By Paul Bryers

• Day Itinerary: Drive Fez to Arfoud (Gate to Sahara)
• Accommodation: Arfoud Palace Hotel

Today’s drive was quite lengthy, spanning 8 hours. My driver, Said, demonstrated exceptional skill and professionalism throughout the journey, even when interacting with a police officer who expressed concerns about our vehicle’s tinted windows. Phah!

The initial part of the drive continued to showcase the somewhat green landscapes I had grown accustomed to prior to arrival in Fez.

Notably, we encountered a greater number of sheep, goats, and wild donkeys. One domesticated donkey was spotted hiding behind a collapsed snow shield.

Nomadic settlements were prevalent along the route. Said informed me that these settlements have become increasingly stationary in recent times.

Our first point of interest was the cedar woods, which supply a significant amount of wood for house construction/decoration in Morocco.

Next, we encountered a group of mischievous macaques who were eager to receive peanuts. Michael the Macaque ignored me at first but with crack of a nutshell we were best budies. I managed not to get bitten this time – in any case, my rabies vaccine is valid for another year.

As the High Atlas Mountains came into view in the distance, the landscape gradually lost its green hue and transitioned to various shades of red, characterized by rock, sand, and dust.

Our drive took us over the High Atlas Mountains, which feature peaks reaching heights of over 4,000 meters (13,000 feet). The highest summit, Mount Toubkal, stands at 4,167 meters (13,671 feet). We reached a high point on the road of approximately 2,100 meters (7,000 feet).

The range is known for its many snow-covered peaks during the winter months. Although it was not winter, we did observe a small trace of snow.

The views were breathtaking as we descended ……

… and drove adjacent to the largely dry riverbed of the Ziz.

However, after passing the Hassan Reservoir,….

…..which allows for continius slow release of water into the Ziz, we noticed palm trees in abundance.

We finally arrived in Arfoud, Said’s hometown and the gateway to the Sahara.

The Arfoud Palace Hotel, where I am staying overnight, is a large and lavish hotel that caters primarily to tourists going somewhere more interesting in the morning. While the hotel lacks character and appears somewhat empty, my room is satisfactory.

As I am quite exhausted from today’s journey, I will conclude this post and retire for the evening.

Tomorrow, I will embark on a Sahara desert adventure and camping!