I can confirm that you can get some very fine chicken, chips and salad in Bouarfa (the main road hub before the turnoff for Figuig). There were a few standard eateries in the town and I remember it being very nice. We didn’t stop the night as we drove from Oujda to Figuig in a day. This was one of the most exciting and desolate drives I’ve done in Morocco and would definitely do it again.

When we got to Figuig we found there was one hotel in town (Hotel Figuig!) and the troop of bikers we met in Bouarfa had got through the flood waters quicker than we did and had booked out all the rooms. Luckily the owners took pity on us and cleared out a store room and created a new room for us. There wasn’t any restaurants in Figuig at the time (about 4 years ago now) and it was too late in the day to order in the hotel (all food had to be ordered in the morning) so we got bread and cheese from a local shop. We met a fantastic guy while debating how deep the flood waters were and if they were crossable on the road from Bouarfa to Figuig. He invited us for breakfast in his family compound the next day and it was a real treat.....homemade bread, butter, honey and home grown figs and dates with loads of tea....a real taste of Moroccan hospitality with all his family, something that’s hard to find in touristy areas sometimes. They insisted we ate all we could and then sent us on our travels with dates and figs from their garden.

Figuig is stunning........the palmeries are like green jewels in the dust and rocks with ancient irrigation systems and loads of birds to watch. From the high part of the town you can see across to the rock escarpment that divides Morocco from Algeria and you can drive down the old boarder road to the now closed border crossing which looks like you could just wonder across. I loved the place and found the people to be beyond friendly. If you’re after a destination to relax, to take in the big scenery and enjoy the isolation and quietness of this area then you’ll love it

After a few days hanging around in Figuig we drove back up the N17 towards Oujda again but cut west for Taza.

The long drive was totally worth it. I loved Figuig and that whole area to the east. It was totally desolate apart from the road and some old railway tracks, a couple of friendly police road blocks and lots of big sky and infinite vistas.

Go there before the development disease strikes and the locals begin to hate tourists like in Marrakesh.

Kate, did you happen to this particular hotel in Figuig?

It almost looks derelict.

http://looklex.com/morocco/photos/figuig02.jpg

Do you suppose there may be hotels other than the Hotel Figuig? Do you remember what you paid there?

Thanks!

Too late to edit my previous comment...oops

My Rough Guide shows 3 hotels in Figuig: (but there must be others)

Auberge Oasis

Figuig

Maison Nana

I'd go for the Auberge Oasis, which is a guesthouse inside the Ksar Zenaga...for only 170dh. (and they cook!) or the Figuig. Maison Nana is too pricey for me.

On the way east from Er Rachidia you pass through a tiny village by the name of →Boudenib←. Everywhere I've researched so far has said that there are NO restaurants or hotels in this place.

Then I found this!

• Shared by Abderrahim

23 Aug 2013

"Well, in the desert; recently you will be astonished with the creation of the huge palm and olive farms. Those farms became a big source for employment and in the future will give the small and poor village value with the potential of becoming the top producer of olives and dates in the Errachidia province.

There is a • small hotel • in this peaceful town exactly in the midtown. For tourists, there's not much to see; but they can enjoy the calm and see the vestige of the Boudenib Castle and Juif cemetery."

http://opinion.gomapper.com/share/roamer-opinion/travelling-to-boudenib.html

Hi, did you go via N10 and crossed the Algerian territory? Thanks.

Jardafox, I still have not gone.

I have responsibilities at home now, and I cannot go yet.

When I do go, I will use buses and taxis.

The border is closed between Morocco and Algeria, and not likely to open any time soon.

Negotiations with the American representative, Christopher Ross, and the Algerian government ended in failure recently. I would not recommend attempting a border crossing.

Pilo, I see from this map

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&client=firefox-a&q=morocco+map&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0xd0b88619651c58d:0xd9d39381c42cffc3,Morocco&ei=JxCmULe8OciRhQeupIGQDQ&sqi=2&ved=0CC0Q8gEwAA

that the N10 passes through Algerian territory for some distance (you must zoom in several times to see it)

What about that situation?

Google Maps strikes again. The road comes *very* close to the border but the map is wrong, it doesn't cross over. The photo on the N10 taken at km182 on the link below is the closest. That border post is just 100m from Algeria.

http://www.morocco-knowledgebase.net/forum/showthread.php?t=259