Zagora

Zagora (زكورة) is a town in southern Morocco.

Get in

There are direct buses from Marrakech (approx 8 hours). From Ouarzazate CTM has three buses a day (55 dirham) at 05:35, 16:00 and 16:30, taking 3-3¼ hr (Mar 2017). There are also collective taxis (~2 hr once the taxi is filled, 50-70 dirham (2008)). A bus route between Tantan and Zagora mostly following the N12 gives a view of the Anti-Atlas.

Get around

The town is maybe 5 km long and 1 km wide at the widest point. There are numerous petit taxis (3 dirham per person if you share).

See

Jebel Zagora is said to be worth climbing. There are pleasant walks along the river and in the irrigated areas around. The Zagora «Palmeraie» is the 2nd largest palm grove in the world. 8 km north of the city, in Ksar Tissergate, there is a museum for art and tradition in the Draa valley. 18 km south, Tamegroute has a famous ancient library.

There is a famous sign showing road to Timbuktu. It's easy to find just few meters from the roundabout where the road splits left to Mhamid and right to the airport.

Do

Go on a camel trek; not necessarily to the dunes, which are hard on the legs.

Buy

Dates and spices in the market (Wednesday and Sunday).

Eat

There are plenty of small café/restaurants, as well as juice and milk shops along the main drag in town. Expect to pay between 80 and 100 dirham for a lunch for two people. Here are some sample prices:

• Salade marocaine (tomatoes, onions and peppers) 15 dirham
• Tajine kefta (meatball tajine) 40 dirham
• Mint tea 10 dirham
• Orange juice 6 - 10 dirham

For a nice dinner, go to one of the hotels just outside town in Amzrou. La Fibule du Draa and Kasbah Asmaa both have full service restaurants in the evening.

Drink

Sleep

• Hotel la Palmeraie Oasis (oposite the central bus station, the «Gare routiere de Zagora») offers room with WC and shower for 100 dirham.
• Auberge Restaurant Chez Ali (on the way to the river) is worth looking at for its remarkable garden.
• La Fibule du Draa, Amzrou, ☎ [phone]. A cozy, kasbah-style hotel just outside Zagora in the Amzrou date palm oasis. Rooms offered with breakfast or half-board, prices starting around 500 dirham per night. Relaxing garden with pool area; serves alcohol. The hotel also organizes excursions to the desert (via camel or SUV), overnight or just for the day. Double 440 dirham. (updated Mar 2017)
• Riad lamane (Riad lamane), Amezrou, ☎ [phone]. 

Go next

• M'Hamid – The "end of the road" after Zagora.