April 16: Sunrise in the Sahara Desert

We were up to catch the sunrise and see what surprises the desert would give us this morning. Mother Nature didn’t disappoint as she provided a grand sunrise amidst a pleasant breeze as we walked barefoot in the cool sand. 

Next, we took an exhilarating 4 wheel drive ride out of the desert at which point, we met up with our driver.  From the pick up point, we made the 8 hour ride back to Marrakech.  The serpentine road along with the blazing sun made for a stomach churning journey that was only saved by the spectacular views of the Atlas Mountains.

Upon our arrival in Marrakech, we settled ourselves into the 4 star Riad Dar Silsila before heading out for an awesome dinner at the Kabana restaurant.  The vibe of this rooftop dining experience was super cool.  It was a place for young and old to enjoy the vibrant atmosphere, comfortable evening temperatures, and delicious upscale cuisine and cocktails.

As our final stop, we strolled through the famous Marrakesh Market (Jemaa el-Fna), which is a delight for all of your senses.  Alex took the opportunity to buy a few gifts to capture the Moroccan experience. The carnival type atmosphere featured all kinds of Moroccan food, merchandise, music and dancing.  The energy of the locals and tourists made for an incredibly enjoyable evening.