MOROCCO: Taroudannt to Zagora

December 5 –  Today, our journey around southern Morocco approached the edge of the Sahara. We departed early, from our lovely lodge in Taroudannt, to make the long drive eastwards, destination Zagora.

Talouine Kasbah

Passing groves of olive and argana, we spotted now-familiar species of Moussier’s Redstart, Maghreb Shrike, Common Kestrel, Common Bulbul, and White Wagtails. In Talouine, the saffron capital of the world, we saw the first sidewalks with curbs since leaving Marrakech – tourism is expanding rapidly in southern Morocco, and local people were eager to attract visitors with amenities. We detoured into the old kasbah on the edge of town, where we walked a loop around the walled compound. Square, brick-and-mud dwellings ringed the outside, seemingly dark and abandoned, but evidently occupied based on electric wires strung into them, and numbers painted on simple wooden doors. Shirts, pants and blankets were draped on walls – laundry, not rubbish, out to dry. Children’s voices rang out from a nearby school, and workers with shovels were repairing a wall.

Blue Rock Thrush

After a bit of searching, we found our target Rock Sparrow, a lone bird perched on a rocky ledge, along with Great Tit, Blue Rock Thrush, Moussier’s Redstart, Chiffchaff and House Buntings.

Arid landscape in Southern Morocco

By 9:30 a.m. we left the Talouine Kasbah and began ascending the foothills of the Anti Atlas Mountain range, via switchbacks. Agricultural plots were neatly terraced along each bend, hosting vegetables as well as olive trees. Square field blocks continued along a stretch of plains. As the earth became increasingly arid and rocky, plots gave way to herds of goats and sheep. These hardy livestock nibbled what they could find of low scrub vegetation, and were tended by nomadic tribespeople whose large round tents were standing against a hillside in the middle of nowhere.

Temminck’s Lark

Along this Tizi-n-Taghatine pass, Thekla Larks darted across the road frequently, and we pulled over when one looked different. It turned out to be several Temminck’s Horned Larks foraging amongst dirt clods. A Northern Wheatear popped into sight while we were scanning. A little farther on, about 20 miles west of Tazenakht, we stopped again for a perched Red-rumped Wheatear which flew away quickly, but a flock of 8 Trumpeter Finches bounced into view foraging for seeds around some rocks. A pair of Hoopoe Larks stayed close by, pecking for food just yards away from us.

Desert Lark

We stopped at a relatively green wadi near Tizi-n-Timlaine, when the first of many White-crowned Wheatears caught our eye. Several Desert Larks also moved around the small rocks that littered the terrain. A possible Scrub Warbler flitted about some bushes, but we could not see it well enough to confirm I.D., and could not relocate it after it flew across the road, despite much effort. We ate our picnic lunch here at a roadside pullout. It was amazingly quiet in the dry, rocky area, and sound travelled far. We heard the murmurs of 2 nomadic herdsmen conversing a long way off, from the top of a distant ridge.

The landscape featured a hundred shades of brown, as layers of rock pitched at 45-degree angle formed the mountains around us. Electric wires strung between towers and a snaking iron water pipe shadowed our route as we wound through rock and sand. A gravel river bed beside us was mostly dry, though we knew there was water when green vegetation clustered in clumps.

Draa Valley

Beyond the town of Agdz, our route stayed in the lush Draa Valley, nourished by the wide flowing Draa River. The banks were lined with tall date palms, with olive trees interspersed between them. We stopped at the Tansikhte Barrage, not far beyond the center of Agdz. Crag Martins circled high above the rocky cliffs, and a pair of Black Redstarts flitted amongst the tamarisk shrubs.

Maghreb Blackbird

About 19km west of Zagora, we turned down a dirt track leading into a village, and through a palmery, ending at the river. Under the pleasant shade of the palms, local people cultivated their crops, cut bamboo poles, loaded dates into sacks, and urged tired donkeys to further toil. At the water’s edge, we found a variety of birds, including Gray Heron, Blackcap, Sardinian Warbler, Maghreb Blackbirds, Serin, Goldfinches and many Common Bulbuls singing merrily while eating date fruits.

Sand dune on the fringe of the Sahara desert

After the long day’s drive, we reached the bustling tourist town of Zagora around 4:30 p.m. Before turning into our hotel, we proceeded beyond the town for a sundown stop at the nearest sand dune, about 20 km beyond town. We declined a camel ride, took orange-tinted photos, then turned back to Zagora to check into our hotel. There would be more impressive ones to come! The Kasbah Sirocco featured friendly staff, interesting decor, and a wonderfully warm room, shower and dinner. We looked forward to exploring more of the desert tomorrow!

text © debbie beer; all photos © adrian binns