#1243 Premium
The Rose House - fabulous Berber house in the High Atlas
House • Boumalne Dades Morocco
Exchange types accepted
Statistics
Listed January 2019
Views 6113
General overview
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Features
Washer
Microwave
Fridge
Iron
Hair dryer
Heating
TV
WiFi
Bathtub
First aid kit
Smoke alarms
Bed sheets
Towels
Workspace
Fireplace
BBQ
Deck / patio / courtyard / terrace
Covered porch / verandah
Travel Styles
Weekend
Adventure
Family
Romantic
Sport and leisure
Relaxing
Eco
Village
Mountains
Hiking
House rules
Unsuitable for infants under 2
Suitable for children ages 2-12
Pets not allowed
No smoking
Allergens
Cat free
Dog free
Smoke free
Fragrance free
Dates of Availability
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Neighbourhood
The Rose House in the Dades Valley, 25km north of Boumalne Dades, is the perfect place for travellers to discover the real Morocco. In 2000, we came to Morocco together for the first time, and fell in love with the country – its cities, its mountains, its deserts – and the Berber people, with their tremendous warmth and hospitality. Since then, we have returned many times, and have now leased and renovated an old Berber house, ‘Tadart Taourdiyt’ (‘The Rose House’), in the calm of the lush Dades Valley. This is a very beautiful area to explore, but also the perfect centre for 4x4 excursions and trekking into the High Atlas or the Sahara Desert, just half a day’s drive away.
The Rose House is about 7 hours drive (by car, bus or taxi) on the main road from Marrakech, over the Tiz-n-Tichka pass of the High Atlas, a very beautiful journey. An even better introduction to the mountains is to have a 4x4 trip to the Rose House on the old caravan route, taking in the famous and spectacular Telouet Kasbah, stronghold of the ancient Glaoui tribe, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ait Ben Haddou, and much dramatic scenery on the way. There is also an airport at Ouarzazate, 2.5 hours drive from the Rose House.
Near the Rose House, local beauty spots you can look up in your guide books are the 'Monkey's Fingers' and 'The Tortoise' (spectacular rock formations, possibility of walks through canyons), the Dades Gorges, the Valley of the Roses (near El Kelaa M'Goun) and the Valley of the Apples (near Msemrir). On Saturdays there is a traditional country market up at Msemrir, a totally different experience from the tourist-oriented markets in the big cities!
The Rose House is situated in the village of Ait Oudinar, amidst dramatic mountain scenery bordering the river and its lush fields. It is also in one of the most important bird-watching areas of Morocco, with many migratory birds passing through the local area in April and October.
We are extremely lucky to be just 15 minutes drive from the 5* hotel-restaurant Eden Boutique Hotel, offering some of the finest cuisine in Morocco. The chef cooks sublime French-Moroccan fusion food which ought to deserve a Michelin star, and the warmth of welcome from the owners is wonderful. There is also a swimming pool and lovely gardens that you will be welcome to use, and a hammam spa service you can book. There are several other auberges in walking distance from the house. It's best to call in or phone/WhatsApp and book by lunchtime at local auberges if you want to dine that night.
There are a couple of small grocery stores in the village selling basic packaged goods, plus a bread bakery 20 minutes walk down the road in Ait Idir. In the local town of Boumalne (30 minutes drive) you can buy meat and fresh vegetables, also there are small supermarkets and bakeries, and all amenities - banks, post office, petrol station, hospital and health services. The staff at Eden Boutique Hotel can organise donkey rides for kids, mule trekking, Moroccan cookery lessons, hiking guides, 4x4 excursions, desert trips etc. for you.
There is the opportunity to hire a locally-based 4x4 driver and guide to take you off-road to follow ancient caravan routes, through mountain villages and nomad camps. You can do day-trips or longer tours. Go trekking on foot, with mules, or by camel - you can go mountain-biking too. There is also rock-climbing in the Todhra Gorge, 1 hour from the Rose House. On the way, experience the delights of Morocco’s cuisine, learn about its traditions from a Berber guide, and lose yourself in its music and dance. Arrangements can be made to meet you on your arrival at Marrakech, Agadir, Ouarzazate or any other location. Check out Sahara Atlas Tours via www.saharaatlastours.com - we highly recommend this small family business.
Nearest airport
Ouarzazate 2.5 hours
Marrakech 7 hours (nice stopover in Ait Ben Haddou if you want to break the journey)
Agadir 9 hours (stopovers possible in Taroudant or Taliouine to break the journey)
Fes 2 days
Getting around
There are collective taxi services through the village to Boumalne, where you can get buses to Marrakech or Merzouga (Sahara Desert).
Our friends in the village can arrange private taxi services and 4x4 excursions.
Hire a car (be careful, not always reliable in Morocco! And can be as expensive as booking a 4x4 with driver-guide)
It is a half day's drive from the Sahara Desert, for the Erg Chebbi dunes near Merzouga. We can help you arrange a desert camp and camel trekking there. From Merzouga you can travel on to Fes in 1 day.
The Rose House is 30 minutes drive up the Dades Valley from the main town of Boumalne Dades, which has all main amenities and ATMs.
Map of Approximate Location
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People Like Us Local Guide
If we are at the house we will gladly act as friends. If we are not, we will put you in touch with our friends in the local village who will welcome you and help you explore the local area.
Feedback
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Premium
Michael and Helen
We are a retired couple, and have had 14 years and 43 very successful exchanges with another home exchange service.
Michael was a history teacher, and he can now devote much of his time to his passion, black and white photography. Helen was a university professor who likes to learn languages. We both love art and nature.
We really enjoy travelling, mainly in Europe and also sometimes to the UK countryside, as well as in our beloved Morocco. We love places in the countryside where we can go hiking and horse-riding; mountains; sometimes the sea; and places of historical interest. We also like a few days' break in cities with lots of cultural interest. We offer our home exchangers lots of help to plan their visit to Morocco, and we like it best when we can exchange with people who really want to engage with and embrace the wonderful Berber culture of the region. We can guarantee that, if you stay at the Rose House, you will not just have a holiday, you will have a truly beautiful experience.
Travelling group
Desired Destinations
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