Friday 31 May 2013

Chez Laila, Kasbah Hotel in Skoura, Nice and Cozy!

Skoura is a small town in oasis, 30 minutes drive away from Ouarzazate city.
Lately, tourist come to stay here, to be away from busy town and enjoy beautiful palm groves!
Here's our favorite kasbah hotel in Skoura, Chez Laila,
The owner, Laila, is a Morrocan architect, designed many traditional houses in town.


Walk through a little garden to get to the hotel. It's like visiting someone's house.


Terrace on the upper floor. Here ou can enjoy nice cool breeze in the everning and also the view is great.


Each room has its own color and this one is blue. Warm sunlight makes you feel comfortable.


Lamp on the terrace. Simple design matches the traditional house.


Meals in Chez Laila is always amazine. You could stop by just for lunch, we can assure you a nice enjoyable break.


Lately they added a big fireplace in the salon. Skoura is rather cold in winter time, and you can spend a warm night here.


Lamp on the outside wall. Lamps are very important elements of Moroccan houses. it just changes how it looks like and how you feel.

Chez Laila
TEL /Fax: +212 5 24 85 22 56
GSM : +212 6 70 33 58 45
Skoura, Ouzarzazate, Morocco
http://www.chez-laila.com/tarifs.html

Visit Skoura!
Kasbahs & Oases
Kasbahs & Oases 1 Night 2 Days

Places to Visit in Skoura:
Kasbah Amridil
Kasbah Ait Abou


by Morocco Desert Palm Tours

Thursday 30 May 2013

Ksar in Erfoud, Experience a Mysterious World!

Erfoud is an oasis town at the entrance of the desert, most of the people just leave here for the desert, but wait!
Erfoud is famous with its very traditional ksars, a complex of small houses, just like Ait Ben Haddou.
Ait Ben Haddou is already almost abandoned, but here in Erfoud, people are still having their daily life. Which means, ksars in Erfoud are living Ait Ben Haddou!

Let's see the inside of a ksar with our video.
A bit mysterious and hard to walk on your own ...



Let's visit Erfoud with us!
Erfoud Day Trip
Fossil Mine and Factory


by Morocco Desert Palm Tours

Tuesday 28 May 2013

Dar Daif in Ouarzazate, Hotel Makes You Feel Like in a Picture!

Lately, many new nice and clean riads and kasbah hotels are built in Ouarzazate, but Dar Daif is always very special. It has its own style and for other riads, it's hard to follow.


This is the courtyard. The building makes you feel like you're in a big house, sometimes hard to find where to go.

The garden is so natural. Not rough, but not too well organized. Really relaxing.


Blue is everywhere in this riad and matches well with earth colors.


The rooms also have its own taste. And not so many riads have a phone in the room :-)


Yes, the sink has to be brass. No pottery, no stones. Brass is kind of warm.


This is the terrace of the room! And the welcome drink has been just brought here.

Visit Ouarzazate!
2 Nights 3 Days Marrakech - Desert - Fez
Kasbahs & Oases from Erfoud/Merzouga

Dar Daif
http://www.dardaif.ma/
BP 93 45 000 Ouarzazate, Morocco
Tél +212 (0) 524 854 947 - +212 (0) 5 24 854 232
Fax +212 (0) 524 854 948


by Morocco Desert Palm Tours

Sunday 26 May 2013

Ksar el Fida, Must Visit in Rissani!

If you visit Rissani, you'll see traditional ksars outside of town and Ksar El Fida, this is one of the oldest and the most famous. The origin of this ksar goes back to Moulay Ismail, the powerful king and sultan who built Meknes, and later in the 19th century, Moulay Abd al Rahman rebuilt it like a palace!
Now it's a museum and one of the must-see places in Rissani.


This is the entrance of the ksar. It's is taken care of a guardian family and they will show you around.


In the courtyard, you'll see a big gate of the ksar. Usually, ksar is a complex of small houses but this one is just like one big house, or palace.


The hallway, bigger than the Bahia Palace in Marrakech. You'll see how Moulay Abd al Rahman was influential at that time.


Look up! Beatiful decorerations are still there.


Zerij tile floor. The reparation of the ksar is not completed yet.


The guide will tell you a brief history of Rissani and the Kingdom of Morocco.



Visit Rissani!
Rissani Day Trip
Merzouga Desert Camping

by Morocco Desert Palm Tours

Saturday 25 May 2013

Riad Bouchedor, Bran New Pretty Riad

Here's our another favorite riad in Ouarzazate.
It's looks like a kasbah but inside, everything is new and very comfortable.
Don't forget to check out this place when you visit Ouarzazate!


Outside is a little similar to Dar Chamaa, a kasbah hotel near here. Very typical kasbah style.


The room is simple and the big bed seems like a traditional one.


Warm bathroom. They have a heating floor!


Huge lamp! The hallway is also something nice to see.


Moroccan breakfast is continental. Bread, orange juice, cheese, yogurt, and the coffee is always with a lot of milk!


Yes, they have a swimming pool! It's a small one, but very important especially in the hot summer weather in Ouarzazate!


by Morocco Desert Palm Tours

Friday 24 May 2013

Dar Chamaa, Beautiful Hotel in Ouarzazate

Here's our one of favorites in Ouarzazate, Dar Chamaa.
It was built recently and it's getting rapidly popular.
From the outside, it looks like a kasbah but the inside is a kind of modern.
Huge pool garden is relaxing, and the view from the rooftop is amazing!



It locates outside of the Ourzazate town, about 10 minutes drive. You might believe it's one of the kasbahs around Ouarzazate.



This courtyard reminds me of the funduk of Nejjarine Square in Fez medina. It has 3 stories and looks so high.



Rooms are very simple and clean. Decorations are Moroccan, but somehow it's modern.



The pool is huge! Take one of those tables then you can feel cool breeze even during the summer time.



Ouarzazate is an oasis town and it's surrounded by palm trees, desert, and Atlas mountains. You can see them all from the rooftop.


People are so nice and polite here, just like the building, make you feel comfortable.

Dar Chamaa
Tajdar B-P 701 Ouarzazate
TEL: +212 524 854 954 - Fax: 00212 524 854 955
http://www.darchamaa.com/

You can stay Dar Chamaa with our tours:

2 Nights 3 Days Marrakech - Desert - Fez
Kasbahs & Oases from Merzouga / Ouarzazate
Imperical Cities & Desert Camping


by Morocco Desert Palm Tours

Sunday 19 May 2013

Kasbah Glaoui, a Palace in High Atlas!

Between Marakech and Ait Ben Haddou, near the Hight Atlas Mountains, you'll find the Kasbah Telouet. This is a kasbah of the famous Glaoui family in Marrakech area. In earty 19th century, they had a great influence in the region.

Kasbah Telouet is huge, almost like a palace and beautiful mosaic walls are preserved inside. You need to take a rough road from Marrakech to Ait Ben Haddou to stop by here and it's worth it.


If you just take a look at it from the outside, it looks like a total ruin. But don't go away! Something precious is still there inside.


It is like a museum. Someone will be waiting for you to take the entrance fee.


Wooden doors have amazing decorations, just like the Bahia Palace in Marrakch.


On the walls, beautiful zerij mosaic.


The view is amazing. Mountains, greens and peaceful berber villages. You'll see why the Glaoui family built their kasbah here.


One of the best Islamic architecture in Morocco. You should not miss it if you drive in the High Atlas!


If you are not sure how to walk around, local people will show you as a guide. If you visit here just as an individual tourist, it'd be a good idea because the kasbah is really big.

Visit Kasbah Telouet and Ait Ben Haddou!
Ait Ben Haddou & Kasbah Telouet Private One Day Tour by Morocco Desert Palm Tours

Thursday 16 May 2013

Kasbah Ait Abou in Skoura, Stay in a Real Kasbah!

Skoura is a small oasis town, about 30 minutes drive from a desert city Ouarzazate.
Among those beautiful palm groves, you'll see a lot of old kasbahs, many of them are just ruins.

Kasbah Ait Abu is just like one of those hidden kasbahs but in this case, it is well restored and you can see what real kasbah is. Also, a part of it is a hotel room, you can actually stay in a real kasbah!


When you drive in dense palm groves, suddenly a huge beautiful kasbah appears. No paved way. No sign. You can never get here by yourself, always need a local person to show the way.


It has 3 stories, well restored to the top.


Enjoy the great view of Skoura palm groves! Everytime I see this view, I feel like I'm one the luckiest people in the world.


This is a salon for hotel guest. It'd be so nice to spend your evening here with tea and shisha.


It has a huge garden and local people are taking care of it. In spring time, you'll see beautiful flowers between palm trees.

You can go on a hike or bike ride from here but staying here just doing nothing, hiding away from the real world is one of the ideas. Maybe good for honeymooners :-)

Kasbah Ait Abou
Palmeraie De Skoura Bp30, Ouarzazate 45500, Morocco
They have 4 rooms, one of them is a bungalow.


Visit Skoura!
Kasbahs & Oases
Kasbahs & Oases 1 Night 2 Days

by Morocco Desert Palm Tours

Tuesday 14 May 2013

Kasbah Amridil in Skoura, along Road of One Thousand Kasbahs

The road from Ouarzazate to Erfoud is called "Road of the One Thousand of Kasbahs." Just like it says, there are a lot of kasbahs along the way, but many ofthem are just ruins, hard to see how it worked in the old times.

Here in Skoura, a quiet oasis with palm groves, we can find a well preserved 17th century kasbah, "Kasbah Amridil." Rooms are restored and now open to tourists, next to the kasbah is a traditional style hotel. You will see how the life was here, or still the same in some part of Morocco.

Kasbah Amridil
How it looks like is quite familiar. The photo of this Kasbah Amridil is on the banknote of Morocco's 50 dirhams.

Kasbah Amridil
The buiding is well restored, if you go up the stairs, you can get to the top of the kasbah, where there's a great view of Skoura palm groves.

Well
Old tools actually used in this area, and some of them still can be seen in some local parts of South Morocco.


Traditional well is still here, you may find a similar thing in the desert or palm groves.

panorama
If you go a little away from the palm groves and go up on the hill, a great view of the Skoura village is there. Various kinds of birds are living here and they are carefully protected.


Visit Skoura!
Kasbahs & Oases
Kasbahs & Oases 1 Night 2 Days

by Morocco Desert Palm Tours

Saturday 11 May 2013

In Dades Gorge Visit Auberge Chez Pierre, a Beautiful Kasbah!

Here's our favorite place in Dades Gorge, Auberge Chez Pierre.
In the middle of the valley, 20 or 30 minutes drive from Boumalne Dades town
Surrounded by very quiet forests and mountains, an ideal place to stay for your relaxing holiday!


The building is located on the hill side and you can enjoy a great view of the valley from the terrace or rooms.


Have a tea on the terrace, you can enjoy cool breeze even during summer time.


This auberge has a traditional kasbah style and everything is made in natural materials.


It also has a swimming pool. Looks beautiful reflecting the mountains and the building.

Auberge Chez Pierre
Les Gorges du Dadès, Boumalne Dades, Ouarzazate Morocco

Tel : 00212 524 83 02 67
http://www.chezpierre.org/


by Morocco Desert Palm Tours