The Tizi n'Tichka Pass

The Tizi n'Tichka is the road crossing of the High Atlas between Marrakech and the south, climbing to around 2260 metres through a long sequence of switchbacks, with the plain and the argan country falling away behind and bare red and ochre ridges opening ahead. The road has been widened and improved in recent years, but it is still a mountain drive of two hours or more shared with lorries, cyclists and buses pulling in at viewpoints. Near the top there are stalls selling minerals and fossils, and cafés where the coaches stop. On the far side the descent leads towards Ouarzazate, with a signed turning to Telouet and its old kasbah on a quieter side road.

What you actually see

• The switchbacks - the climb and descent in tight hairpins on both sides.
• The summit viewpoints - the pass itself and the ridges either side of it.
• The mineral stalls - roadside stands selling rocks, fossils and geodes.
• The Telouet turning - the side road to an old kasbah off the main pass.

When to go

Spring and autumn give the best driving conditions. Winter brings snow and the pass can close for a day or two after storms, so check before setting out. Summer is clear but hot on both approaches. Drive it in daylight; the bends are unlit and slow lorries make overtaking risky after dark.

Honest expectations

This is a drive rather than a destination, and it takes longer than the distance suggests: two to three hours minimum, more with stops and lorry queues. The road is a serious test for anyone who gets car sick. Mineral sellers at the top offer dyed and glued fakes as often as genuine specimens. Cafés at the pass are functional and overpriced.

Nearby

Telouet kasbah lies off the pass road, and Aït Benhaddou and Ouarzazate are at the southern end.