The Dades Valley cuts through the pre-Saharan landscape between Ouarzazate and the Todra Gorge, following the Dades River as it winds past kasbah ruins, terraced fields and rock formations shaped by centuries of erosion. The most photographed stretch is a series of tight switchbacks where the road climbs the gorge wall, along with the so-called “Monkey Fingers” formations further up the valley.
The valley has long supported small farming communities, and many of its older kasbahs — now partially ruined — sit on raised ground above the irrigated valley floor, a defensive position dating back to a time when the route was used by caravans and local conflicts were common.
For most travelers, the Dades Valley is one stop within a longer route: it sits directly on the road between Ouarzazate and the Todra Gorge, on the way to Merzouga, and is a common place to break the journey overnight before continuing east into the desert.