Things to do · Ouarzazate
Ouarzazate, the 'door of the desert', is the gateway between the High Atlas and the Sahara and the heart of Morocco's film country. One well-planned day takes in the great kasbah, the studios and the UNESCO ksar of Aït Ben Haddou nearby. Here is a practical one-day plan.
6 experiences
Begin in town at the Taourirt Kasbah, a sprawling 19th-century Glaoui stronghold of packed-earth towers and rooms. Restored in parts, it tells the story of the family that once controlled the southern caravan routes.
Tour one of the film studios on the edge of town, walking past standing sets from international productions — the reason Ouarzazate is nicknamed 'Ouallywood'.
Drive about 30 km to the UNESCO ksar of Aït Ben Haddou, the region's iconic fortified village. Cross the river, climb through the kasbahs to the hilltop granary, and take in the view — and lunch in the village or modern town opposite.
If time allows, a short 4x4 trip to the Fint Oasis, a hidden ribbon of palms and villages in volcanic hills south of the city, is a peaceful contrast to the kasbahs and a favourite of film crews.
Back in Ouarzazate, the small Cinema Museum opposite the Taourirt Kasbah displays props and sets, a fitting end before a relaxed evening in the low-rise desert town.
Ouarzazate is the hub for onward routes: north over the Tizi n'Tichka to Marrakech, east to the Dadès and Todra gorges and the Valley of Roses, and south down the Draa toward Zagora and the Sahara.
One day is enough to see the highlights: the Taourirt Kasbah and a film studio in town, plus Aït Ben Haddou nearby. Add the Fint Oasis or the Cinema Museum if time allows, or stay longer to explore the Dadès and Draa valleys.
Ouarzazate is known as the 'door of the desert' and the centre of Morocco's film industry ('Ouallywood'), with major studios, the Taourirt Kasbah and the nearby UNESCO ksar of Aït Ben Haddou.
Ouarzazate is about a four-hour drive from Marrakech over the scenic Tizi n'Tichka pass (around 2,260 m). Many travellers visit it as the first stop on a multi-day Sahara or kasbah route.
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