Assahafa.com
In its Sunday edition, Spanish daily El País published a glowing report on the Draâ Valley, describing it as a perfect symbiosis of natural splendor and ancient heritage, where the landscapes of Southern Morocco seem to have been “drawn to the rhythm of music.”
From Marrakech to the dunes of M’hamid El Ghizlane, the daily highlights the unique harmony between the Saharan environment and ancestral traditions, making this region an exceptional tourist destination.
According to El País, the Draâ River, the longest in the Kingdom at nearly 1,100 kilometers, traces geographical undulations that resonate like echoes of Tuareg melodies. This territory, best visited between October and May, offers an immersive experience between the peaks of the Atlas Mountains and the immensity of the Sahara, as well as a starry sky and true disconnection from everyday life.
The route takes the Tizi-n-Tichka pass to the Kasbah of Telouet, before continuing through the Ounila Valley. The newspaper highlights the sustainable architecture using adobe, a traditional material that has been brought back into fashion by contemporary architects, as well as the influence of Ouarzazate, a major hub for international cinema, ground to iconic productions such as Gladiator and Game of Thrones.
The Ksar of Aït Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, is presented as a fortified citadel “made of dreams.” Further south, in the province of Zagora, the daily celebrates the “splendor of Draâ” and its lush oases, true havens of greenery defying recurring cycles of drought.
The report also pays tribute to the richness of the local musical heritage—Ganga, Rokba, Ahidous, and Akalal—highlighting the central place of the guembri and krakabs in the daily lives of the inhabitants. In this regard, the Zamane Festival in M’hamid El Ghizlane is cited as a must-see event for immersing oneself in these “ancient sounds.”
The journey ends with a spiritual stopover in Tamegroute, renowned for its 17th-century Quranic library and its iconic green pottery, whose ancestral craftsmanship is now exported internationally.
Heading towards the dunes of Chegaga, El País finally concludes by praising Morocco’s efforts to preserve biodiversity, mentioning the reintroduction of endangered species such as the addax antelope, the gazelle, and the red-necked ostrich.
The Spanish daily invites readers to immerse themselves completely in the immensity of the Sahara, leaving visitors with a lasting impression, “a dazzling golden touch” etched in their memory.
Source: map
