Gite d'Etape Chez Moha — Hotel in caïdat d'Amellagou

Ait Youb, pronounced iTube like an Apple gadget, was our groups' first time to a spot this far south into Morocco and when we hit Chez Moha we were literally coming in out of a three day storm. ||||A soft clean bed, hot shower, and western toilet never looked or felt so incredible. When we woke in the morning, the sun was out and the gite's central courtyard was alive with a mix of our and the resident children playing without a care...the enclosed but inviting structure housing the gite is perfect for parents to relax. Take note of a possible danger for toddlers, as there is an unsecured open staircase to the roof, but somehow even this seems like too much western worrying. ||||For those used to any form of western cuisine, food in this part of Morocco is going to be very limited no matter where you are. Sanitation can also be of concern for those unused to more rural and unrefrigerated lifestyles. A note, both myself and my wife are vegetarian (though I lapsed several times on this trip). While I would not call the food at Chez Moha great, it was good, and there was plenty of it. This may just be my limited ability to appreciate Berber food. That said, I did enjoy all of our meals and ate well at every one. To help this area along, I gave Akmed a few sachets of lettuce seeds, so perhaps next time there will be salads with real lettuce!||||Another big plus, are western style toilets. In fairness, these are showing up more and more in gites all over Morocco, but they still aren't a sure thing. It was nice to have them and they worked and were very clean! ||||Internet was not available while we were there, but I am told that it is normally. I hope to bring a new router and antenna down for them the next time I visit, so this may improve as well.||||The overall experience was great, and the best part of all are the people who run the gite. Moha, Akmed, and all of the family are wonderful hosts with a calm and pure spirit that makes the stay very pleasant.||||If you will be in this area, or would like a taste of the real deal rural Morroco and Berber life, this is the place to come. Prices in Morocco have been on the rise, but at around 20€ a person, often negotiable depending on the season, with a meal included, is a deal hard to beat.||||Chez Moha is the place to go...

Chez Moha is centrally located on the village of Aït Youb, 3.7 Km west of Améllago center and a short drive away from the city of Rich, Goulmima, Tinghir and Imichil. They happely accept the individual traveler, families or large groups, for mountain adventures or simply passing through.||||The lodge offers 10 rooms, 3 with bathroom inside and for the others communal hot showers and restrooms, a terrace which looks out over the almond groves along the river valley. It is a traditional berber accomodation, claun and uncluttered with several in- and outdoor congregating areas. The establishment welcomes guests in an atmosphere which is very warm and friendly.||This lodge is nestled between two large mountains, the region is a land of discovery, history and culture.||You will find there an excellent kitchen, they offer you the Moroccan Fare: soup, tajines, brochettes, lamb-roasts, couscous, fresh salads and berber omelets, all served with a selection of tea's, soft drinks or mineral water. All products are directly from the countryfields, thus extremely fresh. They can offer you also pastes with delicious sauces.||The lodge is also a point of departure for numerous mountain activities e.g. walkingtours, bouldering and rock-climbing.||||The courteaous and knowlegdeable staff can help to explore the region full of curiosities or help to plan excursions and hikes into the east High Atlas Mountains.||||In general the people of Améllago live in the simple way they always did. The infrequent passing of the vehicles in season has not changed their way of living, nor the connection with travelers. Their connections are very simple and their tolerance is great. These exchanges are aimable and above all. Visitors must be sure to take part of this rare jewel of a place, as the culture richness is truly the treasure of this land.||||So take my advice and visit this very kind...

Moha's son, Ali who now runs this beautiful traditional Berber family gîte welcomed my husband, Jamie and I with open arms. "Chez Moha" is mainly a gîte, but it also welcomes motorhomers like us to park in its frontyard. There is room for a maximum of four campervans. Chez Moha is truly a peaceful place; its beautiful garden and panoramic rooftop terrace are to be enjoyed sipping tea or lazing under the sunshine. It is also a wonderful base to cycle through the Amellago gorges and its villages. Ali made sure we had everything we needed. Jamie and I enjoyed his wife's cooking - succulent traditional Berber soups and tagines and her freshly-made bread in the morning! If you're travelling in the Atlas mountains, Chez Moha's the place to stay! (If you're interested, read our full blog about our stay: http://bit.ly/1qi3IEc -...