Todgha Gorge

Near the oasis town of Tinghir is Todgha Gorge, both pronounced the “gh” with a slight growl similar to “gr.” It is a narrow passageway made through solid rock over thousands of years. We made a day trip there a few weeks back to explore the area and to experience some naturally occurring water. Sometimes, it’s hard being in such a dry area. We come from a part of the world where water is everywhere. Back home in the US, it is not uncommon for it to rain more than half the days of a year, whereas our current location it usually rains less than ten the entire year.

Sitting with Mohammed

Not only does the gorge have an active river flow, there are also various natural springs that feed into the river. It is a truly beautiful area. While walking around, we ended up sitting with a local vendor, Mohamed, behind his supply of scarves, drinking tea and contemplating life.

Kamal

We had a lovely lunch of tagines at one of the restaurants nearby, then caught a ride with some locals back to Tinghir. Kamal and his friend invited us to his garage for tea. He is an established mechanic who works frequently with Europeans in Morocco for rally competitions.

After tea, he walked us through the Jewish quarter of town which is undergoing extensive renovation as part of an international effort to honor Jewish heritage in Morocco.

It was a great day spent meeting great people – just like every day in Morocco.

Below are some additional images of our trip.