Zagora

Zagora is well known for its sign located at the town border, the sign that we see all over travel books, maps, and cards and that states : Tombouctou 52 jours, the estimated time it takes to make it to Timbuktu, Mali on a camel ride.

Zagora is not a huge city, though it can be considered the largest city inside a radius of 150 km, the city is mainly famous for its genuine kasbahs, a Kasbah is an old building like a palace where mainly Pachas and governos or the small tribes once lived, it is a cultural Moroccan heritage that we find in so many southern cities, such as: Taroudant, Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Tiznit, Dakhla, and Errachidia.

Zagora is one of the top travel destinations in southern Morocco, the city offers a wide rang of hotels at different price ranges, some of the good quality hotels around zagora is Kasbah Sirocco, -pic- there is also some 4/5-star hotels, and prices are affordable both for tourists and Moroccans, these hotels and riads offer also good quality restaurants, serving moroccan dishes as well as european cuisine, their menus are fairly interesting, and you will eat good compared to what you pay.

Zagora has good travel commections with so many neighboring cities, mainly Ouarzazate, Errachidia, Rissani, Kallaa Megouna, as well as M'Hamid El ghezlan.

Hotels Zagora

Zagora has a very good offer of hotels in all price ranges. There is a handful of budget offers, and three 4/5-star hotels. Prices are at a normal Moroccan level.

hots photos for Zagora

Geography and Ancient geological formations

Geography Zagora
South-east of the kingdom, on the middle of the Draa, is located in the province of Zagora. It covers an area of 23,000 sq km of which 58,700 ha of UAA and 1.012 million ha of rangeland.

Ancient geological formations
The territory of the province of Zagora is dominated by the chain of the Anti-Atlas; old Palaeozoic formation generally moderate altitude. The area is crossed by the Jebel Bani, Ordovician chain forming the western boundary of the basin and bypassing Tazarine elbow area Tamegroute to Foum-Zguid.

Other things for Zagora

Nightlife
There is a chance of finding activities in the larger hotels.

Change Money
Zagora has two banks, which offer normal services.

Transportation
Good connections north, both by buses and taxis. In southern direction, there is far less to choose from, but there are two departures to M'hamid per day.

Important
Zagora can be very hot during the day, but equally cold during night. Bring necessary clothes, perhaps a hat and sunglasses.

Varied topography and Climate

Varied topography

Topographically, the region is partitioned into several units (valleys, mountains, plains and desert plateaus). This subdivision offers many opportunities for a diverse and complementary use of the natural environment. Thus, throughout the Draa Valley average, covers 26 000 ha a string of oases with a strange green in the middle pre-Sahara. Its cultivation is largely dependent on water supplies from outside. Other compartments topographic mountains, plains and desert plateaus, are exploited by pastoral nomads and sedentary herds.

Climate
The climate framework broadly follows the bioclimatic Sahara. The average annual rainfall is very low and decreases from north to south: 100 mm to 60 mm Agdez Zagora.
The temperature is generally similar to Ouarzazate; hot in summer (between 38 and 44 degrees) and cold in winter (between -1 and 7degrés). The sun is very present during several months of the year.

Prevailing winds in the region are Chergui, dry and hot from the north-east, more frequent in summer, and Sahili, fresher, from the south-west occurs in winter.

Restaurants and alternatives of Zagora

Beyond the restaurants which are found in most hotels, there is little in Zagora to make hungry travellers enthusiastic. But the hotel restaurants offer fairly interesting menus, good food and value for money.

Draa Valley

The Draa Valley longest Morocco, Ouarzazate after it is born, the meeting of Oued Ouarzazate and Dades in antiquity. Its waters are mixed with these two wadis that descend from the High Atlas.
Crossing the Anti-Atlas, Ouarzazate to Zagora, Draa Valley you will see some amazing scenery. The sight of a valley lined with palm trees spread over a length of 200 km, fortified super Ksour built of adobe. The river continues in a thin stream of water spraying in passing a true Oasis continuous but narrow green with a strange environment in pre-Saharan, and it gets lost in the sands after the village of M'Hamid. During major floods, the river then finds its old course and its waters through the desert to the Atlantic to the vicinity of Tan-Tan to go before emptying into the ocean.

History of Zagora

The history of the region dates back to time immemorial, as evidenced by the petroglyphs at Foum Chena and Tazarine and giant necropolis to Foum Larjam lghir N'tidri M'hamid El Ghizlane. In the early 14th century, Chorfas Saâdiens, from the Middle East have settled in Tagmadart.

In the 16th century, Chorfas Saâdiens left to conquer the Sub Morocco and northern Morocco, before realizing that the countries of western Sudan by the famous road to Timbuktu. This great expedition has provided commercial and cultural prosperity of Morocco.
During the reign of the Alawite dynasty, the region was granted a special interest since its release by the great Sultan bin Mohamed Cherif My 17th centuries, especially during the reign of the great and famous My Ismail. His son Ben Cherif Ismail went to Aghlan Beni Zoli, where he established the seat of his authority (wilaya Draa Sijilmassa). The valiant king also based on Zaoui Naciria for the dissemination of knowledge in neighboring African countries. This Zaouia has a rich library that contains valuable works of theology, history, and medicine that holds the oldest dated manuscript of the 13th century. After the death of My Ismail in 1727, the region has experienced periods of instability but always remained faithful to the Alawite throne.

In the 20th century phase of colonialism, the region has returned to development that involves all sectors thanks to the wise policy led by His Late Majesty Hassan II (may God have mercy on His Holy) and continued by HM the King Mohamed VI. (may God glorify him).

Tinfou

Tinfou at the door of the Sahara

Tinfou found 26km from the town of Zagora, south-east. Going to Tinfou, you will experience a glimpse of life in the desert (preferably in the afternoon).
Leaving Zagora we must take the road towards South-East (Route M'hamid) to go to Tinfou. 18km later, we arrive at Tamegroute, lazy town, famous for its library of the Koranic school, as well as its cooperative artisanal pottery. It is worth a stop order to make the visit. It then continues along this road until Tinfou. The latter is known for its small sand dune you see a little farther to the left of the road when you arrive. Take the narrow track leading to it, you'll see some nomad tents installed on the plain bumpy. Take the opportunity to make a stroll a few minutes on foot or by camel *. You will certainly not forget this experience.
The camel rides are offered by guides who are in the vicinity. As you accept or reject but the price is generally affordable and remains negotiable.

Pottery Tamgroute

Tamgroute is located southeast of the town of Zagora (Kilometer 18 on the road M'hamid). In this little village that is the craft of pottery cooperative. The founders of the Zaouia Naciria (ancient religious brotherhood) gathered in the village, merchants from Fez and elsewhere, and exercising various trades (carpentry, tanning, pottery) to establish the cooperative. Thus, the early craftsmen continue to pursue the activities of their ancestors.

Pottery TamgrouteTamgroute pottery pottery is the only rural Morocco to wear the green enamel. This feature is originally from Fez.It differs, however, the enamel by color Tamgroute more heterogeneous. It also differs from other forms by its pottery, is found in over 50 different. It also sees the production of oil lamps (Kandil) used before the arrival of electricity in Ksours.Some parts of prestige as cups dried fruit, for weddings, were decorated with engravings and embossed with Berber motifs.
Currently, 10 workshops mainly produce decorative tiles (Karmoud) and soup bowls (Zlafa).
ManufacturingFor manufacturing, the potters extract themselves, underground galleries, clay loams banks of the Draa. It's difficult terrain for the shooting because it is very sandy.Also, the potters take special care in the preparation of this land in danger of collapsing parts already prepared.After extraction and drying in the sun, the earth is a little crushed until a homogeneous slurry, it is then spread over an area swept, then trampled massed on a mat. The paste is then ready for the shoot.

CookingThe potter makes the charging once it has enough pots (about 800 pieces).The 7 traditional kilns are fed with palm trees and dry brush, picked up in the Feya (vicinity). Kilns of rural Morocco are drilled 5 holes on top leaving out the smoke which will reach a temperature of about 1000 ° C needed to melt the enamel.Crouching before the ovens throughout the day, the potter will go up the stacks of pieces. The bowls are stacked upside down and inserted using tripods in the ground so they do not stick them to the fusion of the enamel.

The oven doors are closed with pieces of clay and stones.The potter begins cooking that will last between 3-4 hours.After overnight cooling, the manual unloading pots potter wearing their green color.

Amezrou

Amezrou lies at the foot of Mount Zagora, on the south side, near the neck formed by the double solid, the gateway to all traffic since the earliest times until the second half of the 20th century.
Closely associated with the solid whose possession was disputed over the centuries, was Amezrou in recent decades, the capital of this strategic region in the center of the palm of Draa. This area at the foot of the mountain, the vas-controlled and from men, water, and wealth among the most valuable (from the trans-Saharan trade).

The Qasr
The Qasr of Amezrou (fortified village, also called Kasbah in the region) in the 18th century, when many qsour were built in the valley.
Nowadays, the QSAR is discreet behind modern blocks that surround it. These were constructed from the 50s, when it was confirmed that lasting peace reigned after centuries of insecurity, making possible the family home on the outside of qsar overcrowded.

Visit of Qasr Amezrou

3km south-east of the town of Zagora you enter the village Amezrou. At the heart of the latter set his qsar. To visit, noted that gains access to its interior by the doors of two strongholds in the north and south, linking the central street "Assarag. All other streets are dead ends. They still bear the name of each lineage. The Jewish Quarter - the Jewish quarter - adjoined the mosque, where the single wells qsar.

Map of Zagora

Climate Zagora

Zagora climate varies according to altitude and latitude, summer is hot with a bright sun and in the oases, but the weather is more moderate, cold winter, accompagnée by ice coating the horizon, a white carpet over the snow-capped peaks