The trip from Marrakech to Taroudant over the Atlas mountains is one of Africa’s great road journeys. A winding, vertiginous climb leads to the 2,092-metre high Tizi n Test pass, from where you can see the plains of the pre-Sahara stretching as far as the horizon.
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In contrast to its big-city neighbours, Agadir and Marrakech, Taroudant has an unhurried air and a ‘desert town’ feel. Situated among groves of orange and pomegranate trees, the town occupies a strategic position between the snow-covered high Atlas to the north and the Anti Atlas to the south.
For a short while, under the Saadian dynasty in the 16th century, the town was the capital of Morocco. The town owed its wealth to the sugar cane, cotton, rice, indigo and olives grown in the Souss valley. Much of the produce is on sale in the daily souks, which also sell spices, clothing, Touareg jewellery and handicrafts.
A great way to see Taroudant is by hiring a bicycle, or taking a horse and carriage around the ancient ochre-red city walls. Taroudant also boasts two of the most evocative hotels in southern Morocco: the charming and simple Dar Zitoune and the top-of-the-range Gazelle d’Or.
The Lawrence of Morocco map displays the locations of the destinations and accommodation that we have selected and visited; for each item, hovering over or clicking the marker will display a short summary and photo of that place or hotel, and hotel pricing. Follow the links in the info box to the full page listing which has much more information.
Note that the online map offers both a satellite view (click satellite in the top right) and, for some locations, a street level view (Drag the person in the top left onto the map). These let you explore the country; and when you wish to explore in person, or if you have any questions about the places you see, give our staff a call, or request a quote. Our staff regularly visit the places and accommodation that we feature.
When you book a holiday with us we will provide full driving instructions for reaching your accommodation, where necessary; these can be used by yourself, or you could enjoy the luxury of a driver. Alternatively we will arrange private (car rather than coach) transfers for you; helicopter transfers are also possible for some destinations.
Travel writer, Martin Hemming, travelled to Rabat with Lawrence of Morocco in March 2014, writing for the Sunday Times.
We really know Morocco and have had the pleasure of making many people's dream trips become reality over the years. It has been our privilege to be asked to manage holidays, weddings and productions for so many fantastic and discerning clients. We remain small and dedicated to providing excellent honest advice to enable you to sit back, relax and enjoy the fun bits without having to manage the unpredictability of this fascinating country.
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