In the eastern part of the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco, near the town of Tinerhir, the Todra and the Dades Rivers have carved out a narrow canyon called Todra Gorge (sometimes spelled Todgha Gorge), on their final 40 kilometers through the mountains. The gorge takes its most spectacular form about 15 km from Tinghir. Here, for about 600 meters, the canyon walls closes in to a mere 10 meters from each other, while the sheer and smooth rock walls rise up to 160 meters on each side. It is said that the gigantic rock walls magically change color as the day progresses.
At the bottom of the gorge flows an ice-cold river, which at one point of time, carried great quantities of water which is apparent from the size of the canyon that was carved out of the rocks. The river has since dried up and reduced to a tiny glacier stream. A well-maintained asphalt road leads all the way from Tinerhir to the gorge and beyond it.
The gorge is breathtaking and easy hike by foot with many places to stop and photograph. The robust rock sides with many uneven surfaces provide plenty of opportunities for rock climbing. You can even spend the night here in one of the small hotels and lodges that the locals have set up inside the gorge.
