Hotel Chez Gaby

Not really a lot here but ATMs, service station...

by angiebabe

"Banks, cash and credit cards!"

Main centre for banks - before the town of Rissani did get an ATM installed, which even when it did it was usually out of action...., Erfoud was the nearest money access for the whole area - we would drive through to here to get money...and good service station that accepts credit cards for fuel...Rissani has no problems with getting fuel but they dont take credit cards - also for getting work done on your car Erfoud is the main centre.

"Erfoud Date Harvest and Festival"

The palmeriae from Er Rachidia down through Erfoud and Rissani is one of or the biggest in Morocco and until recent years when there was quite a big problem with infection in the date palms, the biggest date producer/yielder of good quality dates.

With big rains received at strategic times over the past couple of years the yield from here is improving - and this visit it was mid date-harvest time and the Date Festival was held 30 Sept-2nd Oct. The festival involved a large exposition tent of many companies and representatives of businesses involved with anything to do with dates or date growing areas such as tour companies! Was actually very informative and interesting.

Much more interesting though was driving around small roads in the palmeraie amongst the villages and see the locals going about their harvesting!

"Views of Erfoud"

Theres a lot of shops here and there can be some interesting photos to get from around the town of people and buildings...in 2 areas left and right of the main road that runs through town - its quite a spread out town - but otherwise Rissani is the town with the historical sights, the major souks, the museums and old kasbahs, and closest to the sahara desert dunes...

You can get good views from the hill with the military installation on top - often see good looking photos of the pink and yellow houses in the town which are quite attractive - you can get good views from the Tinerhas kasbah on a hill along the Circuit Touristique a few kms out of Rissani too but the views from here are pretty good too over the surrounding area

A lot of the young guys from Rissani come and drink here in Erfoud - the big hotels here are licensed to sell alcohol - better quality big hotels with pools are here but otherwise to see and spend a night a night in the desert there are lovely hotels there too.

Sand, Sand, Sand

by faneka

It was my first time in the desert.

And something very special happened: it rainned!
An enormus tempest came over the Atlas and let the water down in the sand. It was the first time in 11 years!

It was very hot at the sun, but freezing in the shad.

One of the things you must try is a Camel ride to see the sun set in the desert. You will find lots of people doing the same, but its wunderfull anyway.