Route guide — mountain pass, road N9
The Tizi n’Tichkapass2,260 m on road N9
The Tizi n’Tichka is a mountain pass at 2,260 metres on road N9, which links Marrakech to Ouarzazate across the High Atlas. This guide covers altitude by waypoint, crossing time and the pass’s winter closures.
Altitude-and-distance profile of road N9
Road N9 crosses the Tizi n’Tichka pass at 2,260 metres, between Marrakech (466 m) and Ouarzazate (1,160 m). The table below lists each waypoint with its altitude and what stands there, from Aït Ourir to Ouarzazate.
| Waypoint | km from Marrakech | Altitude | What is there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marrakech | 0 km | 466 m | Start of road N9, Guéliz district |
| Aït Ourir | 37 km | TODO: altitude | Farming town at the edge of the Haouz plain |
| Taddert | 90 km | TODO: altitude | Last supply village before the climb to the pass |
| Tizi n’Tichka pass | 122 km | 2,260 m | Highest point of road N9, the High Atlas watershed |
| Amerzgane | 165 km | TODO: altitude | Berber village on the descent toward Ouarzazate |
| Aït-Ben-Haddou (junction) | 180 km | 1,300 m | Turn-off to the ksar listed as a UNESCO site in 1987 |
| Ouarzazate | 196 km | 1,160 m | End of road N9, gateway to southern Morocco |
Road altitudes measured at each settlement. The missing values for Aït Ourir, Taddert and Amerzgane will be completed in the next update of this guide.
What is the Tizi n’Tichka pass?
The Tizi n’Tichka is a mountain pass at 2,260 metres on road N9, which links Marrakech to Ouarzazate across the High Atlas. The name means "pass of the pastures" in Tashelhit. The road climbs 32 km between Taddert and the summit of the pass.
Road N9 is the national road that links Marrakech to Ouarzazate across the central High Atlas.
The High Atlas is the mountain range that separates the Haouz plain around Marrakech from the pre-Saharan valleys of the south.
The northern flank, between Taddert and the summit, carries the steepest grade of the crossing, over 32 km of continuous climb.
The southern flank, toward Ouarzazate, drops 74 km from the summit down to an altitude of 1,160 metres.
What roadworks changed the Tizi n’Tichka road?
Road N9 was widened and resurfaced between 2017 and 2022 across the whole pass crossing. The works added safety barriers and removed the sharpest bends near the summit, leaving a full two-lane carriageway.
Before the works, several sections carried only one usable lane, making passing difficult for long vehicles.
The ministère du Transport et de la Logistique, Morocco’s transport ministry, oversaw the works on the 32 km most exposed to the climb, between Taddert and the summit.
How long does it take to cross the Tizi n’Tichka pass?
The full Marrakech to Ouarzazate crossing takes 4 h 00 for 196 km, an average speed of 49 km/h. The climb between Taddert and the summit, over 32 km of switchbacks, slows progress below 40 km/h.
The Taddert–summit–Amerzgane stretch, 75 km long, concentrates most of the bends and limits overtaking for heavy vehicles.
A departure before 7 a.m. avoids the truck convoys that run toward Ouarzazate in the early morning.
Does the Tizi n’Tichka pass cause motion sickness?
The Tizi n’Tichka pass strings together dozens of tight bends over the 32 km climb between Taddert and the summit. A front seat in the vehicle reduces the sway felt on the bends. A cracked window and a mid-crossing stop reduce motion sickness.
The exact number of bends on the stretch is not published by the ministère du Transport et de la Logistique: TODO: bend count.
The works carried out between 2017 and 2022 removed the tightest switchbacks near the summit without changing the road’s overall route.
Does the Tizi n’Tichka pass close in winter?
The Tizi n’Tichka pass closes for 2 to 5 days a year under snow, between December and February. The closure is decided by the gendarmerie royale according to snow cover at the summit. Vehicles fitted with suitable tyres run outside the days of full closure.
The gendarmerie royale is the authority responsible for road safety outside towns in Morocco, including closing the pass in snow conditions.
Snowfall affects mainly the summit and the 10 km around it, between 2,100 and 2,260 metres of altitude.
The checkpoint at Taddert, the last village before the climb, signals the closure to vehicles approaching the pass.
Which other routes and day trips cross the Tizi n’Tichka?
Road N9 continues past the pass toward Ouarzazate, then on to Merzouga via roads N10 and N13, on a 561 km route from Marrakech.
The pass is also crossed on the day trip to Ouarzazate and Aït-Ben-Haddou, which adds a visit to the ksar listed as a UNESCO site in 1987.
A minibus with a driver crosses the pass without passengers handling the mountain driving, the stops or the checkpoints.
Marrakech to Ouarzazate: distance, driving time and private transfer · Marrakech to Merzouga: distance, driving time and private transfer · Ouarzazate and Aït-Ben-Haddou day trip from Marrakech · Request a free minibus quote in Marrakech
Frequently asked questions
What is the exact altitude of the Tizi n’Tichka pass?
The Tizi n’Tichka pass peaks at 2,260 metres, on road N9. It is the highest point of the entire crossing between Marrakech and Ouarzazate. No other direct road between the two cities rises above that altitude.
Are the Tizi n’Tichka and the Tizi n’Test the same pass?
No, they are two separate passes in the High Atlas. The Tizi n’Test, on road N10, peaks at 2,092 metres toward Taroudant. Its road is narrower and not recommended for 15-seat minibuses.
Do you need special tyres to cross the pass in winter?
Snow tyres are required during snowfall episodes, between December and February. The gendarmerie royale filters traffic at the Taddert checkpoint during those episodes. Vehicles without them wait for the pass to reopen.
How many kilometres separate Marrakech from the summit of the pass?
122 kilometres separate Marrakech from the summit of the pass, on road N9. The route passes Aït Ourir at km 37 and Taddert at km 90. The remaining 74 km descend toward Ouarzazate.
Is the Tizi n’Tichka pass dangerous in a minibus?
The road is fully paved and widened to two lanes since the 2017 to 2022 works. Bends remain numerous over the 32 km climb between Taddert and the summit. Professional drivers reduce their speed through this section.
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