Welcome to Ouarzazate
Strategically located Ouarzazate (war-zazat) has gotten by largely on its wits instead of its looks. For centuries, people from the Atlas, Draa and Dadès Valleys converged to do business at Ouarzazate’s sprawling Taourirt Kasbah, and a modern garrison town was established here in the 1920s to oversee France’s colonial interests. The movie business gradually took off in Ouarzazate after the French protectorate left in the 1950s, and ‘Ouallywood’ movie studios have built quite a resume providing convincingly exotic backdrops for movies supposedly set in Tibet, ancient Rome, Somalia and Egypt.
Top experiences in Ouarzazate
Travel guides
Starting at $36.39
Ouarzazate activities
Full-Day Tour from Marrakech to Ait Benhaddou Kasbah and Ouarzazate
This full day excursion starts from your hotel in Marrakech where your driver will pick you up and head into the beautiful High Atlas Mountains crossing the Tizi N’Tichka mountain pass. From here you will have amazing panoramic views of the Atlas Mountains and the adobe houses of its indigenous villages. You take a detour to the Ksar of Aït Benhaddou, an Arab fortress from the XI century, and its Kasbah declared a world heritage site and historical treasure by UNESCO. The Kasbah at Aït Benhaddou is a good example of traditional berber architecture. Its strategic location allows us to observe a landscape riddled with colors and became a mandatory stop for the old routes from Timbuktu to Marrakech. Next, Ouarzazate, which is an old military enclave, is on the route of 1000 Kasbahs. Take a walk around this charming village and have a change to visit the cinema studios on your own. After, a visit to Telouet, a fascination Kasbah that belonged to the Pasha of Marrakech. After, you will head back to Marrakech.
Bedouin Desert Camp, Atlas Mountains 2-Day Private Tour
Day 1 : Marrakech - Ait Ben Haddou - Ouarzazate - Zagora - Mhamid - Erg Lihoudi DunesDepart from Marrakech at 7am and head towards Tizn’t Tichka. At an altitude of 7,414.7 ft (2260 meters), it is the highest mountain pass in North Africa. Passing through beautiful Berber villages, you can discover the colors of the High Atlas Mountains. See the UNESCO world heritage classified Ait Benhaddou Kasbah with a guide after lunch at a local restaurant. Continue in the direction of Agdz and see the beautiful Draa Valley. Take another break in Zagora before reaching the village of M’Hamid, where camels will be waiting for you. An hour-long camel trek will bring you to the camp in the dunes of Erg Lihoudi in time for the sunset. Enjoy the peace and tranquility of the desert, and have dinner around a campfire.Day 2: Erg Lihoudi Dunes - M’Hamid - Zagora - Ouarzazate - MarrakechWake up early and have the unique experience of watching the sun rise over the dunes. After breakfast ride your camel back to M’Hamid, where you can take a hot shower in the local hotel. The return route will take you back through Zagora and Agdz, with a lunch break and a guided visit of the cinema studios (optional) in Ouarzazate. Arrival back in Marrakech around 6pm.
3-Day Desert Tour to Marrakech via Merouga-Erg Chebbi from Fez
Day 1: Fez / Ifran / Medilt / Erfoud / Merzouga Depart from fez you will begin your ascent We pass through Ifrane, a winter ski resort in a totally un Moroccan style built by the French in the 1930's to resemble a Swiss village;we visit the cedars forest in azrou you will see the monkeys , drive across the Middle Atlas Mountains. Most of the day will be spent winding your way through the beautiful forests, springs, jagged rock faces, and Berber villages as you cross the Atlas Mountains and begin to descend towards the Sahara Desert. Half way, you will stop for lunch in the town of Midelt, famous for its fossils and rocks, then we continue towards merzouga in the road we will stop in a panoramic views to see the a huge oasis of palm tree we reach to merzouga in the afternoon, Depending on your arrived to traditional Kasbah on the foot of the dunes of erg-chebbi. After rest a mint tea the guide and camels will be waiting to carry you across the sandy dunes of the erg-chebbi,you will enjoy the beauty of the sunset on camel, after 1 hour you will reach to the desert camp to spend night in a berbre tent. At your desert shelter, your camels are hobbled and mint tea is served. After a wonderful dinner, watch the Stars,and overnight in the Berber Tent .Camp : Desert Camp & Camel Ride Day 2 : Merzouga /Tinghir /Todra Gorge / Boumalne Dades After a Delicious Breakfast , You’ll depart for Dades , traveling the rugged Road of a Thousand Kasbahs that rise up like turreted sand castles along this ancient caravan trading route. This area has long been a popular location for Hollywood films such as The Last Temptation of Christ, Jewel of the Nile, and most recently Hideous Kinky. The central region is one of the most exciting and romantic destinations of Morocco nestled along rich river valleys, palmeries and burnished mud-brick homes ablaze in vibrant color under the shelter of the blue desert sky. We stop for lunch and walk in todra gorge , We’ll travel through the Dadès Valley past dramatic escarpments,Dinner and overnight in the Hotel . Accommodation : Hotel les Jardins De Ouarzazate or SimilarDay 3 :Dades / Ouarzazate /Ait ben haddou / Marrakech After breakfast we will visit Ouarzazate,including the Kasbah of Taourirt and the Atlas Studios movie studios, the largest and most famous of all Africa. we stop in Ait ben haddou Here we can visit the famous Kasbah, declared UNESCO World Heritage and which was the scene of films like The Gladiator, Babel, Lawrence of Arabia,we coutinue passing through the High Atlas and the Tizi-n-Tichka pass, along a road that climbs from the plains up to 2260 m above sea level passing through small villages, small waterfalls, through the continuously changing landscape and colors of these beautiful Mountains.we drop you, off in your Hotel.
Ait-Ben-Haddou and Ouarzazate Private Trip from Marrakech
This memorable trip starts with a pickup from your area hotel at 7:00am, then a scenic drive from Marrakech over the highest (2,260m) mountain pass of North Africa, Tizi-N-Tichka, where you can spot the traditional Berber villages with the inhabitants working and chatting at the roadside. Shortly before the desert capital Ouarzazate, you'll have the opportunity to visit the famous Kasbah Aït Ben Haddou, the fortified clay city with its numerous ksars and kasbahs. Several famous movies such as Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, Prince of Persia and, most recently, Game of Thrones have been shot. This wonderfuly photogenic city is also listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site.After your lunch break in a typical Aït Ben Haddou or Ouarzazate restaurant, at your own expense, you can visit the old kasbah of Ouarzazate, Taourirt, or have a look at the movie museum just on the other side of the road.Return travel to Marrakech in the afternoon and be dropped-off at your hotel or riad.
Marrakech Sahara Desert 3-Day Tour with Ouarzazate
Day 1: Marrakech – Ouarzazate (D)After a morning pickup from either your Marrakech hotel or centrally located meeting point, relax aboard the air-conditioned coach, minivan or sedan – depending on the size of your group – as you travel from the Marrakech Plains through the High Atlas Mountains along the Tizi N´Tichka, the highest mountain pass in North Africa at 7,415 feet (2,260 meters). Stop in a small town along the way for lunch (own expense) before continuing to your destination: Ouarzazate. Nicknamed the ‘Desert’s Gate,’ this high-elevation capital city lies on a bare plateau south of the mountains. Like the nickname suggests, it's the gateway to the Sahara Desert. Head to your hotel for check-in and enjoy dinner with your travel companions before your first overnight stay.Overnight: Hotel Kenzi Azghor (or similar) in OuarzazateDay 2: Ouarzazate – Zagora – M'hamid (B,D)Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before embarking on a day trip to Zagora, a town in the Draa River Valley. For centuries this valley served as a link between the Sahara and northern Morocco for the trading caravan routes that passed by the river.Sit back and soak up the views on the drive through beautiful small Moroccan towns and Berber villages along the river, including Agdz and Zagora. Arriving in M'hamid in the evening, enjoy a 4*4 ride as you head to a Berber campsite. Go for a sunset camel ride and before you will have dinner and stay overnight in traditional tents for a real desert experience. Overnight: Berber campsite in M'hamidDay 3: M'hmid – Zagora – Marrakech (B)Rise and shine for an early breakfast before heading to the giant sand dunes of Erg Lihoudi to watch a sunrise over the Sahara Desert. Located near the desert oasis town of M’hamid, the sweeping 328-feet (100-meter) dunes of Erg Lihoudi are an incredible sight, especially at dawn. Don’t forget your camera for this once-in-a-lifetime experience! After your time at the sand dunes, it’s time to head back to Marrakech, located about 6.5 hours away. Stop in Ouarzazate for lunch (own expense), some free time and a guided visit of the Oscar Studios, before arriving back at your Marrakech hotel at around 8pm.
Half-Day Guided Quad Tour from Ait Ben Haddou to Fint Oasis
After your tour guide gives a brief explanation of how to drive the quad, depart from Ait Ben Haddou on a desert track used by ancient nomad caravans. On the way to Fint, pass through a vast expanse of relatively flat semi-desert landscape, several traditional Berber villages and unique rock formations in this part of Morocco. After a while, finally arrive at the beautiful desert oasis. Few tourists come to this tranquil Berber village. Take a break and relax with some tea or drinks at a local guest house restaurant. You will feel like you've stepped back in time. You will be free to walk around for a short time to take photos. See children play and farmers work in the farms along the stream. (Please be sensitive when taking photo of locals, especially women.) Then return to Ait Ben Haddou through a different track passing by an old film set. This circuit takes around 6 hours with no repeat route.