[MOROCCO] Desert Tour Day 2: Todra Gorges and Boumalne Dades

08:57 Travel Bunny 0 Comments

On my 2nd day of Desert Tour, I traveled from Merzouga to Todra Gorges and spent the night in Boumalne Dades. Todra Gorges are a series of deep cliff-sided limestone canyons in the eastern side of High Atlas Mountains, carved out by the Todra River and Dades River. Boumalne Dades, on the other hand, is a quaint town where you will find beautiful red hue traditional houses in Tinghir province. The landscape is equally stunning although vastly different from the desert.

3-Day "Sahara Desert Tour" from Fez to Marrakesh Itinerary

Day 1: Fez - Ifrane - Ziz Valley viewpoint - Merzouga - overnight in desert camp
Day 2: Merzouga - Todra Gorges - Boumalne Dades
Day 3: Boumalne Dades - Ouarzazate - Ait Benhaddou  - Marrakesh

On the way to Todra Gorges, we passed by palm grooves and Berber villages. There are some vendors selling colourful scarfs on the road side.

Finally arriving in Todra Gorges. The stunning natural backdrop is a perfect place to unwind after getting out from the desert. The river bed seemed pretty dry during my visit in October. However, during rainy season, the river can expand massively. 

There are some houses built at the bottom of the valley. My tour guide told me that rocks had fallen from the cliff and destroyed part of the houses before. I spent some time walking under 300m high red cliff before heading towards Boumalne Dades.

Before reaching Boumalne Dades, we drove through the stunning winding roads in Dades Gorge. We stopped by the viewpoint above the zigzag road to take some photos. 

I was quite satisfied with the hotel that I was staying in Boumalne Dades, Dar Ahlam Dades. As compared to the desert camp on the night before, this was a really good upgrade. We were welcomed with mint tea, nuts and cookies upon arrival. 

I like the touches of unique Berber style in its interior decoration. The room was new, clean and comfortable. It has a double bed and a single bed. The wifi connection is also not bad.

The view from the roof terrace is amazing. I wore the robe provided in the room after shower. It matched the setting perfectly.

The hotel is located right in the heart of the town. So I went for a walk in the town.

Dinner was served at the lower terrace. It became chilly at night and I had to wear a jacket while having dinner.

Both the dinner and breakfast were delicious and filling. I would not hesitate to recommend anyone staying in this lovely hotel. Day 2 of the tour turned out to be most relaxing day due to shorter driving distance and a good sleep in a hotel. Stay tuned to the next posting on Day 3 of the desert tour.