The route to the treasures
No matter which road you take from Ouarzazate, you will come upon
marvels of Southern Morocco. Enjoy the adventure and meet the unspoiled
people and their culture.
The route of the 1000 Kasbahs to the East
The Dadès Valley runs from Ouarzazate to Boumaine. It is dry and
lined with kasbahs and unique fortified villages. From time to time, you
must leave the road and discover traditional Berber adobe houses. Take a
cool break at the Skoura palm grove. After leaving Tinghir you arrive at the magnificent Todra Gorge.
It narrows as its faces tower higher and higher (up to 300m) above your
head. A trail, passing through the Dadès Gorge, leads to Boumalne.
Depending on the lighting the rocks seem to be red, pink or mauve. The
Sahro djebel (mountain) is situated south of Boumalne where one can
observe some of the 150 varieties of birds already spotted in the Valley
of the Birds.
From roses to canyons
By continuing your trip along the Dadès, you pass through the rose
country, El Kelaât M'Gouna, where rose water, so vital for complexions,
is made. In May, the rose has the place of honour in a three-day
festival held throughout the area. Further on, the Dadès Gorge opens up
and then the Todra Gorge whose cliffs can be 300m high.
The route of the Oases to the South
The Drâa Valley extending for almost 200km towards the South
irrigates a narrow oasis where dates and henna grow. The Tissergate ksar
(fort), one of the ksour (forts) which line the valley, houses a museum
of arts and traditions in which many everyday articles and Berber
craftwork are exhibited.
