The Tizi n'Test is one of those roads that people tell stories about before they have even seen it. It crosses the High Atlas in southern Morocco at about 2,100 metres, linking Marrakech and its plain with the Sous valley and the town of Taroudant on the far side, and it does so by way of a narrow, twisting mountain road that was built by the French in the 1920s and early 1930s. The word tizi simply means pass in the Berber language, and the Berber villages along the way, built of the same red earth as the hills, look as if they grew from the mountain.
The road is a classic of North African riding. From Marrakech it runs south across the flat plain, then begins to climb through the Atlas foothills, past Asni and the valley of Ouirgane, with the Toubkal massif, the highest in North Africa, rising to the east. The climb is steady, with long bends and a number of hairpins, and the summit is a sudden notch in the ridge with a cafe and a stand of thin cedar. The descent on the southern side is the hard part, a series of tight turns cut into the cliff with long drops, sections without barriers and a surface that varies from good tarmac to broken edges and rockfall.
A few kilometres below the road, in a valley near the village of Tin Mal, stands one of the oldest mosques in Morocco, a twelfth-century building made of rammed earth and stone and associated with the Almohad dynasty, who set out from these mountains to rule much of North Africa and Spain. It is partly ruined but atmospheric, and was restored in recent decades. It is a good stop for anyone with a taste for history.
The riding demands care. The road is narrow and busy with trucks, buses and grands taxis, and local drivers overtake with confidence on blind bends. Goats, donkeys and children use the road, and the weather can be severe. Snow and ice close or block the pass in winter, usually from December to March, and fog and storms can occur at other times. Spring and autumn are the best seasons, with clear air and snow on the high peaks.
Fuel is the main thing to plan. Stations are found in Marrakech and Taroudant, and in some of the larger villages along the way, but the supply on the mountain is unreliable, so begin with a full tank. Carry water and some cash, since few places accept cards. The cafe at the top serves mint tea and simple meals, and the view over the valley is a good reward.