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Marrakech, the most visited city in Morocco, is where most people begin their epic Maghreb journey. Sat right on the threshold of the mighty Atlas Mountain range, it’s the ideal launching pad to begin a bold, adventurous road trip around southern Morocco.
As a companion to our coastal Moroccan route, this exhilarating road trip takes you from the Pink City’s UNESCO designated medina with its frenetic shopping, classic riads and beautiful architecture, to some of the most extraordinarily scenic mountain passes and remote villages in the country. Along the way are opportunities to trek through sand dunes, hike in deep red gorges, visit remote mountain villages and stay in traditional walled towns.
This particular journey is based on the second half of our recent six-week trip, which took us across the highest mountains in Africa, along deep river valleys and beyond. It includes things to do, quirky sites between the main stops, hotel recommendations, general advice and more.
The Atlas Mountains are our favourite area of Morocco; we hope this itinerary helps you organise your holiday to this magnificent region!
For more trip planning, check out our favourite historic landmarks across Morocco, our complete Moroccan budget or our favourite outdoorsy adventures.
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IN THIS GUIDE //
Morocco Road Trip Itinerary
GETTING AROUND ON A MOROCCO ROAD TRIP
– ROAD TRIP DISTANCES
BEST TIME TO VISIT MARRAKECH AND THE MOUNTAINS
WHICH DESERT TO VISIT IN MOROCCO?
HOW TO DRESS IN SOUTHERN MOROCCO
SOUTHERN MOROCCO FACTS
ABOUT THIS MOROCCO ROAD TRIP ITINERARY
MOROCCO ROAD TRIP MAP
A MOROCCO ROAD TRIP FROM MARRAKECH
– MARRAKECH
– OUARZAZATE
– TINGHIR
– OPTIONAL: MERZOUGA
– ZAGORA
– TAFRAOUTE
– OPTIONAL: SIDI IFNI
– TAROUDANT
– TIZI N’ TEST
– OUIRGANE AND IMLIL
FINAL THOUGHTS
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GETTING AROUND ON A MOROCCO ROAD TRIP
Morocco is really easy and pleasant to drive around.
The drivers are friendly and courteous, the roads are, for the most part, in great condition and Google Maps works perfectly. We’d highly recommend getting your own rental car to explore this incredible region of Morocco.
For information on the best type of car, road safety, gas stations, road signs, toll routes and more, check out our comprehensive guide to driving in Morocco.
ROAD TRIP DISTANCES
Most of the driving days on this route are around 2-4 hours long. However, we’d recommend spending a night or two in each of the stops, so as not to drive multiple days in a row.
Also, this is one of the most scenic road trips we’ve ever taken, so several hours of driving a day did not feel like a chore, at all.
We’ve mentioned a number of places and things to see between each destination, where appropriate, so there are usually places to stop, eat and stretch.
CAR HIRE FOR YOUR MOROCCO TRIP
We always rent our vehicles all over the world, including our recent trips in Oman, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Jordan and Morocco, with Discover Cars. They’re often the most affordable, plus they paid out immediately on an insurance claim we made when our car took some heavy damage in Sicily. We fully recommend them.
If you book through the link below, we make a small profit, at zero cost to you, which helps us write these posts with no advertising! We only endorse products and companies we actually use regularly. For more information, read our position on affiliates.
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BEST TIME TO VISIT MARRAKECH AND THE MOUNTAINS
In theory, any time is a great time to visit the mountains of Morocco. However, in reality, it will depend on what activities you prioritise. Here are some examples:
Summer | between June and September, it is swelteringly hot in southern Morocco. If you intend to do a lot of sand dune adventures and lowland hiking, maybe give this season a miss unless you’re comfortable with 40+ degree C temperatures. It is, however, a better season to be hiking up in the town of Imlil to climb Mount Toubkal, Africa’s highest mountain!
Winter | from December to February in southern Morocco can actually be really lovely, although it can snow! If you are looking to hike in the High Atlas Mountains in winter be aware it’s very cold, snowy and a lot of the accommodation can struggle with adequate heating. However, it’s a great time if you are looking to do some skiing in Morocco! If road tripping is your priority, some of the high mountain passes, such as Tizi n’Tichka or Tizi n’ Test, can be closed during this period, too.
Spring and Autumn | from March to May and September to November are the safest, mildest times to visit southern Morocco on a road trip. The sun shines most of the time, the roads are accessible, the temperatures are (mostly) comfortable and everything is open. We’ve visited during October and November, and it was sunny and comfortably warm every day. We found Imlil was quite cold in November, though.
Marrakech | this city is flaming hot in the summer, which I’d personally avoid (I have an extremely low melting point). Winter is cool but not unpleasant – I’d definitely prefer winter to summer, if I had to choose! Go for a visit in March to May or September to November, if you’re able.
WHICH DESERT TO VISIT IN MOROCCO?
This road trip has three potential options for a sand dunes excursion:
Agafay | the least spectacular option, but is located nearby Marrakech making it perfect for a short trip. However, most people undertaking a Morocco road trip like the one in this post probably have a few extra days, so we’d suggest one of alternatives below.
Merzouga/Erg Chebbi | this is the most popular option for a desert trip in Morocco. It’s a particularly great option if you want to visit the dunes without any kind of tour. You can simply drive right up to the sand and stay in a hotel flanking the dunes (this is what we did). It’s also possible to drive to Merzouga independently and book a desert camp stay via Booking.com (you don’t have to go by an organised minivan from Marrakech, like most people do).
Desert camp tip | a lot of people report that the desert camps in Merzouga are all rather close together and that the camps don’t really have as much of an isolated, end of the world vibe as they were hoping. Check the location of your chosen camp on Google Satellite to see if it is surrounded by other buildings.
M’Hamid/Erg Chegiga | if you want to have a multi-day experience in the desert that’s a bit out of the ordinary and away from most visitors, this is the most remote and exciting option. It’s essential to book a tour as the area is so remote (you’d need a four-wheel drive and experience navigating in deep sand), but it’s also the most exciting (you won’t have a partying desert camp right adjacent to yours!). It makes the most sense on this self-drive road trip route, too.
Summary | the best desert to visit is Agafay for visitors with time constraints, Erg Chebbi if you want to explore without a desert tour and camp. Erg Chegiga is best for the most remote, exciting adventures with more available time.
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HOW TO DRESS IN SOUTHERN MOROCCO
I see quite a lot of people wearing (relatively) revealing clothing in Morocco, and while there’s no strict rule about this, it’s worth noting that it is a conservative Muslim country. I’d prefer not to stick out when exploring someone else’s home.
There’s also a significant difference between the tourist haunts of Tangier and Marrakech, for example, and the remote mountain towns of southern Morocco.
Thought | if you Google ‘what to wear in Morocco’, and the answer doesn’t have some kind of nuance, ignore it.
Taking a road trip around Morocco’s mountains is a sometimes remote, empty and isolating experience (in all the good ways). However, passing through conservative regions where there are fewer tourists means taking extra care (although I’d hardly describe most of southern Morocco as untouched by tourism). There are certain places that I personally felt would not suit the same attire as some tourists choose to wear in Marrakech, for example.
Cities such as Taroudant, Tata, Agdz and Tafraoute appeared far more conservative, with many women wearing niqabs and even younger people were wearing very traditional dress. Personally, I’d land on the side of caution and take some clothes that cover your arms and legs completely, just so you don’t feel out of place.
SOUTHERN MOROCCO – FUN(ISH) FACTS
Africa’s highest point | Jebel Toubkal at 4,167 metres in the Atlas Mountains
Berber culture | Berber people, or Amazigh, are indigenous to the region. Say thank you by saying ‘tanmirt’ (a nice car park attendant taught us some words).
Mountain passes | you’ll see the word ‘Tizi’ all over the place in the Atlas and anti-Atlas Mountains, which means ‘mountain pass’.
World’s largest palm grove | found in Draa Valley, this stretches between Agdz and Zagora, encompassing some 3,600 square kilometres.
Saffron | Morocco is the world’s fourth largest saffron producer. The saffron capital is the small town of Taliouine, located in the Sirwa Mountains between Agadir and Ouarzazate.
‘Erg’ meaning | an area of wind-blown, sandy desert, larger than 125 square kilometres, where sand covers more than one-fifth of the landmass.
Atlas Mountains | are named after the Titan Atlas, who was punished by Zeus in Greek mythology, and had to hold up the earth for all eternity.
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RELATED POST | 29 ESSENTIAL MOROCCO TRAVEL TIPS
ABOUT THIS MOROCCO ROAD TRIP ITINERARY
Below is an artist’s impression map showing both this mountain itinerary (blue route), and our separate coastal itinerary.
This blue route can be done in either direction – it’s typically done in a clockwise route, although we actually did it the other way around. It makes very little difference which you choose – although going anti-clockwise would provide ever-so-slightly more epic views of the Tizi n’ Test past near Taroudant. Otherwise, it makes no impact on the trip.
HOW MANY DAYS FOR THIS MOROCCO ROAD TRIP?
Truthfully, it would be easy to spend most of a month in the Moroccan mountains. However, we think this Atlas Mountains route can be comfortably done in around two weeks. The biggest variations on itinerary length would be how many days spent on a desert tour, how many hikes you intend to do and whether the actual city of Marrakech is included as part of the road trip.
There are a few optional stops included on this itinerary too. However, if you whizzed around this loop with minimal hiking, no extras and just popped in to Merzouga for a quick peek at the dunes, you could complete your road trip in around 10 days.
MOROCCO ROAD TRIP ITINERARY GOOGLE MAP
Below is a saveable, colour-coded Google Map with all the major stops mentioned on this itinerary. To save the map, select the star next to the title.
Yellow | main stops on the itinerary
Green | accommodation suggestions
Red | mountain passes
Blue | route taken through the Atlas Mountains and southern Morocco
Purple | optional locations
A MOROCCO ROAD TRIP FROM MARRAKECH
MARRAKECH
This Morocco road trip itinerary starts in the tourist hub, and heart of southern Morocco, Marrakech.
If you’ve never visited Morocco before, Marrakech is the perfect introduction. It’s the ideal location to experience the art of haggling, the magical tagines, the alleyway motorbikes, the men giving you incorrect directions and the beautiful adobe architecture of southern Morocco.
I’ve described a few places in my life as having a ‘dreamlike light’, and Marrakech is one of them. It’s a city that has a glow, especially in the early morning and evening. From the rooftops, minarets gleam against the dusty backdrop of the Atlas Mountains and the dawn is peppered with hazy hot air balloons. It’s an incomparable display.
Highlights
Marrakech has a huge number of activities and things to see, depending on your interests. Below are some of the things we would recommend and a few things we didn’t do but other people liked:
Bahia Palace | 19th century palace, previously used as a royal residence. It’s known for intricate detail throughout, making use of Zellij tiles, marble, stucco and geometric patterns. The riad gardens are pretty too – we found this to be probably the most photogenic place in Marrakech.
El Badi Palace | 16th century ruins located just a few hundred metres from the Bahia Palace. This vast space hosts huge water pools surrounded by colossal walls, and below lies a history-rich walk full of old photographs (I’m a big fan of these).
Jardin Majorelle | built in the 1920s (and completed four decades later), this two-acre space hosts a botanical garden of over 300 plants plus a Berber museum featuring the artist Marjorelle’s works, alongside Berber exhibits. Quite pricey, but popular with Instagrammers.
Jamaa el Fna | famous market square whose origins date back over a thousand years to when Marrakesh was first built. In 2008 it was placed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list.
Koutoubia Mosque | this grand, 12th century mosque is the largest in Marrakesh and is surrounded by gardens. It towers over Jemaa el Fna – you can’t miss it if you tried.
Madrasa Ben Youssef | a beautifully decorated Islamic school with origins in the 14th century. It features a courtyard and prayer halls as well as classic Moroccan architecture throughout. We’d recommend a visit to at least one madrasa during your visit to Morocco – this is a particularly popular one.
Cooking class | a popular activity in Marrakech is to learn how to cook Moroccan food! Have a look at cooking classes (vegetarian food friendly).
Marrakech’s medina | we love just wandering aimlessly in the UNESCO designated medinas of Morocco, however, if you prefer to take a more well-organised walk, have a look at walking tours on Get Your Guide.
Where to stay
Most visitors stay in a traditional riad in the Medina of Marrakech, where you can go as opulent or budget as you desire. For a mid-range riad right next to the central Jamaa-el-Fna square, we’d recommend the immaculate Riad El Habib, a smaller riad with views of the market, mosque and mountains from their roof top. The staff are particularly lovely and speak impeccable English. This particular riad gets booked up fast, so reserve in advance.
If you want a quieter, more contemporary experience then there are lots of hotels outside the medina, nearby the train station and in the fashionable area of Gueliz. These often have included parking if you are travelling with a car (plus it’s an easy 4 MAD bus into the medina).
Our recommendation for a mid-range, unpretentious, modern hotel outside the medina is the Opera Plaza Hotel. It’s a sizable, international-style hotel opposite the train station, with a large pool in a central courtyard and clean, well-equipped rooms. Most importantly, it has guarded underground parking (with lovely attendants) – we’ve stayed here several times for the convenient parking. Always book in advance for better rates (they can be sky high nearer the time).
Length of stay
Marrakech is worthy of at least four days on your itinerary. However, if you are in a rush or not keen on cities, you could see the highlights in two.
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OUARZAZATE
Ouarzazate is celebrated as the Hollywood of Morocco. It’s famous for quite a few things, but none more than the A-list celebrities who regularly rock up to film some of the world’s biggest productions here.
Ouarzazate is also simply a picturesque town, with an envious position in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, along historic trade routes that crossed north and west Africa. I spent our time here, fulfilling my starry-eyed, desert daydreams wandering the hilltop Kasbah Taouirirt and exploring the nearby valleys. It’s a great place to spend a day or two.
Highlights
Even if you’re not a film fan, there’s a reason this destination was chosen, time and time again, to appear as the backdrop for so many epic films. Here are some of the more popular things to do:
Ksar Ait Ben Haddou | this UNESCO designated, fortified village is Morocco’s favourite picture-perfect postcard. To find out everything you need to know to visit, check our Ait Ben Haddou guide.
Ounila Valley | previously a strategic trade route, this links the Tizi n’Tichka pass to Ksar Ait Ben Haddou as well as a number of kasbahs and pisé (mudbrick) villages.
Kasbah Telouet | located in the Ounila Valley, this large kasbah was stripped from the Glaoui family for collaboration with the French. The restored remains can still be visited.
Film Museums | Ouarzazate has two film museums. The smaller ‘Cinema Museum’ is currently being renovated following a serious fire in the summer of 2024, but Atlas studios is still doing tours.
Tizi n’Tichka Pass | a super scenic route through the Atlas Mountains constructed by the French military in 1936; this is the highest major mountain route in northern Africa at 2207 metres high.
Fint Oasis | best done with a high clearance vehicle, this oasis is a short distance south of Ouarzazate. It is accessed by a bumpy dirt track and provides hiking and picnicking opportunities.
Where to stay
There are two overnight options for this road trip stop – either Ouarzazate or Ait Ben Haddou (they are a 30-minute drive apart). We’d recommend at least one night in each place, however if we were to choose between them, we’d go with Ait Ben Haddou (in a pinch). This is purely because it’s home to one of our favourite accommodations in Morocco – The Bagdad Café. I cannot recommend this hotel enough, it’s incredible, with perfect design, location, staff and parking. Honestly, we could not fault it.
However, if you are short on time, we’d suggest a day stop in Ait Ben Haddou, followed by an overnight in Ouarzazate.
In Ouarzazate, we’ve got two recommendations: first is the standard, motel-style Ibis, opposite the kasbah. This isn’t the kind of place we’d usually recommend, but it has some outrageous views from the roof, a genuinely astonishing swimming pool, perfect location adjacent to the kasbah and excellent parking. We wanted to dislike the place, but just couldn’t. It also had an extraordinarily good price-point. For a more personal service, consider Riad Dar Rita instead: it’s beautifully decorated, has a stunning rooftop and our friends who stayed there raved about it!
Length of stay
We’d recommend a night in both Ait Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate, however it’s totally possible to condense this stop into one night (the tour companies do). It would be rushed to drive the Tizi n’Tichka Pass, spend time at Ait Ben Haddou and visit the Taourirt Kasbah, though. If you wanted to visit a film museum too, it’d be even more hurried (but doable, I’m just very slow).
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TINGHIR
The oasis town of Tinghir is one of my favourites in the entire of Morocco. I had low expectations because I hadn’t seen much mentioned about it (outside of the Todra Gorge), but, instead, found some of the most scenic, panoramic views I’ve seen around the country.
The city has this endless, emerald palm grove that snakes through the centre of these towering, auburn canyon walls. The cliff edges are lined with stacked mudbrick villages, all visible from the roads that climb around the perimeter. You genuinely couldn’t make it up, it’s so perfect. I have no idea why it’s not more popular.
Although lots of tourists visit Tinghir as part of a tour, it’s usually as a flying visit to see the gorge(s), so if you spend more than a night, you’ll be able to take your time in an area of Morocco that is worthy of international prominence but with a fraction of the usual crowds.
Highlights
Todra Gorge | a magnificent limestone canyon towering up to 400 meters above the Todra River. The gorge narrows to a width of just 10 metres at the southern end, near Tinghir, making the most impressive section just a quick stop, if you’re pressed for time.
Dades Gorge | home to the iconic hairpin turns of the Tisderine Bends, this gorge with its towering 500-metre cliffs is spectacular. It’s a great route to drive and combine with the Todra Gorge, above.
Jebel Saghro | the paved route south from Tinghir is probably my single favourite (or second favourite) road in Morocco. If you’re into mountain passes, it leads to the 2,300-metre-high Tizi n’Tazazert route to Nkob which provides some of the best views we saw on our Morocco road trip. It’s all paved now (so don’t worry about online comments about needing a four-wheel drive).
Vallée des Roses | best visited end of April and early May when the valley bursts into a sea of pink – every year 3,000 to 4,000 tonnes of roses are harvested from this region! Try to visit in mid-May for the Rose Festival.
Palmeraie de Tinghir | a freebie in Tinghir – spend some time hiking along the palm lined river, explore some of the abandoned mudbrick villages, observe the farmers and eat some dates and couscous!
Imilchil | north of the Todra Gorge via the Tizi Tigherrhouzine pass (around 2645 metres up), lies a small village in the Atlas Mountain called Imilchil. There are two hikeable lakes nearby and every year it hosts the Imilchil Marriage Festival. It’s worth a visit if you have an extra day or two!
Where to stay
In Tinghir, we stayed in Auberge Camping Atlas, situated in a lovely valley location between Tinghir and the Todra Gorge. It’s part guesthouse, part campsite, right on the Todra River, enclosed by palms. It is such a peaceful, scenic area. Our simple room had enormous opening windows with views of the red cliff faces opposite, where we sat watching men getting dates out of the trees. The price point was also excellent, as were the owners and the breakfast that they served outside under the palms. The hotel also has a super nice pool.
(Any hotel in this area would be beautiful, to be fair – the location is incredible).
Length of stay
We’d recommend at least two days in Tinghir. If you visit the renowned Todra and Dades Gorges in one day (they can be driven as a sort of loop via some seriously scenic roads), then the other spots and routes can be visited on the second day.
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OPTIONAL – MERZOUGA AND ERG CHEBBI
As mentioned above, desert experiences are abundant in southern Morocco. This means that your choice depends on how many sand dunes you need in your life and what kind of experience you are wanting.
For us, we didn’t want to ride camels or stay in a tented desert camp. These types of organised trips are not really our vibe (I never want to ride a camel because they’re basically giant puppies and I love them too much, plus we’ve already wild-camped in lots of deserts). So, after a bit of research, we chose to visit Merzouga over the other options. This is because:
◊ We could independently reach our accommodation without a four-wheel drive vehicle.
◊ We didn’t have to stay in a tourist-oriented desert camp.
◊ It was affordable.
◊ The sand dunes looked really pretty.
◊ It was easy to drive to and on our route.
So, if you are looking for one of those traditional desert experiences with camels, camps, sandboarding and stargazing, either Erg Chebbi or Erg Chigaga would be perfectly suitable.
However, if we were to choose one erg to take an organised tour in, it would be in Erg Chigaga. It’s more remote, there are fewer ‘party’ camps than in Merzouga and it’s just a bit more of an adventure.
So, if you choose Merzouga, head on there from Tinghir. If you choose M’Hamid for Erg Chigaga, then head for Zagora and skip Merzouga.
Where we stayed in Merzouga
In Merzouga, if you want to avoid taking a tour, we loved our stay at Kasbah Mohayut. It’s literally touching the best part of the dunes and had enormous, clean, individually decorated rooms. This hotel’s architecture really complimented its dune-adjacent location, and our experience was absolutely top notch. We had the best time hiking in the dunes with literally nobody around us for most of a day (well, as good as hellish hot-sand hiking ever can be!).
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ZAGORA
I didn’t know what to expect from Zagora, but it’s actually quite a pretty little town with a sparsely bustling (if that makes sense) main street and a bunch of nice tourist accommodations. Located in the Draa Valley, it’s around 100 kilometres north of M’Hamid, the gateway to the desert dunes of Erg Chigaga.
There’s not a huge number of things to do in town, but it’s a pretty place to spend a night if you’re heading onwards to Tafraoute. If you are heading to M’Hamid, go directly there (without a stay in Zagora), if you prefer.
Highlights
Jebel Zagora | apparently, with a half day you can hike to-and-from the mountain peak. There’s even some 11th century Almoravid ruins there, I’m told!
Timbuktu | the famous 52 day trade route sign to Timbuktu can be seen on the southern end of town, look for ‘Tombouctou 52 jours’ on Google.
Diversion | if you have time, maybe take a detour on your way to Zagora and drive via Nkob and Agdz, towns on the historic trade route from Marrakech to Timbuktu. This route is dotted with abandoned kasbahs, plus the area is really scenic and so remote (also, be wary of ‘guides’ trying to charge you if you stop at the kasbahs). A short road trip detour from Agdz is the Tizi ‘n Tinififft pass on the N9, which is utterly empty, stark and worth a photo or two.
Thought | I’m sat here in my Bangkok apartment, surrounded by madness and chaos, absolutely craving the peacefulness of this particular region of Morocco. It has a vast, barren, emptiness that I can hardly comprehend currently.
Where to stay
Zagora has a decent variety of accommodations for every budget. We stayed at Kasbah Sirocco, which is a larger hotel that caters to tour groups and motorbike groups. It’s really nice, with a big pool surrounded by palms and clean, modernish rooms. It’s definitely one of the nicer places to stay in town. We chose it based on good reviews and because so many other places were booked up (we reserve last minute, often on the drive to the hotel).
With all the available hotels now, we’d also consider the fantastically reviewed Oasis Tilogui, the more traditional Riad Dar Susan or the more budget friendly La Petite Kasbah. There are some really great accommodation options in Zagora!
Length of stay
We’d just stay one night in Zagora – there’s not an enormous amount to do. It’s a worthy one stop just for its remoteness and prettiness.
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ERG CHIGAGA TOURS
Erg Chigaga is the largest of the major deserts, or ‘sand seas’, in Morocco. There are numerous camel treks and four-wheel drive adventures, from nearby Zagora or M’Hamid into this remote area of southern Morocco. It’s the best option for anyone looking to escape the tourist crowds, do something a little different and really get a feel for nomadic life in Morocco.
Have a look at the possibilities for one-, two- or three-day desert adventures on Get Your Guide for some representative prices and reviews.
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TAFRAOUTE
Ok, so I know I say that lots of places are my favourite in Morocco, but Tafraoute is my *actual* favourite Moroccan town. It feels like a kind of clandestine mystery, hidden within the undeniably magnificent landscape. You’re driving along, then suddenly, tucked in between all these smooth boulders and chaotic mountains, is this tiny town!
Along with being super pretty, Tafraoute is an outdoorsy, adventure-lover’s dream. There’s an abundance of cycling, hiking (just choose a direction!) and bouldering, plus it’s straight-up panoramic in every direction.
The town itself is compact, with a small (zero hassle) market, a few restaurants and several accommodation options. The pink, rectangular buildings glow in the early mornings and evenings, and the outdoor tea places are packed with people. It has a nice, low-key vibe that I absolutely loved.
Tafraoute is the first place we’ll be heading to when we next return to Morocco.
Highlights
Painted Rocks | to the south of Tafraoute lies an area where rocks have been painted in (mostly) bold blues. Access is via a dirt road off the R107 or, alternatively, it is possible to walk there from the main road. It’s a pretty popular stop, however it is just exactly what it says – have a look on Google Satellite!
Gorges D’ait Mansour | further south-east from Tafraoute, past the painted rocks, is an amazingly verdant oasis located in a narrow winding valley. The trees shade the paved road and there’s a bunch of cafes and restaurants, as well as accommodation options enroute. If you only do one thing in Tafraoute – make it this one, it’s my favourite.
Lion’s Head Rock | north of Tafraoute is a rock formation on Mount Lex which looks like a lion’s face in the right light (with a chunk of active imagination). Apparently it’s visible even from Tafraoute but we didn’t manage to make it out.
Finger Mountain/Napoleon’s Hat | more rock stuff to the south of Tafraoute, along the R107. We think it definitely looks more like a finger than a hat!
Where to stay
In Tafraoute, we stayed in the Hotel Salama, which is the most tourist-oriented choice right in the middle of the town, adjacent to the central square and souq. It has basic, clean rooms, with pretty epic views from all sides on the upper floors (check out the roof). If we were to return, we’d definitely consider staying in Auberge Kasbah Chez Amaliya, which has outstanding reviews and a beautiful pool. It was sold out when we planned our trip!
Length of stay
There’s no end of activities to do here, but at a minimum, we’d recommend two nights to make sure you can get to Gorges D’Ait Mansour and have a bit of an explore around the area. Add more days for extra cycling, hiking or climbing escapades.
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OPTIONAL – SIDI IFNI
Ok, so this isn’t a Moroccan mountainy stop, but if you’re up for a drive and have a few extra days, heading south to Sidi Ifni is an option for anyone fancying an offbeat trip to the coast. Sidi Ifni, a previously Spanish colony until 1969, is different to anywhere else we visited in Morocco. Its crumbly art deco buildings and Spanish-named streets make for an unusual charm and character.
It’s around a three-hour drive from Tafraoute to Sidi Ifni (I remember loving this wild route). Then, head back up to the next stop, Taroudant, via Legzira Beach, Mirleft and Agadir if you fancy it. It’s a bit of a lengthy diversion, but quiet a nice one if you’re looking for an offbeat ocean visit and have some spare time.
It also provides an option of doing some surfing along the coast near Agadir, or just visiting a larger supermarket for a supply restock.
Where we stayed in Sidi Ifni
Our choice was a lovely homestay-type place in the centre of town, called Janna d’Ifni. It was charming, clean and comfortable, included a decent breakfast and had easy street parking. The beautiful garden courtyard was a surprise when you get inside – I saw a tortoise! Would fully recommend for a stay in Sidi Ifni (we could have stayed for weeks).
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RELATED POST | WHAT IS A MOROCCAN RIAD?
TAROUDANT
Heading back towards Marrakech from Tafraoute sits the ancient city of Taroudant. The 7.5-kilometre city walls are the primary reason to visit, which can be traversed on foot in several hours, while spotting the antique gates (or ‘aswab’ in Arabic).
This city is not overly popular with tourists. Similar to Tafraoute, it’s a wonderful respite from the large, bustling centres of Marrakech and Agadir. It’s possible to roam around the ancient streets and markets with few interactions that relate to money, refreshingly. You can watch the city come alive in the evenings along the walls, with kids playing football, fairground rides and food vendors.
We felt a real warmth in this town – it surprised us.
Highlights
Ramparts | 7.5 kilometres of well-preserved rammed-earth walls designed to defend the city, reaching heights of just over 13.5 metres in places. The current walls date back to the 17th century.
Gates | there are nine entrance gates (also called aswab) that allow access through Taroudant’s impressive walls, the most famous of which is probably Bab El Kasbah (also known as Bab Selsla) with its three archway entrances.
Taroudant Tannery | this is not our cup of tea, so we didn’t visit, but Dar al-Dabbagh to the west of Bab Targhount is the home of a tannery. Apparently, they give you basil sprigs on the tour to help with the smell (rather than mint sprigs in Fes)!
Fontaine Passage Palmeraie | a nice palm-lined promenade with a water fountain running along the middle, found in the Jardin Brahim Roudani.
20 August Place | a large, paved square with a fountain at the centre adjacent to the massive city walls. In the evening it’s buzzing with food vendors and family-friendly activities – our favourite bit of Taroudant.
Where to stay
Taroudant has relatively few properties, but there are some decent options. One of the most popular spots (especially for tour groups) is Dar Tourkia. It’s a large, gated mini-resort style hotel with simple, clean rooms. It also has parking out the front on a quiet street. A nicer, more traditional option is Riad Amnay, a stunningly decorated property in central Taroudant with super comfy beds, lovely hosts and public parking nearby. This one can sometimes sell out fast, since it only has seven rooms.
Length of stay
We’d recommend only staying a night in Taroudant, unless you arrive late in the day. There’s not much to do, really, apart from have a wander around.
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THE TIZI N’TEST PASS
We’ve saved some of the most scenic roads until last on this road trip! It’s 161 kilometres from Taroudant to Ouirgane – the most spectacular 161 kilometres that you’ll drive on this entire itinerary.
Note | it’s necessary to drive this route to (efficiently) reach Ouirgane and Imlil. However, if you’re low on time, it’s possible to skip it and head directly back to Marrakech from Taroudant, via the speedy A3 road, which takes around 3.5 hours.
You would be missing our favourite part of our entire journey if you skip it! The pass traverses a cross section directly through some of the highest parts of the Atlas Mountains, following meandering river valleys and passing through tiny villages. It’s a mostly paved route and suitable for any vehicle (we had no issues with our tiny Kia Picanto). It’s also not particularly scary or difficult to drive.
Note | the valley leading north to Ouirgane is where the September 2023 earthquake hit hardest. There are tiny settlements all along this route that have been visibly devastated and will take years to rebuild. The UN tents are present in every village and thousands of people died. It’s okay to drive this road but be sensitive and don’t take photos of the tents or people struggling to rebuild their lives.
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RELATED POST | HOW MUCH DOES A MOROCCO TRIP COST?
OUIRGANE AND IMLIL
The final stops on this itinerary are Ouirgane and Imlil, an introduction to Morocco’s most immense mountains.
Ouirgane is a hospitable little village, situated within a valley in the Atlas Mountains, adjacent to the crazy blue water of Barrage Ouirgane. The surrounding red rocks and prickly pears will remind you of the prettiest parts of Utah and Arizona, but instead of the New Mexico adobe, it’s replaced with square, mudbrick houses. The entire area feels reminiscent of so many other places I’ve been, yet it is all still distinctly Moroccan.
Imlil is around an hour from Ouirgane, via the small but energetic town of Asni. The town itself is sparsely spread across the tight, green valley, with tiny mosques and stacks of pink, angular houses encircled by trees (particularly beautiful in fall/autumn). This town is high up – its elevation is around 1,800 metres, meaning it’s got a completely different atmosphere than other places on this road trip itinerary. It’s also known for being the access point to Morocco’s tallest mountain, Jebel Toubkal.
Note | there is only one road to-and-from Imlil, so if there is congestion from road works or traffic, add an hour to your journey time! It’s a worthwhile picturesque (but narrow) route that winds through a tall, verdant valley – don’t drive it without some spare time on your hands, though.
Note | as I mentioned above, the September 2023 earthquake hit this area extremely hard. Asni was at the epicentre and, as such, there are emergency housing camps all over. Be sensitive, always.
Things to do
Asni Souk | this local Saturday market is a refreshing change from medinas in major cities, which are often filled with an enormous amount of tourist tat. It’s a lively local souk, selling apples, khobz (bread) and meat by vendors from all over the valley. If you visit, remember you’re a guest; it’s not really a tourist attraction, as such, which makes it all the more interesting.
Hiking | this is a popular activity in both Ouirgane and Imlil. In Ouirgane, consider hiring a local guide to take you around the Berber villages; in Imlil, choose a scenic mountain route suited to your fitness level.
Toubkal | it’s worth noting that the (usually) multiday trip up Morocco’s highest mountain is a guided-only trek and, from what I’ve been told, quite a challenge (I am not a mountain climber). Plan ahead for this one – loads of tours organise a trip up this route.
Mosque de Tinmal | this 12th century mosque is the only one in Morocco you can visit as a non-Muslim (apart from the famous Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca). It was severely damaged in the September 2023 earthquake, though, and restoration is underway.
Where to stay
Imlil has lots of hiking lodge type accommodations – we chose the Atlas Prestige. It had exceptionally good panoramic views from all the terraces, mostly warm water and moderately adequate heating (not very warm, but enough not to freeze). It was located just around the corner from a view of Toubkal and a short walk from the nearby Cascade Imlil. Many of the hiking lodges seem pretty similar around Imlil, so I’d choose the one with the warmest water and best heating, unless you’re visiting in the height of summer!
There are quite a few lovely places to stay in Ouirgane! We chose to stay at Ksar Shama as most places had sold out (we booked last minute and took the last room). It was so quiet, with smashing views and beautifully appointed, modern rooms, private parking and a great breakfast. This was definitely one of the nicer places we stayed on our Morocco trip. I also wanted to stay at Kasbah Africa because it looks magical. A slightly more budget friendly option I was considering was the Ouirgane Ecolodge.
Length of stay
This totally depends on what activities you have planned. If doing a flying visit, passing through Ouirgane and just spending a couple of nights in Imlil would be doable.
If you are intending on doing several hikes, bike rides, maybe even summiting Morocco’s highest peak, that will involve spending a few extra days.
We’d personally recommend at least one night in Ouirgane and two in Imlil if you intend to do any outdoor activities. We met a few people who spent a week just in Imlil alone, doing all the trekking!
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FINAL THOUGHTS – SOUTHERN MOROCCO ROAD TRIP
Road tripping the mountains of Morocco has been one of my best-loved adventures. It may even be our favourite place over that entire year of full-time travel. I just didn’t anticipate the Atlas and Anti-Atlas ranges to feel quite so immeasurably remote and vast. I remember thinking, while traversing these empty, extraordinary plateaus, that Morocco’s mountain scenery rivalled our Oman road trips – and that’s a very high standard indeed.
We hope our simple itinerary around southern Moroccan helps you plan your very own Moroccan desert odyssey and that you have an absolutely fantastic trip!
For more inspiration and planning, check out our post on things to know before you go, how to choose a riad, our Morocco budget (everything we spent across our whole trip) and, of course, our complimentary coastal Moroccan road trip itinerary.
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