31.0596°N · 7.9153°W Toubkal 4,167m · Imlil trailheadConcierge · Mon–Sat · 09:00–18:00 GMT+1
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Atlas Trekking Co.High Atlas Treks, Privately

Pre-Sahara · Kasbah road

Dadès & Todra Gorges, Morocco

Canyon walking on the desert side of the High Atlas — a 300-metre limestone slot, the rose-valley trails and the southern foot of the M'Goun traverse.

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Best time

March–May (rose season in May) and September–November

Recommended

1–2 nights en route to the Sahara or off the M'Goun trek

Airport

Ouarzazate (OZZ) or Errachidia (ERH)

Region

Pre-Sahara · Kasbah road

Why Dadès & Todra Gorges

On the far side of the High Atlas, where the green trekking valleys give way to ochre rock, the kasbah road threads two of Morocco's most walkable canyons. The Todra Gorge narrows to a 300-metre limestone slot barely 10 metres wide — a riverside floor you can walk at dawn and one of the best sport-climbing crags in Africa above it. The Dadès twists through rose-coloured rock past the 'monkey-finger' formations and the famous switchbacks, with side-valley footpaths into Berber villages few visitors reach. For trekkers these gorges are more than scenery on the desert crossing: the Dadès is the southern terminus of the M'Goun massif traverse, so walkers coming off the high passes of Aït Bougmez descend into exactly this canyon country, the roses of Kelaat M'Gouna fragrant in the valley each May.

What to see

Highlights of Dadès & Todra Gorges.

Walking the Todra slot

A vertiginous canyon where sheer 300m walls close to a narrow river passage — walk the floor at dawn before the crowds, with bolted climbing routes rising overhead for those who carry a rope.

Dadès side-valley footpaths

Beyond the photogenic switchback road, trails climb past the monkey-finger formations into upper Berber villages — the quiet walking the tour buses never reach.

Valley of Roses trails

Kelaat M'Gouna's damask-rose fields, harvested each May for rosewater, sit at the southern foot of the M'Goun massif — walkable paths and the fragrant end of the high traverse.

Skoura palmery & kasbahs

An oasis of date palms studded with earthen kasbahs, including the restored Amerhidil — a flat, shaded amble to rest the legs between canyons.

Itineraries

1 tour that visit Dadès & Todra Gorges.

Every itinerary below is privately operated, fully customisable, and includes a deep stop in Dadès & Todra Gorges. Click any tour for the day-by-day plan, the map, dates and pricing.

7 daysBest of both

Mountains

Toubkal + Sahara Combo

A seven-day adventure pairing a guided summit of Jbel Toubkal (4,167m) with a desert crossing to an Erg Chebbi dune camp. Challenging high-altitude trekking followed by easy desert days; mule and 4x4 support.

from $1,150Private · view →

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Before you go

Practical notes.

Getting there: About 2–3h east of Ouarzazate on the kasbah road
Best combined with: The M'Goun traverse (which ends here), Aït Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate and the Merzouga dunes

Concierge

Have your Dadès & Todra Gorges trip designed by a local

Tell us your dates, group size and pace. We'll send back a written proposal within 24 hours — private guides, transfers, riads, the lot.

Request a proposal

FAQ

Dadès & Todra Gorges — common questions.

Can you walk in the Dadès and Todra gorges, or just drive through?+

Both — the Todra floor is a level riverside walk best done at dawn, and the Dadès has side-valley footpaths climbing into upper Berber villages. Serious trekkers reach these canyons on foot: the Dadès is the southern end of the M'Goun massif traverse from Aït Bougmez.

How do the gorges fit a trekking itinerary?+

They sit roughly halfway between Marrakech and Merzouga on the kasbah road, so they bracket the desert crossing; and the Dadès is the natural descent and finishing point of the multi-day M'Goun trek, making them either a scenic transit or the end of a high mountain route.

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