Todra Gorge

The Todra Gorge cuts through the eastern flank of the High Atlas above the oasis town of Tinghir, and at its narrowest the canyon closes to a slot only a few metres wide with cliffs rising several hundred metres straight up on either side, so sheer and smooth that they draw rock climbers from around the world. A small river runs through the bottom alongside the road, and where the gorge widens it is fringed with palm groves and Amazigh villages tucked against the rock. Walking up through the narrows, with the light falling in shafts between the towering walls, is the essential experience, and trails climb out of the gorge for longer hikes into the mountains and to viewpoints looking down on it. It is one of the most spectacular short canyons in North Africa and a natural stop on the route between the desert and the Atlas.

What you actually see

• The narrows - the slot where the cliffs close to a few metres with walls soaring above.
• Rock climbing - the sheer faces that draw climbers from around the world.
• The palm groves and villages - the oasis strip and Amazigh settlements along the river.
• The clifftop trails - walks out of the gorge to viewpoints over it.

When to go

Spring and autumn are best, with comfortable temperatures and manageable water in the river; summer is hot though the gorge itself is shaded and cool. Flash floods are a risk after heavy rain, so avoid the narrows in storms. The light in the narrows is best around midday when the sun reaches the bottom.

Honest expectations

The narrowest, most dramatic stretch is short, and a road and some cafés run right through it, so it can feel busy and a little commercialised at the bottom; walking up and out onto the trails escapes that. Touts and informal guides gather at the entrance. Flash flooding is a genuine hazard after rain. It is a stop on a longer journey rather than a full day in itself.

Nearby

The Dades Gorge and Valley of Roses lie to the west; Merzouga and the Sahara dunes are to the southeast.