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The essentials in three lines

  • Agadir – Tafraoute is about 160 to 170 km via Aït Baha, on tarmac all the way: the N10, the R105, then the R104. Allow at least 3 hours without stopping, 4 hours with breaks.
  • After Aït Baha, the mountain road is winding and climbs above 1,500 m: drive in daylight and arrive before nightfall.
  • The almond trees blossom in February, sometimes into March. For a round trip of about 330 km, plan at least one night there.

You are in Agadir with a rental car, and someone has told you about Tafraoute: its pink granite mountains, the Ammeln valley, the almond trees in bloom at the end of winter. On the map, it looks close. On the road, it is a proper day in the mountains. Here is which way to go, how long to allow, what to expect in the Anti-Atlas, and whether it is better to stay the night.

The route: via Aït Baha and the R105, tarmac all the way to Tafraoute

The route given by Explore Agadir Souss Massa, the regional tourism website, is simple. Leave Agadir on the N10, then follow signs for Biougra and Aït Baha: you join the regional road R105, which then climbs towards Tafraoute. Until you get close to Aït Baha, you drive across the plain. After that, the road climbs into the Anti-Atlas.

Some forty kilometres after Aït Baha, the kasbah of Tizourgane, a small restored 13th-century fortified village, appears on your left: it is the natural break on the journey. The R105 then climbs to a pass, above 1,500 m, where it meets the R104, which runs down through the Ammeln valley to Tafraoute. The whole route is tarmac: no need for a 4×4. Some route planners suggest a shortcut along small mountain roads: stay on the R105 and follow the signs for Tafraoute.

Distance and journey time: what to really allow

Route planners give about 167 km and just over 3 hours from the centre of Agadir to Tafraoute via the R105; the regional tourism website gives 166 km and 3 hours. Count on 160 to 170 km, and at least 3 hours of driving without stopping. The first 70 kilometres take just over an hour; the next 95, in the mountains, take nearly two hours. With a stop at Tizourgane and a tea along the way, allow 4 hours.

Section Distance Time to allow Road
Agadir centre → Aït Baha About 70 km 1 h 10 à 1 h 20 N10, then towards Biougra and Aït Baha
Aït Baha → Tizourgane kasbah About 45 km About 1 hour R105, in the mountains
Tizourgane → Tafraoute About 50 km About 1 hour R105, then R104 through the Ammeln valley
Al Massira airport → Tafraoute About 145 km About 3 hours N10, towards Biougra, then R105
Return via Tiznit (alternative) About 200 km 3 h 30 à 4 h R104 over the Kerdous pass, then N1

A mountain road: take care, and drive in daylight

Between Aït Baha and Tafraoute, the road climbs from about 550 m to over 1,500 m, then descends towards Tafraoute, at about 1,000 m. It is tarmac, but winding: its 95 km are more than twice the distance as the crow flies, and it runs through villages. Drive slowly and keep well to the right on bends. The 100 km/h limit outside built-up areas is only a ceiling here. If there are two of you, take turns: a second driver is possible with us, for a surcharge. The general rules are in our article on driving in Morocco.

Our advice: drive this road in daylight, both there and back. NARSA, the national road safety agency, points out that at night visibility drops, tiredness takes its toll and animals can suddenly appear on the road. Set off in the morning with a full tank: the car is returned with the fuel level recorded at delivery (see our article on fuel when hiring a car).

Once there: the Ammeln valley, Aday and the painted rocks

North of Tafraoute, Jbel Lkest, 2,359 m high according to the regional tourism website, closes off the Ammeln valley, home to most of the villages in the area. The R104 crosses it over your last few kilometres. Several villages can be explored on foot, some with traditional houses open to visitors. 3 km from Tafraoute towards Tiznit, Aday is known for its pink mosque at the foot of a granite massif. South of Tafraoute, near the village of Aguerd Oudad, stands the rock nicknamed Napoleon's Hat. Wednesday, souk day, is the liveliest day in Tafraoute.

A word of caution about the painted rocks. In 1984, the Belgian artist Jean Vérame painted a dozen granite boulders blue near Aguerd Oudad. Access is along a track, according to the regional tourism website; OpenStreetMap lists it as a dirt road. Our rental conditions do not allow driving on unpaved tracks, unless the vehicle is expressly suited to them: do not go there by car. The same source lists the trails towards Aguerd Oudad among the finest walks around Tafraoute: leave the car and make it a hike. The same rule applies in the valley: if the road turns into a track, park and carry on on foot, or turn back.

When to go: the almond blossom

The regional tourism website places the blossom in February, when the valley and the plateaus are covered in flowering almond trees, and recommends February–March to see the Ammeln valley in bloom. Treat these two months as a window, not a fixed date: if the blossom is the purpose of your trip, aim for February and stay flexible. Outside the blossom season, the granite landscapes are always worth the trip; for walking, the same website recommends the months from September to May.

Day trip or overnight stay?

The round trip is about 330 km and six hours of driving, nearly four of them in the mountains. It is doable on paper, but you would spend more time behind the wheel than in Tafraoute, with the risk of driving back after dark. We recommend at least one night there. With two days, do a loop: out via Aït Baha, back via the R104 and the Kerdous pass to Tiznit, then the N1 to Agadir, which is about 200 km and 3.5 to 4 hours.

At Carsalis, mileage is unlimited: the 330 to 370 km of the trip make no difference to the price. Assistance is available 24/7: save our number before you set off. Rental is counted in 24-hour blocks, and being more than 2 hours late without our agreement means a full day is charged: if you stay an extra night, let us know on WhatsApp. On tarmac, a city car is enough; compare the categories on our cars page, then send your booking request. Delivery is free in Agadir, at the airport, at your hotel or in the city centre.

Frequently asked questions

Which road should you take between Agadir and Tafraoute?

The most direct goes via Aït Baha: the N10, the R105 via Biougra and Aït Baha, then the R104 through the Ammeln valley. Allow 160 to 170 km and at least 3 hours, on a road that is tarmac but winding after Aït Baha.

Can you do Agadir – Tafraoute and back in a day?

It is doable, but tiring: about 330 km and six hours of driving, much of it in the mountains. We recommend a night there, so you never drive this road at night.

When can you see the almond trees in bloom in Tafraoute?

In February, according to Explore Agadir Souss Massa, the regional tourism website, which recommends February–March for the Ammeln valley. These months are a window, not a fixed date.

Sources

Written by the Carsalis team, in Agadir. We have been hiring out cars from our office at 4 Bis rue Moulay Driss since 2008. What you are reading here comes from our own rental conditions and from what our customers ask us every week on WhatsApp.

A question about your rental in Agadir? Write to us on WhatsApp at +212 648 291 116, or use our booking request. We usually reply within the minute, and we tell you straight whether the car is free or not.

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