The earthen ksar of Aït Ben Haddou — Ouarzazate and Ait Ben Haddou Tours field journal

The journal · field notes from Ouarzazate

Honest writing about the south, by people who live here.

No top-10 listicles. Slow, opinionated dispatches from the atelier on when to come, where to go first, what to skip and how to spend your dirhams well. Read before you book — and certainly before you pack.

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One new long-read every monthWritten in-houseNo sponsored postsUpdated each season

This month's long-read

Latest from the atelier.

One slow, in-house piece every month. No commissioned writers, no sponsored takes — just the answers we already give our guests on WhatsApp, written down properly.

How do you get to Aït Ben Haddou from Marrakech without a tour?

Latest field note 9 min read

Practical · June 2026

How do you get to Aït Ben Haddou from Marrakech without a tour?

No bus goes to the village itself. The cheapest way is a CTM or Supratours coach toward Ouarzazate (about 4–4.5 hours, 100–150 dirhams), asking to be dropped at the junction ~20 km before town, then a shared grand taxi the last 9 km. You can also charter a taxi door to door or self-drive the Tizi n'Tichka. Real costs and times — and the honest catch about getting back.

Field note 01Read the piece

The archive

Older pieces, still useful.

Re-read every season by our team. If anything is out of date we annotate it at the top of the piece — the south changes slowly, but it does change.

35 pieces

Can you visit the Noor Ouarzazate solar power plant?

02Ouarzazate 8 min

Ouarzazate · June 2026

Can you visit the Noor Ouarzazate solar power plant?

You can see it easily from the road, but you can't just turn up and tour it — the complex is a guarded strategic site, and arranged visits go through MASEN, requested about a month ahead. What Noor actually is (≈580 MW across four phases, molten-salt storage, the landmark tower of Noor III), where it sits ~10 km from town, and how to see the mirror fields without going inside.

8 min readRead

Ouarzazate: overnight or a day trip from Marrakech?

03Planning 9 min

Planning · June 2026

Ouarzazate: overnight or a day trip from Marrakech?

For most travellers, Ouarzazate is worth an overnight. You can do it as a day trip from Marrakech, but it is a 10–12 hour round trip — around 200 km each way over the Tizi n'Tichka — that leaves barely an hour on the ground. What a day trip actually covers, what one or two nights unlock (Aït Ben Haddou at golden hour, the film studios, the gorges and the desert), where to stay, and when a day trip is the right call.

9 min readRead

Is Ouarzazate worth visiting? An honest verdict

04Planning 10 min

Planning · June 2026

Is Ouarzazate worth visiting? An honest verdict

Yes — but as a base, not a destination in itself. A single day covers the town (the Taourirt Kasbah, the Atlas Film Studios, the Cinema Museum); the reward is everything around it. What to see at Aït Ben Haddou and the studios, the best day trips to Skoura, the Dadès and Todra gorges and the Draa Valley, how many days you need, and how to get here from Marrakech.

10 min readRead

How do you visit the Dadès Gorge from Ouarzazate?

05Gorges 9 min

Gorges · June 2026

How do you visit the Dadès Gorge from Ouarzazate?

Drive east on the N10 to Boumalne Dadès, then north up the R704 — the famous switchbacks sit about 25 km up the valley, roughly 2.5 hours from town. Where the hairpins and monkey-finger rocks actually are, how to take the bends safely, day trip versus overnight, and how the Dadès loops into the Todra and the road east.

9 min readRead

How do you visit the Todra Gorge from Ouarzazate?

06Gorges 9 min

Gorges · June 2026

How do you visit the Todra Gorge from Ouarzazate?

About 13–15 km north of Tinghir the limestone walls close to roughly 10 metres apart and soar 300 metres overhead — and a flat path runs straight through the narrows. Where the gorge is, the drive east via Tinghir, the narrowest section, walking versus rock-climbing, day trip versus overnight, and how it pairs with the Dadès an hour away.

9 min readRead

When is the best time to visit Ouarzazate?

07Seasons 9 min

Seasons · June 2026

When is the best time to visit Ouarzazate?

Spring (mid-March–May) and autumn (mid-September–early November) are the standout months — warm, dry, clear days for the kasbahs and the desert. A month-by-month guide to the high-desert weather, the cold winter nights, the summer heat, the May rose harvest, and the best window for a Sahara trip.

9 min readRead

Things to know before visiting Ouarzazate

08Practical 8 min

Practical · April 2025

Things to know before visiting Ouarzazate

An honest, expectations-first guide to the 'Gateway to the South'. Ouarzazate is a modern, spread-out film and administrative town that most travellers visit for a single night as a base — here is what it actually is, the high-desert cold nights, why to carry cash, and the long, winding High Atlas drive in.

8 min readRead

Ouarzazate in three days: a slow, opinionated plan

09Ouarzazate 9 min

Ouarzazate · June 2026

Ouarzazate in three days: a slow, opinionated plan

Most people treat Ouarzazate as a one-night stop on the way to the dunes and miss it. Here is the three-day rhythm we recommend — the Taourirt Kasbah, the Atlas Film Studios, Aït Ben Haddou at golden hour, the Fint oasis, what to skip and where to eat.

9 min readRead

Sahara desert camps explained: Bedouin vs bubble domes

10Desert 10 min

Desert · June 2026

Sahara desert camps explained: Bedouin vs bubble domes

Traditional or luxury? Goat-hair khaima or transparent dome? We map the trade-offs in comfort, privacy, silence and price — and what a night out on Erg Chebbi or Erg Chigaga actually includes — with the camps we still send guests to.

10 min readRead

How to haggle in Ouarzazate's souks (without getting it wrong)

11Practical 8 min

Practical · June 2026

How to haggle in Ouarzazate's souks (without getting it wrong)

The gentle etiquette and mechanics of bargaining in southern Morocco — fair price ranges, the phrases that help, what's actually fixed-price, what to watch for at the kasbah co-ops, and why a smile beats a hard sell.

8 min readRead

How much to tip in Morocco: a practical guide

12Practical 6 min

Practical · May 2026

How much to tip in Morocco: a practical guide

Guides, drivers, kasbah hotels, desert camps, restaurants — who to tip, how much, and in what currency. The honest, no-guesswork numbers we give our own guests before every trip.

6 min readRead

The Atlas Film Studios & the movies shot in Ouarzazate

13Cinema 10 min

Cinema · June 2026

The Atlas Film Studios & the movies shot in Ouarzazate

Why they call it 'Ouallywood' — the studios where Gladiator, Game of Thrones, Lawrence of Arabia and The Mummy were filmed. What's actually on the backlot tour, the museum sets, and how to read the desert as a film set.

10 min readRead

14Food 9 min

Food · June 2026

Moroccan food & the tagine in the south

Slow-cooked tagine over charcoal, the Berber tanourt bread, harira at sundown, the street-food counters worth queuing for — what to order, where, and how to eat well in the kasbah country whatever your diet.

9 min readRead

Over the Tizi n'Tichka: Marrakech to Ouarzazate, done properly

15Atlas 7 min

Atlas · June 2026

Over the Tizi n'Tichka: Marrakech to Ouarzazate, done properly

The High Atlas pass that links the red city to the kasbah country — the switchbacks, the argan and saffron stops, Telouet's Glaoui palace and Aït Ben Haddou. What a good crossing actually looks like, and how to time the light.

7 min readRead

A Fint oasis weekend: a hidden green canyon near Ouarzazate

16Oasis 7 min

Oasis · June 2026

A Fint oasis weekend: a hidden green canyon near Ouarzazate

Half an hour from town, a ribbon of palms and water in the bare hills — Berber villages, river crossings, a guesthouse or two and total quiet. How to spend a perfect 48 hours off the kasbah circuit.

7 min readRead

Is Ouarzazate safe in 2026? An honest answer

17Planning 9 min

Planning · June 2026

Is Ouarzazate safe in 2026? An honest answer

The honest, current picture — solo and women travellers, the common scams around the kasbahs, the mountain roads, health and the desert. What we actually tell our own guests.

9 min readRead

What to pack for Ouarzazate & the south, by season

18Practical 7 min

Practical · June 2026

What to pack for Ouarzazate & the south, by season

No 'breathable convertible trousers'. A real packing list that changes with the month and the route — the kasbahs, the gorges, the High Atlas passes and a Sahara overnight all ask for different things.

7 min readRead

Ouarzazate on a budget: what it really costs

19Planning 8 min

Planning · June 2026

Ouarzazate on a budget: what it really costs

Daily spend, kasbah entry fees, where the money goes and the honest ways to save without missing the point of the trip — with sample budgets in USD for shoestring, mid-range and comfortable.

8 min readRead

Where to stay in Ouarzazate: best areas & kasbah hotels

20Stays 7 min

Stays · June 2026

Where to stay in Ouarzazate: best areas & kasbah hotels

Town centre, the road to Aït Ben Haddou or out at the Fint oasis — which area suits which traveller, and what to look for before you book, so you get the kasbah view, the calm and the location right.

7 min readRead

Where to stay in Ouarzazate & the south: kasbahs, oases & gorges

21Stays 8 min

Stays · March 2025

Where to stay in Ouarzazate & the south: kasbahs, oases & gorges

An area-by-area accommodation guide to Ouarzazate town, Aït Ben Haddou, the Skoura oasis and the Dadès — who each base suits, why a night at the ksar beats day-tripping, and where to break a Marrakech-to-desert route.

8 min readRead

A 7-day southern Morocco itinerary that actually works

22Itineraries 11 min

Itineraries · June 2026

A 7-day southern Morocco itinerary that actually works

The classic one-week loop from Ouarzazate, day by day — Aït Ben Haddou, the Skoura palm grove, the Dadès and Todra gorges, the Drâa valley and a Sahara night — with honest drive times and what to skip.

11 min readRead

Driving the kasbah trail: should you self-drive or hire a driver?

23Practical 8 min

Practical · June 2026

Driving the kasbah trail: should you self-drive or hire a driver?

Road conditions on the N9 and N10, the mountain switchbacks, the gorges, fuel between towns and the real cost trade-off — and why most of our guests end up with a private driver instead of a rental.

8 min readRead

24Culture 6 min

Culture · June 2026

The Moroccan mint tea ritual, explained

Why the tea is poured from a height, what the foam means, how the gunpowder green and fresh mint are brewed and the etiquette of accepting a third glass — the small ceremony at the heart of Berber hospitality.

6 min readRead

Aït Ben Haddou: the complete guide to Morocco's most famous ksar

25Aït Ben Haddou 8 min

Aït Ben Haddou · June 2026

Aït Ben Haddou: the complete guide to Morocco's most famous ksar

The UNESCO-listed earthen ksar above the Ounila river — how to cross to it, climb to the agadir at the top, read the pisé architecture, and when the light is best. What it costs, and how to dodge the tour-bus crush.

8 min readRead

Shopping in Ouarzazate: what to buy and how

26Shopping 9 min

Shopping · June 2026

Shopping in Ouarzazate: what to buy and how

Saffron from Taliouine, Berber rugs and kilims, rose products from the Valley of the Roses, fossils and silver — where to find the real thing, how to bargain gently, and how to get it all home.

9 min readRead

Ouarzazate with kids: an honest family guide

27Family 9 min

Family · June 2026

Ouarzazate with kids: an honest family guide

Where to go, how to pace it, the kasbah hotels and desert camps that work for families, camel rides, the film-studio sets and food kids will actually eat — the practical things we tell parents before they come.

9 min readRead

Skoura & the Valley of the Roses: oasis kasbahs east of Ouarzazate

28Oasis 7 min

Oasis · June 2026

Skoura & the Valley of the Roses: oasis kasbahs east of Ouarzazate

The Skoura palm grove and the Kasbah Amridil, then north into the rose-growing valley below the Dadès — what to actually do there, day trip versus overnight, and how to fold it into a kasbah-country loop.

7 min readRead

29Culture 8 min

Culture · June 2026

Ouarzazate's best photography spots

From Aït Ben Haddou at dawn to the Dadès switchbacks, the Fint oasis and the film-studio sets — where to shoot, when the light is right, and the etiquette of the lens.

8 min readRead

Merzouga vs Zagora: which Sahara should you choose?

30Desert 8 min

Desert · June 2026

Merzouga vs Zagora: which Sahara should you choose?

The tall dunes of Erg Chebbi or the closer, gentler sands beyond Zagora? We compare drive times from Ouarzazate, the dunes, the camps and who each option suits — so you don't shortchange the desert night.

8 min readRead

Ouarzazate & southern Morocco's festival calendar

31Culture 8 min

Culture · June 2026

Ouarzazate & southern Morocco's festival calendar

The Rose Festival in El Kelaâ M'Gouna, the date harvest in the Drâa, moussems in the kasbah villages, Ramadan and the Eids — the events worth planning a trip around, month by month.

8 min readRead

What a night in a Sahara desert camp is actually like

32Desert 7 min

Desert · June 2026

What a night in a Sahara desert camp is actually like

The 4x4 or camel transfer, the tents and domes, the tagine cooked in the sand, the cold nights, the sunrise over the dunes — and the difference between a simple Bedouin camp and a luxury one.

7 min readRead

An Ouarzazate food guide: what and where to eat

33Food 9 min

Food · June 2026

An Ouarzazate food guide: what and where to eat

Charcoal-grilled brochettes, the best tagine counters, Berber breakfast bread and amlou, where locals actually eat, and the kasbah-hotel terraces worth the splurge — how to eat well in the gateway to the desert.

9 min readRead

Ouarzazate in summer: heat-smart in the south

34Seasons 8 min

Seasons · April 2025

Ouarzazate in summer: heat-smart in the south

The gateway to the south is hot and intensely sunny from June to August, with highs in the high-30s °C and an even hotter desert beyond. Here is what the heat is really like, the early-and-late rhythm that makes the kasbahs and the studios work, what to pack — and why spring or autumn may suit you better.

8 min readRead

How many days in Ouarzazate? A trip-length guide

35Planning 7 min

Planning · April 2025

How many days in Ouarzazate? A trip-length guide

One day or two? Ouarzazate is the gateway to the south — a base and a stopover, not a long-stay city. One full day covers the town's highlights (the Taourirt Kasbah, the Atlas Film Studios, the Cinema Museum) plus Aït Ben Haddou at golden hour; a second day earns its place only if you base here for the southern kasbahs and gorges. An honest, decision-first guide.

7 min readRead

From Ouarzazate to the Sahara: the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs

36Desert 9 min

Desert · June 2026

From Ouarzazate to the Sahara: the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs

How do you get from Ouarzazate to the desert? It is about 360 km and six hours of paved driving east to Merzouga and the dunes of Erg Chebbi — along the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs. The route in one glance, one long day versus two relaxed ones, where to stop (Skoura, the Dadès and Todra gorges, Erfoud and Rissani), 4x4 logistics for the sand, and how to reach the camp.

9 min readRead

Letters from Ouarzazate

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