morocco-tinhrir Morocco trips are filled with excitement and magnificent landscapes.  A Morocco tour operator allows you to access wonders that are not mapped out or to visit towns hidden between valleys.  Tinerhir is one of these places. It is a village between two oases.  In the northern part of Tinerhir you will find a passage leading to the Todra Gorge.  The gorge is a splendid representation of what nature as artist can do with water and red clay.  It will make an impression even from the village of Tinerhir.

East of Tinerhir is the Tinerhir Oasis.  The oasis is a lot like Todra with its design and aesthetic appeal.  The Todra Gorge is the main activity in Tinerhir for tourists, but it should not be your only stop.  The oases are also spectacular, as well as the culture of the village.  Throughout the villages are small and medium terraced landscapes used for agricultural needs. Without these grassy portions the landscape would be barren, just a red valley with mountains rising around it. The dichotomy, however, is eye-catching to say the least.  

The city grows olives, palms, pomegranates, almonds, and other fruits and vegetables.  Their homes use the natural earth rather than lumber.  In fact, the houses are paler than the cliffs around them, which is a contrast that you should not miss. People live here by subsistance, relying on the land that gives them what they need to live year by year.

Tinerhir is at a lower elevation than Todra.  The city provides hotels, transportation, nightlife, and restaurants for you to enjoy.  Due to the location, it is a great place to stop overnight before touring the two oases and the gorge.  You are at a lower elevation in Tinerhir than other parts of Morocco.

Many seek Morocco for the High Atlas Mountains.  The mountain region has the highest peak of Morocco at over 4,000 meters.  Jbel Toubkal in the High Atlas Mountains is majestic against the back drop of the sky, with a snow capped peak.  Trekking Morocco in the High Atlas Mountains requires you to spend several days in the region.  In this way you will acclimate yourself to the higher elevation before attempting to reach the summit.  

In Tinerhir you do not have to worry about acclimating yourself to the area.  The weather will be warm in the valley because of the hot sun over head.  However, during the nights you will be cool.  The rock formations provide this coolness.  The Todra Gorge is especially cold because the sun cannot penetrate as well within the walls.  

Rainfall in Tinerhir is less prevalent than traveling in the High Atlas region.  For this reason the land is more barren, but it has a beauty of its own.  The wildlife is of course different in this region.  You will not spy Barbary Monkeys in Tinerhir.  For the monkeys or bird watching, the High Atlas Mountains are a better region to visit.  You may wish to do both in order to get a true picture of all the naturalness around the country.

by Sam Mitchell