Tizi n Tighist is a climb of 15.3 kilometers (hors catégorie). The climb finishes at 2,390 m above sea level. It is located in Aït Blal, Béni Mellal-Khénifra ⴰⵢⵜ ⵎⵍⵍⴰⵍ-ⵅⵏⵉⴼⵕⴰ بني ملال-خنيفرة, Maroc ⵍⵎⵖⵔⵉⴱ المغرب. The average gradient is 7.0% with a maximum of 20.1%. The climb has 1067 meters of elevation gain.
Difficulty breakdown: At 15.3 km, with an average gradient of 7% and 1067 m of climbing, the Tizi n Tighist from Assammar is a very demanding HC climb. After a start at 6% then 10% (km 0.0-2.0), the 13% (km 6.0-7.0) and 14% (km 7.0-8.0) sections form the hardest part. The finale, with steady 7% to 8% gradients between km 11.0 and 15.0, slowly grinds down your legs, the only notable respite being km 10.0-11.0 at 1%.
Pacing tips:
1. Pace yourself from the start. Ride at threshold through km 0.0-2.0 so you still have something in the tank when you hit the 13-14% ramps.
2. Prepare for the 13-14% section. Shift to your easy gears before km 6.0 and keep a smooth, steady cadence through to km 8.0.
3. Make the most of the recovery sections. Eat, drink and get the legs turning again on the easier stretches, like km 8.0-9.0 at 4% or km 10.0-11.0 at 1%, before the final push at 7-8%.
The Jbel Rat rock engravings are on the Tizi N'Tighist road, off the R307 between Aït Bouguemez and Demnate. Several riders say they spotted the sign by chance at a junction, then a ten-kilometre turn-off to the left from Aït Bouguemez, with no other signposting along the road.
On site, riders describe well-preserved engravings, some of which could date back more than 2,500 years BCE according to the museum. The small on-site museum, with panels and photos in French and Arabic, explains where the marks come from and how old they are. A caretaker or local guide shows visitors around, and several people mention Brahim and Abdel for their friendliness and their knowledge of the area. The view over the mountains comes up again and again, and one rider recommends coming at sunrise, when the engravings on the ground are lit up.
The climb itself is described as hard. One rider reckons it's only for those with a properly set-up bike and good fitness. The reports don't say much about the road surface, but the general feeling is captured by the word "grueling".
Several downsides are flagged. The area around the site is not maintained, and one rider regrets it. There is almost no water or resupply along the route, and the nearest villages have no shops or accommodation. Locals stock up in Sbit and Aït Bouwli. One account, written in English, stresses that the area is watched: there is a caretaker and dogs near the site, and a foreigner can be reported to the authorities. The writer advises setting out with water and food, and not heading off towards the villages unless properly equipped.
15.3 km • 1067 m D+
VAM: average climbing speed, based on elevation gain
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