The Tizi N Tichka Pass

A few prayers would be appreciated as this is the only way to get from Ouarzazate to Marrakech.  I will be on this "road" several times during the course of this trip. This is the Tizi-N-Tichka Pass and the highest pass in the Atlas, about half way between Marrakech and Ouarzazate.

In the summer of 2001 I took the bus for about 5 or 6 hours from Marrakech to Ouarzazate. This pass goes right through the High Atlas Mountains and is the scariest drive I have ever been on.  Many people, mostly locals who are used to this pass, make good use of the "sick bags".

Just to start this journey off on the right foot, I have decided to fly from Casablanca to Ouarzazate because I don't really fancy getting stranded here if the pass is closed - snow!!!!

It is Air France from Toronto to Paris, with a short wait for the connection to Casablanca and then a seven hour wait for the one hour flight to Ouarzazate.  I am very willing to wait in a nice cozy airport.

 

TIZI-N-TEST
Up, looking down 
(courtesy of Look Lex)

Driving up the valleys on the Marrakechian side of Tizi-n-Test can be vertiginous for many travellers. At certain points the road is not more than a metre wider than your car, and there is no protection that will hold you back from falling down hundreds of metres.

But if you're OK with this, the views can be quite spectacular, and there are a new village for every valley, all made out of houses that merge with nature, both in material and in the way they climb the mountain sides.

As I am heading off to a desert area, I thought I might like a reminder of my back yard dressed up in its finest green!  The structure, centre back, is where I hang the hammocks, the relaxing area.  Out of the picture to the left is the outdoor office, the not relaxing area.

Note  - this picture was taken just after everything had been cleaned up....it does not look like this now,  but will again.

Hi,

Seven weeks from now I will be on the plane looking forward to a new adventure in the south of Morocco from my base in the small city of Ouarzazate.

I will be there for nine weeks and hope to get some amazing pictures to put up here. 

Click on any photo to enlarge.