Departing Erfoud the following morning, we headed into Rissani where it was market day. We checked out the donkey parking lot and markets selling a vast range of produce including date, dates & more dates....... The local sheep sale was about to get underway!
Even encountered a thread & yarn shop..........a weaver's delight!
After a refreshing tea in the market we transferred to a 4 wheel drive vehicle for a "bone jarring" journey into the Sahara Desert. Driving through flat arid desert surrounded by sand dunes we crossed dry river beds & lunar landscapes to reach Merzouga, a village located on the edge of the Sahara.
Our home for the night was the charming Hotel Nomad Palace nestled at the foot of the sand dunes. The mud brick hotel offered delightful rooms - the light shade in my room was a tin bucket!!
In days gone by Merzouga was a staging post for a 52 day trip by camel to the intriguing Tombouctou in neighbouring Mali, a place I have long dreamed of visiting! Maybe in the future when the political situation is less volatile and my camel riding skills have strengthened............
At sunset we had a memorable camel trek in the Sahara Desert close to the border with Algeria! We were lead by Youssef, our trusty guide........
The sun slowly setting on the Sahara with the Algerian border in the background......
This was a truely unforgettable experience, easy to imagine yourself taking a step back in time & go adventuring with Lawrence of Arabia........
Leaving the desert behind we shook off the sand & headed south through the "Valley of 1000 Kasbahs" into the High Altlas Mountains and the dramatic landscape of the Todra & Dades Gorge for a much appreciated rest day! But more of that to come........... Until the next post, the Travelling Wanderers
Marvellous blog! BFB xx
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