Morocco - Part 5 - Trekking in Dades

Our journey took us up over the Atlas mountains into the gorge area, known as Dades where we drove some of the most incredible roads of the whole trip. The Moroccan driving experience is not easily forgotten as each turn delivered a new surprise and a new challenge. At best you find yourself on a lovely dual carriage way that tops British roads and at worst you are on a crumbling mountain track with a cliff one side, blind corners and a crazy Moroccan taxi driving coming directly for you at 60mph. We quickly learned that driving required no skill other than having nerves of steel and a passion for playing chicken, which we suck at. 

To get to the gorge you have to drive up the sleep side of the cliff and down the narrow road the other side. The views at the top are breathtaking and well worth the drive, even just to look back at the roads and congratulate yourself for arriving safely and to muster up the courage to continue back down. This road happened to be my first driving experience in Morocco and it was terrifying, it did, however, give me the courage to take on any other challenges that came my way! 

After a semi-comfortable night in a rather basic hostel balancing on the edge of a very blustery cliff, we set off for a days trek down into the gorge. The walk was several hours long and was full of surprises and character building tests, such as wading through thigh-high ice water from the mountains. 

We paddled through shark turtle infested water

Crossed delicate make-shift bridges over raging rapids 

Scaled cliff-faces 

Pushed our way through the jungle 

and discovered eerie abandoned buildings 

Needless to say, that's the last time I agree to go on a 'little ramble' with Mamma T. 

In all seriousness, the gorges are incredibly beautiful and so impressive and we definitely would not have seen then in all their glory if it hadn't been for our trek! 

Mood - Exhausted just thinking about it 

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