Tafraout
This is the next blog about our Morocco trip in 2020 during COVID lockdown. After visiting Agadir, Paradise Valley and Taroudant, we went to Tafraout to spend the rest, or at least the major remaining part, of our trip in Morocco until we get a chance to travel back home.
Lockdown in Morocco
Although we were in quarantine near Taroudant for two weeks and had a document allowing us to go outside, our arrival was not straight forward at all. Despite all difficulties, we managed to get there and were requested to self-isolate for two weeks again.
During our stay in Tafraout, additional measures were introduced in Morocco, for example, mandatory wearing of face masks. I am not sure if curfew was introduced while we were there or before our arrival; in any case, from 10pm until 6am everybody had to stay inside, and police was patrolling in town every night to enforce the rules.
It was only around Ramadan when curfew was cancelled and later some less essential shops and market shops started opening, though wearing face masks on the streets was the requirement even after we left Morocco in June.
About Tafraout
From the very beginning of planning our trip, Tafraout was our last destination before returning home. Lockdown in Morocco made some changes in our plans, however, with some delay, we managed to get there anyway.
Tafraout is located in a beautiful valley of Anti-Atlas Mountains. It is a small town with around five thousand inhabitants and belongs to Tiznit Province of Souss-Massa region. It is a Berber town; not many Arabs live there, although all people are Muslims as it is common in Morocco.
To get there, we had very exciting road trip. We did choose some narrow and difficult mountain roads to cross the mountain range, although it was really worth it because of amazing landscapes around.
Accommodation
As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, we had to find a place where we could live independently. That means we wanted to have a kitchen to be able to prepare meals, bedroom, at least some kind of living room and internet connection. At that time, we both started working remotely.
Our employers supported us by all available means and were happy to wait until we return home, however we wanted to do something – the second time of self-isolation was becoming tough.
After those first two weeks we were allowed to go shopping, so we had much more physical activity and were able to see around. Later, as situation improved, we had a chance to spend more time outside and slowly returned to more or less normal life.
So, for more than two months, we enjoyed living in accommodation of private guesthouse Maison de Vacances Tafraout. It is located on the main street of the town, near to souk and all other amenities. In the same time, as the town is in a valley, going for hiking in nearby mountains was as easy as going to a shop – just a few minutes and you are there.