Drâa-Tafilalet Travel Guide
The dunes of Erg Chebbi at Merzouga. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Drâa-Tafilalet is the pre-Sahara: the last green valleys before the sand. It holds Morocco's two great desert experiences, the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga (up to 150 m high) and the Erg Chigaga dunes near M'Hamid, plus the Todra and Dades gorges and the Valley of Roses.
Ouarzazate is the 'door of the desert', home to Atlas Studios where films from Lawrence of Arabia to Gladiator were shot. Aït Benhaddou, the great earthen ksar on the old caravan route, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.
Destinations in Drâa-Tafilalet
Erg Chebbi, MerzougaThe great dune sea: camel treks and nights in desert camps.
Aït BenhaddouThe earthen ksar on the caravan route, UNESCO 1987.
Todra GorgesThe 300-metre limestone canyon, Morocco's climbing capital.
Dades GorgesThe winding 'valley of a thousand kasbahs'.
Erg ChigagaThe wilder, harder-to-reach dunes near M'Hamid.
Draa ValleyPalm groves and kasbahs along Morocco's longest river.
Taourirt KasbahOuarzazate's great Glaoui kasbah.
Valley of RosesKelaât M'Gouna: the rose harvest each May.
Rissani soukThe Tafilalet market town and its donkey parking lot.
Atlas StudiosThe film studios: sets from Gladiator to Game of Thrones.
Sijilmassa ruinsThe medieval gold-trade city near Rissani.
Hover a region to explore it. Click a city pin to open its guide.
Top Cities & towns in Drâa-Tafilalet
Regional food
- Medfouna (the 'Berber pizza' of Rissani, stuffed with meat and spices)
- Mechoui (whole lamb roasted in a pit oven)
- Dades Valley saffron and roses (as tea, not dinner)
Getting there
Ouarzazate (OZZ) and Errachidia (ERH) have airports. The classic route is Marrakech to Ouarzazate over the Tizi n'Tichka pass (4 to 5 hours by bus). Merzouga is reached by 4x4 tours from Ouarzazate or Fès, usually as an overnight trip.