Hiking in Todra Gorge

Jan started the day with a bit of a "Moroccan" stomach, which is something a lot of tourists experience here. After a quick trip to the pharmacy and a nice afternoon nap, he was feeling much better. We hopped on the local bus to Tinerhir, which cost us 10 dirham each, and the ride took about an hour. From there, we took a taxi up to Todra Gorge because this time we wanted to stay right in the heart of the stunning nature. Todra Gorge stretches about 16 kilometers—so it’s a bit shorter than Dades Gorge, but just as beautiful in its own way. Dades Gorge offered breathtaking views of the area and the mountains. In Todra Gorge, you drive along the bottom of a canyon next to the river, with about 200 meters up to the edge of the cliffs. Because of this, many tourists come here to climb the walls. We chose to stay at Yasmina, which is right in the heart of Todra Gorge—down in the canyon with towering rock walls all around. It’s a popular spot for both tourists and locals on weekends, so there are plenty of people during the day. There are stalls lining the road selling jewelry, clothes, and other souvenirs. You can also find little food carts where you can grab a cheap sandwich for 4 dirham or a lollipop for just half a dirham. A night without meals costs 200 dirham, with breakfast it’s 250 dirham, and half board is 400 dirham. The area is perfect for day hikes. We chose a trail that took about 3-4 hours with a local guide, who charged us 120 dirham. The guide had two brothers. One was blind, and together they worked in a small stall selling souvenirs. The other brother was the receptionist at our hotel. Lonely Planet says you can definitely hike alone, but in several places, the route is hard to read, so it’s really best to take a guide along—this way, you can be sure you’ll make it back before dark! :o) We hiked up into the mountains, where we came across a small nomadic Berber family living all alone up there. They were incredibly hospitable and immediately offered us tea and bread. The trail was tough, going both up and down. We made it to the top, where we had a fantastic view of the area. There aren’t many plants that grow up in these mountains, but ironically, the few that can survive here can actually be used for tea. The hike also took us to the guide’s village, which was along the way, allowing us to walk back to Yasmina. Dinner was included in the price and started with a salad as a starter, followed by delicious grilled skewers with rice for the main course, and oranges for dessert. Drinks weren’t included and were a bit pricey—10 dirham for water and 8 for cola. As a special treat, we could buy a bottle of wine for 120 dirham to enjoy with our meal. They make good wine in Morocco—strangely enough, considering most people don’t drink alcohol!