Morocco · High Atlas · Premium route guide
Tizi n'Tichka — Marrakech to Ouarzazate
260 kilometres from the Djemaa el-Fna to the gate of the Sahara, up and over the High Atlas on the N9 — recently rebuilt into one of the smoothest, safest mountain roads in North Africa. Full route on the map, a GPX for your GPS, and the motorcycle-friendly stays other riders have vetted at either end.
- Distance
- 259.5 km
- Peak elevation
- 2,216 m
- Elevation gain
- 3,398 m
- Best months
- Mar–Nov
The route
The N9 is Morocco's most famous mountain road, and since the 2018–2021 reconstruction it's also one of its best-surfaced. Marrakech at 470 m, over the Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 m, down to Aït Benhaddou (the mud-brick ksar that plays every Middle Eastern kingdom on screen), and on to Ouarzazate at the edge of the pre-Sahara.
Pins are motorcycle-friendly stays other riders have vetted — riads on the Marrakech side, kasbahs around Aït Benhaddou, and Ouarzazate hotels at the finish.
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Works with Garmin, TomTom, BMW Navigator, Calimoto, Kurviger, komoot, MyRouteApp. Import as a track to ride the exact line. Road data from OpenStreetMap (ODbL); elevation from SRTM.
Track vs. route — how to load this into your GPS
What you're downloading is a GPX track — a dense, road-snapped breadcrumb of the exact line, with elevation on every point. It's not a GPX route (a short list of turn waypoints your device re-plans between). Tracks preserve our road choice; routes let the device pick its own way and can send you down a boring motorway shortcut.
How to use it on your navigator:
- BMW Navigator / Garmin Zumo / zūmo XT: import as a track, then Convert to Route (or Trip Planner → new trip from track) if you want turn-by-turn prompts. Keep Recalculation off so it stays on our line.
- TomTom Rider: import the GPX in MyDrive — it loads as a track / itinerary. Enable Follow the exact route so it doesn't re-plan.
- Calimoto: open the GPX and choose Import as tour — Calimoto follows the track line.
- Kurviger / komoot / MyRouteApp: open the GPX and pick Import as track to keep the road choice. Only choose Import as route if you want the app to re-plan for your bike profile.
- Google Maps / Apple Maps: these don't read GPX. Use the map on this page for turn cues, or import the file into a GPX-capable app first.
Rule of thumb: if your device asks "track or route?", pick track to ride our exact line — pick route only if you want the device to re-plan.
Elevation profile
From ~449 m at the base to 2216 m at the top — 3,398 m of total climbing across the route.
The climb out of Marrakech is gentle for the first hour — Aït Ourir, then the palm groves start to thin and the Atlas fills the windscreen. By Taddert the real climbing begins: 30 km of hairpins to the pass, then a longer, faster descent down the south side to Igherm n'Ougdal.
Take the Aït Benhaddou spur — it's a 15-minute detour off the N9 to what is genuinely the photograph you came here for. Then the last hour into Ouarzazate is fast, straight, and empty. If you have a spare day, keep riding: the Dades and Todra gorges are another 100 km east.
The road, honestly
Everything you've read about the old Tichka — pot-holed, single-lane, terrifying trucks — is now outdated. The reconstructed N9 has smooth tarmac, proper barriers, wide shoulders, and even lay-bys for photos. It's a genuinely enjoyable ride now, not an ordeal.
Two things haven't changed: trucks still dominate the middle section, and Berber vendors set up on every viewpoint with fossils and geodes. Neither is a problem. Overtake the trucks on the straights, and if you don't want a fossil, a smile and a shake of the head is fine.
When to go, weather and altitude
March–May and September–November are ideal. June–August, Marrakech is 40°C+ at street level and the pass is a welcome 25°C — start early to avoid the heat coming back down. December–February can bring snow at the summit (yes, snow in Morocco) — check the road status before committing.
The pass sits at 2,260 m. Even in summer, expect a 15°C drop from the plain — bring a warm layer. Winds can be strong at the top.
Fuel, water and paperwork
Fuel in Marrakech, Aït Ourir, Taddert (small station, occasionally out), Ighrem n'Ougdal, and Ouarzazate. You should never see the reserve light. Water is easy — small shops in every village.
For international riders: European licences are fine, temporary vehicle import is a paper form at the border, and third-party insurance for foreign bikes must be bought at the port on arrival. Carry your green card if you have one.
Where to base yourself
Two nights minimum: one in Marrakech at the start, one in Ouarzazate or (better) at a kasbah near Aït Benhaddou at the finish. If you want to do this route as a proper trip, add a night at Boumalne Dades or Tinerhir and ride the Dades/Todra loop the next day.
What to see along the way
- Taddert — Last real village before the pass. Truckstop cafés with excellent tagines. Fuel.
- Tizi n'Tichka (2,260 m) — The summit. Wide layby, tea vendors, and the Atlas spread out on both sides. Photo stop.
- Telouet Kasbah — 5 km side-spur off the pass road. Semi-ruined 19th-century palace of the Glaoui — the man who ran the pass tolls under the French. Astonishing painted rooms inside.
- Aït Benhaddou — The most famous ksar in Morocco. Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia, Game of Thrones — all shot here. Cross the river on foot to explore.
- Ouarzazate — The 'Hollywood of the Atlas'. Taourirt Kasbah in the centre and the Atlas Studios on the edge of town.
Rent a bike
Rent a motorcycle or scooter for Tizi n'Tichka — Marrakech to Ouarzazate
Flying in? Pick up a bike near the start of the route. We've pre-filled the pick-up city with Marrakech / Ouarzazate — change it if you're basing elsewhere.
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Rider-verified stays within 30 km
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