, hassle-free touwn, about 76 km south of Fès.
Surrounded by pine and cedar forest, it's a relaxing spot to wind down after the pressurecooker Fes or
Meknes.
The Azrou region is known for its berber carpets, at prices substantially cheaper than you'll find in Fès.
It's also the venue for one of the region's best weekly souqs, so try to time your visit for market day
(Thuesday)
Once you have had your fill of markets and shopping, there is not much to do in Azrou exept wander the
surrounding countryside soaking up cool mountain air and searching for Barbary apes.
Midelt
Lying almost at the centre of Morocco between the Middle and High Atlas mountains, Midelt is a kind
of no-man's-land between the north and the south.
The surrounding countryside is barren, but breathtaking, especially as the mountains of the Eastern
High Atlas rise seemingly out of nowhere
Of little interest in itself, the town is a useful base for several excellent excursions in the area,
including explorations of the Jebel Ayachi range.
Midelt consists of little more than one main street, a modest souq and a number of oversized restaurants,
which cater to the tourist buses whistling through on their way south.
Cirque Jaffar
The most popular excursion takes you to the Cirque Jaffar, located 25 km southwest of Midelt.
The road winds through the foothills of Jebel Ayachi ( 3.737 m) the highest mountain in the East
High Atlas.
Along the way you'll get a few glimpses of traditional Berber villages, and take in wild mountain
scenery and spectacular vieuws.
Ziz Valley
The Ziz Valley leads down from the small town of Rich to the end of the road at Merzouga. The route
to Er-Rachidia is spectacular. The main highlight is the Ziz George, streching from the French-built
Tunnel du Légionnaire. This magnificent route through palm-fringed towns and past ksars also
passes a series of dams.
Beyond Er-Rachidia the road heads past the fertile Source Bleue de Meski before heading deep into
the desert and dunes of Merzouga.
This was one of the last areas to succumb to French control under the protectorate, its tribes putting
up sporadic resistance until 1932.Two years later, Morocco was officially considered "pacified".
To make sure this state of affairs did not change Erfoud was built as an administrative and garrison
town to keep a watchful eye on the local tribes.
Rissani
The small town of is in a sense the end of the road, where the Ziz Valley peters
out into the hot 'nothingness' of stone and sand.
The centre of Rissani is quite small and manageable, with most traveller's needs flanking the norther
edge of the souq, with becomes a bustling hive of activity every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.
Merzouga
The tiny town of Merzouga lies at the edge of the famous Erg Chebbi, Morocco's only
genuine Saharan erg - one of those hudge, drifting expanses of sand dunes that typify much of the
Algerian Sahara.
Around Merzouga there are lots of places where fossils are to be found, witch reminds us of the Sea
that was once here.
Erg Chebbi
Erg Chebbi; It's a magical landscape, wich deserves much more than just a sunrise glimpse.
The dunes themselves are fascinating, changing colours from pink to gold to red at different times of
day.
It's a great place to appreciate the immense, clear dessert sky, with occasionaly a sandstorm.
You can arrange camel treks from most hotels. It's well worth bringing water with you, as it's a pricey
commodity in the desert. A sleeping bag can be useful as nights are cold.
Tinerhir
Todra Gorge
Only 15 km from Tinerhir at the end of a vallay thick with stunning Palmeraies and berber
villages, is the magnificent Todra Gorge.
A massive fault in the plateau dividing the High ATlas from the Jebel Sarho, with a crystal-clear river
emerging from it, the Gorge rises to 300m at its narrowest point.
It's best in the morning, when the sun penetrates to the bottom of the Gorge, turning the rock from
rose pink to a deep ochre.
In the afternoon it gets very dark and, in winter, bitterly cold.
Palmeraies
The Palmeraies (=Palm Plantation) are covered in ruined kasbahs and photographic
opportunities around.
Here you you can walk in the tranquillity of the mountains and take a moment to appreciate the
lifestyle of the Berbers isolated by the mountains.
Everywhere you will discover a new scene of daily life.
