The Dades Gorge, in southeastern Morocco, is a breathtaking testament to the rugged beauty of Morocco’s wild landscapes. With its dramatic red stone valleys, carved out of the Atlas Mountains by the mighty Dades River over millennia, the region is home to traditional Berber nomadic communities, countless fortified villages, and a wonderful selection of hiking trails. The relative abundance of water in the Dades Gorge has not only nurtured its stunning natural beauty but also established the area as a vital cultural and trading center, helping to support an array of towns, farms, and historic kasbahs that flourish alongside the river.
The Dades River originates in the Atlas Mountains and flows for more than 350 km until it meets the Draa River on the fringes of the vast Sahara desert. The sheer walls of the gorge range from around 650 feet to over 1500 feet, and are criss-crossed with hiking trails and winding roads that make exploring these desolate peaks easy for adventurous visitors. The southern parts of the gorge support extensive agriculture, including the rose farms, as well as almond and palm groves.
Most visitors to the region stay in the bustling market town of Boumalne Dades, the gateway to Dades Gorge – where you’ll find lovely restaurants, independent family-run stores, and luxury boutique hotels with all the mod cons. Each year nomadic Berber tribes also move from the deserts up into the Dades Gorge, to stay in their traditional cave homes during the hot summer months.
The Dades Gorge, and the town of Boumalne Dades, is an ideal destination for small groups, families, couples, and solo travelers who want to see a side of Morocco that most visitors completely overlook. Hotel accommodation, as well as food and souvenirs, are all priced extremely competitively – despite the excellent quality of the local services. This makes the Dades Gorges a budget-friendly destination that’s guaranteed to leave you with precious life-long memories and some amazing photos that will captivate your Instagram followers.
How Do You Get To Dades Gorge, Morocco?
Reaching the spectacular Dades Gorge is a scenic adventure in its own right. You first need to fly into the international Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK). You can catch a flight to Marrakech from lots of major travel cities around the world, including London, New York, and Paris. After touching down in Morocco’s capital, you need to travel onwards to Boumalne Dades, the main cultural and travel hub of the Dades Gorge.
To get to Boumalne Dades, you can either hire a car, take a taxi, or catch a local bus. Local bus networks in Morocco are fairly reliable although, if you can, it’s much easier to hire a car or take a private taxi. The first stretch of the journey to Boumalne Dades winds through the picturesque Tizi n’Tichka Pass, leading to the town of Ouarzazate, and should take around 6 to 7 hours to complete. If you’d like to refresh yourself before the last leg of the journey you can stop for a bite to eat in Ouarzazate, or carry straight on to complete the final 72 km drive to Boumalne Dades.
What’s the Best Time to Visit Dades Gorges, Morocco?
The best time to visit the Dades Gorge in Morocco is during the spring or autumn season, between March and May, or September and November respectively. During the spring and autumn months the temperatures range from 15 to 26 Degrees Celsius – perfect for hiking, sightseeing, and exploring the area. What’s more, if you visit in the springtime the desert is blooming with colorful wildflowers that give the windswept landscape a truly magical atmosphere.
It’s best to avoid visiting at the height of the summer, between June and August, because temperatures often far exceed 30 Degrees Celsius. However, this is also the low season for tourism so you can take advantage of cut price hotels and flights during the peak of the Moroccan summer.
What is There To Do in the Dades Gorge, Morocco?
Stay at the Eden Boutique Hotel, Boumalme Dades
This gorgeous 18-room 5 Star hotel is situated on the edge of Boumalme Dades with beautiful views across the Dades Valley and the legendary Route of a Thousand Kasbahs. Combining elegant traditional Moroccan decor with all the modern conveniences, the Eden Boutique Hotel has lovely terraced gardens, free parking, two outdoor swimming pools, an on-site restaurant, and a rooftop bar.
All of the hotel’s suites have free WiFi, fantastic views of the Atlas Mountains, air conditioning, an ensuite bathroom, and 24 hour room service. Hotel guests are ideally located for exploring the town of Boumalne Dades and the surrounding gorges with ease. Furthermore, the hotel staff at the front desk are always available to help you arrange activities during your stay. For example, the hotel can organize 4×4 tours and hiking trips in and around the Dades Gorge for you.
You can book your room at the Eden Boutique Hotel, or find out more, here.
Hiking in the Dades Gorge Monkey Fingers Canyon
No trip to the Dades Gorge would be complete without spending some time exploring the stunning Monkey Fingers Canyon. Starting at Auberge Kasbah Ait Marghad, just a short drive from Boumalne Dades, you can join an experienced local guide to trek the 7 km trail around the Monkey Fingers Canyon. Along the way you’ll learn about traditional Moroccan farming and irrigation techniques, the local flora and fauna, and hear about the history of the area.
The first section of the hike descends down to the Dades River and then up through the Valley of Roses. Then you’ll continue on into the Monkey Fingers Canyon to explore the towering sandstone rock formations and red stone cliffs.
After a break, which includes coffee, nuts, and dates, you’ll make the final ascent to the summit to see the magnificent 360-degree views of the Dades Valley in all its glory. Lastly, you’ll be given a tour of several historic ‘kasbahs’, traditional Moroccan fortress structures, and an ancient granary, before making your way back to the starting point.
You can book your spot on this wonderful hiking tour of the Monkey Fingers Canyon, or find out more, here.
Join a Traditional Rosewater Workshop in Boumalne Dades
One of the most prized exports of the Dades Gorge is the high quality rosewater that is produced in small, local workshops around Boumalne Dades. The rosewater from the Dades Gorge farms is used in a number of different ways, including in cosmetics and skin care, perfumes, cooking, aromatherapy, and even in ritual ceremonies. In fact, the rosewater from the Dades Gorge has been sold to world-class perfumeries for many centuries now! And so, to find out more about how this is done, why not join this co-operative workshop in Boumalne Dades to get a hands-on demonstration?
When you arrive you’ll be met by local women and enjoy a ‘second breakfast’, a traditional Moroccan meal that consists of tea, bread, olives, cheese, and other finger snacks. Then you’ll help collect the rose petals and watch as they distill the flowers for the rosewater mixtures. This is a fun workshop, and a great way to learn about the authentic culture of the Dades Gorge. It’s worth noting that this activity is only available between April and May when the roses are in bloom.
You can book your place in the workshop, or find out more, here.
Visit the Nomadic Berber Families in their Cave Homes
Each year the nomadic Berbers of the region head up from the desert plains into the mountains for the late spring and summer months. The nomads move up into the mountains once a year to avoid the blistering heat of the open desert and stay in their cave homes around Boumalne Dades. It’s also easier for the nomads to feed and water their animals in the mountains during the hotter months, so this annual migration is absolutely vital for their survival.
And although the nomadic families are generally quite private, some of the families are happy to meet with tourists and visitors to showcase their unique way of life. On this trip you’ll meet one of these nomadic families and share some tea and snacks in their home. You’ll also get to meet their animals – which include sheep, goats, donkeys, and dogs – and learn about this age-old nomadic lifestyle.
Your guide for the trip is a local from Boumalne Dades who has special links to these nomadic families – which makes this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend some time with a traditional Berber family in the Atlas Mountains!
You can book your place on the tour, or find out more, here.
Eat at the Chez Pierre, Boumalne Dades
This wonderful European-Moroccan fusion restaurant serves a delightful selection of cuisine, ranging from standard European dishes to authentic Moroccan favorites – and everything in between. The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and has a good choice of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options amongst the mouth-watering lamb and chicken based dishes.
The restaurant itself has a laid back atmosphere, with indoor and outdoor seating available, and free parking outside if you’re driving your own car. A lovely venue for a quiet romantic meal, as well as for small groups, and families with children. And so whether you stop by for a quick brunch or a full 3-course dinner, the Chez Pierre should certainly be on your Boumalne Dades itinerary!
You can reserve your table, or find out more here.
