Dades Gorges — source photograph.

Upper Dades

Dades Gorges

Narrow rock passages and a winding mountain road above the inhabited Dades Valley.

Discover the story
DESTINATION / THE FIELD GUIDE

A PLACE TO TAKE YOUR TIME

Narrow rock passages and a winding mountain road above the inhabited Dades Valley.

31.583° N / 5.900° W

The Dades Gorges form a sequence of constricted valley sections rather than a single viewpoint. The road and river draw close together in places, while broader stretches reveal villages and cultivated ground. The landscape rewards more time than a quick photograph of the bends.

What to see

Gorge walls, river passages and road viewpoints.

What to do

Use a local guide for longer walks and choose safe stopping places away from traffic.

Practical information

Confirm current access, opening arrangements and local conditions before travelling. Use local guides for unfamiliar paths; respect private homes, cultivated land and requests about photography. Accommodation and dining links may refer to your Ouarzazate base or an onward stop; check the address on each listing.

Getting here

Reach the gorges by following the Dades Valley north from Boumalne. Check the current road and weather conditions before travelling farther into the mountains.

THE LAND AROUND YOU

A place
between places.

Follow the landscape a little further.
These nearby places continue the story.

Explore the regional map

Schematic locations, not road directions.

iBEFORE YOU GO

The useful
details.

A little preparation.
More room for the experience.

The setting

Upper Dades

Region

Upper Dades

Find it on the mapDades Gorges — area marker, not an entrance

Area marker only. Confirm the entrance, meeting point and current access.

Researched with source information · Reviewed 2026-09-27. Reconfirm changing details before travel.

TRAVEL ONWARD

There is
always more.

01Dades Valley — source photograph.

Southern High Atlas

Dades Valley

A cultivated river valley where villages, gardens and rock formations share the same narrow corridor.

02Boumalne Dades — source photograph.

Dades Valley

Boumalne Dades

A town above the Dades River and the practical gateway to the valley road and gorges.

03M’Goun — source photograph.

High Atlas

M’Goun

High mountain country above the rose-growing valleys, with routes suited to properly planned trekking.

04Valley of Roses & Dades Gorges — operator photograph.

Valley of Roses & Dades Gorges

Valley of Roses & Dades Gorges

Skoura, rose-growing country and the Dades Gorges in a full-day journey from Ouarzazate.

05Tinghir and the Todgha oasis corridor, on the return stage of the South Oasis journey.

South Oasis Route & Erg Chebbi

South Oasis Route & Erg Chebbi

Four days linking the Dades, Saghro, Nkob and remote southern tracks with the dunes of Erg Chebbi.

06CLA Studios entrance in Ouarzazate

article

Beyond the film set

Notes from the landscapes, craft and everyday life of southern Morocco.

07Residence Chay — source photograph.

Luxury Apartments

Residence Chay

Independent apartments in Hay El Massira, with room to unpack and settle into an Ouarzazate routine.

08Restaurant Habous — source photograph.

Moroccan / Café / Patisserie

Restaurant Habous

A café, bakery and restaurant on Place El Mouahidine, useful for a pause in the centre of town.

Photography credits

Hans Peter Schaefer (= Hps-poll ) · CC BY-SA 3.0 / Resized and converted to WebP; displayed with responsive crops.

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