vendredi 16 janvier 2009

Remlia is a great place for one's holidays






There are many factors that make locations popular destinations for tourists. Morocco is well known for the combination of many natural factors which make it a frequently visited place in North Africa. The oasis of Ramlia is famous for its natural landscapes. Unlike Merzouga where we find Erg Chebbi sand dunes as the most prominent feature, the oasis of Ramlia combines the sand dunes, mountains, lakes, thamaresk valleys, fossil mines, and Hamadas.
All these elements are the characteristics of the great Saharan circuit that links Merzouga and M’hammid.
According to the Moroccan newspaper “La vie Touristique Africaine”, the American New York Times calls this route in one of its published issues, “the route of challenge” (La route, 2003,p.6). From this name, we understand the sense of adventure in this area. One example would be the races that take place here each year. “Rally Aicha”, “Rally Paris-Dakar”, and Outback Challenge are some adventures that people enjoy. Chris Scott, in his book Sahara Overland, calls this circuit M 6. The oasis of Ramlia offers a unique change for its visitors who are running from the noisy and polluted cities in search of serenity and fresh air.
As I mentioned earlier, the oasis of Ramlia is rich with natural landscapes that attract people to visit it. To start with the sand dunes are the first landscape in the area. The dunes form an orange line near black mountains. “The erg” of Ramlia extends over 15 kilometres from the north to the south and about 2 kilometres larger. The colour of these dunes differs according to the position of the sunlight. The beauty of the dunes and its quietness attract tourists to visit this peaceful area. During the high season, we find many Moroccan and foreign tour agencies setting up their camps for their clients in the dunes besides other permanent camps like Aghbalou Ramlia Bivouac.
The dunes are a refuge for people seeking peace and quiet. Unlike Merzouga. Where we find so many hotels and inns just a few meters from the dunes, the municipality of Sidi Ali does not allow people to build hotels near the dunes. This allows “the erg” to keep its natural shape. This fact encourages more people to invest their money in tourism. Also, the sand dunes are used to remedy some illnesses, like rheumatism, mainly by the locals. Tourists have the chance to ride camels for hours in the dunes, and then spend the night in comfortably furnished tented rooms.
The dry weather is the prominent feature of the oasis. Summer is so hot that the temperature rises to about 48 c°. This pushes most of tourists to spend only the night and then move in the early morning to the nearby towns of Zagoura or Tinghir. However, the weather is very mild for tourists during the high seasons of Christmas and New Year Eve holiday and also the months of March through April.
Natural landscapes play a big role in attracting tourists. “The erg” of Ramlia is often the targeted destination for tourists after “Erg Chebbi” in Merzouga.

Another natural factor that characterizes the oasis of Ramlia is the mountains. These take many different shapes and colours. There are many volcanic mountains like the “Tajine” Mountain. It is called this because it has the shape of “a tajine” which is a local dish. It offers the chance for tourists to do some mountain climbing. It is worth mentioning that there is a source of running water about two kilometres from this mountain. The visitors of this place can enjoy the life of the nomads who live in tents in the middle of a number of palm trees. The mountain of “Hamada kem kem” is found in the southern part of the oasis. This is famous for the sharks teeth and dinosaur bones that have been found here. Many foreign archaeologists leave the oasis in the morning to visit this place and come back at night.
The oasis of Ramlia is also a place where other types of fossils like trilobites and ammonites are found. Many tourists interested in fossils find Ramlia an exciting destination.
Another feature that attracts tourists to visit Ramlia is the dry lakes, which are used as an airport for the landing of small planes. This helps tourists to land in Ramlia after departing from Ouarzazate and Marrakesh. The Thamarisk forests in Ghris and Ziz Valleys are another natural landscape in the oasis. The Thamarisk forest extends for approximately 80 kilometres from North of the oasis to inside the Algerian borders. These forests are unique to the oasis of Ramlia. I had the chance to ask one German tourist about the Tamarisk forests. He said : “I wish there were a highway to Ramlia. I would like to use this forest location in making films”. There are some French tourists who shot a documentary film inside this forest. During the rainy seasons, the area becomes the destination for study the movements of birds.
There are other natural factors that push tourists to visit Ramlia. The nearby location of the Bourika and Oubahlou oasis are an example.
The natural landscapes remain the most important elements that draw tourists to visit the oasis of Ramlia. The erg of Ramlia is the southern gate to the exploration of the sunny Sahara.

Local Residents of Remlia,Morocco

Morocco is well known for the richness of the heritage of its ethnic groups. Many writers and anthropologists, such as David Hard and Cynthia Becker, display much interest in discovering the origins and diversity of these ethnic groups. The oasis of Ramlia is inhabited by the Ait Khabbash group, which is part of the Ait Atta group. This group is important in south-eastern Morocco. Cynthia Becker states that, “Ait Khabbash” is a sub-group of the Ait Atta, which is the largest Berber or Amazigh group in the south-eastern part of Morocco” (2002,p.101).
Historically speaking, the Ait Khabbash people united to face the French colonizers whose purpose was to exploit the wealth of the country. The French left the region after many victories of the Amazigh people. This notion of unity among Ait khabbash is confirmed by Cynthia Becker in stating that “Blood relationships are a point of great concern to the Ait Khabbash, who believe they are an ethnically pure group descended from a single individual named Dadda Atta, who lived in south-western Morocco in the sixteenth century” (p. 108).
The local residents of the oasis of Ramlia, Ait Khabbash, are divided according to the roots to find Ait Amar, Irjdaln, Izoulayn, and Ilhyan. Ait Tghla are followers of Irjdalen.

historical background of oasis Remlia

The position of the oasis is historically important. It is on the banks of both Ziz and Ghris “oueds” (rives) like the first commercial town of the Moroccan kingdom, Sijilmassa. The Rough Guide to Morocco refers to this area as the Berber kingdom. (Ellingham, Mac Weigh & Grisbrook, 1993, p.421).
The oasis of Ramlia is the origin of the Ait Khabbash tribe. They were the nomads living around Ziz and Ghris Rivers, which were known for their fertility.
However, the area also has undergone decades of drought. Therefore, the nomads, were obliged to settle near a permanent source of water.
Another point that is worth mentioning is that the oasis is rich in sources of water. During the thirtieth of the 20th century, the nomads started building the old “khettara” to irrigate the present oasis. It is still the only “khettara” which is not affected by drought. This fact makes people call Ramlia Aghbalou, meaning a oasis with perpetual water sources. That is why many people include the word aghbalou when naming their auberges, such as “Aghbalou Ramlia”.
The “Sugar Route” is constructed in this area and the French colonizers used it to control both Morocco and Algeria. It is necessary to mention that the French were facing strong resistance in this area. It was not until the 1930s that the French managed to bring the region under their control.
To help with the water of the “khettara”, and to give importance to agriculture, the farmers dig wells to irrigate their crops. However, the oasis of Ramlia face many changes. The first is that the wells of water became salty; secondly, the area began to know decades of drought as well as the sickness of palm trees caused by “ilbayound”
Because, of this situation, the local people began to give importance to tourism because they were certain that the natural characteristics were sufficient to attract tourists to visit this oasis. As a result, some investors started projects to provide tourists with accommodations, traditional food, and entertainment.

jeudi 15 janvier 2009

la piste vers Zagoura


Pours les amateus de désert qui possidènt un 4x4 et veulent retrouver une ambiance saharienne sans etre obligés de subir les assults des faux guides,il faut pousser jusq'à l'auberge Aghbalou Ramlia.Niché au pied des montagnes de Remlia,à 20 km à l'ouest de village de Hassi-Ouzina,cet ensemble construit en pisé propose une cuisine simple et un hébergement correct.De l'auberge Aghbalou , vous pouvez continuer vers Zagora apres passe l'oued ziz avec un gracon de village.les gents de l'auberge vous vous montrer la bonne piste.Bonne journé et bonne voyage.
aghbalouramlia.c.la

Aghbalou Ramlia photos




Fuel in Remlia ,Aghbalou Ramlia

Bikers can get fuel in most of the villages which are in the piste from Merzouga to Zagora.As far as Ramlia is concerned,the available fuel is unleaded one which is bought from the fuel station'SHELL',which is considered the best place to get fuel in the Morocco.The price of liter is between 13.50 and 15 dirhams.There is also the gazoil with resonable price.So,take it easy and venture in that piste which is M6 from CRISS SCOTT 'Sahara overland'

Remlia Auberge,Aghbalou, your must stop

what you need in the desert, when you need it
AGHBALOU RAMLIA is a small camp in the piste that links Merzouga to Zagoura in the south of Morocco.it is located not far from the village of Ramlia/Remlia.It is created to provide the bikers and 4x4 drivers and all the people surfing the sahara desert with accomodation, food and fuel.

It is also the place where people can know about the situation of the Oued Ziz and Ghress.Here , people can get advice from the camp people and they can get help from them.So,come and visit us , and you can contact us by our emails.We are here to help you surf the desert in good conditions.

Himmi,Moha,Youssef and Mohammad are from the local people of Ramlia who build this small camp so that to make your trip in this piste an adventure and exploration of this forgotten area.

From Merzouga to Aghablou Camp
From Merzouga to Aghbalou , you will cross many villages.From Merzouga to Taouz, there is the tarmac.You will start your trip in the piste from Taouz, and all the time just take the clear piste ,then you will find some small house (2 small houses) ;there is the name gravure in their address.Take the left piste and follow it till you find an other panaux written it Hassi Ouzina,take the right piste, then oyu find yourself in Oued Ziz, you cross it , then take the piste near the dunes.You will find many auberges .Just follow that till you find that picture shown above.From that , there still 13 kms to the camp

the location of the camp according to GPS
AGHBALOU RAMLIA GPS:N : 30°,42,415
W :004,22,922
From Zagoura to Ramlia
Zagoura...imi noasif........tissmoumine...........oum jrane.........tafraoute...............Ramlia

aghbalouramlia@hotmail.com
Sahara desert driving
Those who wants to drive in the sahara desert are going to enjoy Ramlia region .It is a place where dunes, oasis hamadas , mountains , and oueds encounter.The place where many natural landscapes are gathered