Marrakesh Travel Answers

I don't know about the tourist office but your hotel will be able to organize a driver for you. You will also find many agencies in Guilez area and around djmma el fnna. Bare in mind it is a long round trip and will require you to start early to fit everything into your day trip. I would consider staying overnight in Ouarzazzate, I don't know when you plan to travel but in winter the road may be impassable because of snow. Sorry I don't know about the price. Have Fun !

Same remarks: - a lot of travelling/driving for one day, especially if you want to look around in Telouet and Ait Benhaddou (don't forget the kasbah of Tamdaght; flickr.com/photos/vtveen/519...; - also would recommend to stay for one night in Ouarzazate; - your hotel can provide a car (why not take a rental car and drive by yourself??); - we had a grand taxi for one day for 700 or 800 dirham a couple of years ago. happy travels Jaap

I would also agree with Windcity having done the trip myself by CTM bus which was a 6 hour trip just to get their, a car proberly will do it in about 4-5 hours. But still Quarzazate is worth staying overnight.

Thanks for the reply! That's what I want to do. I will stay overnight in Ouarzazzate and start my journey from there by renting a car. To cross Tizi n Tichka in the winter and visiting Telouet and Ait Benhaddou, I'm thinking that it may be better to leave it with the local that familiar with the mountain road. So the same question, has anyone done it this way before? Or do you have any recommendation?

I saw Ait Benhaddou as an afternoon & sunset trip from Quarzazate which was followed by a 3 day circuit tour of the desert area including Skoura, The Dades Area, Merzouga and The Draa Valley etc... I booked the tour at The Royale Hotel in Quarzazate when I arrived.

If you do rent a self drive car, have a good map as signage is not brilliant, Also check you have a spare tyre and tools. We have driven over the Tiz'n Ticka 3 or 4 times and the views are spectacular, but you will need all your concentration, and thus miss a lot of the scenery. I would take a grand taxi or a bus to Ouarzazzate then either self drive or take a tour for the rest of your journey.

Different people, different opinions !! I loved driving through the Atlas Mountains on my own.

Dont get me wrong, I also love driving in the Atlas mountains in any weather, but if you are not used to driving on the other side of the road in a hired car, especially in winter "on long and winding roads" it might cause stress and reduce the pleasure of the journey. After all even shared taxi's take risks, buses break down and there might be snow or land slips.

Hi Ive done that road many times - all through the year as lived in Telouet for a while and travelled there very often between Marrakech and through to Rissani and the desert. As vtveen says I love driving that road - Ive taken my friends through that road and been driven that road - yes it would be hair raising if not with a good driver or you yourself arent but you can go slowly and you can stop at many places along the way just as I have because Im photo mad and always take photos. One trip in Feb it started to snow just as getting up to Ighrem and had heavy snow all the way through to Taddert - that was my first experience of heavy snowfall on the actual road over that section - my connections who lived in Telouet used to be in it during phone calls to me etc and other times Id hear about it - but pretty much always and same as when i was driving in it the snowploughs come immediately - esp if its daylight as its a main through road connecting south Morocco - even big trucks continue to use it as they must which is even more so why the snow ploughs are so prompt. just keep that section to definite day time driving. Telouet was always one of my most favourite places in Morocco and I have quite a few photos and tips provided on my pages to show it. When I lived in Telouet a number of tourists would arrive by grande taxi on day trips from Marrakech and a lot can be done in a day trip but I agree with the others to make at least an overnight trip of it. there are some nice places to stay in Telouet and Anmiter and Ait Benhaddou - which is certainly where Id prefer and recommend to stay rather than Ouarzazate. you will just need to make sure that you have a hotel with heating. evesn if you decided to stay at the guest house Ive recommended in my Telouet page there will be a wood fire and other to give warmth to enable an overnight stay. Grande taxis can be hired from the grande taxi station for usually about 700 dirham a day or negotiate longer trips for less daily prices. otherwise I agree with vtveen get a car from Marrakech is the best - ive done the trip once by grande taxi and other than being able to experience that and see that it does stop at Taddert one of our favourite eating villages where all the transporters stop it was not a way I enjoy...being stuck in someone elses vehicle during one of the most scenic routes in morocco.

Thank you all for your comments!

Youre welcome - a lot of us here have pages with tips and pics as well on these locations - theres a rating and ranking system but the travel pages part of VT is one of the best parts of VT and sa lot of inspirational info can be got from them!

Youre welcome - a lot of us here have pages with tips and pics as well on these locations - theres a rating and ranking system but the travel pages part of VT is one of the best parts of VT and sa lot of inspirational info can be got from them!

My vote would be for the CTM bus...but sit on the left-hand side (heading towards Ouarzazate) for the best views.