Todra Gorge vs Dades Gorge: Which Is Best To Visit In Morocco?
Which Gorge Is Right for Your Family To Visit In Morocco?
When planning a family trip to Morocco, the High Atlas Mountains often make their way onto the itinerary.
Todra Gorge and Dades Gorge are iconic spots, each offering adventure and unique experiences. Both offer breathtaking landscapes, thrilling drives, and a taste of Berber culture, but which one is better suited for your family?
We recently visited both gorges on a road trip with our kids. If time allows, Todra Gorge and Dades Gorge are both worth visiting for different reasons. Discover the highlights of each, so you can decide which gorge is best for your family to explore.
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Dades Gorge Or Todra Gorge?
🌟Dades Valley is best for adventurous families
🌟Todra Gorge is best if short of time or have younger children
📍Family-friendly accommodation in Morocco
Todra Gorge Vs Dades Gorge
The High Atlas Mountains offer surreal rock formations worth adding to your Moroccan family adventure.
There are many activities for families, including hiking, cycling, climbing, swimming, exploring waterfalls, and staying with Berber families.
With year-round good weather, both Todra and Dades Gorge are worth visiting with kids. They offer different experiences, so it is hard to choose which one wins. Plan to spend at least one day at each gorge on your itinerary.
Which One Should Your Family Choose?
If your Morocco itinerary allows, visiting both Todra Gorge and Dades Gorge is well worth it. They are less than 90 minutes apart by car and offer different experiences; seeing both provides a fuller picture of Morocco’s natural beauty.
If your family prefers an easy, condensed, fun day out, Todra Gorge is the better choice. It’s flat, accessible, and offers a lively atmosphere. However, if you love a road trip adventure with dramatic scenery and fewer crowds, Dades Gorge is the one for you, especially with older kids and teens.
We loved both! If you have time, we’d highly recommend visiting both gorges as part of a family road trip through the Atlas Mountains. If you must pick one at a push, our kids would revisit Monkey Finger Gorge in Dades Valley over Todra Gorge, but we enjoyed both.
Todra Gorge Morocco
Easy To Access ~ Flat walking ~ Rock Climbing ~ Hikes
Todra Gorge (Todgha Gorge) has towering red limestone cliffs that rise to 400 metres on either side of a narrow canyon, creating a dramatic natural spectacle. Todra River created the natural oasis near the town of Tinerhir.
You can hike the ridge or walk along the shallow river in the middle of the gorge. The gorge offers shaded areas along the river, offering a welcome escape from the heat of Morocco. Families can have a snack and watch rock climbers navigate the wall.
Friendly Berber men sell handcrafted souvenirs in the gorge, and tagine lunch can be eaten locally.
Things To Do In Todra Gorge
The dramatic scenery means it is included on many Moroccan itineraries from Marrakesh to Merzouga. With year-round warm weather, Todra Gorge is a natural playground for adventurous families.
- Todra Gorge Climbing – For families with older kids or teens, Todra is one of the top climbing destinations in Morocco. The Gorge attracts rock climbing enthusiasts from around the world to climb its craggy walls. Guides are available for beginners, including children, to safely climb.
- Hiking Todra Gorge – There are multiple hiking routes around and above the gorge that are worth exploring with kids. Download a map, take water and snacks, and explore. The main path, known as the Nomad Loop, takes 4 hours from the gorge carpark, passing locals, animals, and a Nomadic camp to Tizgui village.
- Fossil Hunting – Kids love searching through stones, looking for interesting patterns, and Todra Gorge is a great place to hunt for fossils.
- Explore Palm Groves and Fruit Plantations – The oasis around the gorge is perfect for exploring and trying locally grown dates and pomegranates.
Best Places To Stay In Todra Gorge
Accommodation closest to the most impressive section of the gorge is limited.
📍We stayed one night at Etoile des Gorges, less than 50m from the narrowing of the gorge. Although perfectly located, the hotel is basic, suiting climbers or backpackers more than families.
📍Other options include staying in the family room at La Petite Gorge Hotel, Palmeraie Guest House or Hotel Azul.
Reasons Not To Visit Todra Gorge With Kids
If you’re looking for a quiet escape, this might not be ideal. It is quite touristy, with many tour groups visiting in peak season. Arriving early or later in the afternoon is best to avoid crowds.
The gorge’s main path is family-friendly, but the heat and rocky terrain of hiking routes might be tricky for younger kids. As snow melts or during rainy periods, footpaths can become flooded.
Gorge to Gorge 2-day hike
Take a 2-day hike across the mountains from Todra Gorge to Dades Gorge.
Book a guide through your accommodation.
Dades Gorge Morocco
Adventure ~ Switchbacks ~ Remote ~ Dramatic Landscape ~ Hiking
Dades Gorge stretches for 28 miles through Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains. It runs along the Dades River, starting near Boumalne Dades and extending into the rugged mountains.
Dramatic cliffs, winding roads, and unique rock formations are its highlights. The towering orange and pink cliffs rise high, showcasing centuries of erosion perfect for family adventures.
Dades Gorge is a tranquil and safe destination for families looking to escape the crowds. It offers a mix of culture and family-friendly exploration. Traditional Berber villages line the valley, and local guesthouses welcome families with home-cooked tagines in cliff surroundings.
Things To Do In Dades Gorge
Dades Valley offers a more rustic Moroccan experience than other areas. Families can explore a variety of unique and interesting things.
- Stop at viewpoints along the Route des Gorges du Dades: Take a road trip along the famous zig-zag roads through one of Morocco’s most scenic landscapes. Todra Gorge’s best viewpoint is at Café-restaurant Timzzillite Chez Mohamed.
- Hike Monkey Fingers Rock: These unique, weathered rocks form a natural slot canyon where kids can climb and scramble the red limestone. They are called monkey paws or fingers as they resemble large finger-like structures. If you catch it at sunset, the rock glows red.
- Hiking opportunities: The hiking trails in Dades offer stunning views of the valley and surrounding mountains. As they are quite remote, they’re best suited for families with older children who can handle a bit more exertion.
Best Places To Stay In Dades Gorge
Guest houses line the gorge, ready to welcome families to stay in the remote valley.
📍We stayed at Maison Isabel, which was perfect for our family. The rooms were comfortable and had views of Monkey Paw Mountain. The hosts were also experienced hiking guides in the Dades Valley.
📍Other options for families to stay include Berbère de la Montagne Hotel or Riad Bleu Afriqua.
Reasons Not To Visit Todra Gorge With Kids
Dades Gorge is remote, so it has fewer amenities than Todra. Therefore, you must come prepared with snacks, water, and sturdy shoes.
The winding roads leading to the gorge can be challenging, with steep turns that might not be ideal with kids. Some hikes are more rugged and might be difficult for younger children.
Best Time To Visit Dades and Todra Gorge
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) may be the best times for families to visit Dades Gorge and Todra Gorge. The weather is ideal for exploring and outdoor activities.
If you visit in May, visit Valley of the Roses when the flowers bloom.
Summer (June to August) can be hot and uncomfortable in Morocco. While winter (December to February) brings colder nights in both gorges, access is still possible. We visited in late December, when there were fewer tourists, and the daily warmth was perfect for hiking.
How To Get To Dades And Todgha Gorge
Marrakech or Ouarzazate are popular starting points for families wishing to access Dades and Todra Gorge.
From Marrakech, the drive along The Road of a Thousand Kasbahs takes 5–6 hours via the Tizi n’Tichka Pass, passing through Ouarzazate and Boumalne Dades. Take your time with stops to explore towns and Kasbahs.
Todra Gorge is about 1.5 hours east of Dades Gorge, near Tinerhir.
Both gorges are best explored by car or minibus, so you can stop and explore. Tour companies arrive by coach for a brief visit to Todra Gorge. Local buses and taxis connect nearby towns if arriving by public transport.
Ouarzazate is the closest airport to fly into and then hire a car to both the Gorges.
Todra Gorge And Dades Gorge FAQs
Todra Gorge is a Moroccan highlight worth visiting. Its scenic cliffs, hiking routes, and rock-climbing possibilities make for an interesting stop in Morocco.
Hiking Todra Gorges’s main route from the north car parks is a 3-4 hour loop. The hike is relatively easy, and you will encounter a Nomad Camp, Berber shepherds and Tinghir Oasis.
Dades Gorge is worth visiting for its unique landscapes, rock formations and winding roads. The area is popular with hikers and tourists looking for less touristy hidden adventures in Morocco, like Monkey Finger Rock.
Monkey Fingers are unique sandstone and limestone rock formations in Dades Gorge, Morocco. The smooth, rounded rock shapes are said to look like giant fingers, creating a dramatic landscape popular for hiking.
Final Thought | Dades Gorge Vs Todra Gorge
Visiting the High Atlas Mountains with family is a great way to experience Morocco’s natural beauty, adventure, and cultural charm. Exploring Dades Gorge and Todra Gorge are both excellent choices.
From the towering cliffs of Todra to the winding roads and surreal rock formations of Dades, both gorges offer landscapes that captivate families of all ages. They are both the perfect mix of family-friendly adventure and relaxation.
Whether coming from Marrakech, Ouarzazate, or the Sahara desert, Todra and Dage Gorge are worth adding to your Morocco travel itinerary.
You can also combine your visit with Ait Ben Haddou to break up the journey.
