The short answer
About 4 hours for 200 km, over the Tizi n'Tichka pass. The distance looks short, but the climb and the switchbacks slow the road, so allow 4 to 4.5 hours before photo stops. No train crosses the Atlas, so the options are a coach, a shared grand taxi or a private car.
In more detail
The road is the N9, a well-used national road over the High Atlas. The pass tops out at 2,260 metres, with Berber villages, tea stops and long views on the way down into the pre-Saharan south. Snow can briefly close or slow the top section in winter.
Supratours and CTM run direct coaches over the Tichka, around 4 to 5 hours. A private car lets you stop where you like, and most people break the drive at Aït Ben Haddou, about 30 km before Ouarzazate.
Ouarzazate is the staging town for the south. From there, the kasbah road east to Merzouga is 360 km and about 5 hours, through the Dadès and Todra gorges.
Good to know
- Take layers: the pass is cold and the south is hot.
- Prone to car sickness? Sit in front and ask for a stop at the summit.
- Aim to arrive before dark; mountain roads are harder at night.