Explore The southern oases routes
Few people visit the south without taking in the Todra Gorge, and with good reason. At its deepest and narrowest point, only 15km from Tinghir, this trench through the High Atlas presents an arresting spectacle, its gigantic rock walls changing colour to magical effect as the day unfolds. Faux guides hang around the gorge, but the hassle is generally low-key, and at weekends and holidays, there’s a cheerfully laidback vibe – locals more than outnumber tourists, and families come to picnic by the river.
En route to the gorge proper, the road climbs along the west flank of the Todra palmery, a last, fertile shaft of land, narrowing at points to a ribbon of palms between the cliffs. The really enclosed section of the gorge itself extends for just a few hundred metres and should certainly be walked, even if you’re not going any further, for the drama of the scenery; you can stay overnight here, too, right at the foot of the 300m cliffs (see Across the Atlas), and contemplate your majestic surroundings in relative tranquillity.
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Walking in the Todra Gorge
Walking in the Todra Gorge
Most of the guides hanging around the gorge try to lead visitors on walks, but the following route (1hr 30min–2hr) can be hiked without assistance. Once through the cliffs that mark the narrowest section of the gorge, look for a side valley leading quite steeply left (south) from the roadside to a pronounced saddle between two peaks – you’ll be able to make out the path climbing on the left flank of the hillside. An easy ascent takes you to the pass (around 45min), from where you could head for the peaks for splendid views over the gorge, or follow the path dropping downhill to your left, keeping to a line of silvery-grey rocks that fringe a dry riverbed. After around thirty minutes, the path then climbs briefly to a second pass, from where it descends to Tizgui, a well-preserved ksar on the edge of the Todra palmery.
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Climbing in the Todra Gorge
Climbing in the Todra Gorge
Climbers have been scaling the Todra Gorge’s craggy cliffs since 1977, when a group of Frenchmen opened the West Pillar way, and there are now over three hundred routes spread across thirty different sectors. The routes are fairly technical, with most ranging from French Grade 5 to 8 and varying in length from 25m to 300m, so tend to suit experienced climbers more – though the fairly newly developed Kilimanjaro section offers several routes for beginners.
A number of hotels and guides in town rent equipment and run climbing trips: try Hôtel L’Avenir or look out for Hassan Mouhajir, a vastly experienced climber who can normally be contacted through the Hôtel La Vallée near the start of the gorge. If you’re climbing on your own, it’s worth consulting the logbooks at various hotels in the gorge first, which will alert you to any problems on the rock – over the past few years, kids have been known to tamper with several access bolts, and even fixtures for top ropes.
