Page 275 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Morocco

OU ARZAZA TE & THE SOUTHERN O ASES  273

abruptly in the middle of the
stony desert. From Tagounite,
a difficult track leads to the foot
of Jbel Tadrart and the beautiful
Nesrate Dunes.

8 Mhamid
Road Map D4. * 2,000. ( Mon.
This border post and small
administrative centre is the last
oasis before the great expanse of
the Sahara. To the south stretches
a stony desert, the Hammada du
Green-glazed pottery vessels characteristic of Tamegroute Draa. From Mhamid, Wadi Draa
sinks beneath the sand to
the desert. In the former The holy man’s works laid the reappear on the Atlantic coast
mellah, the mosque stands foundations of the Koranic 540 km (338 miles) to the west.
next to the abandoned Library. A collection of priceless The ruins of a ksar indicate
synagogue. Amazraou is manuscripts is displayed in one the former existence of a great
inhabited by Arabs, Haratines of the rooms. It includes an caravan centre, from which
and Berbers, who continue 11th-century gazelle-skin Ahmed el-Mansour’s army set
the Jewish tradition of Koran, books of calligraphy out in the 16th century to
making silver jewellery. with gold dust and saffron take Timbuctu.
By following a footpath illuminations, and
from the La Fibule treatises on algebra, Environs
hotel, the summit of astronomy and Arabic Coming from Zagora, the Tizi-
Jbel Zagora can be literature. Exposed to heat Beni-Selmane Pass, at an
reached in one hour. and light, these works are, altitude of 747 m (2,451 ft),
It is crowned by a unfortunately, not offers a stunning view of Jbel
military post and Mule in the in the best condition. Bani and the desert, which
commands a breath- Draa valley In the potters’ looks black since it is covered
taking view of the workshop outside, with volcanic stone. A little
valley. The remains of walls members of seven families further on, a track to the left
indicate the presence of the produce traditional functional leads to Foum-Rjam, one of
Almoravids in the 11th century. pots with a green glaze typical the largest prehistoric necro-
Several hotels offer tours in of Tamegroute ceramics. polises in the Maghreb.
four-wheel-drive vehicles or on Tumuli mark thousands of
camels. Lasting from a day to Environs graves. About 45 km (28 miles)
two weeks, the tours take in About 5 km (2 miles) south south of Mhamid, the Chigaga
the Chigaga dunes south of of Tamegroute, and off to the dunes, which can be reached
Mhamid, and Foum-Zguid, left, are the Tinfou Dunes, an only by four-wheel-drive
west of Zagora. isolated ridge of sand rising up vehicle, stretch to the horizon.
7 Tamegroute
Road Map D4. ( Sat. _ Moussem
of Sidi Ahmed ben Nasser (Nov).
Surrounded by ramparts, the
ksar at Tamegroute contains a
zaouia and a library. This great
centre of Islamic learning was
founded in the 17th century
by Mohammed Bou Nasri,
and its influence extended
throughout southern Morocco.
Beneath the arcades of the
courtyard, near the entrance
to the tomb of Mohammed
Bou Nasri, invalids and disabled
people gather, in the hope of
being cured. Camel and rider on the Tinfou Dunes, south of Tamegroute

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