Dar Hnini, A New Eco Luxury Guest House Nestled in Zagora’s Draa Valley
Paradise awaits Moroccan travelers at Dar Hnini, a new, eco luxury guest house located in Zagora. Dar Hnini is nestled within a lush green oasis in the heart of the Draa Valley. It’s the ideal place to indulge in the unparalleled natural beauty of green date palm trees set against the backdrop of volcanic mountain rangers creating spellbinding sanctuary.
Zagora is a province in the Souss Massa Draa region of Southern Morocco. The Draa Valley stretches over 1100 km and is the longest river valley of Morocco. Water in the Draa Valley is considered source of life which irrigates the date palm groves and small farms along that coexist along its banks.
Dar Hnini is surrounded by nature that reveals the simplicity of life which existed in this region for centuries.
Dar Hnini offers a mix of luxury amenities highlighted by nature that reveals the simplicity of life which existed in this region for centuries. This Zagora guest house was designed in harmony with the natural environment blending its natural surroundings with the Moroccan architecture of elegance and modernity. Dar Hnini was built by local earthen architecture using mud bricks pise (rammed earth) and adobe. The roofs are made with palms and other wood structures. Electricity and hot water are from solar panels. These techniques have been used for centuries to build Moroccan ksours and kasbahs building in the region.
Dar Hnini’s secluded villa accommodations are surrounded by a calm oasis of palm groves. Fine dining is available with a farm to table seasonal menu using locally produced vegetables/ fruits, cheeses, eggs, and meats in curated Moroccan cuisine. A socially responsibility ethos is conveyed through the guest houses purchase of carpets and handmade goods, manufactured by local women from remote villages.
The Sub Saharan Berber fairytale-like villages in Zagora’s Draa Valley region are built mostly from mud bricks set along the edges of the green date palms. The land is home to ancient Jewish and Berber communities, medieval Islamic libraries, and shrines of desert saints.
The mountains of Zagora have volcanic character and stretch high above the lush valley like a surrealist painting. Zagora is often referred to as the “direct door to the Sahara” since it is the last town before one reaches the heart of the Dunes of Tinfo, M’hamid and Erg Chegaga.
Daytime activities at Dar Hnini range from biking through hidden villages, donkey rides in the palm groves, walking through the plantation fields, hiking in mountain ranges and visiting areas that are rich in Jewish history, stone carving. For adventurers who wish to explore, desert expeditions to the M’hamid Sahara and Erg Chegaga Dunes are nearby.