Ouarzazate to Zagora through the Draa Valley: Stops and Timing

The drive from Ouarzazate to Zagora covers about 165 km on the N9 and takes around 3 hours without stops. The road climbs over the Tizi n'Tinififft pass, drops into the Draa valley at Agdz, then follows one of the longest strings of palm groves in Morocco, lined with earthen ksour and kasbahs, all the way to Zagora. You can do it as a long day trip, but the valley is far more rewarding with a night on the way.

This guide goes through the road section by section, gives Agdz the attention it deserves, explains what to see in Zagora and nearby Tamegroute, and helps you choose between a day trip, an overnight stay or a longer desert trip.

Ouarzazate to Zagora at a glance

The whole route follows a single road, the N9, which leaves Ouarzazate on the Zagora side of town, past the airport, and heads south. Distances below are approximate and measured from central Ouarzazate. Driving times assume no long stops.

The road is paved throughout and a normal car is fine. Fuel is available in Agdz and Zagora. Speed checks are common at the entrance to villages, so keep to the limits, and watch for children, bicycles and donkeys in the palm grove villages after Agdz.

The climb to the Tizi n'Tinififft pass

Leaving Ouarzazate, the N9 crosses a stony plateau and soon starts to climb into the bare, folded hills of the western Jbel Saghro and Anti-Atlas. The pass, Tizi n'Tinififft (also spelled Tinifift), sits at about 1,660 m. There is no vegetation to speak of up here: just layers of dark rock in shades of grey, purple and ochre, which look best in the low light of early morning.

There is a small lay-by near the top where people stop for photos, often with a few stalls selling fossils and minerals. Below the pass on the Agdz side, the road winds down through a rocky canyon. This is the slowest stretch of the drive: trucks crawl up in low gear and buses take the bends wide, so be patient and do not overtake on blind curves.

Then, almost suddenly, the first line of green appears in the valley floor. That is the Draa.

Agdz: what to see and do

Agdz is a small market town of about 10,000 people at the point where the N9 meets the Draa valley. Its name is usually translated as "resting place", a reminder that it was a halt on the old caravan route between Marrakech and Timbuktu. Many travellers drive straight through, which is a mistake: Agdz and its surroundings easily fill a morning, and they make the best turnaround point for a day trip from Ouarzazate.

Jbel Kissane

The mountain that dominates Agdz is Jbel Kissane, with its flat top and steep, ribbed flanks. Locals say it looks like a row of tea glasses behind a teapot, which is where the name comes from ("kissane" means glasses). It turns deep red at sunset. Strong walkers can climb it with a local guide, but most visitors are happy to look at it from the palm grove.

Kasbah Caïd Ali and the palm grove

Kasbah Caïd Ali, in the palm grove on the edge of town, belonged to the local caïd (a regional chief) and is still looked after by his descendants. You pay a modest entrance fee at the reception (ask the current rate) and wander through a maze of earthen rooms over several storeys, ending on the roof with a view over the palms.

From there, footpaths lead between walled gardens irrigated by seguias, small open channels that share the river water between families. A slow walk of one or two hours here, under the palms with barley and alfalfa growing beneath them, is one of the quietest experiences in the region. A local guide is useful: paths are unmarked and the gardens are private land.

The weekly souk

Agdz holds its weekly market traditionally on Thursday morning, on the Zagora side of town. It is a working market for the surrounding villages, with vegetables, spices, livestock and household goods rather than souvenirs. Market days can change, so ask locally before planning around it.

Dates

The Draa valley is known for its dates. In autumn, after the harvest, stalls along the road in and around Agdz sell many varieties by the kilo. Ask to taste before you buy.

Tamnougalt and the Kasbah des Caïds

About 5 or 6 km south of Agdz, a short side road crosses to Tamnougalt, on the far side of the river. Tamnougalt was the capital of the Mezguita region and the seat of its caïds, a local ruling family who were rivals of the Glaoui of Telouet and Ouarzazate. Its name means "meeting point" in Tachelhit.

The site has two parts. The ksar is a fortified village of earthen lanes and covered passages, partly abandoned and partly still lived in. Within it, the Kasbah des Caïds (signposted as the Kasbah des Caïds du Mezguita) is the former residence of the caïds, now partly restored by a local family who show visitors around. You will see carved wooden doors, decorated towers and rooms built around small courtyards. Scenes of the film Babel are widely reported to have been filmed in Tamnougalt, and you may be shown other film connections by your guide.

Allow about an hour. There is an entrance fee to the restored kasbah; ask the current price on arrival. Some walls of the ksar are fragile, so stay on the paths and do not climb on ruins. Guides wait at the entrance; agree on a price before you start.

From Agdz to Zagora along the palm groves

South of Agdz, the N9 runs for about 95 km beside the Draa, which is Morocco's longest river at roughly 1,100 km (though its water rarely reaches the sea today). The valley is a narrow green band squeezed between bare mountains, with a succession of ksour built on the edge of the palm groves to save farmland.

This section is the heart of the trip, and it takes longer than the distance suggests, about 1 hour 45 minutes without stops. Good places to pull over include:

• Timiderte: a cluster of earthen kasbahs on the far bank, visible from the road, with palms in front and mountains behind.
• The viewpoints over the palm grove: the road climbs slightly in places, giving views up and down the valley. Stop only where there is room to park safely.
• Roadside ksour: many villages along the road have an old earthen core next to newer concrete houses. Walk in with respect: these are homes, not museums.

The light in the valley is best in the late afternoon, when the low sun turns the earthen walls orange. If you plan to drive back the same day, this is also the time to start heading north, which is one reason the overnight option works better.

Zagora: what to see

Zagora is a provincial capital of about 42,000 people and the main town of the lower Draa. It is not especially beautiful in itself, but it is the base for Tamegroute, the dunes of Tinfou and trips further south to M'Hamid.

The "Tombouctou 52 jours" sign

The most photographed spot in town is the painted sign reading "Tombouctou 52 jours", Timbuktu in 52 days, a reference to the time a camel caravan needed to reach Timbuktu in Mali. The original roadside sign has been replaced by a painted mural on a decorated wall at the southern end of town. It is a cliché, but it captures what Zagora once was: the last major stop before the Sahara crossing.

Jbel Zagora

The dark hill beside the town is Jbel Zagora. Remains of an Almoravid fortress lie at its foot, and a track leads up towards the top, from where you look over the palm groves and the town. Go early in the morning or near sunset; the climb is fully exposed to the sun.

Amezrou and the palm grove

Across the river, the palm grove of Amezrou has old ksour and shaded gardens. As in Agdz, the paths are a pleasant place to walk in the cool hours, ideally with a local guide.

Tamegroute: library and green pottery

About 18 to 20 km south of Zagora, Tamegroute is the reason many people make the trip. The village has been a religious centre for centuries and is home to the zawiya Nassiriya, a Sufi brotherhood founded in the 17th century by Sidi Mohammed ben Nasser. Its influence once reached across southern Morocco and beyond, and the history of Tamegroute and its zawiya explains why such a remote village has such an important library.

The Koranic library

The founder's son travelled widely in the Islamic world and brought back manuscripts on theology, law, medicine, astronomy and mathematics. Part of the collection is displayed in a small room open to visitors, including old Korans, some written on gazelle skin. The room is modest and the visit is short, around 20 minutes. Dress modestly (shoulders and knees covered), do not take flash photos, and expect a small donation or fee; the caretaker will tell you. The mosque and the founder's mausoleum are generally not open to non-Muslims.

The pottery workshops

Tamegroute is famous for its glazed pottery in a distinctive deep green, made with local clay and fired in wood kilns dug into the ground. You can visit the cooperative workshops and kilns, watch potters at the wheel and buy bowls, tagines and tiles. Prices are negotiable and pieces are fragile, so ask the sellers to wrap them well. Tamegroute pottery is also sold in Ouarzazate, as our guide to things to do in Ouarzazate mentions, but the choice here is far wider.

The old village and the Tinfou dunes

The old part of Tamegroute has covered lanes that stay cool even at midday, and a local guide will often lead you through. A few kilometres further south, the Tinfou dunes are a small patch of orange sand next to the road. They are not the Sahara of postcards, but they are fine for a first camel ride or a sunset walk.

Day trip or overnight: how to plan it

The honest answer depends on how far you want to go. Here are the three options we usually suggest to guests.

Option 1: day trip to Agdz and Tamnougalt

This is the relaxed version. Leave Ouarzazate around 8:00, stop at the pass, spend the late morning in the Agdz palm grove and Kasbah Caïd Ali, have lunch, visit Tamnougalt in the early afternoon and be back in Ouarzazate before dark. Total driving time is about 2 hours 30 minutes, and you still get a real feel for the Draa valley.

Option 2: day trip to Zagora and Tamegroute

Possible, but long: about 6 to 7 hours of driving for the round trip to Tamegroute, which leaves only short stops along the way. Leave by 7:00, go straight to Tamegroute, visit Zagora on the way back and accept that you will see the palm groves between Agdz and Zagora from the car window. It works best with a driver, so nobody has to drive the pass in the dark.

Option 3: one night in Zagora or the valley

This is what we recommend for most people. Take a full day to drive down with all the stops, sleep in Zagora or in a guesthouse in the palm grove, visit Tamegroute and Tinfou the next morning, and drive back to Ouarzazate in the afternoon. You see everything in good light and nobody is rushed.

Going further: M'Hamid and Erg Chegaga

Beyond Zagora, the road continues about 95 km to M'Hamid El Ghizlane, where the tarmac ends. From there, the big dunes of Erg Chegaga (also spelled Chigaga) are reached by 4x4 tracks only, with an experienced driver. That is a two or three day trip from Ouarzazate, covered in detail in our guide to Erg Chegaga from Ouarzazate. If you are choosing between the Draa and the eastern route via the Dades and Todra gorges, our Ouarzazate to Merzouga guide covers the other option.

Self-drive, driver or public transport

• Rental car: the most flexible option for options 1 and 3. The road is straightforward, parking is easy in Agdz and Zagora, and you can stop wherever you like. Our guide to car hire in Ouarzazate covers insurance, fuel and police checks.
• Private driver: the most comfortable choice for a long day trip to Zagora, and the only sensible one if you continue to Erg Chegaga. Drivers also know where to find guides at Tamnougalt and Tamegroute.
• Coach or grand taxi: CTM and Supratours coaches and shared grand taxis link Ouarzazate and Zagora, with Agdz on the way. They are cheap but make sightseeing stops difficult. See our guide to taxis and buses in Ouarzazate and check current timetables a day ahead.

When to go, and practical tips

The Draa valley is lower and hotter than Ouarzazate. From June to August, afternoon temperatures in Zagora regularly pass 40°C, so walking in the palm groves and ksour is only comfortable early in the morning. October to April is the best period: warm days, clear skies and cool evenings, with chilly nights from December to February. Our guide to the best time to visit Ouarzazate gives month-by-month temperatures for the region.

• Cash: entrance fees, guides, pottery and dates are paid in dirhams. There are ATMs in Agdz and Zagora, but none in the small villages.
• Guides and touts: at Tamnougalt, Tamegroute and in Zagora, people will offer to guide you. A local guide genuinely helps in the ksour and palm groves; just agree on the price and the duration first.
• Respect: the ksour are inhabited. Ask before photographing people, especially women, and dress modestly in the villages and at the zawiya.
• Water and shade: carry water in the car and a hat for every stop. There is little shade outside the palm groves.
• After rain: storms are rare but can bring flash floods. Never drive or walk across a flooded riverbed.

Using Ouarzazate as your base

For the day trip to Agdz and Tamnougalt, or a single night in Zagora, there is no need to move all your luggage south: keep your room in Ouarzazate and travel light. Residence Chay is in the calm Hay El Massira district, about 2 minutes by car from the airport, with free private guarded parking for your car. Our two-bedroom apartments have a kitchen and a washing machine, which helps when you come back from the desert dusty, and the reception can help you arrange a driver or a guide for the Draa valley.

Whichever version you choose, start early, take the pass slowly and leave time to walk in at least one palm grove. The Draa is best seen on foot, under the palms, rather than through a car window.