Tizi n'Tichka
The Pass At About 2,260 Metres That Nearly Every Marrakesh To Sahara Journey Crosses, Rebuilt And Realigned Over Recent Years; The Glaoui Lords' Kasbah At Telouet Sits In A Side Valley Off Its Northern Side, And The Villages Along It Were Among Those Hit By The September 2023 Earthquake · Taddert, Marrakesh-Safi
Nearly everyone who travels from Marrakesh to the desert crosses this pass, and almost nobody treats it as a destination, which is a waste of the best four hours of road in Morocco. The N9 climbs out of the Haouz plain through argan and almond country, turns to bare rock and switchbacks above the treeline, tops out at about 2,260 metres among stalls selling minerals and fossils, then drops down the dry southern side towards Ouarzazate and the pre-Sahara. The road has been widened and realigned in stages over recent years, so it is far less punishing than its reputation, and the real reason to slow down is the side turning to Telouet, where the Glaoui lords ran southern Morocco from a kasbah now half-collapsed around two painted salons that still have their ceilings. The villages along the corridor were among those shaken by the September 2023 earthquake, and some are still rebuilding; the decent way to travel it is slowly, stopping to eat and buy where you stop.
The N9 over the High Atlas between Ait Ourir and Agouim, with the Telouet kasbah on a signed side road from the northern approach, Taddert, Marrakesh-Safi, Morocco
The road is open all day, every day, and free. Snow closes the summit for a day or two at a time in most winters between December and February, and when it does the gendarmerie turns traffic back at Taddert on the north side or Agouim on the south - there is no quick detour, so check before committing on a snowy morning. Telouet kasbah keeps daylight visiting hours with a caretaker and a small charge, and it closes earlier than you would expect in winter. Roadside cafes at Taddert and at the summit open early and late; the summit stalls pack up around dusk. CTM and Supratours coaches cross daily in both directions and grand taxis run Marrakesh to Ouarzazate all day. Allow four to five hours driving with stops, and do not plan to arrive the far side after dark on a first crossing.