DESTINATIONS AFRICA |MOROCCO
BOOK THE KASBAH
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The fam trip group visits all-female co-operative Tawesna; sand dune excursion from Kasbah Hotel Xaluca; Ouarzazate; desert views PICTURE: Shutterstock/Kadagan; Kasbah Hotel Xaluca; Jo Fernández
and Gladiator. The light and the sweeping cinematic landscapes mean some of the most popular shows, ranging from Game of Thrones to Prison Break, have been filmed here. We wander from an enormous Egyptian temple to a Tibetan structure featured in Martin Scorsese’s Kundun. Keeping up the film connection, we head to Aït Benhaddou, a Unesco-protected fortified city at the foothills of the Atlas Mountains used as a setting for classics such as Lawrence of Arabia. Once an important stop on the salt, gold and ivory trade route between the Sahara and Marrakech, its towering kasbahs are still home to a few families. Advise clients to wear flat walking shoes to clamber across the dry river bed – for a good view of the earthen-walled kasbah – and up the narrow lanes lined with stalls.
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER On our way down, we stop for lunch at Tawesna, an all- female co-operative providing work for more than 40 widowed or divorced women. The shaded space with low seating and a resident cat serves specialities such as pumpkin-and-chicken tagine and a smoky aubergine dish so delicious it renders meat irrelevant. Some of the women are shy at first, but we soon learn about their journeys navigating cultural obstacles and objections
voiced by male relatives. Tawesna means ‘knowledge’ and that’s what they say they have gained, expanding the cafe from making drinks to serving food with the assistance of a female airline pilot living in Casablanca who helped them scale up the business. We were enriched as much by the empowered women as the lovingly cooked food. Travelling to the Moroccan desert certainly rewards
the extra effort, revealing lives that, in some respects, have barely changed in centuries, while in others, are moving with the times.
TW BOOK IT
Exoticca offers a 10-day Grand Tour & Kasbah Route itinerary including Marrakech, Casablanca and Ouarzazate from £1,049 per person, based on two travelling, with half-board accommodation, activities, flights and transfers.
exoticca.com
Audley Travel offers a 10-day tailor-made trip to Morocco, including Casablanca, Fez, Errachidia, Erfoud, Erg Chebbi, Ouarzazate and Marrakech, from £4,995 per person, based on two travelling, with breakfast, some excursions, flights and private transfers.
audleytravel.com
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E Built by Berbers with thick stone or adobe walls to protect their communities, kasbahs tend to be dotted around the edge of the Sahara and in the mountains. Today, travellers can stay in kasbahs and hotels mirroring this ancient architecture with cooling courtyards to reflect the rich cultural heritage of these sturdy yet splendid structures.
E Kasbah Hotel Xaluca (pictured) near Erfoud is an atmospheric affair with palm- lined swimming pools, shaded courtyards and Moroccan pottery. Wake up to desert views and feast-like breakfasts, with little touches such as fossil motifs in the bathrooms, a nod to the many found in the area.
E Kasbah Erg Chebbi is another modern property, with relaxing rooms featuring carved ceilings and cosy tents.
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