Ouarzazate, the “gateway to the desert”, is 200 kilometres from Marrakech, on the other side of the High Atlas. Between the two there is only one main road: the one over the Tizi n’Tichka pass, among the most beautiful in the country, but also among the most winding. Bus, plane, grand taxi or private driver: here are the options for the journey, the time it really takes, and the stops that turn this transfer into one of the best days of the trip.
The Tizi n’Tichka road
Leaving Marrakech to the south-east, the road crosses the Haouz plain, then starts to climb into the Atlas foothills after Ait Ourir. Bend follows bend through forests of holm oak and juniper, between earthen Berber villages clinging to the slopes. The Tizi n’Tichka pass, at 2,260 metres, is the highest point. On the other side, the landscape changes at once: less vegetation, bare mountains in ochre and purple, then the first kasbahs and oases of the south.
The road has been widened and improved in recent years, but it is still a mountain road, with lorries, roadworks in places and, in winter, snow at the pass. Without long stops, allow three and a half to four hours between Marrakech and Ouarzazate.
Option 1: the bus
CTM and Supratours run several departures a day between Marrakech and Ouarzazate, in comfortable air-conditioned coaches.
- Journey time: four and a half to five hours, with one stop on the way.
- The advantages: the lowest price, luggage in the hold, known timetables.
- The limits: no photo stops or visits, a bus station to reach at each end, and seats sell out fast in high season.
Our guide to CTM and Supratours buses explains how to book and what to expect.
Option 2: flying
Ouarzazate has an airport, linked mainly to Casablanca and a few European cities, but there is no direct flight from Marrakech. Going via Casablanca takes longer than the road: flying only makes sense if you are arriving from abroad straight into Ouarzazate.
Option 3: the shared grand taxi
Shared grands taxis also make the journey. They leave when they are full, drive fast, and there is little room for luggage. It is an option for solo travellers on a tight budget, not for a family.
Option 4: a private driver, with stops
This is what most of our clients choose, because the road deserves stopping on. The driver picks you up at your hotel or riad, and the day goes like this:
- The Atlas villages and the viewpoint at the Tichka pass, for photos.
- Telouet, as an option: a detour of about twenty kilometres leads to the old Glaoui kasbah, then to a spectacular road that drops down the Ounila valley to Ait Ben Haddou; it is all covered in our guide to Telouet and the Ounila.
- Ait Ben Haddou, the UNESCO World Heritage ksar, about thirty kilometres before Ouarzazate. Allow an hour and a half to cross the river and climb to the fortified granary.
- Arrival in Ouarzazate in the mid or late afternoon.
With these stops, the journey becomes a full day, from about 8 am to 5 pm, without ever being a chore.
| Bus | Grand taxi | Private driver | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Journey time | 4 h 30 to 5 h | About 4 h | 3 h 30 to 4 h non-stop, a day with visits |
| Stops and visits | No | No | Yes, as you wish |
| Pick-up | At the bus station | At the taxi rank | At your hotel or riad |
| Luggage | In the hold | Limited | No problem |
| Best for | Solo travellers | Tight budgets | Families, couples, photographers |
What to do in Ouarzazate
Ouarzazate is a quiet town, often used as a stopover, but it deserves half a day:
- Taourirt kasbah, a former Glaoui residence right in the town centre, with its courtyards and decorated rooms.
- The film studios, where many films and series set in antiquity or the Middle East have been shot.
- Fint oasis, about fifteen kilometres away, a palm grove at the foot of black cliffs.
- The Noor solar plant, one of the largest in the world, which you can see from the road.
And after Ouarzazate?
Ouarzazate is the crossroads of the south. From there the road continues to the Skoura palm grove, the Dades valley and the Todra gorges, then on to the Merzouga dunes; or, to the south, to the Draa valley and Zagora. Our articles on the Todra and Dades gorges, the Marrakech to Merzouga journey and the Zagora desert in 2 days help you extend the trip. For travel times between all these stops, see our table of southern Morocco driving distances.
When to travel
Spring and autumn offer the best conditions. In summer the road is fine, but it is very hot in Ouarzazate: drive in the morning. In winter the Tichka pass can close for a few hours after snowfall; we always check the road before leaving and set off earlier if needed.
Booking
If you want to see Ait Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate without changing accommodation, our Ait Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate day trip makes the round trip from Marrakech. For a one-way journey to Ouarzazate, with the stops of your choice, we arrange the transfer in a private vehicle at a fixed price; our article on private transfer prices explains how the rate is worked out. To go on to the desert, the private transfer from Marrakech to Merzouga passes through Ouarzazate. Ask for your quote from the contact page.
