Three climbs out of Marrakech decide whether a road rider’s week in Morocco is memorable. Here they are with the numbers, the roadworks and the one summit sign that is wrong by 55 metres.
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Most people who ride the Atlas with us come for the trails. A smaller group comes with a road bike and one question: which climbs are worth flying for? Three of them sit within reach of Marrakech, and between them they cover everything from a long, steady drag on the main road south to a mountain road laid in the 1920s.
This is what they are, measured. The lengths and gradients come from Climbfinder’s climb database; the summit heights we checked ourselves against the same Copernicus terrain model our route maps are drawn on.
The climbs, side by side
| Climb | Length | Average | Steepest 100 m | Climbing | Top |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oukaïmeden, from Ourika | 30.1 km | 5.4% | 10.3% | 1,615 m | about 2,616 m |
| Tizi n'Test, from Oulad Berhil (south) | 35.8 km | 4.1% | 8.4% | 1,476 m | 2,093 m |
| Tizi n'Test, from the Yacoub el Mansour dam (north) | 61.1 km | 2.2% | 6.7% | 1,323 m | 2,093 m |
| Tizi n'Tichka, from Zerkten | 29 km | 3.5% | 10.7% | 1,008 m | 2,205 m |
Read the averages carefully. The northern side of the Tizi n'Test averages 2.2% only because it runs for 61 km and includes long valley sections between the real climbing. The southern side out of the Souss plain is shorter and properly steady. Oukaïmeden is the hardest of the three by a distance: more than 1,600 m of climbing in 30 km, to the highest summit of the three.
Tizi n'Test: the one with the history
The road over the Tizi n'Test was laid between 1926 and 1932, and in places it still feels like it: narrow, cut into the slope, all switchbacks and drops, with a 1,600 m descent towards Taroudant on the far side. It is part of the national road N7 today, though older maps still call it the R203.
It is also the road that took the worst of the September 2023 earthquake. It was cleared and reopened, and in July 2024 the government launched the rebuilding of the section between Ouirgane and Talat N'Yaaqoub, widening it from about 4 m to 7.5 m. We have found no completion date. Expect a mix of new wide road and old narrow road, with roadworks in between, and ask us before you plan a day around it: our gravel and enduro routes come through this valley, so we can tell you how it looks that week.
Below the pass on the northern side sits Tinmal, the Almohads’ first base, whose mosque was built around 1153 and has been on UNESCO’s Tentative List since 1995. The earthquake toppled its minaret and collapsed the prayer hall, and it is being rebuilt brick by brick. It is worth a stop, but go expecting a restoration site rather than the monument in the old photographs.
Tizi n'Tichka: the main road, and the wrong sign
The Tichka is the N9, the main road from Marrakech over the Atlas to Ouarzazate and the south-east, built by the French military in 1936. That makes it the busier of the two passes by far: it carries the lorries, buses and grand taxis heading south. The climb is long and gentle on average, 3.5%, with ramps up to 10.7%.
A tunnel to take the traffic off the Tichka has been discussed for decades. In 2023 the project was moved to an Ourika valley route, and as of mid-2026 it still had no construction timetable. Plan on the pass as it is.
Oukaïmeden: the hardest climb near Marrakech
Oukaïmeden is a ski resort above the Ourika valley, and the road to it is 30 km that barely stops going up. It is the opening day of our 4-day road itinerary, and the climb takes two to three hours.
In winter the top end is a working ski resort, with the snow and ice that implies, so it is a spring and autumn climb.
When to ride them
Snow can fall on the high passes from November to March, and it can close them for short periods. July and August are hot at valley level, which is where every one of these climbs starts. Spring and autumn are the sensible window, which is the same answer our guide to the best time to ride in Morocco gives for the trails, for the same reasons.
Bikes and gearing
Our road bikes are carbon with compact chainsets, set up for long Atlas climbs rather than flat roads. If you bring your own, do the same: these are climbs measured in hours, often at altitude, and a gear you would never use at home will be the one you live in. Our guide to flying with a bike to Morocco covers boxes, airlines and the customs desk in Marrakech.
How we run a road trip
We build road trips privately, around your dates and how hard you want them. A typical four days: Oukaïmeden on day one; across to Asni by the Tizi n'Tadmamt at 1,813 m on day two; up the Tizi n'Test past Tinmal and back down to Ouirgane on day three; and on the last morning across the Kik Plateau and down to the Lalla Takerkoust lake before the short transfer to Marrakech.
The support vehicle sits behind the group on the exposed sections and carries your bag, water and spares, and we route around the busiest stretches of the Tichka rather than riding them in traffic. If you want the passes as part of something longer, our private and custom bike tours page explains how we put a route together, and the 9-day Atlas to Atlantic tour shows how far west the mountains run before they meet the sea.
Common questions
How high is the Tizi n'Tichka?
2,205 m. The sign at the summit says 2,260 m, but a 2022 GPS reading and the Copernicus terrain model both put it at 2,205 m.
Is the Tizi n'Test open after the 2023 earthquake?
Yes, it was cleared and reopened, but the section between Ouirgane and Talat N'Yaaqoub has been under reconstruction and widening since July 2024. Expect roadworks and check with us before planning a day on it.
Can I hire a road bike?
Yes. We have carbon road bikes with compact chainsets. Hire is not included in the tour price; ask us for current rates when you enquire.
