While Morocco is a well-known tourist destination, it is also a world-class rock climbing destination. If you are a rock climber interested in visiting Morocco, the answer is, without a doubt, yes, there are good places to climb!
There is a wide range of climbing for all levels across the country. Morocco offers a variety of unique climbing with a wide range of difficulty to peak your interest and satisfy your sense of adventure. Perhaps you’ve never climbed a day in your life, you are a gym climber looking to expand your experience, or an experienced climber looking for a unique sport or trad climbing challenge.
Essential Information for Climbing in Morocco
Getting technical gear in Morocco is very difficult, so bring any equipment you would need to climb on your own, or consider hiring a guide. It can be difficult to purchase guidebooks in the country, so you may also consider ordering them before coming. If you are looking for a serious climbing tour - we highly recommend using a company that we know and trust called Climb Morocco. They use Certified Climbing Guides and are able to help beginners through experts. They have consistently high ratings on TripAdvisor - check them out!
Morocco is a majority Muslim country and many of the climbing areas are in traditional rural villages, which are much more conservative. While it’s not expected that you follow the customs of locals, it is respectful especially for women to dress in ways that are more conservative. It’s also good to be aware of the time of year when you are planning your trip.
Ramadan often coincides with the prime of climbing season. While you can still travel during Ramadan, it’s important to be aware of some of the changes that will occur during this holy season. The majority of the climbing areas are best accessed between the months of October and April.
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Top Climbing Destinations in Morocco
We’ve tried to put together the most comprehensive list of all the places to climb across the country. Some of these have more info widely available and others are just local crags.
Todra Gorge
This spectacular climbing destination in the southeast of Morocco is home to towering limestone walls around 300 meters in height. It is probably one of the more trafficked climbing areas in the country, and for a good reason. It’s a popular destination on many travel itineraries (for both climbers and non-climbers) as it sits on a popular travel route to Merzouga, the gateway to the Sahara Desert. This does make it a more touristy destination, but that does not mean it’s not worth the hype.
No matter what level of difficulty you are accustomed to, you will be able to find a suitable route for you at the Todra Gorge. There are many multi-pitch routes available here. On the southern fringe of the High Atlas is one of Morocco’s premier climbing destinations, the Todra Gorge. Climbing has been going on here since the late 1960s, and for the first 30 years, it was the main place to climb in Morocco. Yet accurate route information remains notoriously difficult to come by.
Parties from all over the world have bolted hundreds of lines over four decades. Although many routes are well-bolted, other opportunities exist for climbers interested in trad or in setting new routes, especially multi-pitch ones. Often, Moroccan souvenir sellers crowd the base of the cliffs, which sometimes turns into a weird adventure. Many sport routes in the gorge are over 30m long, so it is worth having a 70m rope. One advantage of climbing in Todra is the incredible lack of mosquitoes, ticks, spiders, or other intrusive bugs.
As we previously pointed out, the Todra Gorge in Morocco is particularly good for multi-pitch climbing. There are a few single-pitch bolted routes, too. Plage Mansour is located right at the entrance to the gorge and offers almost 30 routes, mostly between 5a and 6b. Many pitches on this crag are over 30m, and a few are even 48-50m. Vertical and slab climbing dominate, and the bolting is good. Petite Gorge is the other unmissable crag in Todra Gorge. This section lies about five kilometers from the entrance and can be reached either by car or on foot.
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Berbertraum is a 340m route leading to the top of Aiguille des Palmeraies. Its 13 pitches range between 4a and 5c, and the longest is 45m. A trail between the rocks leads down from the top, or you can rappel. Smoufond is a 6a+ route that leads to the top of Pieds Dans l’Eau after about 150m. To get to the bottom of the wall, you have to cross a river - a strange obstacle. Another route that starts by the water is Vole de Defile, which leads to the top of Aguille du Gue. It is four pitches long and graded 6a, V+, V+, and III. There is also another route nearby, called La Diedre, which is partially bolted.
Marrakech is the nearest international airport, and daily flights are available from throughout Europe. At the airport, you can exchange euros for Moroccan dirhams. It is still largely a cash economy, and you can only use credit cards in places like supermarkets. It takes about seven hours to drive from Marrakesh to the Todra Gorge, so we suggest spending the first and last nights in the city. From Ouarzazate to the Todra Gorge takes about two hours by car. Or you can catch a bus from Marrakech to the town of Tinghir. From there, take a taxi 15km to Todra.
Tisgui, the closest village to the gorge, has many small hotels and hostels; for example, Etoile des Gorges. Hotel Yasmina is located right in the heart of the climbing, within easy walking distance of most areas. Hotel Mansour and Hotel La Vallee are popular options at the entrance of the gorge.
Best Time: Fall and Spring.
Closest Airport: Ouarzazate (2 hours away).
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Family Friendly? Yes. There are several easy-access kid’s crags in the gorge. There is also a scenic river flowing through it, which makes for great water play.
Accommodation: The lovely Auberge La Valle is located in the heart of the gorge and offers comfortable and affordable accommodations.
Other Activities: There are many trails for hiking in the area.
Guidebooks: You will be pressed to find copies for sale in the gorge.
Taghia Gorge
The Taghia Gorge, nestled in a remote valley of the Middle Atlas Mountains of Morocco, is a world-class destination for difficult limestone multi-pitch sport climbing and big-wall climbing. This impressive gorge has walls up to 900 meters. You may know it from the film Free Solo about Alex Honnold. You used to have to hike in from the nearby Zaouiat Ahansal, but there is now a road that reaches the main village in the gorge.
While there are a few easier climbs and a little bit of single-pitch climbing, it is a destination for more experienced climbers. The closest airport is in Marrakech, about 4.5 hours to Zaouiat Ahansal. Plan your travel to include a night in Zaouiat Ahansal. While the village is a fun place for kids to play, and there is a nice river to play in nearby, the majority of the climbing is not kid-friendly.
Gite Taoujdate Taghia is the place to stay if you’re planning a trip to Taghia. Said and family’s hospitality are unmatched. The Taghia Guide Book by Christian Ravier and Ihintza Elsenaar covers the whole area including the climbing in Zaouiat Ahansal.
Tafraout
This superb and aesthetic destination in the southern Anti-Atlas region of Morocco is easy to access from Agadir (just 3 hours southeast). Tafraout is a climber’s paradise offering the most diverse range of climbing in the country. Just a short jaunt from the souk in the center of town, you will find piles of granite boulders reminiscent of Joshua Tree that cater to many different styles of climbing.
The closest International airport is Agadir (about 2.5 hours away) and cars are easy to rent. You can also arrive by bus from most major cities. It’s best to have a car to access more of the climbing, but it is possible to reach some on foot from the city center (about 2km or more). Tafraout has some great areas for climbing with kids. Check out Kindergarten Crags or even the Bouldering Circuit.
Ride a bike out to the Painted Rocks or opt for a longer ride to see the nearby oasis of Ait Mansour (about 32km). Summit Jebel L’Kest, the highest mountain in the Anti-Atlas region. Go canyoning in one of the many incredible locations nearby. There are several guidebooks for the Tafraout and Jebel L’Kest areas. You can find a full list at Climb Tafraout.
For the most detailed info on the climbing in Tafraout proper, the Tafraout Granite guidebook is your best bet. The Morocco Anti-Atlas Guidebook is a comprehensive guide covering a wider geographical area, but it has limited info on the area immediately next to Tafraout.
Jebel Kest
This area is a great one to couple with a trip to Tafraout because it’s located in the mountains just west. It’s mainly known for its trad routes - of which it has plenty to explore and tackle! The climbing in this area is home to primarily adventurous trad climbing, which adds to the allure for some, but also makes it inaccessible to less experienced climbers. But wherever your skill level permits, we highly recommend climbing in this area even if you have to hire a guide.
The closest International airport is Agadir (about 2.5 hours away) and cars are easy to rent. You will need a vehicle to access this climbing area. From Agadir, take the road toward Tafraout, when you arrive at the Kasbah Tizourgane, take the road through Ida Ouganadif to the mountains where you will find all the climbing. Our kids love this area, but it’s not a typical kid climbing destination.
Our favorite is Ksar Rock Guesthouse because you get an authentic experience and you can walk to hundreds of routes from the guesthouse. In this area of the Souss-Massa there are several historic granaries, one of the oldest banking systems in the world.
There are several guidebooks for the area and you can find a full list at Climb Tafraout. The most recent guidebooks for the area are the 3rd Edition of the Morocco Anti-Atlas Guidebook and Tafraout Granite.
Akchour (Rif Mountains)
Akchour is another world-class climbing destination located in the Parc National de Talassemtane, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Rif Mountains of northern Morocco. This area offers stunning views and huge walls of solid limestone climbing. If you are interested in climbing the Rif Mountains of Northern Morocco, stop at the blue town of Chefchaouen!
Much has been developed and is well-equipped for sport, multi-pitch and some traditional climbing; but the opportunities for further development are endless. Like Taghia, this area is well-known and frequented by many professional climbers like Hazel Findlay, Alex Honnold and Bronwyn Hodgins seeking after challenging, long routes. The closest international airport in Tangier which is about 2 hours away. You could also travel from Fez (3.5 hours away) or Rabat (4 hours away). The guidebook for this area is no longer in print.
Agadir and Taghazout
Where the Atlas Mountains meet the ocean, there are some new climbing areas that are still being developed just 30 minutes outside of Agadir and Taghazout. This makes access to rock climbing easy when you are enjoying a surf holiday in Morocco. Agadir has an international airport with many flights from Europe and the UK. For more info on these areas, please contact us directly. We are still in the process of developing these areas.
Oukaimeden
Just 2 hours from Marrakech, this high alpine valley in the High Atlas Mountains is easily accessible for a day trip, but also a beautiful place to stay for a weekend away. This climbing area in the High Atlas Mountains is perfect for people who are just beginning to climb. It has lovely views, and one particular advantage is that it isn’t too hot during the summer months.
It’s ideal in the summer when the temperatures are sweltering in Marrakech. It can be accessed most of the year, however there can be snow in the winter months. The Club Alpine Français Chalet is a comfortable place to stay with many rooms, so it’s wonderful for big groups. You can purchase the Oukaimeden Bouldering Guidebook for the area through Rakkup.
Ourika Valley
The Ourika Valley stretches from the small souk town of Agarb up to the waterfalls of Setti Fatma. This area is the closest to reach from Marrakech. While it’s certainly nothing to travel to Morocco for, it’s an easy day trip from the Red City.
Gagou and Ain Belmusk
In the unassuming, rolling hills near Settat you will find these two small gorges that seem to emerge heroically from the landscape almost by surprise. Less than 1.5 hrs from Marrakech lies a quiet and unique climbing paradise called Ain Belmusk. In a beautiful area with solid, marble (quartzite) rock, you find bolted sport climbing moving through slabs, cracks, and pockets as well as many opportunities for traditional routes on corners, cracks, and chimneys. This climbing area is next to a small river with camping right next to the crag in a forest.
Gagou is home to about 50 sport routes and a few old trad ascents. This area is located conveniently between Marrakech and Casablanca and easily accessible from both cities (about 1.5 hours away from both). It’s probably the most frequented crag by the growing Moroccan climbing community. Ain Belmusk is located on the road into Gagou and also home to some good single-pitch sport climbing. Both of the areas are suitable for a range of climbers, from beginners to more advanced. You can find the Ain Belmusk Guide on Rakkup.
Other Climbing Areas
The other climbing areas listed below are spread out across the country, but little information is available online or in print.
Rock Climbing Morocco - Todra Gorge
Why Choose Morocco for Rock Climbing?
Why should I choose Moroccan Atlas Mountains for my Rock Climbing adventure?
- Amazing rock climbing opportunities: You will find rock climbing options of all types for all levels in the Moroccan Atlas Mountains. Big wall, sport, trad, bouldering, top rope and more, are possible in this stunning location.
- Stunning landscapes: The vibrant landscapes of Morocco will take your breath away. Red rocks, fig-trees, waterfalls and more are sure to dazzle you.
- Unique and colorful local culture: The Moroccan culture with its traditional clothing, spices, architecture and more are colorful as the land itself and a treat for the senses.
Morocco Rock Guidebooks
Morocco Rock produces modern rock climbing guidebooks to the Anti-Atlas region of Morocco - a surprisingly accessible area in the heart of a mystical and ancient culture. This area of Morocco is a ‘must visit’ location for any adventurous climber seeking a winter sun trip between September and May.
Back in 2012 we published the definitive Anti-Atlas guide to the north side of the Jebel el Kest and Taskra North - Morocco Rock was a Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival Finalist. The Morocco Rock Guidebooks are published by Crack Addicts and cover the south west Anti-Atlas of Morocco, namely the entire Jebel el Kest region, north and south, an area which has been extensively explored by the authors and graphic designers Paul Donnithorne, Emma Alsford and Don Sargeant since 2007, back in the days of the early pioneers.
This latest guidebook, produced by the Crack Addicts team, contains almost 2000 of the best routes in the region, covering all grades from V Diff to E7, on over 150 crags. This new select guidebook contains climbs for all abilities and tastes. There are now 9 major areas within this region of the Anti-Atlas, and the guidebook has detailed maps and overviews, including QR codes to get climbers directly to all the parking locations, as well as full photo diagram / topo coverage, and inspiring action photography of the best routes in the area.
This convenient slim and lightweight walking guide features the 10 walks in the climbing guide plus an additional 6 walks, including the Amaghouz Gorge. A detailed, one sheet map of the whole region, covering both the climbing and walking guides, designed small enough to be conveniently opened while sitting in a car, or in the café discussing options.
This new (text only) digital guide is the most up to date source of information for developments on the north side of The Anti-Atlas Mountains. It contains approximately 1500 climbs on both existing crags, featured in Morocco Rock (First Edition), and The Anti-Atlas select guide. There are also entirely new cliffs, mountains and gorges not seen in print before. Updated maps have been included, which also show the new and upgraded roads. There are now about 2500 climbs on the north side of the range, compared to 1000 covered in the 2012 definitive edition of Morocco Rock.
Morocco Rock was formed by Emma Alsford and Paul Donnithorne, who have been trad climbing in Britain and all over the world for over 40 years. They first visited the traditional rock climbing area around the beautiful Jebel el Kest region in the Moroccan Anti Atlas in 2007, and have developed hundreds of routes here, as well as many new routes all over Britain.
Don Sargeant has been making maps for over 45 years. An acknowledged leader in the field of climbing guide maps and diagrams, he has set a high standard in clarity, accuracy of detail and ground breaking design. Since initial training in typography and graphic design, followed by a decade of climbing and travelling, Don’s work for publishers of mountaineering books includes artwork (especially maps) for over sixty rock climbing guidebooks.
His first mapping of this area of Morocco was in 1990, just before western climbers ‘discovered’ the Ameln Valley. Our guidebooks are produced using the latest modern publishing techniques to create visually inspiring climbing guidebooks.
Note: All digital purchases include 1 year of free updates. Updates will be available for an additional charge after that, depending on the extent of the updates.
| Destination | Climbing Type | Best Time to Visit | Family Friendly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Todra Gorge | Sport, Multi-pitch, Trad | Fall and Spring | Yes |
| Taghia Gorge | Multi-pitch Sport, Big-wall | Fall and Spring | No |
| Tafraout | Granite Bouldering, Sport, Trad | Fall and Spring | Yes |
| Jebel Kest | Trad | Fall and Spring | No |
| Akchour | Sport, Multi-pitch, Trad | Fall and Spring | Unknown |
| Oukaimeden | Bouldering | Summer | Unknown |
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