Erfoud
Surrounded by large palm grooves on the desert’s edge, Erfoud Morocco is the ideal base from where to undertake excursions to the astounding desert. Its red sand-coloured ksours, tightly packed houses, are built from lime and desert sand, and with intricate alleyways they are quite as charming as they are functional providing protection against the intense Sahara heat.
There are a number of good hotels in town and on the fringes of the desert with some boasting dazzling pools for cooling down. A good selection of restaurants serves traditional Moroccan dishes and a “must try” that will seduce your taste buds is the specialty dish called kalia, a mutton stew flavoured with over 40 different spices and served with vegetables, egg and parsley. Erfoud’s attraction lay in the convenience of being close to the desert and oasis, yet there are lively souks to browse, a wonderful date festival to attend and the marble fossil workshops to explore. Some of the hotel’s interiors are furnished and decorated with these beautiful art pieces, truly unique.
From Erfoud’s main square there is a track leading up a steep hill where a military fort endorse Erfoud’s French past, and it is also a splendid look-out post from where to take in the awesome diverse views of the entire region. Camel and 4x4 trek the dunes, sleep under the twinkling stars in Berber tents, and listen to the wonderful stories narrated by the guides about their rich history and culture. Sip on a cup of mint tea whilst the musicians beat out a rhythm as fiery as the awe-inspiring sunsets of the Sahara Desert on their drums. Erfoud is inviting and hospitable, a marvellous retreat after thrilling adventures in the magnificent desert of Morocco.
