# Dadès and Todra Gorges URL: https://soukytours.com/destinations/dades-and-todra-gorges Region: South side of the High Atlas, Tinghir province. From Marrakesh: About 6.5 hours by car from Marrakesh to Boumalne Dadès; the Todra Gorge is farther east, near Tinghir. Best time: March through May and September through November; cold at this altitude in winter, hot in summer. The Dadès and Todra gorges on the south side of the High Atlas: what you see, how tall and narrow they are, where you sleep and the best months to go. ## Highlights - The Dadès Gorge, with rock walls 200 to 500 meters high - Hairpin bends high in the Dadès Gorge, with a view over the valley - The narrowest stretch of the Todra Gorge, about 10 meters wide - The road past the kasbahs from Ouarzazate to Boumalne Dadès - Kelaat M'Gouna and its roses, with a rose festival in May - The palm grove of Tinghir The Dadès and Todra gorges cut through the south side of the High Atlas, in Tinghir province. They lie between Ouarzazate and the dunes near Merzouga, which is why almost every trip to the desert passes them. They are two different gorges: the Dadès is long and wide with a winding road, the Todra is short and narrow. The rivers have worn their way through sandstone and limestone here. What is left are red and brown walls, green strips of trees and fields along the water, and mud-brick villages on the slopes. ## The Dadès Gorge The gorge starts at Boumalne Dadès. From there a road runs north into the valley. The walls are 200 to 500 meters high and the valley floor sits at around 1,800 meters (5,900 feet). Along the river you see trees, small fields and kasbahs, some in ruins and some restored as hotels. On the way there are rocks that water and wind have worn into round shapes, like a pile of cushions against the mountain. A path runs between them, so you can walk in. About 25 kilometers past Boumalne, near the village of Aït Oudinar, the gorge narrows and the road climbs the wall in a series of hairpin bends. From the top you see the bends below you. The road is narrow and has no guardrail in places. If you get carsick easily, sit in the front. ## The road there: kasbahs and roses From Ouarzazate it is about two hours east through the Dadès Valley, on a road lined with kasbahs. Halfway is Kelaat M'Gouna, the center of rose growing. Rose water is made here, and in May there is a three-day rose festival with music, a market and a parade. The exact dates change every year. How to get to Ouarzazate is on the page about [Aït Benhaddou and Ouarzazate](/en/destinations/ait-benhaddou-and-ouarzazate). ## The Todra Gorge and Tinghir The Todra Gorge is near Tinghir, about half an hour's drive into the mountains. The best-known part is the last stretch: the walls rise to about 300 meters and the gorge is around 10 meters wide at its narrowest. You walk along a flat path next to a stream. For much of the year that is a trickle, but in the rainy season the river can flood the floor of the gorge. You may see climbers on the walls, as the gorge is known for rock climbing. Vendors sell scarves and rugs along the side. Where the Todra leaves the mountains lies Tinghir and its palm grove, a green strip along the river about 35 kilometers long. On Mondays there is a Berber market in town. ## As a woman in the gorges The villages in the gorges are small and rural, and people are used to travelers. At the narrowest part of the Todra Gorge it gets busy during the day with visitors and vendors. People will offer you things to buy; a friendly no is enough. Cover your shoulders and knees, especially in the villages. Bring a scarf against the sun and a warm layer for the evening, since you are at altitude here. For the path through the Todra Gorge you need closed shoes. General tips are in the guide on [safety for women](/en/practical/safety-for-women). ## Travel time and best months From Marrakesh you drive over the Tizi n'Tichka pass to Ouarzazate, about four and a half hours. From there it is about two more hours to Boumalne Dadès. With stops that is a full day. Tinghir and the Todra Gorge are farther east, on the road to Merzouga. The best months are March through May and September through November. Winter is cold: the floor of the Dadès sits at around 1,800 meters and the Todra at around 1,500 meters (4,900 feet). Summer days are hot. The weather by month is in the guide on the [best time to visit](/en/practical/best-time-to-visit). ## The gorges on a trip with Soukayna The gorges are on the route of the [three-day desert trip to Merzouga](/en/trips/sahara-desert-trip-merzouga). On day one Soukayna drives you over the pass and past Aït Benhaddou to the Dadès Gorge, where you spend the night. Day two starts in the Todra Gorge, and after lunch in Tinghir you drive on to the [dunes near Merzouga](/en/destinations/sahara-merzouga). If you want more time in the gorges, for example an extra night in the Dadès to go hiking, that works as a [tailor-made trip](/en/trips/tailor-made-trip). What the route looks like along the way, with photos Soukayna took herself, is in [the Dadès and Todra gorges on the way to the Sahara](/en/blog/dades-and-todra-gorges-on-the-way-to-the-sahara). ## Frequently asked questions **What is the difference between the Dadès and Todra gorges?** The Dadès Gorge is long and wide, with a road that climbs in hairpin bends and rocks worn round by water and wind. The Todra Gorge is shorter and narrower: at its tightest you walk between two walls with a strip of sky above. Both are on the same route to the desert, so most people see both. **Can you visit the gorges on a day trip from Marrakesh?** No. Boumalne Dadès is about six and a half hours from Marrakesh without stops. You sleep in or near the gorges, usually on the way to Merzouga. **Do you need to be a good walker for the Todra Gorge?** No. Through the narrowest stretch you walk on a flat path and stony ground along the stream. Closed shoes are enough. If you want more, there are longer hikes in the area. --- Source: https://soukytours.com/destinations/dades-and-todra-gorges Souky Tours, contact through the chat on https://soukytours.com/contact