A recommendation for Ali's camel treks by 

 2003 Outside Magazine Annual Traveler edition

Hola Ali,

Soy Carlos, ya hemos llegado a casa, Manel vino en avión desde Casablanca, ahora ya está mejor, y nosotros a volver a la rutina diaria.

Acabamos de llegar y ya echo de menos todo lo que han sido estas vacaciones para mí. Gracias por todo Ali, por habernos dado algo que nadie más nos hubiera dado.

Gracias, por todo lo que nos has enseñado por que nosotros solos no lo habríamos aprendido. Gracias, en definitiva por darnos la vida del desierto, de sus gentes y de sus animales.

Ali espero y deseo que nos volvamos a ver pronto.

Carlos

    

Maryam - 

Hi, how are you? It's been some time. I believe you helped my friend David arrange a tour with Ali over the Xmas holidays. He had the most fantastict time.

I will have a couple months off this summer and would like to spend acouple weeks in Morocco. I loved my experience there so much and there is obviously so much I haven't seen. But I always think about the desert and I would love to go back. I know it's hot in the summer, but it is dry heat.

Does Ali stay at his auberge all year? Is it completely impossible to even spend a few nights there? You also mentioned a book about a trek from from Ouarzazate to the ocean - do you remember the name of the book you read? Also, have you been down towards the Western Sahara?

Sorry for all the questions! I hope you are well. I look forward to hearing from you...and if you speak to Ali, please tell him I say HELLO.

All the best,

ALEX

received from Kevin and Alma on 20 October 2005 via email

"my wife and i took our first trip to morocco recently and were put in touch with 2 guides, mohamed zine and ali mouni.  we hooked up with mohamed in marakkech. 

for the next day and a half, he served as our driver and tour guide.  as a very
well-educated berber, native to the area, he was perfect for us.  he not
only took us to several out-of -the-way places, such as the atlas film
studios, where such movies as "gladiator" and "kingdom of heaven" were
filmed, and to Ait Ben Haddou, one of the finest kasbah remains in all of morocco but even took us to meet some local children who were herding the family goats. 

Mohamed also served as our interpreter (essential in an area where virtually no one speaks english), and introduced us to the best available lodging and cuisine in the area, places we certainly would not have found on our own, and all reasonably priced. 

we toured the atlas mountains, the high middle plains and witnessed landscapes of the moon here on earth.  we saw sights we have only imagined and learned firsthand the history and culture of morocco from the mouth of
mohamed. 

Some 600 miles later, we were delivered to ali mouni, owner of
the nomad palace, a berber outpost and auberge at the foot of the merzouga
sand dunes, the largest dunes in all of africa, sweeping to a height of 250
feet and extending all the way to the border of algeria.  ali humbly shared
that he had no formal education.  however, we quickly discovered his
extensive knowledge of the world at large, his fuency in at least 4
languages and the genuine charm and warmth he possesses as a
property owner and host. 

the surroundings were straight from an arabian nights movie with the lodge draped in handmade moroccan rugs and with the smells of traditional cooking enticing our palates from the kitchen.
following a cup of mint tea, we were mounted on two camels and were led off into the sahara by one of ali's camel tenders.  the few street and village
lights of merzouga faded from view as we slowly made our way into the
desert.  our landscape was illuminated by a romantic near-full moon.  the
only sounds were the measured and sure-footed strides of our dromedary
friends as hoof met sand for the next 2 hours.  upon our return to the
nomad palace, we were served a succulunt traditional moroccan dinner,
painstakingly prepared by ali's younger brother, who also doubled as
practiced waiter.  after satisfying our appetites with this unexpectedly
delicious meal, we were shown to our evening accommodations: a tent
constructed of woven black wool, lit by oil lamps, and furnished with a  very
comfortable double bed.  the sky was brilliantly dotted by individual stars
and constellations.  for the first time in many years, the white streamers
of the milky way were no longer obliterated by light pollution.  in the
morning, we bid farewell to our hosts and new Berber friends, took in one
final mental photo of our desert fantasy brought to life and began our
journey back to the 21st century.  we will find ourselves reliving this
fantastic fantasy in our dreams for many many nights to come.    

  kevin and alma
                                                                                                        
                     

how are you i wish that my letter will find you in good health.
when you are reading this letter you will asking who is writing to me?
i'm souad the girl who came with my brother jihad and the 2 cousins in merzouga last april 2005 by a blue car 406
we came from casablanca and we stayed 2 days and also for refresh your memory our journey coincide a group of students they came from an architecht school in rabat
i hope that you remenber us.
i want just to thank you for your reception and all thing you did for us and i'm sorry for reporting my letter because i lose your e-mail and when i find your card visit i don't hesitate to write to you.
you know that when you are talking or telling to people that we visited a very beautiful place and they are so curious to visit it.
in chaa alah we will visit it an other time i wish that it would be this year because you like it and we enjoy it too and we were very friendly helpful and sociable with us
thank you very much and see you soon.

sousou

 

 

 

 

Subject: Jasc Paint Shop Photo Album images
>Date: Wed, 7 Mar 2007 19:18:18 -0700
>
Hello Ali,  This letter is from Santa Fe...remember me?  I want to visit
Nomad Palace in May.  The people at Nomad Palace are so kind and take good
care of me.  Maybe I arrive early in May and stay for awhile.  What do you
say?  Thank you for your help...Judith

 

Oasis Camel Treks....see Dawid's and Leonie's photos here

 

To: Ali Mouni / Maryam
Subject: Long Overdue Thank You
 
Dear Maryam,
 
You will recall [I hope!] our visit to the Sahara during September of last year. My wife and I spent a week with Ali
and went on the 4 day Camel trek in the vicinity of Erg Chebbi. Ali personally collected us from Ouarzazate and at
the end of the trip drove us back there. What a wonderful experience ! Ali went out of his way to accommodate us and attend to our needs.
 
We apologize for not writing sooner to thank you, Ali and his staff for a memorable trip. We had quite a few things to attend to since our return to South Africa.
 
I have a collection of pictures from this unique trip and would like to send it to you. I can attach it to
e-mails in small batches. Would it be possible for you to forward it to Ali ?
 
Thank you.
 
Dawid and Leonie Viljoen

 

 

 

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