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| Ksar es-Seghir |
Fresh off the blue-drenched high of Chefchaouen, the Vagabond Couple and Shehzadi found themselves chasing a different rhythm. Gone were the dreamlike alleyways and chilled-out cats of the mountain town. The road (here's a map) pulled them westward, toward the sea, into lands that had seen too much and still stood proud: Tetouan, elegant and stubborn and Ksar es-Seghir, tiny but heavy with centuries.
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| Chefchaouen, Morocco |
Somewhere between continents and centuries, history and myth, we rolled Shehzadi off the ferry deck in Tanger, waved at the sprawling skyline and felt it in our bones: this was no ordinary crossing. This was a threshold. A leap. A portal into Africa. And with that, the next chapter of our overland odyssey — one that began in the Caucasus mountains of Georgia, crossed the Bosporus into Europe and zigzagged west — began again (map). The Silk Road, in all its winding, tangled glory, was calling.
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| Chefchaouen, Morocco |
Our return to Morocco (we arrived on a boring airplane the last time) was to be our launch point across the African leg of this ancient artery and no place better to start than Chefchaouen — the blue dream tucked into the mountains of the Rif. But first, we had to get there. And like all things with us Vagabonds, the journey matters just as much as the destination.
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| Chefchaouen, Morocco |
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| Natural map of Africa at sea-facing entrance to Hercules Caves in Tangier, Morocco |
After days of rolling across continents with Shehzadi, our ever-faithful Toyota Tundra pickup, we finally rumbled into Tangier, Morocco, Africa disembarking a ferry from Algeciras, Spain, Europe under a lavender North African sunset. We'd made it. From Asia to Europe and now to Africa (here's a map). A quick night in a cozy hotel tucked between bustling streets and sea breezes gave us the reset we needed. Morning came with the scent of salt and coffee and we were ready to let Tangier tell its story.
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| Statue of Ibn Battuta at his Museum in Medina of Tangier, Morocco |
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| Rock of Gibraltar |
This leg of our trans-continental Asia-Europe-Africa road trip (MAP) continues from us overlanding to Spain from Georgia (see From Greece to Spain (via Italy): Our Grand European Road & Ferry Journey) and takes us from the Andalusian coast to the gates of Africa — with Shehzadi, our trusty Toyota Tundra with Georgian plates (yes, Georgia the country on the Black Sea), handling every curve, checkpoint, and curious stare like a champ.
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| Hassan II Mosque and Casablanca shoreline across Atlantic ocean from Cabano Beach |
We catch a train from Fes to Casablanca and go around the charming city of Casablanca. Starting at Gare de Casa-Voyageurs train station, we visit numerous attractions across various districts (neighborhoods) of Casablanca, including the port of Casablanca, Rick's Cafe, the iconic Hassan II mosque, the gorgeous world-famous Cabano beach, the prosperous Anfa district, the Royal Golf course and Hippodrome race track, the bazaars and craft stores of Habbous district, Mohammed V Square, Zevaco dome and United Nations Square and much more. This is our Casablanca photo story.
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| Khrachfiyine Pont on Bou Khrareb river, Medina of Fez |
After an epic sunrise camel ride back from our desert camp on Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga (see The Great Sahara of Morocco) and an unforgettable road trip from Merzouga to Fes over High and Middle Atlas mountain ranges and river valleys (see Merzouga to Fes Desert Road over High & Middle Atlas Mountain Ranges), we reach the ancient walled medina of Fez, the legendary Fes el Bali, at 5 PM.
The entire medina of the ancient 9th century city of Fes is a UNESCO world heritage site for good reason. "Founded in the 9th century, Fez reached its height in the 13th-14th centuries under the Marinids, when it replaced Marrakesh as the capital of the kingdom. The urban fabric and the principal monuments in the medina - madrasas, fondouks, palaces, residences, mosques and fountains - date from this period. Although the political capital of Morocco was transferred to Rabat in 1912, Fez has retained its status as the country's cultural and spiritual centre", say UNESCO.
Fes el-Bali, a magical 1.15 square miles in area, encloses within its ancient walls over 13,000 historic buildings including 11 theological schools of Islamic studies (madrasas), 320 mosques, 270 dars (B&Bs and hostels) and funduqs (inns and hotels), and over 200 Moorish bathhouses and hammams connected by over 10,000 pedestrian-only streets, a vast majority of which are really narrow 3-foot wide alleys. About 160,000 people live inside Fes el-Bali today. Automobiles are not allowed inside, making it the world’s largest car-free medieval city.
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| National Highway N13 near Zebzat |
We overnighted in a tent beside towering wind-blown sand dunes of Erg Chebbi in Great Sahara desert (long story at The Great Sahara of Morocco: Canyons of Todra Gorge, Farm on Tinghir Oasis, Amazigh Carpets and Riding Camels Over Merzouga High Erg Chebbi Dunes to Desert Camp Deep in Ocean of Orange Sand). In this photo story we start the day early at sunrise to ride camels back to Merzouga. We then drive to Fes crossing High Atlas and Middle Atlas mountain ranges across Ziz Valley, Al-Hassan Addakhil Lake, Zaabal Tunnel, Enzala Mosque, Midelt, Boulajoul (for lunch), the Monkey Park and Ifrane.
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| Sahara Desert, Morocco |
Continuing our Moroccan expedition that started in Marrakech (see "Marrakech to Ouarzazate"), we have an early breakfast and check out of our Ouarzazate hotel. After visiting a farm in lush green desert oasis of Tinghir and a traditional Amazigh carpet and rug maker, we cool down a bit at one of the world's most imposing canyons of Todgha Gorge. We then pick up some legendary Moroccan dates from Erfoud before reaching Merzouga. We then ride camels over towering Erg Chebbi dunes of the Sahara to our desert camp where we are entertained with traditional music and dance around a bonfire. We sleep in tents in open desert under the stars.
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| ⵣ (yaz) Amazigh (Berber) symbol of freedom painted on a wall |
From the medina of Marrakesch (see our Marrakesh story), we embark on an epic multi-day trip across Morocco's great Sahara desert from Marrakesh to Fes. On the way we cross Tizi n’Tichka mountain pass over High Atlas mountains, visit the historic Berber fortified village of Ait ben Haddou and marvel at the Film studios of Ouarzazate, of which Atlas Studios is the world's largest movie studio by area. We also see the Noor Solar Power Ouarzazate that is the world's largest concentrated solar power plant. We spend the night at a hotel in the suburbs of Ouarzazate. This is our photo story for the day.
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| Cascades de Setti Fatma, Ourika Valley |
Finally arriving at the Red City after a wonderful couple of days at Zanzibar, Tanzania, we explore the historic Jemaa el-Fna square and Marrakech medina (old walled city), go around Marrakesh attractions and head to High Atlas Mountains the next day to visit a village of ancient Moroccan indigenous nomadic Berber people, a traditional herbal oil, cosmetics, perfume and medicine market and a traditional Berber miller's house. We then head farther up the Atlas Mountains and have lunch on the rapids of Ourika river at pretty Sti Fadma waterfalls.
