The wadis and the Drâa valley

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In the Deep South where Sahara sand invades every space, the Drâa, Dades and Ziz valleys unroll three long fertile strips of land. Along the banks, there are palm groves, orchards, fields and rose gardens. The landscape is stunning at every turn: desert expanses, snowy crests, breathtaking canyons and lush green countryside. Vestiges of the region's history; there are sumptuous Kasbahs, real earth citadels and splendid ksours, (fortified sand-coloured villages). The Drâa wadi rises in Upper Atlas and disappears into the sands of the Sahara foothills. A road links Ouarzazate to M'hamid which can be covered in a day by car. Begin by ascending the bare rocks before crossing Agdz market town, which is dominated by the citadel and the small red fort at the foot of the Djebel Kissane ridges. Then cross the palm groves. There are 125 miles of oases with a series of fifty ksours. The old citadel of Tamenougalt, the former capital of Berber, is the most original. That of Igdaoun stands out thanks to its high pyramid towers. On arrival at Zagora, (one of the country's hottest towns and the point of departure of the Saadians for Tombuktu) you will find a sign indicating the famous 52-day camel trip. From Zagora, it is advisable to have a 4x4 and a guide. Bound for Tamegroute, you won't miss it as it is easily recognisable by the blue earthenware and white minaret roofs of its mosques. From here, it is only 4 miles to the Tinfu dunes, which look like big sand piles on arid plains. It is a foretaste of the desert as you approach M'hamid where the Drâa valley disappears into the sand. The village livens up on Mondays when the blue men, desert nomads, come to stock up at the souk. You are in the southeast of Ouarzazate, 25 miles from the Algerian border, at the extreme end of Morocco.