The Gorges Sèches, in the Dadès Valley

(S/E) Park in the car park just north of the Ait Oudinar campsite, then head south for about a hundred metres before turning right onto the street. After 150 metres, just as the street turns sharply to the left, take the wide path branching off to the right. This path runs between houses on the left and gardens on the right. Continue along this path for about 800 metres.

(1) Make a mental note of this spot, as it is here, on the left between two houses, that the return path will lead you at the end of the walk. Continue in the same direction for a further 900 metres or so along this path, which turns into a track and winds through gardens and orchards whilst following the stream.

(2) Cross the stream via a bridge made from a tree split lengthways, then join the road. Turn left and follow this road for about 1 km until you come to several large car parks on the left.

(3) Just past the last car park, turn left and head down through the trees towards the river. Cross to the other bank via a ford or a tree trunk, then head towards the entrance to the gorges visible in the distance.
A wall/staircase will block the entrance to the gorges. Climb up and then back down these high steps, then continue into the canyon.

(4) Enter the canyon on the left and follow it. At one point, it will be blocked by a wall or flight of steps. Climb the high steps of this wall and descend in the same way on the other side to continue along the canyon. There are two tricky sections to negotiate (which will require the use of your hands) before you emerge from the canyon.

(5) After emerging from the steep-sided section of the canyon, a cairn marks a path that veers sharply left and climbs quite steeply, initially in switchbacks; the slope then becomes gentler and the path gradually fades away until it is no longer visible once you reach the summit.

Continue in the same direction, south-west then south, until you come to a faintly marked path, then alter your course towards south-south-west then south, gradually approaching a power line visible on the left. The path is still faintly marked on this rocky terrain but is nevertheless visible (don’t hesitate to look up into the distance to see it take shape more clearly). In any case, if you happen to stray from the path, the general direction to follow is south.

(6) Follow the now clearly defined path southwards, then, after a right-hand bend, southwards again and then south-southeast as you approach the power line, which is now clearly visible.

(7) Pass under the power line and follow the path as it gradually moves away from it.

(8) Now head down the zigzagging path to the houses visible below. Pass between two houses and head down towards the road you took at the start.

(1) Turn right for about 100 metres, then turn left towards the river, and then turn right onto a very pleasant path that runs alongside the river until you reach a small weir.

(9) Go down from the dam and continue for a few dozen metres, following the river until you come to a sort of dry canal on your right, cluttered with stones; follow this upstream for about 100 metres to rejoin the path you took at the start.
Follow it to the left, in the opposite direction to your outward journey, to return to the car park (S/E).

- Please note: as with any path in the bed of a dry river, do not venture out there in wet weather.

- It might be a good idea to take a towel with you, in case you get your feet wet when crossing the river.

- At point (4), an alternative route allows you to avoid the tricky sections but means you miss out on the views of the canyons (and, consequently, much of the appeal of the walk). To take this route, turn right and follow a path that goes round the gorges to the north, before descending again to reach point (5).

- If you’re staying at the Ait Oudinar Campsite, a small bridge takes you straight down to the riverbank, from where you can rejoin the route described.
If you’re not staying at the campsite, you can also ask Brahim, the (very friendly) manager, for permission to use the bridge.

- Don’t forget to take water and a hat – and perhaps some snacks – as although this walk is short, it can be quite challenging, especially in summer.

- As the route passes through steep-sided gorges, the GPS signal may be disrupted and the final track sometimes deviated from the path to follow. I’ve corrected it as best I could, but in any case, there’s no way to go wrong in the canyon – you simply need to follow it. There may also be some discrepancies in the geotagging of the photos.

If you follow the road northwards, you can visit the Dadès Gorges, which offer some remarkable views.