Zagora and the Sahara

Zagora is a bit of an arm pit of a town. It is a centre for tourists launching themselves into the desert, the millitary that guard the contested border with Algeria and the market town for the surrounding area.

I experienced the worst hassle since crossing the border here. Tourists seem to be preyed upon like carrion, charmless pressure sales techniques, men hollering at you from all sides and people simply expecting you to put money in their outstretched hands.

Despite this hassle I found a very nice campsite which had a range of mini suites and sleeping cabins around a small garden on the edge of the palm grove. It was here that I arranged a two day trip into the desert.

Morocco's portion of the Sahara is predominantly rock and stone fringed by mountains to the north rather than the classic golden sands of popular imagination. However it does have two large dune systems, the largest, Erg Chigaga, is situated just north of the Algerian border about 100km south of Zagora and 60km west of the only tarmac road.

I left in the morning with my three guides. I either paid way too much or otherwise at least two of them were out for the ride...... One drove and the two others cooked. All three sang, played guitars and or drums...... quite a mobile party.

On our way south I visited an ancient Kasbah, being led in the dark by hand through a labyrinth of passages, an ancient Medrassa i.e. Islamic clerics school, where I saw copies of the Koran hand written over 900 years ago and a local pottery.

It was just south of here and about 5km off the road I met my lunch date. A not so beautiful girl with bad breath and facial hair. However she did let me sit on her and ride her round the sand dunes ........ My camel ride was fun. I had read that the motion can induce travel sickness and be very uncomfortable. Therefore I chose not to book a 5 day trip into the desert, but take the hour long taster option.

The desert is very varied with quite a lot of vegetation in places; whilst in others it is hard bitten, dry as a bone and harsh. What was particularly thrilling as we bumped our way east into the desert was to see traditional nomads herding goats or leading camels several days walk from the nearest village.

The dune system rises out of the plain. I arrived in time to see the sun set then join my companions for tea set out on a carpet atop a dune. As the sun went down and a million stars began to appear they started to sing and play contemporary Saharan music. They all clearly loved being out in the desert, messing around and having a good time. They laughed and joked constantly and my two days with them was a real joy.