ITINERARY
(This itinerary was the basis of our trip but you will see that we diverged from it on the last couple of days)
Day 1 Arrive Marrakesh airport. Drive to Alnif. Night at Hotel Meteorite. This drive takes us over
the Atlas Mountains through to Ourzazate and into the Jebel Sahro mountains. This is the edge of
the Sahara. We take the road toward Zagora crossing the Col du Tizi Tinififft, though the small
town of Agdz and into the Draa Valley. We then turn east toward Nkob and Tazzarine, reaching our
hotel in the early evening just 15 km short of Alnif.
The main road from Marrakesh to Ouzarzate has to climb over the High Atlas Mountains, where it
passes over the Tizi n'Tichka, a spectacular mountain col at an elevation of 2,260 metres (7,415
ft) above sea level.
The journey begins on Jurassic red beds, but crosses onto the basement rocks of metamorphosed
Palaeozoic strata around Souk El Had Zirkten. Here the gradient changes dramatically, and a series
of sharp hairpins takes the road to the col. Look for the ancient conifers.
This is the gateway to the Sahara.
The road descends into the great valley between the Atlas and Anti Atlas mountain ranges. Look for
Red-billed Choughs in the fields oh the way down. Related to the Cornish Chough, this is the
Barbary subspecies Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocora barbarous.
The escarpment on either side of the road is comprised of Jurassic and Cretaceous limestones, with
intercalated Middle Jurassic basalt lava flows. Look of red palaeosols developed between Individual
lava outpourings.
Once we leave the confines of the valley we enter the Palaoegene/Neogene Ouzarzate Basin, well
known for its fossil mammalian faunas. This valley extends east-west along the line of the Agadir
fault, responsible for the 1960 earthquake that obliterated the eponymous city.
Between 12,000 and 15,000 people (about a third of the city's population of the time) were killed,
12,000 injured and ~35,000 people left homeless. It was Morocco's largest earthquake.
As we arrive in Ouzarzate you will see the sites of two large film studious on the edge of the
city.
Ouzarzate to Agdz and Tansikhet
The road south from Ouzarzate crosses the northern part of the Atlas Mountains at the Tizi-n
Tiniffift.
The route takes us onto Precambrian basement of mostly volcanics, but overlain by a suite of mixed
volcanigenic sediments and carbonates of Ediacaran age. Our first geological stop near Ait Saoun
will examine stromatolites deposited on the margins of small ponds, fed by (in the Precambrian)
underground freshwater sources.
As we descend to the col we cross on to Cambrian sandstones, and pass down to Agdz on Ordovician
shales. This is the road to Timbuktu, but we will turn to the east at Tansikhet, where we cross the
Dades River. Once every ten or fifteen years, this river makes it to the Atlantic Ocean, near Tan
Tan.
Tansikhet to Alnif
We now drive along the middle of the eastern sector of the Anti Atlas mountains, usually called the
Jebel Sahro . We are now driving through a series of gently folded, highly fossiliferous
sandstones, shales and limestones of marine and glacial origin. This is true Moroccan t rilobite
country. We won't quite make it to Alnif today, as our hotel (Hotel Meteorite) is some 12 km
before the town.
You might be lucky enough to see one of the rare Griffon Vultures (this is the southernmost limit
of their range.. I saw one in December 2017) as they roost for the evening.
Day 2.
Alnif is the centre for trilobite collecting and preparation. Here is an excellent place
to buy a perfect example of any of more than 50 species of trilobite. Some of the spiniest examples
you will ever see.... and the most amazing preparation.
After looking at the fossil shops in Alnif, we will drive east and then detour south towards Fezzou
where we will examine strata (the Devonian lssoumour beds) that yield the trilobites. The Jbel
lssoumour of the Saharan Atlas is World famous for its Devonian trilobites. Many other fossils
can be found here too, including crinoids and goniatites.
They trilobites are preserved complete and in 3D. Local collectors have quarried almost the entire
outcrop. Highly skilled preparators develop the fossils and sell them all over the World. There are
several shops in Alnif, where prices are considerably cheaper than those you may see on the
internet. We will visit the main collecting localities to the east of Alnif along the road to
Fezzou. We will spend the night at Merzouga, next to the great sand dunes of Erg Chebbi.
(Actually night in meteorites Hotel near Alnif)
Day 3.
Drive south towards Taouz and on to the oasis of Begaa. Here we will examine the Early
Cretaceous Kem Kem beds and visit the dinosaur mines. Good opportunity here to examine the
Mesozoic-Palaeozoic unconformity and perhaps find a few dinosaur teeth. The fossil miners may well
have some exciting discoveries to show us.
In the afternoon we will visit the famous vanadanite mine near Taouz where excellent mineral
specimens can be found.
(Night in Merzouga, either hotel or camp)
Day 4.
The famous Devonian Mud Mounds near Efroud and the even better known orthocone limestones.
Spectacular structures produced by hot underwater springs near a palaeofault.
Extremely fossiliferous and spectacular scenery. Night in Erfoud.
(Night in Merzouga, either hotel or camp)
Day 5.
Drive from Erfoud to Amelagou stopping at Aslfa to examine the Turonian ammonite, fish and
reptile beds of the Akrabou Formation. Nodules with three dimensionally preserved ammonites and
amazing fish. Also plesiosaurs and a small mosasaur called Tethysaurus can be found quite easily
here.
(Night in Erfoud)
Day 6.
Leisurely drive through the spectacular Todgha gorge. Night in the Dades valley.
(Night in Erfoud)
Day 7.
Explore the Jurassic dinosaur footprints at Dades. Afternoon explore the stunning geology
and scenery of the valley of the roses around Boutaghrar. Night at Boutaghrar. (Actually Erfoud to Boutaghrar via Asfla)
Day 8
Return drive to Marrakesh the pretty way. Taking in more of the Valley du Roses and the Col du
Tichka in the high Atlas. Night in Marrakech.
Day 9.
Transfer to Marrakesh airport.
Introduction
Arrival
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
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