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Nomadic shepherd and camel train stand silhoutetted against a vivid Saharan sunset among the dunes beyond M'Hamid el Ghizlane, Erg Chigaga region of the Sahara desert, Southern Morocco, 2014-04-27.

The Moroccan Sahara desert is divided into two main regions; Erg (dunes) Chebbi and Erg Chigaga.

The Chigaga dunes proper can only be accessed by trekking or 4WD, making them slightly less visited. Although the sand dunes aren’t as tall as Chebbi’s, the Chigaga region holds a remote expanse of wild, natural shrubbery among it’s sandscape which lends a more rustic safari feel.

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Friends enjoy a fine Welsh Marches view Old Burfa, Evenjobb, Presteigne

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Moulay Idriss Medina at night, Middle Atlas, Morocco, 2015-10-20.

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Moroccan door architecture, Asilah, Northern Morocco, 2015-08-11.

Asilah is a sleepy fishing town in the North of Morocco, just one hour south of Tangier. While not completely off Morocco’s well-beaten path, it’s often missed by travellers bound inland for Fez or Chefchaouen, yet has a uniquely alluring charm. With an immaculately restored medina that’s re-painted vivid shades of blue & white each summer, Asilah has the feel of being Morocco’s own Santorini - a great spot to see the more chilled out, seaside town life in Morocco.  

The architecture in Asilah has been heavily influenced by these different periods of occupation, which is one of the main reasons for its unique and characterful feel. Evidence of Mediterranean design can be seen in the rampart walls and gates themselves, reflecting the Spanish & Portuguese influence on the Asilah’s development, Roman ruins can be found in the nearby town of Larache and Arab influences are more subtly found in the decorative window shutters and the labyrinth like medina layout to the streets.

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Moroccan zelij mosaic wall / doorway tiling, Bahia Palace, Marrakesh, Morocco, 2016–04-21.

The name Bahia means “brilliance” and the Bahia palace was built with the intention of being the most brilliant palace of its time. Built by two different generations - Si Moussa and his son, the layout and overall design is slightly random and unorganised. The materials used to make the intricate displays of zelij, ceramic and wood work through out the palace were sourced from across the Maghreb.

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Moroccan ceramics for sale, Asilah Medina, Atlantic Coast, Morocco, 2015-08-11.

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Water fountain feature at the Anima Gardens, designed by Austrian multimedia artist André Heller, Ourika Valley, Marrakesh, Morocco, 2016–04-22.

The Anima Gardens is a relatively new garden space designed by André Heller, receiving praise and attention for its imaginative and creative design.

Located amid the foothills of the High Atlas mountains, within the spectacular Ourika Valley (27km away from Marrakesh), the Anima Garden holds shady paths and pavilions with wild flowers, cacti, water features, palm trees and tall grass, with the surprising addition of unusual sculptures of magical characters hidden about the space.

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Bahia Palace Architecture, Marrakesh, Morocco, 2016–04-21.

The name Bahia means “brilliance” and the Bahia palace was built with the intention of being the most brilliant palace of its time. Built by two different generations - Si Moussa and his son, the overall design and layout is slightly random and unorganised. The materials used to make the intricate displays of zelij, ceramic and wood work through out the palace were sourced from across the Maghreb.

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Portrait of Sofia, a rose farmer from Kelaat M'Gouna, Dades Valley, Southern Morocco, 2016-05-14.

When the roses begin to bloom and the picking season begins, people from all around the region secure work harvesting the flowers in the fields.

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Argan nuts with the first outer shell removed, Agouni n Fad village, Taliouine & Taroudant Province, Souss Massa Draa region of Southern Morocco, 2016-05-24.

The traditional method of making argan oil begins with shelling the nuts by hand. Having two outer shells, both layers must be removed by being squashed with a rock - a laborious process which requires much patience and consistent work pace in order to make a sufficient quantity of argan oil.

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Close up of an old door to a storage chamber inside the Ighrem Granary (Agadir Ighrem), Souss Massa Draa province, Southern Morocco, 2016-05-26.

The Ighrem ‘agadir’ (singular form of granary in Tamazert Amazigh dialect) is a fortified Berber collective granary.

The granary structures (Igoudar - plural form of granary in the Tamazert Amazigh dialect) weren’t only built for storing harvests, medicines and possessions; the Amazigh ancestors also constructed them to function as an ancient form of a ‘high security bank vault.’


The Anti Atlas and the Souss ranges are no strangers to war and conflict. The mountain terrains have been home to many an Amazigh uprising against the central governments during Arab rule and early French Occupation. 
Although each granary is unique in design, their bee hive like labyrinth interiors of interconnecting tunnels, ladders and passageways holding padlocked chambers collectively resemble a style of architecture that Tolkien might have imagined.

Most of the igoudar that remain are thought to date to the 16th and 17th century, although the tradition of building and using collective granaries is estimated to be as old as a millennia.

One year of low rainfall can make life very difficult for the mainly self sufficient populous of the Anti Atlas range, who would have been ever more dependent upon the fruits of their harvest during the time of structures development.

The crops which are agriculturally viable amid the dramatic climate conditions of the Anti Atlas, such as saffron, almonds, and argan are high in value, with saffron only offering a short annual harvesting window and the stigmas needing optimum storage conditions to preserve life span.

Everything from important documents, money and jewellery to the seasons harvest could be stored inside the locked chambers. These well ventilated, shaded rooms built from thick stone walls remain at cool temperatures during high heats. It is possible for grains to be stored in some agadir chambers for up to 25 years, and natural butter for 10 (which is also believed to have medicinal qualities after being preserved for such a long period of time).

Besides the storage chambers, each structure often held rooms dedicated to a community role, such as a pharmacy storing the local natural medicines of the time, a court-room to settle local disputes and sometimes even a hospital room for doctors to cure the sick.

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Close up of a rose farmers henna stained hands picking a rose flower, Kelaat M’Gouna, Southern Morocco, 2016-05-14.

Roses are mainly farmed in the Dades Valley to produce and sell rose water, a bi-product of making rose oil through the distillation of pure, fresh rose petals. High in vitamin E, rose water is popular in Morocco and internationally for both its cosmetic and culinary use. The rose season and harvest is so important to the Dades region that a special festival celebration is held each year in Kelaat Mgouna –  a small town in the Dades region which is named the valley of roses.

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Close up of the Ifri Granary rooms and storage chambers, Taliouine province of the Souss Massa Draa, Southern Morocco, 2016-05-23.

The Ifri ‘agadir’ (singular form of granary in Tamazert Amazigh dialect) is a fortified Berber collective granary.

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Portrait of a Moroccan family outside their home in Kelaat M'Gouna, Dades Valley, Southern Morocco, 2016-05-14.

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A portrait of a saffron trader at the old Taliouine market, Souss Massa Draa, Morocco 2015-10-26.

There are numerous ways to test if saffron is the real deal and everyone in Taliouine seemed to have their own personal method.

Some market sellers showed the freshness and quality of their stock by squashing a stigma between two finger nails and showing the natural yellow stain on their nail and skin, while others put a single thread in their mouth and showed off the yellow colouring on their teeth and tongue.

One of the more fool proof methods involved pouring a little water on a single stigma which the market seller had placed on top of white paper.

Within seconds of water touching the pure saffron, a yellow ink like dye stained the paper.

This colour and staining has a very natural look and imitations dyed in food colouring are easily spotted when comparing the colour and how the dye has seeped into the white paper.

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Close up of traditional argan oil grindstone press on display at the Co-operative Agricole Feminin Tagmat, Duoar Tidnass, near Aoulouz, Taliouine & Taroudant Province, Souss Massa Draa region of Southern Morocco, 2016-05-24.

Based in a small village named Duoar Tidnass, located inside Aoulous, Co-operative Agricole Feminin Tagmat has 62 members, each supplying argan oil from farms across the Taroudant region.

The amount each farmer supplies to the co-op is recorded and annual profits are shared out accordingly. At least 40L of argan oil is sold to Agadir every month, while a shop inside the premises sells bottles of culinary and cosmetic oils to tourists and visitors, as well as Amlou - a nut paste made by blending almonds with argan oil.