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Taroudannt is a small town in the south western part of Morocco. It is notable for its proximity to the Atlas mountains. It is a perfect place to spend the night before heading up into the relatively under visited Western High Atlas.
ARRIVAL Taroudannt is a five hour bus journey from Marrakesh, this costs about £7 one way! Casablanca is about nine hours away and costs about £15 one way. We took the bus from Marrakesh and left on the bus for Casablanca after spending four days walking in the Atlas. There is no train station but we heard from two Australians that a taxi ride from Agadirtrain station had been reasonably cheap at about
£20 per person. Agadir is about three hours away, but is on the main train line.
OTHER INFORMATION There are no real problems in Taroudannt for foreign visitors. The usual health risks are apparent, such as malaria and outbreaks of cholera (which ocur very rarely). You should have had all of the innoculations when you enter Morocco. These include: Typhoid, Hepatitis A & B, Tuberulosis and Yellow Fever. There was no danger of crime in Taroudannt, most of the inhabitants were Berbers and extremely respectful towards outsiders, unlike the major cities where you are pestered by trinket sellers every minute.
THE TOWN Even if you are not planning to go trekking in the Atlas I thoroughly recommend a visit to Taroudannt, it is a perfect place to visit if you are in Marrakesh. The town itself has remained relatively unspoilt by French colonialism and gives you an accurate picture of ’traditional’ Morocco. Taroudannt has some fantastic examples of Berber architecture. The town is surrounded by huge, red, mud brick walls, which are built in the Berber style and bring to mind stories about the desert forts of the French Foreign Legion. The walls are largely intact and fantastic to walk around. Although the best way to see the walls is to go by horse and cart. The walls are so wide that a horse and carriage can easily walk around them. The ride is best (and most romantic) at night. My girlfriend enjoyed it immensely despite having a terrible allergy to horses! A half hour ride cost about five pounds, a tip is not expected but definitely appreciated. Like all towns and cities in North Africa, the souq is the focal point. Like all souqs it is extremely crowded and full of handicrafts. However, unlike the rubbish that is sold in the souqs in Tangiers and Marrakesh, the goods here are of very high quality and can be bought extremely cheaply. I managed to get a fantastic Berber limestone carved chess set and my girlfriend picked up traditional Berber jewellery, both put the artisans of northern Morocco to shame. Taroudannt is famous in the local area for the leather goods it produces. There are many tanneries scattered about the town and the majority were quite welcome for us to look around and give us a brief explanation as to why the process has remained unchanged for centuries. Almost all tanneries have a small shop attached that sells quality leather goods. Not my thing but I’m sure they were a lot cheaper than most European designer shops.
FOOD This was not a problem at all, there were several markets scattered around the town. Each specialising in meat, fruit and vegetables. Snack stalls are everywhere and often a hand cart offering delicious Moroccan food will appear from no where. Many of the restaurants have a French flavour to them, with names like ’Boulangerie’ or ’Patisserie’. They are many places to sample Morrocan dishes one of my favourites were the fantastic tajines, whish are a stew that can contain anything from lamb to fruit.
HOTEL We stayed in the Riad Maryam guesthouse which was an extremely well run family business in the centre of town. We had a double room with a shower for about £30 a night for two. The room had a balcony, which looked over a courtyard that was full of lemon and orange trees. The room and bathroom were spotless and the family that ran the place extremely eagre to help, with directions, food recommendations and even by lending a critical eye to our souq purchases. The range of accommodation in Taroudannt was generally high from what I heard, no horror stories to tell. Taroudannt has recently become a bit of a retreat for millionaires and several exclusive hotels had begun to open on the outskirts of town.
CONCLUSION Taroudannt is perfect for somebody wishing to experience the Berber ulture, or just wanting to get away from the constant pressure of Tangiers or Marrakesh. It is quite a distance from the major tourist centres, yet it is the true Morocco. If you wish to head out trekking into the Atlas mountains this is the perfect place to base yourself. I thoroughly recommend Taroudannt if you are heading Marrakesh to the Atlas mountains or if you want an easy introduction to southern Morocco.
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26.11.2004 09:33
nice review sounds great
25.10.2004 10:14
Sounds like a really lovely place, great review
21.10.2004 14:20
Sounds like a wonderful place. great review. Joan