Sahara desert adventures:

There were 15 people in my travel group and every one of us had decided on the trip to Morocco to escape grim winters in our home countries and trade them for sunnier skies in the North African country. Much to our dismay, on our long drive (10 hours) to the Sahara desert, we were met with delays as snow barricades had been erected through the nearby mountain passes as driving conditions were unsafe. For almost two hours, we were parked at a gas station in the darkness of the early morning, awaiting the roads to clear up. The delays and the long journey were well worth it, however, once we arrived to the desert.

We were greeted by a camel herder and several camels at a small hotel in the desert. Due to the delays, we had arrived close to sunset, but the much-awaited camel ride was still on! As temperatures were quite cold due to the Saharan winter climate, we were bundled up with head scarves, jackets and backpacks as we loaded onto the camels. The hardest part was trusting the camels to go downhill on some of the sand dunes as it would often feel like their skinny legs would buckle and that they were about to lose their balance! They definitely demonstrated more stability going uphill than downhill and we were instructed to lean forward as they navigated going downhill and to lean backwards as they walked uphill.

An hour and a half after riding camel into our desert camp, we were greeted with dinner—a vegetable appetizer and tagine, which was the typical Moroccan stew cooked in a clay pot and could consist of chicken, lamb or beef. The local camp employees then started a bonfire for us where we heard traditional Berber music as they played the drums and sang for us. We also had a chance to dance around the bonfire and it was such a wholesome experience. Admiring the stars under the massive Saharan sky was an unforgettable view as I saw more stars and constellations in one place than I have ever seen before.

The next morning, we were packed up and ready to go after our one night stay in the desert camp, but not before we had the chance to admire the sunrise in the desert. The yellows, blues and oranges that lit up the desert sky were vibrant and the feeling of serenity in the air was indescribable. Most of us made it back to the desert hotel riding our camels once again as we continued to ooh and ahh at the beauty of the cool, but sunny skies of the vast desert.

Morocco’s Grand Canyon: Todra Gorge

After a quick breakfast at the Sahara desert hotel where we had disembarked from our noble steads, we were on our way to Todra Gorge, which was another 3 hour ride away. We drove on winding roads and finally arrived at our next hotel, which was situated in a valley surrounded by limestone river canyons in the eastern part of the High Atlas Mountains. The hotel was also surrounded by date palms and olive trees, creating a little oasis between the taller canyons.

The next morning we were ready for a hike through the Todra Gorge valley. Over the course of 2 hours, we hiked uphill, with the elevation increasing about 1800ft. The terrain was rocky and steep, and good shoes with lots of traction were a must. After huffing and puffing for 2 hours and taking short breaks along the way to admire the flora and fauna that lined the canyon walls (with herbs such as thyme), we arrived near the highest point of the canyon we had hiked. Luckily, we were the only eight people for miles on end, overlooking the gorgeous blue skies and the rocky terrain that loomed ahead. It was so silent at the top you could literally hear a pin drop!

As we walked a little bit further, we were greeted by a Berber nomad that lived in a cave-like structure constructed with local stones. He was an 86-year old man who currently lived there with his wife and had followed the Berber nomadic traditions for the entirety of his life. He ushered us to sit down on colorful but tattered rugs right outside of his residence. He had the kindest smile and fine wrinkle lines caused by sun exposure, most likely, indicative of his experiences and wisdom. He greeted us with the infamous Moroccan mint tea while his wife shared her freshly baked flatbread. It was Moroccan hospitality at its finest and one of the highlights of the trip!

Our hike downhill towards the valley was stunning as well, as there were clear skies and the sun continued to grace us with its presence. Parts of the downhill hike were quite rocky and slippery but not terribly difficult to navigate with a little bit of patience and supportive shoes. We were famished after our hike and were excited to try Berber pizza (vegetable-stuffed flatbread) and traditional fava bean soup at a local family-owned restaurant for a late lunch.

Our day ended with a short walk around the gardens that surrounded our rustic hotel. We walked alongside a small creek that was used to irrigate residents’ local gardens through a plethora of almond, date, olive, fig and pomegranate trees. The night ended with us enjoying dinner back at our hotel as we tried to partake in the Berber drum -playing traditions.

It was an unforgettable experience hiking such a beautiful and vast canyon and being rewarded with a meet and greet with a local nomad. It’s moments like these that are full of pleasant surprises that makes travel such a unique experience.