TODRA ACCOMMODATION
Most climbers visiting Todra will stay in hotel or guest-house / riad accommodation, either in the Gorge itself, the villages of Ait Baha or Ait Oussalem (both just below the gorge), or in the town of Tinghir.
Accommodation in the Gorge
Staying in the Gorge itself is a good option for visitors without their own car, as it is possible to walk to pretty much all of the climbing areas in under 30 minutes from the door of your hotel. It does, however, have the disadvantage that you'll have to walk / taxi out of the Gorge in order to pick up supplies, although a small shop opposite Plage Mansour can provide enough for a few days' climbing.
Hotel Yasmina, situated in the heart of the main gorge, used to be a popular option for climbers, but has been closed since it was partly destroyed by a large rockfall from the walls above.
Above: Looking down to the Yasmina from a route on the west wall of the Gorge.
Just beneath the Gorge, opposite the crags of Plage Mansour are the very popular Hotel Mansour and Hotel La Vallee. Both offer excellent value accommodation and are popular with climbers on a budget, with a variety of prices down to very cheap rooftop bivi options. The hotels are just yards away from some of the climbing, and right at the foot of the main descent route behind the Aiguille du Gue / Grabe. There is a small shop selling basic supplies, so it's perfectly possible to spend your entire trip here and not need a car - particularly if you only want to climb in the main gorge area. Routes on the Upper Tier and Petite Gorge are rather further, reached in 30 - 60 minutes.
ACCOMMODATION IN THE VILLAGES
The two villages of Ait Baha and Ait Oussalem lie on the road beneath the outflow of the Gorge, forming part of a more-or-less continuous line of settlement along the R703 towards Tinghir. Staying in the village is something of a compromise between the short walk-ins when staying in the gorge, and the availability of services such as shops. The walk up to the gorge takes about 20-30 minutres.
There are numerous little guest houses and riads along the road, of which the Hotel Dar Ayour is particularly recommended. It offers comfortable, clean accommodation and home-cooked food. Alcohol available, and some rooms have air conditioning. Prices are approx 30 Euros per night. See http://www.darayour.com/anglais/acceuil.php
ACCOMMODATION IN TINGHIR
The town of Tinghir is a major settlement, offering a variety of services including many hotels and guesthouses, petrol, cash, supermarkets, and fresh supplies from the souq. For visitors with a car, staying in Tinghir has the advantage of being able to enjoy the culture of the town in the evening, eat at a large variety of cafes and restaurants, and pick up fresh supplies each day. The drive up to the Main Gorge takes about 15 - 20 minutes, so is perfectly feasible each day. There are countless hotels and guest houses within the town, and securing accommodation on arrival is not usually difficult.
For climbers looking for a little bit of luxury, the Kasbah Lamrani is strongly recommended, offering excellent, authentic Kasbah-style accommodation with air-conditioned rooms, good restaurant and fully stocked bar. There's an outside swimming pool, and live local music is frequently performed in the tented outdoor restaurant. The hotel is located on the left side of the road, just as you enter Tinghir from Ouarzazate.
Right: Kasbah Lamrani in Tinghir
TODRA GUIDEBOOKS
The New Todra Topo is available for sale HERE!
GUIDED CLIMBING
Even if you've never rock climbed before then you can enjoy scaling Todra's vertical limestone walls with a professional guide.
We recommend www.climbmorocco.com, who are fully trained in single- and multi-pitch climbing and can provide all the necessary equipment. For more info, please visit their website:
The local guiding company, based in the village beneath the Gorge, also offer supervised climbing and equipment hire. Visit their shop, or online at:
Other Resources
More information about climbing in the Todra Gorge is available at:
http://todraclimbing.blogspot.co.uk/
For climbers looking for trad, then also be sure to check out Climb-Tafraout, where you'll find one of the most exciting "Trad Climbing Meccas" this side of the Atlantic!
