The 'Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs' — rose-coloured gorges, palm groves and surreal rock formations.
The Dades Valley unspools between Ouarzazate and the Todra Gorge along the famous Road of a Thousand Kasbahs — a ribbon of palm groves, rose fields and red-earth villages framed by the High Atlas and the Anti-Atlas. It is one of the most scenic stretches of any Morocco desert tour, and a natural overnight stop on the way to the Sahara.
The valley's showpiece is the Dades Gorge, where the river has carved dramatic cliffs and the road climbs in a series of hairpin switchbacks famously known as the 'monkey fingers'. Add surreal eroded rock formations, ancient kasbahs and the nearby Valley of Roses, and the Dades earns its place on every classic itinerary.
The valley's signature sight — sheer red cliffs and the photogenic switchback road climbing out of the gorge, best at golden hour.
Bizarre, finger-like eroded rock walls near Aït Oudinar — a short walk reveals their full strangeness.
Near Kelaât M'Gouna, fields of Damask roses bloom each spring and are distilled into rosewater; the rose festival in May is a highlight.
Crumbling earthen kasbahs dot the route — many can be visited, and some have become atmospheric guesthouses.
Gentle walks through the riverside palm groves and Berber villages reveal everyday life away from the main road.
Spring is loveliest, when the roses bloom and the valley is green; autumn is also excellent. Summer days are hot and winter nights cold, but the valley is rewarding year-round.
The Dades Valley sits on the main Ouarzazate–Tinghir road, about 1.5 hours east of Ouarzazate. Nearly every Marrakech-to-Merzouga tour overnights here; we build it into our 3- and 4-day desert itineraries.
Very much — it's one of the most scenic parts of the desert route, with the gorge, rock formations and kasbahs, and it breaks up the long drive to the Sahara perfectly.
They're neighbours on the same route: the Dades is a broader valley with the famous switchback road, while the Todra is a narrow, sheer-walled canyon. Most tours visit both.
Usually an overnight, with time for the gorge and rock formations in the late afternoon and early morning before continuing east.
Bestseller
Cross the High Atlas, walk through Aït Ben Haddou's kasbah, descend the Dades Valley and sleep two nights under the stars at Erg Chebbi.
Popular
All the icons of the 3-day tour plus the Valley of Roses and a slower rhythm — ideal if three days feels rushed.
