Dar Gamra

I stayed 2 nights in late October and arrived before sunrise on the night bus from Fes. Moulay, one of the family members, was waiting for me and drove me to the dar even though it was only a few minute walk away. After i caught up on sleep, i arrived downstairs to a wonderful breakfast. I spent the days walking to locations that Moulay and I discussed over morning tea - he was a great source of ideas and knowledge about the area. I requested a 'Berber Pizza' for my first night and I'm glad i saved my appetite as it was large and certainly worth the wait. My next stop was Merzouga and I was traveling solo without a tour - I have to confess i was nervous while planning from Fes: alone, arriving before dawn on a bus in the middle of town without a station, not sure how to get to Merzouga afterwards. It was slightly intimidating. The kindness of this family made all of those worries unfounded. I never felt alone and by the time I left I had a very good plan for my desert stay. My recommendation if you are in Fes and the goal is Merzouga but you are looking at the CTM bus and worried about times and transfers: Contact Dar Lamrani before and let them know when you arrive, stay for a night or two (try to overlap a market day), and take a shared taxi from town to Merzouga (~15MAD/pp). Definitely enjoy the meals here if you can. And it would be a disservice if i didn't mention the olives - in the 40 years on this planet i don't think I've had better. Thank you for your kindness and a wonderful stay!