The Tizi n'Tichka is the road that joins Marrakech to the south, and it climbs to around 2,260 metres through the heart of the High Atlas. It was built by the French in the 1930s as a way to link the plains to the desert oases beyond, and it follows an old caravan route that traders and armies used for centuries. Today the N9 carries buses, trucks and tourists, and it is the main crossing of the range, so the road has both a working and an adventurous character.
The climb from the Marrakech side begins in warm plains of olive and orange, then rises through terraced villages of red earth houses and juniper hills. The air thins, the temperature drops, and the landscape turns from green to russet and grey. The summit is a broad saddle with a few cafés and stalls selling minerals and fossils, and on a clear day the view reaches across the ranges, with Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa at 4,167 metres, rising in the west. On the southern side the road descends into drier country, with kasbahs and clay villages above palm-filled valleys and, eventually, the Sahara's edge.
The ride is long and varied. There are many hairpins on the northern ramp, and the road surface is usually decent but can be broken at the edges, with patches of gravel, potholes and sometimes rockfall after rain. Lorries crawl uphill, and overtaking them on blind bends is a common but risky habit. Take your time and stay alert for animals, children and the odd vehicle in the wrong lane. In winter, snow and ice can close the pass or require chains, and fog can reduce visibility to a few metres, so check conditions before you leave. Police checkpoints and speed traps are common, and the limits are enforced, so keep your papers handy and your speed in check.
Fuel is available in Marrakech and Ouarzazate and in some towns along the way, but the high section has little, so start with a full tank. Taddert, a village near the top, has cafés and basic services. Water and snacks are worth carrying, because the climate is dry and the sun is strong.
If you have time, the old Glaoui kasbah at Telouet, reached by a side road, is a remarkable ruin with painted ceilings. It gives you a taste of the power that once ruled this pass.