Things to do · Dadès & Todra Gorges
East of Ouarzazate the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs runs through two of Morocco's most dramatic canyons: the sheer-walled Todra Gorge above Tinghir and the switchbacking Dadès Gorge with its strange eroded rock. Between them lie the Skoura oasis and the rose-growing villages of the M'Goun valley. Here are the experiences worth planning a day or two around.
10 experiences
Near Tinghir the Todra narrows to only a few metres while its limestone walls soar up to around 300 metres on either side. A flat road and path follow the river through the narrows, making this spectacular cleft accessible to walkers of any ability.
The sheer faces of the Todra Gorge are among Morocco's premier climbing destinations, with hundreds of bolted routes across a wide range of grades. Spring and autumn bring the most comfortable conditions on the sun-warmed limestone.
The road up the Dadès climbs through a series of tight hairpin bends carved into the rock, one of the most photographed stretches of road in Morocco. Viewpoints near the top look back down over the coiling tarmac and the green valley floor.
In the Dadès Valley, wind and water have eroded the rock into bulbous, finger-like formations locally nicknamed the 'monkey fingers' (or monkey toes). Short walks among them reveal one of the area's most distinctive natural curiosities.
Around Kelaat M'Gouna, the M'Goun valley is planted with Damask roses whose petals are distilled into rosewater and oil. The annual rose festival follows the spring harvest in May, when the fields and villages are at their most fragrant.
Between Ouarzazate and the gorges, the Skoura palm grove is a dense oasis sheltering old kasbahs, the best known being the well-preserved Kasbah Amridil. Tracks thread the palmeraie past gardens watered by traditional channels.
The route linking Ouarzazate, Skoura, the Dadès and Tinghir is known as the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs for the fortified earthen villages strung along it. The drive itself, past oases and ksour with the High Atlas behind, is a highlight in its own right.
Trails climb from both valleys into the surrounding hills, and a rough back road links the upper Dadès with the Todra for those with a 4x4 and time. Local guides lead walks past terraced gardens, nomad camps and elevated viewpoints over the canyons.
At the mouth of the Todra, Tinghir spreads along a long ribbon of palmeraie below its old kasbah quarter. Walking the irrigated gardens and the earthen lanes of the old town gives a feel for oasis life in the eastern High Atlas.
Small guesthouses and kasbah hotels line both canyons, many right beside the river. An overnight stay lets you walk the narrows at quiet hours, watch the walls catch sunset light and break the long drive between Ouarzazate and the desert.
Both lie east of Ouarzazate in the eastern High Atlas. The Todra Gorge is just north of Tinghir, while the Dadès Gorge climbs north from Boumalne Dadès, and the two are linked by the scenic Road of a Thousand Kasbahs.
It is possible to see both in a long day trip from Ouarzazate, but the two canyons, the Skoura oasis and the Valley of the Roses reward a more relaxed pace, so many travellers spend a night in one of the gorges.
The rose festival is held at Kelaat M'Gouna in spring, usually in May after the Damask rose harvest, when the M'Goun valley is filled with the scent of roses being gathered for rosewater and oil.
Spring and autumn offer the most pleasant weather for walking, driving and climbing, with warm days and cool nights. Summer can be hot, though the shaded Todra and its river stay cool, while winter days are clear but chilly after dark.
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