The road over the Tizi n'Test pass is one of the great mountain drives in Morocco, and Tinmal sits roughly in the middle of it. Coming from Marrakesh, the road climbs from the plains through the Nfis valley, passing Berber villages clinging to the hillsides, before cresting the pass at 2,092 metres and descending toward Taroudant and the Souss plain on the far side. The views from the top — north toward the plains, south toward the Anti-Atlas — are sweeping.
This is not a route for nervous drivers. The road is narrow, with steep drops on one side for long stretches and heavy truck traffic on occasion. But for confident drivers, or for those who arrange a shared grand taxi with a local driver, it is far more rewarding than the more travelled Tizi n'Tichka route. In the opposite direction, Taroudant makes a fine destination in its own right — a walled Sous town with a good souk and none of Marrakesh's tourist pressure.