In southern Morocco, where the High Atlas mountains stand with all their grandeur, lies the Draa-Tafilalet region, defined by its cultural and historical significance and diverse landscapes. With sandy plains, breathtaking hills, and plains accompanied by mesmerizing sunsets and sunrises, Draa-Tafilalet is a region that inspires a sense of remoteness in its visitors and peace in its inhabitants.
It differs from other parts of Morocco thanks to the remarkable beauty of its various towns, each offering a sight to behold. From beautiful Kasbahs and oases to rose festivals and pottery culture, Draa-Tafilalet is a one-stop shop for travelers who wish to be introduced to Moroccan culture and immerse themselves in its rich heritage including local customs, Moroccan hospitality, and cultural expressions.
Yet Draa-Tafilalet’s beauty goes beyond its scenic landscape. As the two widely spoken languages in the region, Amazigh and Arabic carry a significant part of the local cultural heritage. The region’s southeastern side is internationally recognized as the home of various filming locations for Hollywood movies such as “Gladiator” and the TV series “Game of Thrones.” The eastern region of Morocco has its own literary genre, the “Malhoun,” a poetic and musical form of art that has spread throughout the country since its inception. The genre is now known as “Qasida.”
Valleys, desert dunes, and cinema
Draa-Tafilalet is an administrative region consisting of five provinces.
The region’s capital, Errachidia, is located on the southeastern side of Draa-Tafilalet where the Algerian borders stand, making it Morocco’s largest border territory. It boasts centuries of history within its frontiers with the remains of ancient caravan routes and the last traces of bygone civilizations.
The province of Ouarzazate, close to the Marrakech-Safi and Souss Massa regions, is famous for its second name, the “Hollywood of Morocco,” due to its numerous filming locations for critically acclaimed movies.
To the west of Ouarzazate lies the Zagora province. Zagora attracts countless visitors thanks to its magnificent Draa Valley, palm groves, and desert oases. The area is perfect for tourists seeking an authentic desert experience. To the north of Zagora, the Tinghir province is known for its series of narrow canyons called the Todgha Gorges that sit deep in the rocky Atlas mountains. Finally, moving further to the north of Draa-Tafilalet is Midelt. It stands as the northernmost province of the region and is home to a mountainous terrain perfect for hiking.
Errachidia is the largest province in Draa-Tafilalet. This northeastern province is characterized by mineral landscapes, sand dunes, and green valleys. The province’s mixture of sceneries allows for a contrast that presents it as an arid yet fresh land full of wonders. With Errachidia, Erfoud, and Ferkla el Oulia as its most populated cities, the province provides its visitors with unforgettable landscapes that make them want to come back for more. Its most notorious location is the vast Erg-Chebbi or Merzouga desert.
The land is made of sand dunes with a hot and dry climate stretching for over fifty-five kilometers from Erfoud and about fifty kilometers from the Algerian border. Not far from there, and depending on the season and migratory birds, pink flamingos can be found in Lake Dayet Sriji which is also worth a visit. The dunes offer countless sand hills whose shapes alter according to wind movements, making it a constantly changing landscape.
The landscape takes on a different scenery at night as the dunes are accompanied by as many stars in the sky as there are grains of sand. This experience is often paired with food cooked over a slow fire to enjoy a peaceful and slow atmosphere under the stars, followed by a bonfire and a drum show brought by locals. This is just one of the many benefits of visiting the sand dunes of Erg-Chebbi.
Exploring the infamous village of Sijlmassa is another stop worth making when visiting the province. Because of its location on the northern edge of the Sahara, Sijlmassa is also known as the gateway to the desert stretching for about eight kilometers along the Ziz River in the Tafilalet oasis, not far from the town of Rissani. 
Once an important stopover for trans-Saharan trade during its heyday, Sijlmassa continues to showcase its heritage through the few standing ruins full of culture, tradition, and tales of past civilizations. Although few, the remains of the town do not fail to demonstrate the architecture that once was: Sijlmassa is able to tell its story thanks to its buildings constructed with local materials such as mud bricks to prevent damage from the desert and the construction of several fortifications to prevent raids and other potential threats. It is also open to visitors who want to walk through its soil full of history, thanks to a program for the protection and improvement of its heritage.
One of the other attractions of the province of Errachidia is the Ziz Valley. With its panoramic views and historical sites, its river offers a long path of the greenest gardens contrasting with rocky walls. The area’s inhabitants are famous for their warm hospitality and eagerness to welcome tourists into their small village. Previous visitors have described the valley as resembling the Colorado Plateau and the Grand Canyon.
For tourists looking for souvenirs and other memorable items from Errachidia, Rissani’s Souk is the place to go. Also known as a sacred city and the cradle of the Alawite dynasty, the city of Rissani holds significant spiritual and commercial importance. Its famous souk includes food stalls, artisanal bazaar, clothing, and household equipment shops, all containing elements of Rissani’s culture. The souk is also renowned for its service area and its restaurant that serves the local “Medfouna,” a traditional stuffed bread.
To the north of Errachidia, and surrounded by the regions of Fes-Meknes, Oriental and Beni Mellal-Khenifra, is the province of Midelt, known for its trails and hills that are suitable for hiking and camping. Located at the foot of Mount (or Jbel) Ayachi, which locals claim is one of the most challenging to climb in North Africa, the province tends to make visitors eager to discover the rest of the mountain. 
If you go deep enough into Jbel Ayachi, you can find a gorge near the Tarhirat area, as well as some Berber tents. The mountain is also snow-capped until June, allowing visitors to enjoy its beauty for a long period. Climbers will be greeted with an amazing panoramic view when they reach the top of Jbel Ayachi. Even though the site seems to offer a myriad of natural attractions to visit, this can still be done in about half a day.
Not far from Mount Ayachi to the south are the bluest rivers in Morocco, Lake Tislit and Lake Isli. While Lake Tislit is accessible twenty kilometers from the Imilchil village via a paved road, it can be reached from ten kilometers through a rocky path. A camping area is set in the area along with different services for visitors. The site gives an opportunity for photographers to take beautiful photos of the crystal clear water that reflects the snowy mountains surrounding the lakes. The lake is said to have been formed by the tears of Tislit and Ait Brahim, a couple in love whose families refused to allow them to marry. They are said to have climbed the mountains to mourn their disappointment and to die together in grief. At least this is the story the locals tell when asked about how the lake came to be. A festivity called the Moussem of Imilchil was established to commemorate the lovers by allowing the town’s young people to marry freely once a year.
In addition to Tatiouine Valley, known as a starting point for climbing Jbel Ayachi and adjacent to Cirque de Jaafar, another attraction worth visiting in Midelt province is the Miryam des Soeurs Kasbah. The founders, said to be Franciscan sisters, built the ochre-colored Kasbah with local architecture. A museum honoring the life of Christian monks in Morocco was also built near the kasbah.South of Midelt lies the province of Tinghir, with Errachidia to the east and Beni Mellal-Khenifra to the northwest. Formerly counted as the Atlas Mountains’ foothill, the province now includes all the neighboring villages. It is also home to one of the most attractive oases in southern Morocco. When thinking of Tinghir, locals will say it is characterized by snow-capped peaks, the infamous Todgha Gorges and River, and cliffs and rocky formations perfect for fans of hiking and rock-climbing. Tinghiralso has a predominant Berber community whose culture lies at the heart of daily life in the province. 
Unlike other provinces known for their attractive locations, Tinghir is famous for its Rose Festival. The festival takes place in the region’s Valley of Roses, located between Kelaat M’Gouna and Boulmane-Dades. In 2014, the valley became the only city in the country to be recognized as a Global Geopark by UNESCO.The festival is very present in the culture of the province. According to local legends, the festival came into existence when a group of Berber pilgrims from Mecca in the tenth century brought back a few Rosa Damascena with them, replanting them in Kelaat M’Gouna.
The flowers produced seeds that germinated and bloomed, creating a path that became known as the valley of roses. Since then, a festival to admire the pink path of roses and enjoy the perfumes and cosmetics made from the rose water produced in the village is organized every year during the second week of May. The water is highly valued in Morocco culture, as many like to use it in traditional pastries and other foods. During the festival, locals and visitors (foreigners as well as Moroccans from other parts of the country) dress up and sprinkle each other with rose water. They also partake in singing and dancing performances. The title of Miss of the Roses is usually bestowed on a young, unmarried woman from the village, who dances surrounded by the whole parade full of flowers and decorations.
Much like its neighboring provinces, Tinghir presents its visitors with beautiful gorges that add to the beauty of the region. The Dades Gorge and the Todgha Gorge are both about three hundred meters deep and are made up of a series of massive canyons that stretch out for miles and miles. Inside both gorges, drivers can admire the rocky hills as they pass by on the paved road. Whereas the canyons of Dades are also a quiet green area with flowering trees of various species, the canyons of Todgha are a cultivated polyculture of various food crops: olives, apples, almond trees, peaches, grains and more. All of them are irrigated by canals coming from a green fissure in a dry area of the canyons.
Known as Morocco’s Grand Canyon, the Todgha valley offers its hiking enthusiasts countless trails for short hikes on foot, VTT bike rides or other hiking methods. There are also some climbing areas for rock and mountain climbers, although it is recommended to do so with the assistance of a professional climber. The Dades Gorges include rough trails that are accompanied by sightings of wild stone patterns and rock carvings that appear to be handmade.
The province of Tinghir consists of other similar valleys and mountains such as Jbel Saghro, a vast trekking area with flat paths and volcanic spikes. At the intersection of the High Atlas and the Pre-Sahara stands Ighil M’Goun, known as an easy-to-climb mountain trail with snow-capped peaks depending on the season. The area is also part of the M’Goun Geopark, recognized by UNESCO as one of the oldest geographical and ecological sites in the world.
Zagora’s sinuous towns and enchanting kasbahs
Situated between the Souss-Massa region to the west and the Algerian border to the east, with Errachidia, Tinghir and Ouarzazate at its head, the province of Zagora welcomes the visitor through the Tizi n’Tinififft pass, a scenic passage with serpentine roads and hairpin bends, south of Tinghir. The province is characterized by the fact that it has many towns to explore, such as Tamegroute, Zagora and Bni Zoli. The province is located in the middle of the Draa valley and offers an abundance of mountains and sand dunes, making it similar to the planet Mars. But Zagora is not only covered with dry land: despite its hot climate, the region is rewarded with green oases along with kasbahs and ksour here and there. Tourists can enjoy a contrast of ochre landscapes paired with the refreshing atmosphere of oases and everything else that Zagora has to offer.
A special feature of the province is its pottery culture in the city of Tamegroute. Known as the hometown of a marabout named Zaouia Naciria, Tamegroute is an eighteen-kilometer trip from the town of Zagora. The town overflows with family-owned pottery workshops where the practice, including the secret signature green glaze mixture, is passed down from generation to generation. Beautifully carved objects colored in various shades of green, especially emerald green, emerge from the pottery production. The potters add engraved symbols and the like as a signature inspired by the cultural elements of the region, depending on the customer’s preference.
Products range from tagines and candlesticks to decorative tiles and bathroom basins. They are sold at reasonable prices at the entrance to the village, but also throughout Morocco, as the region’s craft is popular throughout the country. The practice has a rich historical significance among Tamegroute’s locals, dating back centuries. The town thrives on this legacy, as it is an important part of the village’s identity and economy, contributing to its sense of community and heritage.
Like Draa-Tafilalet, which is home to many desert areas, the province of Zagora also has many areas of sand dunes. The Chgaga or Erg Chgaga dunes, located fifty kilometers from M’Hamid el Ghizlane, are accessible only by camel, on foot, or in a four-wheel vehicle. The dunes are considered one of the two largest deserts in Morocco. Although it is less popular than the dunes of Erg Chebbi, its atmosphere feels more natural. The road to the dunes is said to be long and arduous.
However, the magnificent scenery that greets travelers upon arrival helps to compensate. It is notably possible to spend a few nights in the area thanks to several camps that offer all kinds of entertainment. Zagora is also characterized by its many ksars and kasbahs. The most notable are Ksar Tissegrate, Ksar Tamnougalt, and Kasbah of N-Kob. Ksar Tissegrate is five centuries old and was restored in 1968. It is also one of the most impressive and well-preserved ksars in southern Morocco.
The ochre-colored ksar dominates the low arable soils at the valley’s edge. Ksar Tamnougalt is full of stories and history and is crossed by the Draa River. It once had a reputation in ancient commerce and played a defensive role in protecting the Draa Valley from invasion by outside tribes. As for Kasbah of N’Kob, its particularity is that it is home to forty small Kasbahs and acts as a fortress that encapsulates them in one place. The kasbah serves as a crossroads between the valleys of Ziz and Drâa through the main road, the Dades and Todgha gorges, and a new road recently opened to Tinghir.
In the center of Zagora stands the Toumbouktou Banner, a historical monument which every visitor to the province stops to photograph. The banner is an emblematic monument of the city because it commemorates Zagora’s important role in trans-Saharian trade. It also pays homage to Sultan Ahmed al-Mansour Dahbi’s expedition to Timbuktu. al-Mansour Dahbi’s journey had a significant impact on the Sahel region.
‘Hollywood of Morocco’
There is finally the region of Ouarzazate, which is the most famous province of the Draa-Tafilalet region and arguably the most appreciated by tourists and Moroccans for its reputation as the “Hollywood of Morocco.” Ouarzazate’s increasing attractiveness as a preferred location for the big names of the global film industry sets it apart from its neighboring provinces. Despite its reputation as a quiet area, the outskirts of Ouarzazate have a film industry of their own, as producers and directors have chosen the city for the shooting of their films and television series. Indeed, several of these productions have won prestigious awards such as the Oscars.
In addition to the cinema industry, artists have also increasingly embraced Ouarzazate as a shooting location. This growing cohort includes the K-Pop band ATEEZ, who partly filmed one of their music videos in Ksar Ait Ben Haddou.
Ouarzazate’s filming studios, CLA and Atlas Studios, are accessible to the public for a symbolic fee of about ninety Moroccan dirhams and a guide can be provided to visitors wishing to learn about the studios as they walk inside. One of the studios still preserves the sets and props employed in the filming of the critically-acclaimed TV series “Game of Thrones,” which was also partly filmed in Ouarzazate’s Ksar Ait Ben Haddou. The Ksar played the role of the city of Yunkai in the series. Other famous cinematic productions that were filmed in the Ouarzazate region include Prison Break, Gladiator, The Mummy, Lawrence of Arabia, and Hanna. Pictures of the sets and filming locations are often mistaken for places other than Morocco, as they appear to have been taken in other parts of the world.
In the center of Ouarzazate, visitors have the opportunity to discover the famous Cinema Museum. It is located next to the Taourirt Kasbah, and both attractions can be visited for a small fee of thirty dirhams. The museum displays a wide range of props, sets, filming materials and sets, both vintage and recent, from the productions of the above-mentioned films. Indeed, the museum itself was once used as a filming location.
In Kasbah Taourirt, the kissaria (gallery) is another tourist attraction. Also known as an artisan center, the gallery organizes workshops for locals and foreigners on the use of various Moroccan objects. The kasbah, which was once a historical fortified residential area, has a fascinating architecture that is associated with the Amazigh culture thanks to its carefully painted geometric designs. According to oral tradition, the kasbah was built by the Imzwarn, a powerful family in the area, before being claimed by the Glaoui family in the 19th century.
Because of its historical and cultural importance, UNESCO has declared it a World Heritage Site.Overall, the Draa-Tafilalet region offers a wealth of landscapes and areas to discover as much as possible as each location has its own story to tell. Tourists can enjoy the beauty of the region, which is filled with local colors such as ochre, red, yellow, green, blue, and more. All of this makes this scenic and history-filled Moroccan region a great destination that visitors can best enjoy in a planned trip.
