Mazda CX-60: 1200 km in the most beautiful Morocco

Marrakesh it was the point of departure and the point of arrivalEpic Drive 2024epic journey organized by Mazdajust a week ago, to understand the deep meaning of the “jewel” of House of Hiroshima,, Mazda CX-60A luxurious and powerful SUV, a plug-in and diesel hybrid.

A tour of more than 1200 kilometers, divided into two stages, and hundreds of streams, led to another discovery. Morocco.

And Morocco which goes beyond the almost two million people who arrived which makes its most famous city the most visited. A real, new, beautiful country, made up of a thousand shades of sand, of villages where you are surrounded by children celebrating, and unexplored roads leading to the sandy desert. Sahara pass through the almost alien panorama of the mountainsAtlas.

Mountains, deserts, plains: up and down Morocco

Adventure travel quickly evolved into a fascinating reflection of today’s mobility. And CX-60 It’s the right car, the right place.

Driving an SUV, horse trail Marrakech-Marrakech – and the central station in the theme setting Ouarzazate,, Hollywood Berbera – it took us to travel nearly 1,200 kilometers in two days.

Middle: actual villages; canyons; palm plantations; kasbah and ksour; towers; canyons and deserts.

But above all the speed is impressive Test-n-Exam, which rises to 2,101 meters above sea level, where there used to be snow but now you can wear a t-shirt even in winter; of Data Gorges, a series of gorges carved along the river in the middle of the mountains; there the valley of a thousand Kasbahs which has its name from the presence of the river of the same name, the longest in the nation.

SEE ALSO: On camels and among snake charmers: Moroccan magic on a trip with children

And then impermeable and breathable R704: you are attracted in every direction, the hills always take different shapes, the results of wind and water corrosion attract kilometer after kilometer.

Schedule, problems and surprises

Leaving behind the always fascinating excitement of the souk Marrakeshmodel square Jemaa El Fna or grace of Majorelle Gardenshere it appears Morocco, in all its diversity. Following R203, traffic becomes almost non-existent. However, you need to pay attention to donkey carts.

And in each band, to small groups of children who greet with surprise the appearance of Mazda rosso color”Red Soul Crystal“.

In these ways, the big SUV is in its natural environment: you travel in great comfort for many hours, without your back and legs being affected. After all, let’s try one of the four configurations above: Takumi (64.535 euros).

In particular, for the comfort of the driver, an innovative driver personalization system has been introduced which, recognizing the person driving the car, automatically adjusts the position of the seat, steering wheel and mirrors. And then: armchairs covered with nappa leather (standard) are large and inviting.

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After 136 km comes the first event: you climb towards Test-n-Exam nell’Alto Atlantaa dizzying mountain pass at an altitude of 2,093 meters that connects Marrakesh and the city of Taroudant. AND an amazing piece of engineering. Above, a commemorative plaque confirms that the spectacular road was created by mining the mountains by the French colonialists between 1926 and 1932.

It climbs and descends near arid mountains over deep valleys with a few remote villages here and there with typical mud brick houses. History records that it was the first modern road to be connected Marrakesh along with the fertile plains of Souss – where 60 percent of citrus fruits in the country are grown – and then in the desert.

SEE ALSO: From the Medina to the tanneries, what to see in Fez, the royal city of Morocco

Tizi-n-Test, pass with an interesting view

Until then the passage was considered impassable without the protection and knowledge of the locals and, despite the importance of the trade route and the subjugation of the South, it was a route that only a few sultans were able to traverse. do even less control.

SEE ALSO: Morocco: what to see, from the Sahara desert to royal cities

What makes it really interesting Test-n-Exam is an interesting panorama, which spreads in the area of Sous mass to the mountains ofAnti Atlas. The road, however, is narrow, without a central line, with a continuous hairpin bend, a length of 500 meters without obstacles a few centimeters from the wheels, and you have to pay attention to the cars coming.

In this case, many people come to their rescue feeadvanced driver assistance systems for CX-60: Adaptive Cruise Control (i-ACC) which reads signals and adjusts accordingly; automatic emergency braking that detects pedestrians and obstacles; tamper detector.

But also: See-Throughwhich increases the field of vision at low speed with a 360 ° view and Vehicle Departure Warning (BSM), which indicates the presence of other vehicles when reversing.

The 18 km descent on the other side of the pass is a challenge. Vertigo can be paralyzing, but continuing withHill Descent Control (HDC) and in the state Usually (others are Eco, Off road and racing Sports) the car proves accurate and agile even in sharp bends.

Sometimes the modern camera system (fortunately) avoids hitting the exposed rocks.

Ouarzazate, Hollywood Berbera

The journey is difficult and we continue inside Southern Morocco which alternates lush green landscapes with arid landscapes, villages set in flowery valleys and pools of water like oases at the beginning of Sahara. There is no shortage of Berbers in long robes, foot dancers and campers. Once down from the mountains the trail passes through the entrance Draa Valley which leads to the city of Ouarzazate.

Also called “Hollywood Berbera” due to the presence of film studios. Here, in fact, memorable films were born, as it were Lawrence of Arabia, Desert tea, The Crusades, Jewel of the Nile e Gladiator.

The area has been very successful as a stopover for the country as well Tibetl’Ancient Romel’Afghanistan andEgyptthat “Ouarzawood” provides livelihood for a large part of the population of the area.

In fact, the Moroccan craft tradition, still very much alive, produces excellent painters and sculptors.

After 10 hours and more than 500 kilometers of driving on empty highways, the first day of the raid ends with the arrival on the highway.Ecolodge Ouednoujoumabout twenty kilometers south of Ouarzazate.

L’Ecolodge Ouednoujoum it is “another planet”, a sustainable environmental refuge in the middle of nowhere, where total silence reigns and you can admire the stars at night. Apart from the bright light of Marrakesh. Built in 2007, it has 12 comfortable rooms with a traditional theme.

Visitors can also stay overnight in a Berber tent with the best comfort.

SEE ALSO: Chefchaouen: a blue dream in Morocco

On the highest road in the Atlas Mountains

On the second day the “main journey” (another 600 km and about 12 hours by car) continues north, towards Dades Gorges,, Gole del Dades. The roads that cross the area have hundreds of roads kasbah e ksour.

The buildings here faithfully mimic the color of the surrounding environment because that’s how they were made.

Two methods of ancient construction dominate: rammed earth, known as he writesand the clay brick called adobe. These fortified houses and villages protected the settled people from attacks by nomadic tribes and gave the Dades valley its nickname: Valley of the Thousand Kasba.

SEE ALSO: Escape to Morocco, a resort to explore all shades of blue

Spectacular scenery, climbing and descending

The wind rises above R704tall limestone cliffs cut by swirling layers of sediment and fractured rock intrude into the valley, narrowing it into a canyon.

The zigzag road is considered one of the most interesting and dangerous in the world: it is 300 meters above pink and orange rocks.

There are also many tourists in these places who, on motorbikes, in vintage cars, in off-road vehicles, reach the top to take pictures. We continue off road to about 3000 meters on an old and narrow nomadic path. There is no-one.

The second half of R704 it is actually a mass of sharp stones hidden by dust that is currently being expanded to be completely paved with asphalt: a project to encourage the development of tourists in this remote area. The Japanese car coped with the climb without problems thanks also to the wheel drive I-Activ All-Wheel Drive and off-road driving routes.

Just enough time for a quick packed lunch and mint tea to descend the mountain in a series of wide and narrow curves and sudden ups and downs (in Sports) through the story Atlas before turning southwest to return Marrakesh.

Five star SUV

The last part of the route is on extra urban roads, with speed limits that frequently and without any reason go from 50 to 80 kilometers per hour.

And of course the police on the side of the road convince you to respect the number that appears on thetitle display. Traffic becomes more and more and after 12 hours fatigue makes itself felt.

Level is on CX-60among others, there is also blind monitoring and Cruise control; if you choose convertible (purchase of Driver Assistance Package), then, on the road the car can move around itself.

In crash safety tests conducted in 2022 byEuro NCAP,, Mazda CX-60 received a maximum score of five stars.

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