Drâa Valley
A hundred kilometres of unbroken palm grove winding between black djebels, strewn with earthen ksour: the old caravan road is the south's most beautiful green line.
Suggested stay — 1 night
From the pass south of Agdz down to Zagora, the road follows the Drâa and its improbable ribbon of date palms — a million trees, the country's largest palm grove — lined with dozens of fortified villages where farming life continues as before. It is the dreamiest of connecting roads: you stop at the viewpoints, walk an hour in the Tamnougalt palm grove, sleep in a restored kasbah.
The stop slots naturally into the southern loop: either descending towards the Zagora/M'Hamid dunes, or climbing back from Merzouga on the Tazzarine cross-road — in which case the valley is best enjoyed in the evening light.
Don't miss
- The Tizi-n-Tinififft pass viewpoint between Ouarzazate and Agdz
- The ksar of Tamnougalt and its palm grove, walked with a village guide
- Zagora's dates in season (October), on the markets
- The Koranic library of Tamegroute and its green pottery
Our tips on the ground
- Resist swallowing the valley in one go: the ksour all look alike from the road — everything happens in the on-foot stops.
- In summer the valley is a steam bath: cross in the morning only.
- Beyond Zagora, M'Hamid and Erg Chegaga are 4x4-with-guide territory — not rental-car country.
On our publishing schedule
Coming soon“Morocco on your own”, the complete edition, is in preparation
Same method as our Namibia guide: day-by-day itineraries, driving, a costed budget and checklists. Leave us your address and you'll hear about the launch — at the launch price.
In the meantime, our reference
The “Namibia on your own” guide — €29
- The same method, already applied to Africa's easiest self-drive country
- 3 day-by-day itineraries, 4x4 insurance decoded, costed budget
- Instant download, 14-day guarantee — currently in French, English edition coming
Before you go
Readers' questions about Drâa Valley
Is the Drâa worth it if you're already going to Merzouga?
Yes, because it offers what Merzouga doesn't: oasis civilisation, inhabited ksour, tiered agriculture beneath the palms. The Ouarzazate → Drâa → Tazzarine → Merzouga loop avoids repeating a road and chains the two worlds — green, then mineral.
Is it safe to drive that far south?
The Drâa valley to Zagora/M'Hamid is a classic, calm and welcoming tourist region. As everywhere: daytime driving, generous fuel margins, and for Erg Chegaga excursions go through an established local operator rather than a fuel-station tout.