Ouarzazate

The "Gateway to the Desert" and Morocco's Hollywood, where the World Heritage mud-brick village of Aït Benhaddou was a filming location for Game of Thrones.

Ouarzazate lies in the Drâa-Tafilalet region of southeastern Morocco at an elevation of about 1,150 m, between the southern foothills of the High Atlas and the Sahara. It is known as the "Gateway to the Desert," and, because so many films have been shot here, as the "Hollywood of Morocco." The town is small, with the Glaoui family's Taourirt Kasbah and the Atlas Studios on the west side of town as its core. Thirty kilometers to the northwest is the World Heritage–listed ksar of Aït Benhaddou; going up the Ounila Valley you reach the Glaoui family's Telouet Kasbah and the Tizi n'Tichka Pass across the High Atlas. To the east lie the Skoura palm grove, the Valley of the Roses and the Dadès Gorges, and to the southeast, over the mountains, are Agdz and Tamnougalt in the Drâa Valley. The climate is dry, and March to May and September to November are the most comfortable; in summer daytime temperatures often exceed 40°C, while in winter days are sunny and warm but nights approach 0°C, and snow may close the mountain passes. Getting there: Ouarzazate Airport has flights from Casablanca and other cities; from Marrakech it is about 200 km, 4–5 hours over the pass on the N9, with several CTM and other buses a day; many travelers pass through on a three-day Sahara tour from Marrakech. We suggest staying 2–3 days, and a stay in a traditional kasbah hotel in Aït Benhaddou or Skoura makes the experience even better. Note: sights are spread out, so it's best to hire a car or drive yourself; kasbah interiors are dim with steep steps; if someone claiming to be a "guide" approaches you, you can politely decline; during Ramadan some restaurants are closed during the day.

Top sights

• Aït Benhaddou – A fortified mud-brick village on the old Saharan trade route, a World Heritage Site and filming location for Game of Thrones and Gladiator…
• Kasbah Taourirt – A fortified mud-brick kasbah in central Ouarzazate, built by the Glaoui family; its maze-like courtyards and painted cedar ceilings are wel…
• Atlas Studios – A large open-air film studio on the western edge of town, where you can visit sets of an ancient Egyptian temple and Jerusalem's city walls…
• Ouarzazate Cinema Museum – A small film museum opposite Taourirt Kasbah, converted from an old film set, displaying sets, props and vintage projection equipment.
• Kasbah Tifoultoute – A Glaoui family kasbah on a highland above the western river valley, overlooking the river and palm groves, which once hosted film crews.
• Fint Oasis – A hidden oasis in the black stony desert more than 10 km south of town, where palm groves, earthen villages and a small river form a classi…
• El Mansour Eddahbi Reservoir – A large reservoir east of town, where the lake surface set against distant mountains makes a place for watching sunsets and birds.
• Tizi n'Tichka Pass – A road pass at 2,260 metres in the High Atlas, where the N9 winds over the mountains; an essential viewpoint on trips between Marrakesh and…
• Telouet Kasbah – The Glaoui family's palace in the High Atlas; its exterior is dilapidated, but inside are splendid mosaics, plaster carvings and cedar ceil…
• Ounila Valley & Tamdaght – A river-valley road linking Telouet and Aït Ben Haddou, where red canyons, green fields and ancient earthen villages alternate; wilder than…
• Skoura Palmeraie & Kasbah Amridil – Dozens of earthen kasbahs scattered through vast palm groves about 40 km east of Ouarzazate; the Kasbah Amridil once appeared on Morocco's…
• Draa Valley: Agdz & Tamnougalt – Crossing a southern pass into the Drâa valley, where palm groves stretch along the river for over a hundred kilometres; Tamnougalt is one o…

Where to eat

• La Douyria – A traditional Moroccan restaurant right next to Taourirt Kasbah, with the goat tagine and pigeon pastilla being the mos…
• La Kasbah des Sables – A castle-like restaurant tucked away in an alley, featuring six themed dining areas surrounding a central pool, serving…
• The Full Sun – A highly-rated, budget-friendly restaurant on Avenue Moulay Rachid, serving breakfast, tagines, and pizzas all day on a…

Itineraries

• Marrakech-Sahara Dunes Round Trip – Cross the Atlas Mountains, pass kasbahs and gorges to the Erg Chebbi dunes, and spend the night in a tented camp.
• Classic Imperial Cities & Sahara Loop – Head north from Casablanca to the Blue City and Fes, then cross the desert and gorges to Marrakech.
• Marrakech City and Day Trips – Use the medina as your base for day trips to Ait Ben Haddou, Essaouira, the Ourika Valley and Agafay.
• Draa Valley & Erg Chigaga 4x4 Adventure – Drive south along the Draa Valley to the end of the road, then take a 4x4 into the remote dunes of Erg Chigaga
• Andalusia to the Sahara Crossing – Cross the sea from Seville via Tarifa, traveling through the Blue City, Fes, and the desert to Marrakech