destination OUARZAZATE

I am getting excited. This is my first destination where we will spend some time before being transfered to the first bivouac.

Ouarzazate ( Warzāzāt) (called The door of the desert), is a city in southern Morocco.

Its name comes from a phrase meaning "without noise" or "without confusion". It is also featured by its closeness to Atlas Mountains and Draa Valley.

Once in its history, Ouarzazate had been a small crossing point for African traders seeking to reach northern cities in Morocco and Europe. During the French period, Ouarzazate expanded considerably as a garrison town, administrative centre, and customs post.

At present, it hosts one of the largest movie studios in the world, Atlas Studios. Several historical movies were shot on those studios. Lawrence of Arabia, The Man Who Would Be King, Cleopatra, Gladiator and lately Alexander, Kingdom of Heaven and Babel. It was also the location of the November 26, 2006 episode of the television series The Amazing Race.

a street in Ouarzazate

What the region may look like to me as i travel 150+ miles through the desert.

Oasis

Kasbah Aksar

Kasbah Ait Benhaddou