• Dar Daïf

    A life project

Zineb Datcharry

Owner and manager of Dar Daïf and Desert and Mountain Maroc, zineb ,is originally from the high valleys of the Central Atlas of Morocco.
She is the first Moroccan woman to become a mountain guide, and has been practicing it since 1987.

She enjoys taking families or individuals to discover the desert, of the Atlantic coast and to meet the women of the high valleys of the Atlas. Zineb is a cook who is passionate about the delight of Moroccan gastronomy, which she learned from her mother.

she adapts traditional cuisine in order to make it lighter. She tries to combine the cuisine of the imperial cities of Morocco with that of rural areas without loosing the typical flavors of the Mediterranean cuisine.She is also passionate about calligraphy

Zineb had the great honor of being decorated on 26 June 2009 by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, for her work as a guide and for her commitment as a woman.

Jean-Pierre

Owner and manager of Dar Daïf and Desert and Mountain Morocco.

Originally from the Pyrenees in France, Jean-Pierre became Moroccan by adoption, by heart and by the number of years lived in Morocco (35 years) as well as his commitment to the development of the country.

Mountain and desert guide, he has a long experience in hiking on the ridges and in the valleys of the Atlas as well as the desert, as already hiked from Nador to Laâyoune. He enjoys discovering new itineraries and takes groups to experience the adventure of Transhumance with Ait Atta nomadic shepherds, their families and their herds, as well as the great Moroccan journeys in camel caravans.

Passionate about Moroccan architecture, he made sure to use the traditional local craft methods for the decoration of Dar Daïf.

Jean-Pierre on February 24, 2014 was  awarded the Morocco Responsible Tourism Awards in the theme “Value, tradition and culture” for his great camel caravans in the Sahara.

Zineb et Jean-Pierre Datcharry Together, they choose to settle in Ouarzazate more than 25 years ago, in this city crossroads between the southern valleys of the Atlas and the gates of the Sahara.
It started when they bought an old house located in a small village 5 km far from Ouarzazate. Without water or electricity, without telephone connection.the only accessible road is to the city  is a single dusty track, they gradually renovated this house to make it suitable as their own.

They welcomed their first guests after trekking or hiking to give them a place to rest and enjoy a good tea and traditional couscous. Over the years, these guests enjoyed staying there and their home becomes a real guest house, where camels, guides, drivers and guests met.

In between seasons, Zineb and Jean-Pierre Datcharry continued  the renovation work with their team of  craftsmen and workers, setting up what would become after 10 years of work the kasbah Dar Daïf.

Jean-Pierre was able to find a balance between reconstruction and renovation, using natural materials like sun-dried earth bricks, reeds, wood, stone, lime, traditional Tamgroute tiles, Tiznit marble, as well as modern materials to ensure the solidity of the building.
Today, Dar Daïf offers its visitors comfortable accommodation with the warmth of collective spaces and the intimacy of private one. Access to Ouarzazate is now made easier by setting up a paved road and wifi is now available  in every room.