3 days3 daysMarrakech → Marrakech
3 Days Marrakech to Merzouga Desert
Cross the High Atlas and Road of a Thousand Kasbahs before reaching the dunes of Merzouga.
- High Atlas
- Dades Valley
- Erg Chebbi
Photo: Mike Prince, CC BY 2.0
Road of a Thousand Kasbahs
The Dades Valley
The Dades Valley cuts north into the mountains from the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs, past rose fields, palm gardens and cliffs that turn deep red in the evening.
About Dades Valley
What to Expect in Dades Valley
Most desert routes follow the valley floor between Ouarzazate and Todra, and many spend a night in or near Boumalne Dades. It is a good place to break a long driving day: the air is cooler, the walking is easy and the views change every few kilometres.
Further up the valley the road narrows into the Dades Gorge, climbing through a series of tight hairpins with the river below. The rock formations locally known as the monkey fingers and the old kasbahs along the roadside are the classic stops.
- Where it sits
- Between Ouarzazate and Todra Gorge, so it fits naturally into Marrakech–Merzouga routes in either direction.
- Best time to go
- Spring is especially good, when the valley gardens and rose fields are in bloom.
- What to bring
- Comfortable shoes for short walks, and a layer for the evening — nights are cool at this altitude.
- How long to stay
- One night is enough to see the gorge properly without rushing the next day's drive.
Things to see and do
Highlights of Dades Valley
Dades Gorge
Sheer red walls, a river-bed road and the famous switchbacks climbing out of the valley.
Kasbahs along the valley
Earth-built fortified houses, some restored, many slowly returning to the ground.
Rock formations
Weathered shapes above the valley floor, best in low morning or evening light.
Palm and rose gardens
Irrigated gardens between the villages, green against the surrounding rock.
On the map
Where Dades Valley Sits
Private routes
Tours That Include Dades Valley
Every tour is private, so the days spent here can be lengthened, shortened or rearranged to suit your plans.
3 days
4 days4 daysMarrakech → Marrakech
4 Days Marrakech to Merzouga
Travel at a more relaxed pace with extra time for the landscapes and communities of southern Morocco.
- Kasbahs
- Desert camp
- Todra Gorge
3 days3 daysFes → Marrakech
3 Days Fes to Marrakech via Merzouga
Journey south from Fes to Merzouga, then follow Morocco’s kasbah road across the High Atlas.
- Middle Atlas
- Merzouga
- Dades Valley
Made for your journey
Add Dades Valley to a Custom Itinerary
Tell us how long you have and where you would like to start, and we’ll shape a private route that includes it.