Road trip · High Atlas, Morocco

Tizi n'Tichka & the Kasbah Road

Marrakech → Aït Benhaddou → Ouarzazate

Over the High Atlas on Morocco's highest pass, then down the Ounila valley past crumbling kasbahs to the mud city Hollywood can't stop filming.

120 mi · 2 days · best March–May & October–November · $$

The route

ScenicEatStayDetour

Start, finish and every stop, pinned — turn-by-turn in one tap.

Relaxed pace

total driving

1h 30m

driving per day

miles per day

Driving times are estimates at a ~40 mph touring pace (stops, photos and traffic add to the clock).

🚗 60 mi · ~1h 30m
1
Tizi n'Tichka summit, 7,415 ft
Scenicmile 60
The Atlas watershed — geode sellers and raven's-eye views both ways.
🚗 5 mi · ~8 min
2
Women's argan co-op
Detourmile 65
Watch argan oil cracked and pressed by hand; buy it here, not the airport.
🚗 10 mi · ~15 min
3
Telouet Kasbah
Scenicmile 75
The Glaoui palace mouldering off the old caravan road — painted ceilings above ruins.
🚗 10 mi · ~15 min
4
Ounila Valley road
Scenicmile 85
The old salt route: mud villages terraced over a green river slot.
🚗 20 mi · ~30 min
5
Aït Benhaddou sunset
Staymile 105
The great fortified ksar glowing amber — cross the river and climb to the granary.
🚗 15 mi · ~23 min
6
Ouarzazate tagine
Eatmile 120
Lamb-and-prune tagine opposite the Atlas film studios.

Ideal: suvMinimum: compactAWD helps but isn't requiredHybrid recommended

Mountain roads are more comfortable and surefooted in an SUV

Make it yours

Ask Arya to pace this drive around your DNA — where to linger, what to skip, and where to sleep.