BERBERLOCALLOCALRestaurant Riad Bleu Afriqua $
( 0666 39 69 49; 29km; menu Dh50-100) Your reward for reaching the far end of the gorge
is a generous local-speciality lunch: salads with mountain herbs, meaty Berber tajines with
locally grown walnuts and figs, and platters of valley-grown fruit.
Le Jardin de Source $
( 0524 83 04 83; 11km, Aït Ibrirne; mains Dh55-60) Quick lunches at this garden restaurant
near the mouth of the gorge include flavourful vegetarian options, omelettes (Dh30) and
marinated turkey kebabs; menus include salads and tea (Dh70).
Restaurant Isabelle $
(15km; menu Dh70) Hearty omelettes or tajines with salad and drink are served on the terrace
with a side of wonder at the melting rocks across the valley.
Getting There & Away
Grands taxis and minibuses run up the gorge from Boumalne and charge Dh15 per person to
the cluster of hotels in the middle of the gorge (near Vieux Chateau) and Dh30 to Msemrir. To
return, flag down a passing vehicle. Hiring a taxi for a half-day trip into the gorge costs around
Dh200. Minibuses run up to Msemrir often; the last one back to Boumalne leaves around 4pm.
The energetic could cover the distance from Dadès and Todra Gorges on foot (a two- to
three-day walk); otherwise you’ll need a 4WD.
GORGE YOURSELF: TODRA TO DADÉS
The 42km from Tamtattouchte to the Dadès Gorge is a tough five-hour journey that might threaten to shake teeth loose – but
with twisting hills and the boulder-strewn valley of Tizgui n’Ouadda, it’s certainly easy on the eyes.
The piste begins just after Tamtattouchte, below the auberge on top of the hill. The crossing is prone to flash floods, so seek
up-to-date advice on the state of the piste before setting off. About midway on this route, you’ll crest the 2639m-high Tizi
n’Uguent Zegsaoun before a bone-rattling descent to Msemrir.
The trip should only be attempted by 4WD during the summer months (May to September), and a local guide is
recommended. In May, many nomadic Berbers with homes in Aït Haini head to this valley to pitch tents and graze large herds
of sheep. If you stop, you may be invited into tents to sip tea and swap stories.Tinerhir
POP 36,000
Charm falls a distant third to dust and hustle in this mining-town transit hub, but intrepid
travellers can discover attractions in Tinerhir (aka Tinghir). The Todra Gorge beckons just 12km
away, but if you need a break after the 51km drive from Boumalne du Dadès, head to the
eastern edge of town, where a palm oasis unfolds like a green umbrella. Under the canopy,
you’ll discover crumbling kasbahs, the abandoned 19th-century Medersa Ikelane (look for the