At just after 11pm on September 8 last year, the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco were struck by an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale – the strongest to hit the North African kingdom in 120 years.
Nearly 3,000 people died, 19,000 homes were destroyed and 60,000 suffered significant damage. The worst effects were in mountain villages, but buildings were even felled 45 miles away in Marrakech.
Also badly affected was the Kasbah Tamadot, Sir Richard Branson’s boutique hotel in the foothills of the High Atlas.
‘I’ve seen pretty much everything – hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, diseases, you name it,’ says Sir Richard. ‘My approach is that the next day I get out a big sheet of paper and plan out how we can come back better and stronger than before. As long as you think positive, you can put these things behind you.’
And so it has proved when I arrive for the official reopening of this former Berber fortress, dating to the early 20th century.
The Virgin boss, who is now 74, purchased Tamadot in 1998 on the instructions of his formidable mother, Eve, who fell in love with the place when her son was on one of his ballooning adventures in Morocco. ‘She would have disowned me if I’d said no,’ he says.
Perched on a promontory less than an hour’s drive from Marrakech, the decor takes its inspiration from the Berber people – nomads who came in from the Sahara and ruled here before the Arab conquest.
At 4,330ft above sea level it sits at a similar height to the summit of Ben Nevis, so hardly nosebleed territory. But the air is thin and clean and the temperature a few degrees lower than in Marrakech – a blessing in high summer.
Keeping up with Sir Richard is no easy task. As he marches through the Kasbah at a military pace, we are left trailing in his wake. By the time you reach him at one location, he’s already yomping off to the next. The main fortress is a series of interconnected castellated towers, built around a square, open courtyard.
There are rounded Islamic arches, elegant water features and a roof terrace for those who wish to dine al fresco.
To the rear are expansive grounds with an infinity pool, two restaurants and plenty of nooks and crannies.
There are secluded Berber ‘tents’ with sun terraces looking down into a steep river valley, and six traditional riads with three bedrooms, private pool and roof terrace.
I’m billeted in one of the tents, which are considerably more sumptuous and certainly more solid than anything the Berbers could have imagined. It’s a driver and full nine-iron distance from the main reception, so nicely tucked away.
The riads and impressive high-ceilinged Asayss restaurant (formerly a cowshed) have been added since the earthquake. Only the library was irreparable, and that has been converted into an arched internal courtyard with reflection pool.
Sir Richard invites a group of us to join him on a bike ride – but I peel off and take a more sedate mountain walk with a guide, Abdul. We meet up at Imlil, a town comprising 12 Berber villages about 20 minutes’ drive up from Tamadot.
Looking down into the valley from 6,500ft, the effects of the earthquake are still clearly visible. There are obvious gaps where houses once were. ‘Only about 60 houses were destroyed here but almost all suffered cracks,’ Abdul says. ‘We are just about getting back to normal.’
Imlil is the base for hikers, mountain bikers and climbers. From here we can see the upper slopes of Mount Toubkal, at 13,670ft, the highest peak in North Africa. If you have three days to spare and some climbing experience, Abdul will guide you to the top.
Sir Richard has, of course, scaled it. After all, he has looked down on Everest from a hot-air balloon, plumbed the deep ocean trenches and travelled by rocket to the edge of space.
But Tamadot is his passion project, and Eve Branson, who died from Covid-19 complications during the pandemic, adored this place. Her influence is plain to see still today – she set up local schools to teach English and crafts such as weaving and embroidery, providing skills and employment.
Tamadot is not cheap, and there isn’t a lot to do outside if you aren’t the hiking or biking type. But two or three nights of pampered luxury within a broader holiday taking in Marrakech and perhaps Essaouira, three hours away on the coast, would be a proper treat.
Sir Richard was one of the first to arrive after the earthquake, providing tents, food, water and other aid to the affected villages.
‘I think of this community as family,’ he says. It shows – and his mother would be delighted.
It’s high drama in the High Atlas
The Moroccan village of Ait Ben-Haddou once made its money by trading salt. Today, much of its income derives from blockbuster movies filmed within its walls.
Both the original Gladiator and Gladiator 2 – which is released in UK cinemas this week – were filmed here after an arena was constructed using traditional mud bricks so it blended in with the existing architecture.
But Ait Ben-Haddou, a 30-minute drive from the city of Ouarzazate, is also a Unesco World Heritage site.
On entering it there’s an intricate warren of alleyways, with shops selling the same sort of merchandise as in the souks of Marrakech. These sit side-by-side with traditional homes and stalls housing animals.
It’s not just Gladiator that was filmed here. Scenes from Lawrence Of Arabia, Game Of Thrones and The Mummy also feature its earthen buildings and streets. My guide Mohammed works as an extra when the movie crews arrive, and on a quick tour of his house he proudly shows off the sword and shield he brandished in Game Of Thrones.
Ouarzazate itself is known locally as Ouarzawood because it’s home to one of the biggest film studios in the world – the Atlas Studios. Opened in 1983, the studio flourished and has since welcomed the great and the good of Hollywood, including Samuel L. Jackson, Brad Pitt, Nicole Kidman and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Many tourists make the four-hour drive here from Marrakech, but I’ve flown direct to Ouarzazate as part of a week-long trip following the traditional caravan route to the Sahara.
Leaving the movie world behind, I head out of the city to Fint Oasis.
Even in the height of the summer drought, this tranquil, lush place has pools of water in its tree-lined riverbed, where local women wash their clothes before drying them on bushes.
Continuing on I reach the impressive Todra Gorge, a series of limestone river canyons with sheer cliffs rising up to nearly 1,000ft (300metres), and that evening I reach Merzouga, gateway to the Sahara, where I stay at Riad Serai.
This large sea of dunes is formed by wind-blown sand, and in the distance I can just make out a silhouette of camels bearing riders. The next day, a 4×4 takes me deeper into the desert for a night in a luxury camp.
On the way we stop and look for fossils – and within minutes I find an ammonite. Then, arriving at the camp, I am greeted with Moroccan mint tea and shown to my tent – with air conditioning, a bath and comfy bed.
As we sit around the fire pit listening to traditional live music, I wander off and lie on my back staring at the night sky. I’ve been told the chance of seeing a meteor is high – and minutes later a shooting star traces a path directly above.
Movie directors back in Ait Ben-Haddou would give anything to capture this spectacle, but for now it’s all mine.
By Sarah Veness
