Zagora and the Draa Valley: What to See on the Way South

Where it sits on the map

The Draa is Morocco's longest river valley, a ribbon of date palms and mud-brick villages that runs south from Ouarzazate through Agdz to Zagora, and on towards M'Hamid at the edge of the desert. Zagora lies roughly 360 km from Marrakech by road, so it is a full day's drive across the Tizi n'Tichka pass; our Tizi n'Tichka pass guide covers what that crossing is like.

What there is to see

• The palm oasis itself, best seen on foot or by bicycle early in the morning, before the heat.
• Kasbahs and ksour (fortified villages) along the valley road, many still lived in.
• Date and henna growers, and small local markets in the surrounding villages.
• The long drive south, which is as much of the appeal as any single stop.

Zagora has a well-known painted sign that reads 52 days to Timbuktu by camel. It is a popular photograph, and a reminder that this was once a caravan crossing point. It is not a reason by itself to stop, but it makes a good short pause on the way through.

How it compares with Merzouga

Zagora is closer to Marrakech and greener, with an oasis feel; Merzouga is farther away but sits beside the high dunes of Erg Chebbi. Zagora itself is a town rather than a dune field, and the true desert here begins further south at M'Hamid. If dunes are your main goal, Merzouga is the simpler choice, and our comparison of the two dune fields explains the options beyond it.

How it fits into a route

On our 7-day Sahara desert tour from Marrakech, the route crosses from Merzouga through Rissani into the Draa Valley and overnights in Zagora, then follows the valley north through Agdz to Ouarzazate and Aït Ben Haddou. That gives the valley a proper evening and morning without adding a day of backtracking.

Who should stop here

It suits travellers with a week or more who want a slower, greener stretch between the mountains and the desert. If you only have three days, you will pass through the upper valley around Ouarzazate and miss Zagora, and that is a sensible trade. To see which routes include it, browse our private tours or message us with your dates.