Davide and Emma are two nature and documentary photography enthusiasts always engaged in some new adventure. This time, they went into the Moroccan hinterland, a harsh, essential landscape sculpted by wind and light, where life seems to exist in precarious balance between sand, rock and sky.
Their goal was not only to observe and document, but also to understand the subtle relationships that bind animals to their habitats. On this journey they crossed gorges, hamadas and wadis; slept under the stars, walked in the absolute silence of the desert, and explored in search of some of the most iconic species of desert and steppe habitats.
Rewoolution accompanied them on this journey, dressing them in the most technical garments to help them be in the best possible condition at all times. Follow us on this adventure, where each encounter is part of a larger tale: that of a nature that endures and transforms, and of our desire to listen to it and tell its story, with respect.
Davide and Emma's diary
DAY 1 – Arrival in Marrakesh
Our arrival in Marrakesh coincided with a warm spring evening. Crossing the streets of the Medina to reach our first lodging, we had a chance to savor the bustling streets of the old city.
Upon our arrival, the Riad that housed us for the night was lit by small lamps that brought out its atmosphere, and a small cohort preceded our room-an exciting start.
DAY 2 – Souss-Massa
The day began with the official departure of the trip after breakfast. The destination was Souss-Massa National Park, south of Agadir, one of Morocco’s most significant wetlands for bird biodiversity.
During the trip, the first official bird of the tour was spotted: a male Fringilla coelebs africana (African Finch).
Arriving at the park in the late afternoon, we observed 57 species of birds, including specimens of Geronticus eremita (Ibis eremita), a symbol of the park and among the most endangered species in North Africa.
During the second day inside the National Park, 45 more species were recorded, including a migrating Ciconia nigra (Black Stork) and a Cercotrichas galactotes (Reddish Warbler).
In the afternoon, the expedition continued on to Fort Bou Jerif, an isolated structure at the gateway to one of the most desert areas of the Moroccan hinterland, a favorite territory for various reptile species including cobras and vipers.
We spent the evening searching for wildlife, finding some species of geckos endemic to the area, scorpions and the egg-eating snake-an important sighting.
DAY 3 – At the gates of the Sahara
The day began by analyzing and inspecting the area abutting the old colonial fort, now reduced to ruins: perfect habitat for reptiles.
Exploration kept us busy all morning, expanding the visiting area all the way into a wadi, an Arabic term for a riverbed that is dry most of the year and can turn into a raging torrent during rains.
Crossing this area brought to our eyes how much the power of water can transform the land it floods, making the surrounding land fertile. Perfect habitat for some small mammal species such as desert squirrels and desert obese rat (Psammomys obesus).
The final destination of the day was Plage Blanche, an expansive and isolated Atlantic beach nestled among the dunes of the Sahara and considered among the wildest in Morocco. The area, a 250 km² ecological park, is threatened by future tourism development projects.
In the evening, the group returned to Fort Bou Jerif for another night in search of nocturnal species.
DAY 4 – Direction El Borj
The journey continued in the direction of El Borj, a small isolated village located in southwestern Morocco on the edge of the Sahara Desert.
As we approached our destination, the change in landscape was evident. Steppe scrub composed of thick spurge bushes gave way to bare, dark rocks shaped by the wind into irregular, sharp shapes. The increasingly arid terrain has turned into an expanse of hamada, a plain of crushed stone and compacted slabs where the heat reflects mercilessly, while the only visible trees – rare twisted acacias – stand out like solitary silhouettes on the horizon. It is a silent, still environment where all life seems to cling to the essentials, and the prohibitive temperatures make exploration an action to be carefully considered.
Our arrival is an important moment because of the contact we have on the spot: a landowner of Berber descent who hosts us in his tents, set under a huge dune.
Mubarak, that is his name, brushing up a doughy English like the sand hovering in the air, greets us with some excellent tea. As the sun becomes docile and a gentle breeze picks up, making the temperature around us decidedly more comfortable, we make our way to a nearby rock hill so that we can reach its summit in time to experience the desert sunset. Everything is ablaze in the silence.
As evening falls, we set out in search of some of the target species for this trip, including the dangerous Vipera latastei (Horned Viper).
We advance late into the night looking for signs in the sand. Some of us unearth obvious traces of the reptile’s passage, but the searches are in vain and the fatigue of the many hours of travel takes its toll. A few hours before dawn we are forced to return.
DAY 5 – On the border with Algeria
On the fifth day of the trip we decide to explore by car some of the inland tracks leading to the town of Assa, a few kilometers from the border with the state of Algeria. This move allows us to regain energy and have a better chance of spotting interesting species, being able to explore a wider area than searching on foot.
And indeed, along the way we encounter several specimens of Agama impalearis and Uromastyx acanthinura, two species of reptiles belonging to the Agamidae family, typical of the desert environments of North Africa.
On our return, another night of research along the viper territory awaits us.
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DAY 6 – Move to Assaka and return north
The previous night did not bear fruit. Unfortunately, the significantly lower temperature than on previous days probably kept many animals hidden from our view.
We left the silence of the desert and, in a few hours of travel, reached the coastal territory close to the ocean, towards Assaka, where the river mouth turns out to be reduced to puddles of stagnant red water, caused by drought-related bacteria. This area led us to visit some of the most interesting coastal habitats of natural interest, where we were able to observe numerous bird species that we had already encountered during the first few days.
Last relevant observations were the desert skylark Alaemon alaudipes and the blonde courier Cursorius cursor, magnificent specimens that nest in steppe areas and are difficult to observe.
This our return to the northern regions will last a few days and will mark the end of our journey.
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The end of the journey: a new awareness
A highly formative journey that led us to explore territories that are difficult to reach today, where time seems to dilate and human presence vanishes. An experience that enriched our gaze and sharpened our ability to observe and narrate, confronting us with the limits of the body, the power of nature and the essentiality of life in extreme environments.
We return with images, notes and encounters that are not just testimonies, but fragments of an open dialogue between the beholder and what endures, between man and the desert.