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Friday, November 30, 2012

Car Trip Morocco - Day 8 Zagora to Erg Chigaga

After our early morning hike to the top of the hill behind the hotel in Zagora, we drove to Mhamid, on the edge of the Sahara Desert

 Arrived at the magnificent Kasbah hotel Chez le Pacha in Mhamid well in time for our 1500hr appointment with Hassine
the well known sign - Timbouctou 52 Jours
here we would leave our car overnight
 wandered around the luxurious grounds
 and relaxed by the pool
 our transport was waiting paciently for us

 all mounted ready for the first stage of our trip into the Sahara








Ali Baba & Queen of the Desert
an hour later we dismounted

  said goodbye to our guide

 and transferred to our 4wheel drive
 two bumpy hours later we arrive at our Berber Tented camp close to the Erg Chigaga dunes
 and evening walk in the dunes

 careful not to lose sight of our desert camp

 and back for our Tagine meal
 to be entertained by our hosts on drums
 and later sat in the open enjoying the silence of the desert and the fantastic starry night with the Milky Way clearly visible,
 before retiring to our tents


 

Before sunrise we went for a hike to the highest dunes where Jeannette greets the rising sun

 hard work
 made it!
 sunrise


 good place for yoga





 amazing shadows


 more sun salutations










 almost back at the camp



 for a very welcome breakfast


on the way back to Mhamid stopped to admire these trees growing out of the sand
 




 also stopped a few times to bleed the diesel system - engine stopped a few disconcerting times as air blocks developed in the fuel system
 Back in Mhamid at the Chez le Pacha Hotel, Mohamid, Houssine's eldest brother shows us round his beautiful hotel - these are some rooms he has just had built inspired by a trip he has just made to northern Nigeria
 Although we have not actually stayed here, the Chez le Pacha hotel looks as though it would be very pleasant to stay at - and certainly the service provided by Houssine and Mohamid with our Sahara trip was excellent