Dar Atlas Charme, Marrakech-Safi, MoroccoThursday April 10, 2025
Sitting on my bed in the lodge. Legs still stiff from our walk. Yesterday we discussed with the owner where to hike, and he told us the rather sad story of a terrorist attack on two girls in 2018 exactly here near mount Toubkal.
Since that time the government requires the use of a guide whenever you leave the main road.
So we are introduced to Abdul, a young man who loves working with tourists, and we start a hike over the mountains. The mountains are stoney and dry, but soon we enter a ´forest’. It was planted ten years ago (Abdul’s grandfather was very happy to help planting, because he earned some money). Many trees died, but enough survived to now have a small pine forest.
I have read much about reforestation projects, and it it very pleasant to see one in real life. In my mind I see all the brown red barren slopes covered by green trees. It holds the soil, thereby prevents erosion, the soil captures more water. CO2 storage, oxygen production. I wish I could design some projects.
But as we move higher, we leave the forest and emerge on a mountain ridge covered with rocks of all sizes. The wind is so fierce at moments that we have to crouch down to avoid being blown over.
The fields and slopes of boulders and stones remind me of Nepal when we approach Base Camp near mount Everest. There also the mountains are devoid of any vegetation and seem to be a river of stones.
Later we find a large rock and in the lee, in the sun, we eat a local bread with tuna fish, a banana and tomato. Cold water washes away the crumbs and satisfied I look at a flock of large birds, maybe eagles, flying high up in the blue sky. Snow covered peaks rise up around us. Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa, is mostly covered in clouds. On a distant boulder strewn slope I see a flock of black and white sheep slowly move between the rocks. Looking for some yellow tough grass. The air is amazingly clear.
After our lunch we work our way over the stone covered surface and start our descend into another valley. We pass between dusty stone walls where goats and sheep somehow find enough to eat. Then we enter a small Berber village. I look down the steep slope onto a dirt track, and to my amazement there are five beautiful shiny black SUV’s.
As we climb and jump onto the track, I see drivers with suits and ties.
´Is there a wedding?’
´No, there is a large group of tourists on a day trip from Marrakesh. Here they get exposed to Berber culture.’
We continue our descent and with a large circle find our way back to the waterfalls we visited yesterday. But the contrast with yesterday is stark: yesterday it was raining, dark and we were practically alone. Now it’s sunny, bright, and full of tourists.
We take some pictures, and through a group of 120 year old walnut trees, between rice paddies and over a maze of irrigation channels and small brooks and rivers we walk back to the village.
The last few kilometers are uphill again and we are happy reach our lodge where we sit down and I write these lines.
From outside I now hear the braying of a monkey.
I tried taking a hot shower, but I ended up much colder than I started. The tepid water and the cold concrete walls didn’t do the trick.
Tonight tagine again, but with chicken. Yesterday we had a great dinner next to a warm fireplace. Nice bread, olives, cooked vegetables and lam. And hot mint tea afterwards. And we stayed around the fireplace until bed time. Me reading Sherlock Holmes.
Goodnight my dear reader…
Roy de Hair
2025-04-11
Prachtige en inspirerende foto's, want wij willen in october naar Marokko!
durieux
2025-04-11
Dat kan ik zeker aanbevelen. Wat leuk!
Ana Lucia
2025-04-11
Robert, admiro sua coragem em desbravar o mundo de maneira despojada. Você me inspira! Abraços na Sisi! Espero voltar a Holanda e conhecer o Didi que herdou de você essa coragem. Que família incrível!!!!
durieux
2025-04-11
Muito obrigado por sus commentarios positivos. Para nosotros tamben es una aventura grande. Pero nos gusta mucho. Me encanta que le gusta a usted de leer mi diario.