Dades Valley

The Dades Valley, stretching between the High Atlas and Jebel Saghro ranges, is one of Morocco's most dramatic landscapes. Known as the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs, the fertile corridor follows the Dades River through a canyon of twisted sandstone formations, fortified villages, and terraced gardens that change color with the seasons. The Dades Gorge narrows spectacularly about 25 kilometers north of Boumalne Dades, where the road winds through a tight canyon of red and orange rock walls rising hundreds of meters on either side. The famous "monkey fingers" rock formations — bizarre columns of eroded conglomerate — are the valley's most photographed feature. Beyond the gorge, the road climbs through a series of switchbacks offering vertigo-inducing views before reaching the high plateau. Kasbahs — fortified earthen dwellings of the Berber families who have farmed this valley for centuries — dot the landscape. Some are crumbling ruins returning to the earth from which they were built; others have been restored as guesthouses offering atmospheric accommodation. The Kasbah of Ait Arbi, perched on a cliff face above the river, is particularly dramatic. The valley is also part of Morocco's "Rose Road." The Kelaat M'Gouna area at the valley's entrance is famous for its Damascene rose cultivation, harvested each May for rose water and essential oil. The annual Rose Festival (Moussem des Roses) in May draws visitors with parades, music, and the heady scent of thousands of fresh roses.