We slowly find our "northwards" rhythm. We follow the river Ziz for the next few hundred kilometres.
The Ziz Valley itself stretches for around 280 kilometres and is formed by the river of the same name. The Ziz has its source in the eastern High Atlas and flows all the way to the border with Algeria, where it finally dries up in the Sahara. Our journey takes us through deep gorges and past extensive palm groves. We have to stop again and again to admire the breathtaking landscape and, of course, to take photos.
By the way: with an annual harvest of over 100,000 tonnes, dates are a true treasure of the country. Moroccans enjoy their dates as breakfast with mint tea, as a natural source of energy between meals or in numerous traditional dishes. In the colourful markets, the shiny fruits are piled up in small pyramids, but we buy our dates locally in the oases.
Today we head for a campsite that was recommended to us. Near Aoufous, we turn onto an inconspicuous site that turns out to be a real paradise. We are greeted with tea, a few dates and an immediate invitation to dinner. A huge date grove stretches out directly in front of our motorhome - our front garden for the next few days. Dinner is then served in our Felix: probably the best tagine we have ever had in Morocco.
Aoufous is less touristy than larger towns such as Erfoud or Merzouga, but is characterised by its quiet, authentic atmosphere. In addition to date production, many of the inhabitants farm using traditional irrigation systems such as the khettara, underground water channels.
Only one night was planned, but we stay longer. The next day, the campsite operator takes us on a hike through the "Palmerie", as the locals call the palm groves. We learn that date palms are actually grasses and can live for up to 300 years. They bear fruit from the age of six. There are around 50 female palm trees for every male palm tree - a kind of "polygyny". The most astonishing thing is that the palms are almost exclusively pollinated by hand. Ahmed shows us the male seeds and the female inflorescences and explains the entire pollination process. It is not yet time, but in two to three weeks the palms will be ready for pollination.
Incidentally, nowadays a palm tree can bear around 50 to 100 kilos of dates per year. It used to be different, as people knew less about palm care and mainly used the dates for their own consumption. Today, people want to harvest and sell more, so the palm trees are planted further apart, irrigation is more structured and beans, wheat and other plants are also cultivated in the palm gardens. This has the advantage that the area is used several times and the soil dries out less, as palm trees need a lot of water.
Everything on the palm trees is utilised: dried palm fronds are used to insulate houses, to weave baskets, fences or brooms and are excellent fuel. If a palm tree dies, the trunk is used like wood for building houses. Falling dates are eaten by the animals. Palm tree cuttings are sold at the markets.
During the hike, we keep seeing black, burnt-looking palm trunks. In 2021, there was a major palm tree fire that set the entire grove ablaze. The harvest of 2021 and 2022 was completely lost. But the palms themselves survive and start bearing fruit again from the third year after the fire, albeit less so at first. In the fourth year, everything is back to normal, provided there is enough water. One advantage of the fire is the health of the palm trees: In dry years, the palms are often attacked by beetles, which weaken them from the inside out. The fire destroys these beetles and you have many years of peace from this type of crop destruction.
We stroll through the village, first through the old, almost uninhabited part, then on through the "new town". Ahmed invites us to his family home, where we enjoy tea, cake and delicious sesame paste. To my great surprise, the ladies of the house bring out traditional dresses and want me to try them on. Although I feel a little uncomfortable, I go along with it. Suddenly I'm standing among the family in my wedding clothes and I'm asked to have my photo taken. It's one of those bizarre situations that happen again and again when travelling: The only thing that helps is to smile and join in. After the photos, I'm allowed to get changed again and we return to the cosiness of tea and cake.
The days here are simply wonderful: in the morning, bread is baked in the clay oven and we are allowed to watch and every day one of the loaves is for us. However, the loaves don't last long, warm bread and fresh butter, beloved Amlou and girlfriends-made jam and we get weak, very weak.
At some point in the morning, we are called for tea. Ahmed and his brother have set up a table in the middle of the square, there's tea for everyone and we have a cosy chat. "Where can you get the best dates?", "Where can you buy these beautiful silver trays?" or "What to do if a sandstorm comes?" The mornings pass in convivial company with the other campers. There aren't many of them, but that's what makes it so appealing!
We had actually wanted to move on long ago, but then came Friday, couscous day. And so we sit down for lunch with everyone else at a long table and indulge ourselves. We spend the afternoon with coffee, tea and Moroccan sweets in the Berber tent. We chat, a French woman helps me untangle my freshly bought wool and we laugh more than we have for a long time.
Will we get going tomorrow? Let's see...
Merci for "travelling with us
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