Lost between the dunes

Week 05 - From M’Hamid to Tahouaout

This week we once again ventured out into the desert, followed a track of the old Paris-Dakar rally and got stuck in the sand. We slept in the dunes of Erg Chegaga, shared a few kilometres of road with a herd of 200 beautiful camels and paid a visit to a supposed mechanic following some abnormal sounds coming from under our van.

Lots of surprises, incredible stories and adventures in the wilderness that we are proud to be able to tell.

You can also experience our adventure in the desert dunes up close in our latest YouTube episode, which you can also find further down in the blog.

Day 29 - A dream evening

M'Hamid El Ghizlane > Erg Chegaga

A quiet night with no wind allows us to sleep well. So well in fact that we do not hear the alarm clock. We finally open our eyes to a knock on the van. I go to open the door with one eye closed and the other one too, still groggy. It’s the guy from the campsite delivering us fresh bread, a wonderful vice here in Morocco.

The smell of bread helps us wake up and we have breakfast. Today we are giddy, because it is back to the pistes, back to exploring the desert. With the usual routine, we organise and prepare the van. Emptying the toilet and grey water, as well as loading (salty) fresh water, takes a little more time and creativity in the more rustic campsites in Morocco.

Around 11.30am we are ready to leave, but first we decide to head to the village of M’Hamid to load up with drinking water, fruit and vegetables and withdraw cash from the only ATM there. Having just over half a tank of diesel full and facing almost 300 kilometres of offroad over the next few days, we also hunt for a petrol station. We find one that is not exactly official, but which has a small pump inside its even smaller garage. We struggle to understand each other, but in the end, the guy refuels us at a price he decides, but which all in all is reasonable under the circumstances. Now with the tank full we are for all intents and purposes ready to go.

For the first few kilometres we drive along a hard dirt road full of potholes that leads us back past the campsite. We leave it to our left and enter the desert. The road surface immediately becomes sandier and after reducing the pressure of the tyres, we surf through the dunes in front of us. By now we have taken a liking to it and feel at ease on this terrain.

After about 40km we arrive at the ‘sacred oasis’, where we stop on a small hill for a lunch break in the van.

The stretch that follows before arriving at Erg Chegaga, Morocco's largest expanse of dunes, gets tricky.  Suddenly we find ourselves in the middle of the dunes, with no way forward. The tracks have disappeared and the last days of wind has shaped the dunes in such a way as to make passage almost impossible. A few moments of panic follow, and a couple of manoeuvres on the limit as we summit and cross some large dunes, regaining our composure and finding our way through.

Details of these moments, as well as the rest of the desert crossing to Tata can be found in our second YouTube episode below.

Since there is a lot told in the video, we will recount the next 48 hours in a more concise manner. Once we arrive at Erg Chegaga, we find a relatively quiet spot nestled between the dunes, close to a few luxury campsites. At sunset, a nomad passes by with his dromedary, who asks for something to eat and then disappears into the dunes. We make a fire, cook our first tajine over hot coals and enjoy the evening with Berber music from the surrounding campsites in the background.

Curiosity of the day In some small villages, there are little shacks and unofficial buildings that sell diesel and petrol in small or large bottles, which are poured into the car with a funnel. The one we found in M’Hamid also had a semi-official pump and refuelled us at a price he decided.

Day 30 - Climbing Erg Chegaga's highest dune

Erg Chegaga > Lago Iriki

We get up in the morning and the sun has already risen. The night was quiet and after breakfast we decide to hike to the highest dune, some 2 kilometres away. We wanted to go there at dawn, but we struggled to get up after our late-night waiting for the tagine to cook.

Despite the heat - it's close to 32 degrees already - we enjoy the walk and from the top there is a unique and very special view. Around midday we return to the van, have a snack and set off. Today we aim to do at least 70 km in the direction of Tissint and past Lake Iriki we will look for a place to sleep. The landscapes are beautiful and the road as always varied. We move from sand to more alpine and rocky landscapes as we skirt the Algerian border and pass several military checkpoints unscathed.

After passing Lake Iriki, we look for a place to sleep. And after discarding two idyllic and picturesque places (both under large trees) because of their unobtrusive location, we find refuge in a dried-up river bed a few kilometres from the main trail.

There are quite a few insects, probably due to the heat and little wind, so we spend the evening inside the van before falling asleep. Once again, as has always happened so far, we sleep soundly, and no one comes to disturb us.

Curiosity of the day A unique moment was the crossing of the (dry) lake of Iriki. We did not even realise at first that we had arrived at the lake, as we kept cruising through a huge flat expanse in a grandiose landscape. This lake – located between Foum Zguid and M’Hamid - is most often dry but can apparently be covered with a few centimetres of water in winter.

Day 31 - Mechanical problems

Lago Iriki > Tata (Rimal Tata Camp)

After breakfast, we don't hang about too long and swiftly get going, getting on the road a little earlier than usual.

The start is tricky as we decide to take a short cut back to the main track, exploring along the dried-up river. Once we reach the piste, we continue in the direction of Tissint, once again marvelling at our surroundings and how, even in the desert, the landscape and vegetation can change all the time.

After another 80 kilometres of dirt track, and the crossing of a small river (not dried up this time), we reach the asphalt road near Tissint. The last few kilometres of track give us some concern. With the vibrations caused by the gravel and the many stones on the track, we hear strange sounds coming from underneath the van. We stop a couple of times, trying to clear some of the dust from the chassis and identify the problem. The noises come and go and we are unable to tell what they are caused by. We suspect, and hope, that dust accumulated over the last month - without, alas, ever washing the van - may be one of the causes.

Once we hit the asphalt, the sounds disappear. The almost 100 kilometres that separate us from Tata pass quickly on wide, perfectly paved roads. In the distance layers of mountains and the sun about to set behind the mist.

Shortly after Tata we choose to stop at Rimal Tata Camp, a small, very rustic campsite with good reviews on park4night, located in the middle of nowhere. It turns out to be an apt choice. We are welcomed with great warmth and the typical kindness of the Moroccan people. We eat an excellent tajine cooked by Zahra, the owner of the campsite, and with a nice shower we end the day.

Curiosity of the day Reading up on Tissint, we read in various comments and reviews that kids in this area tend to pelter tourists' vehicles with stones, all the more so if their demands for money or sweets are not met. So we drove through the village without stopping and with some trepidation, but fortunately we had no problems.

To discover more about our three-day adventure in the desert via the Erg Chegaga dunes, don't miss our second episode on YouTube.

Day 32 - Today in Morocco it is forbidden to wash cars, or perhaps not...

Tata (Rimal Tata Camp)

In the morning, after some evaluation, we decide to stay one more day at Zahra.

We eat well, there is incredible peace and we have to sort a few things out: work first, go wash the van after a month of dirt roads, fill up with drinking water and do the shopping, fruit and vegetables above all.

After lunch, we leave for Tata to run our errands. The first car wash is unfortunately closed. The owner tells us that from Monday to Wednesday no cars are washed throughout Morocco because of the drought. The second car wash we visit seems not to know this story and kindly washes our van, explaining that since they apparently have a well, their business is exempt from these rules.

After washing the van, an interesting experience to observe, which lasted about half an hour and cost 80 dirhams, we go to the market in search of fruit and vegetables.

At first we struggle to find it, there is no trace of the market. Just as we are about to give up, we turn into a little alley, where we are faced with a dozen shops and stalls full of fruit and vegetables, some on the ground on a white cloth, others in the back of a vehicle or in classic plastic crates.

We buy everything we need and, satisfied, head back to the van. On the way back, we stop quite spontaneously, first to buy some pastries and pain au chocolat from a stall, and then to try a kind of fried doughnut made on the spot by a street vendor a few metres further on. Now we have really got everything and with an almost shiny van we can return to the campsite at Zahra.

In the evening we eat another tajine at her place, in our opinion the best we have tasted in Morocco so far. After dinner, while some of the new guests who have arrived sit around the campfire having a drink, we finish working on our projects on the computer in the outdoor chill area, while sipping yet another excellent mint tea.

Curiosity of the day Because of the drought, the Moroccan government has banned the use of hammams and car washes for three days a week, from Monday to Wednesday. By mid-January, rainfall was 70 per cent below the annual average and the average level of the country's dams had fallen to 23.2 per cent, compared with 31.5 per cent a year earlier. Moreover, Morocco's second largest dam, Al Masira, which offers irrigation water to the Doukkala region, the heart of Moroccan agriculture, and contributes to the production of hydroelectricity, appears to be almost empty.

Day 33 - Stranded among 200 camels

Tata > Tafraout

In the morning we get up and set off with the intention of heading towards Assa to take a 200km track to Tan-tan, a small village in the south-west of Morocco. Just as we are about to drive the first 100km of asphalt, we hear again, if only for a second, the strange noise coming from underneath the van. We decide to change plans and look for a mechanic in one of the nearby villages, at least to do a quick check.

We see that in Tafraout, a small mountain village which we were planning to pass a few days later on our way back north, there are a few garages. We therefore decide to drive around three hours towards Tafraout. A change of plan that we initially struggle to digest, but which then rewards us with the thrill of one of the most beautiful sights experienced so far in Morocco.

As we are driving along a small asphalt mountain road, we notice in the distance a few camels on the road. As we get closer, we realise that it is not just a few camels, but a heard of more than 200 camels, accompanied by three shepherds, two at the head of the group and one at the back, who invite us to continue.

Calmly and trying not to disturb or intimidate the animals too much, we cover a few kilometres immersed in a river of camels, which walk alongside us and do not seem at all bothered by our presence. After about 20 minutes and just a handful of kilometres, pass the last camels and we finally have a clear road ahead of us.

Although it is a relief to be able to proceed at normal speed again, there is a little sadness and melancholy in realising that this special moment of sharing the road with a river of camels has come to an end. We almost want to stop and watch them pass by again, but then we think it is not a good idea; both out of respect for them and because of the distance we still must travel. 

We continue on, excited by what we were able to experience a few moments earlier, and arrive in Tafraout, at the Tete de Lion campsite, just before sunset. We relax for a moment, drink welcome tea and before going to bed, the owner of the campsite comes to visit us in the van. Zaid, a very nice man who also speaks excellent German, gives us some advice for the next day and points us to Said and Petit Momo's garage to solve our mechanical problem.

Curiosity of the day One of the most popular attractions in the town of Tafraout, the Tete de Lion, refers to the famous silhouette of a lion's head that stands out perfectly in the natural features of the gigantic rock that forms part of Mount Jbel Lkest. The secret of this natural spectacle lies in the interaction between daylight and the shadows dictated by the relief of the rock.

Day 34 - Is this guy in the business?

Tafraout

We get up in the morning and without much ado, head to Said and Petit Momo's workshop. When we arrive at the location, we find ourselves in a somewhat peculiar situation.

Initially we cannot find the garage and a nice woman calls Said, one of the owners, who appears a few minutes later. We follow his car until we arrive at the garage. The garage is a bit atypical, being a giant yard that is used simultaneously as a campsite and a workshop. Almost all the vehicles there, over twenty of them, are partially disassembled, being repainted or about to undergo rustproofing.

Said greets us with a smile and informs us of the imminent arrival of the specialised mechanic. We find him in front of us about ten minutes later, having arrived by car. The mechanic, an elderly and therefore experienced gentleman, takes a look at the van and invites us to join him in his workshop so that he can take a look at the underside of the car in peace. Although a little confused by the whole procedure, we think it is a good idea to lift the car with a hoist to inspect it from underneath.

We get the mechanic on board and head with him to his workshop. Not an actual workshop to our surprise, but a garage with some tools inside. He instructs us to park outside on the side of the street and returns shortly after, with a jack to lift the car. During the procedure, he is joined by an impromptu friend or colleague, not dressed as a mechanic, who also immediately sets to work.

After almost an hour, without noticing any anomaly other than layers of dust and sand under the bodywork, we decide to finish the job. Said comes back and gives us a handwritten receipt on a torn piece of paper, which reads 'Mechanical check and general review - 400 DH'.

Although by European standards it does not seem that much, it seems high to me as a price for Morocco and after a few moments of haggling the price is magically halved and the four on the receipt turned into two.

In hindsight, we realise that perhaps the mechanic was not the most competent or lacked the resources and space to do his job well, but on the other hand we appreciate the work done. We are at peace knowing that a mechanic has checked all the main components, including wheels and suspension, and has not noticed anything wrong.

We proceed to do some shopping in the village where Zaid, the campsite owner, becomes insistent and follows us around Tafraout, repeatedly inviting us to visit a carpet shop. We return to the campsite and we enjoy an excellent but overly plentiful lunch as we wait for the washing machine to finish with our load of washing.

Meanwhile, our new neighbours have arrived at the campsite and for once it is not a refrigerator on wheels with over 70s on board. We make the acquaintance of Gemma and Dom, who know us from Instagram and have been in Morocco for a month now with their Transporter T6, equipped with a roof tent and geared up for exploring remote areas.

After dinner, we spend a few hours chatting around the fire with this nice Anglo-French couple living in Puglia. Together we sip a glass of wine and talk about our experiences in Morocco and upcoming adventures. A wonderful evening in good company.

Curiosity of the day Tafraout seems to be a winter destination for hundreds of vandwellers from Europe. The floor of this valley is covered with vans, motorhomes and campers, many of which come here to get work done on their van, most likely to get a whole new paint job at a competitive price. This is what we saw with our eyes when visiting the garage of Said and Petit Momo.

Day 35 - Painted rocks: Work of art or insult to nature?

Tafraout > Tahouaout

We get up and take the morning to sort a few things out and complete the usual routine of preparing the van so that we can spend the next few days in complete autonomy. The idea is to finally head for Assa to drive the 200 kilometre piste to Tan-tan, which we had postponed a few days earlier.

We take a shower and are ready to go. We say goodbye to our neighbours Gemma and Dom, with whom we hit it off right away, and set off heading for the famous Painted Rocks. After a few kilometres of dirt road, we arrive at the Painted Rocks, a work created in 1984 by Belgian artist Jean Verame.

These gigantic rocks, painted with tons of coloured paint, mainly blue and red, provoke mixed emotions and thoughts in us. On the one hand, it is something unusual and interesting, which attracts many tourists and consequently helps to support Morocco's economy. On the other hand, to go and affect nature and these rocks, which are already characteristic and spectacular in themselves, is something that does not fully convince us.

In any case, we are not here to be moral, we still take a few photos and eat a little something in the van while outside the temperatures hit 30 degrees.

As we drive along the dirt road near the coloured rocks, even if only for a short distance, the strange noise that has kept us busy and worried for the last few days once again appears under the chassis. We try to identify its origin and cause, but the sound disappears again. For all the kilometres, mainly on asphalt, that will lead us into the Ait Mansour valley we will hear it no more.

The Ait Mansour valley was recommended to us by Gemma and Dom and is reached via a 20-kilometre asphalt road, steep and full of bends. Once inside the valley, we find ourselves in a spectacular canyon, passing through a dense oasis trying to dodge palm trees. We enjoy this particular and very picturesque stretch of road, with a few small villages of cottages embedded in the rock to make the postcard even more beautiful.

Once through the valley, we continue along an equally scenic road that, between one rise and another, takes us to our spot for the night near Tahouaout: a clearing on a hill along a dirt track a few hundred metres from the main road. Around us we see no signs of life, although from the map we notice a building a few kilometres away at the end of the dirt road.

Once we find a flat spot for the van, we spend a quiet evening despite the passing of a few cars and struggle to fall asleep because of the strong wind.

Curiosity of the day To paint the Painted Rocks of Tafraout in 1984 Verame, with the help of the Tafraout fire brigade, used over 18 tonnes of blue, pink and various other colours. Looking for information on the meaning of this work, we did not find a lot, except that the Belgian artist realized this work in memory of his late wife.

With this week we have completed and passed our first month in Morocco. Initially we had planned to stay here for 30 days, but this country is continually showing us that there are still a thousand enchanting places to discover and interesting people to meet. We are enjoying Morocco so much that we will stay a few more weeks.

Over the next few days, despite small, seemingly unresolved mechanical problems, more desert tracks await us to reach Tan-tan, the southernmost point of our Moroccan journey. From there we will venture along rocky roads following the coast until we reach and cross Plage Blanche, a 30-kilometre-long white beach. It's going to be another epic week, see you soon with the next update!