Marrakech to Merzouga: the route, stop by stop

The route at a glance

Marrakech to the Tizi n'Tichka pass

Leaving Marrakech early, the road crosses the plain and starts to climb into the High Atlas after about an hour. Berber villages cling to the slopes, walnut trees line the rivers, and the road winds up bend after bend to the pass at 2,260 metres, the highest main road pass in Morocco. A tea at the top, with the range all around you, is a ritual.

Down to Aït Ben Haddou

On the south side, the colours change within minutes: red earth, dry hills, green oases in the valleys. A short detour leads to Aït Ben Haddou, the UNESCO-listed ksar of earth rising above the Ounila river. Allow an hour and a half to walk up to the granary and have lunch facing the kasbah.

Ouarzazate, the door of the desert

Half an hour further, Ouarzazate is the last big town before the desert valleys, famous for its film studios and Kasbah Taourirt. Most tours stop for a photo at the studios' gates.

The Road of a Thousand Kasbahs

East of Ouarzazate, the road follows a line of palm groves and earthen villages: Skoura and its kasbahs hidden among the palms, then the Valley of Roses around Kelaat M'Gouna, where roses are harvested in May. This is where most tours spend the first night, in a hotel between Kelaat M'Gouna and Tinghir.

The Todra Gorge

The next morning, a short drive from Tinghir leads into the Todra Gorge: a narrow canyon between red walls up to about 300 metres high, with a clear river at your feet. You walk the flat floor of the gorge for half an hour before continuing east.

To Merzouga

The last stretch crosses a stony plateau to Erfoud or through Alnif, then Rissani, the old capital of the Tafilalet, famous for its market and its dates. Beyond Rissani the dunes of Erg Chebbi appear on the horizon, orange against the sky. You arrive in Merzouga in the late afternoon, in time for the camel ride at sunset.

The way back

Most 3-day tours drive back to Marrakech in one long day, 9 to 10 hours with stops. On a 4-day tour, the return is split with a night in Ouarzazate or Skoura, so the last day is only four or five hours.

Can I drive it myself?

Yes: the roads are good, and signposting is clear. But the camel ride and the desert camp must be booked, the Tizi n'Tichka is tiring to drive, and a local driver-guide knows every stop, every viewpoint and every good lunch on the way. For most travellers, a shared or private tour is simpler and not much more expensive than renting a car.

Other ways to reach Merzouga

There is no train to Merzouga. Buses run from Marrakech and Fes, but take a full day and do not include the stops. The nearest airport is Errachidia, about 130 km away, with limited flights.

Best time of year for the road

The road is open all year. In winter, snow can close the Tizi n'Tichka for a few hours after a storm; in summer, the valleys are very hot at midday, so tours leave early. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons for the drive and for the desert.

How to make the long day easy

Sit on the side of the vehicle with the view (the right side on the way out, for the valleys), keep water and a snack in your day bag, take a motion-sickness tablet before the Tichka if you need it, and download music or a podcast for the plateau stretch. Your driver stops every two hours or so for photos, tea and the toilet.

A different way back

If you do not want to drive the same road twice, choose a tour that ends in Fes, through the Ziz Valley and the Middle Atlas, or one that loops back through the Draa Valley and Zagora.