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Kasbah Aït ben Haddou day trip from Marrakech – overview:
By travelling out of Marrakech – even for a day – you can gain a deeper insight into this diverse and magnificent country. From everywhere in the city the imposing High Atlas Mountains are visible. This tour to Kasbahs Telouet and Aït Ben Haddou near Ouarzazate will offer a glimpse into the rich history and the local culture of the Berbers.
To reach the Kasbahs, you cross the Tizi-n-Tichka pass, which treats you to repeated magnificent views. Here in the majestic Atlas Mountains, you will pass sometimes scarcely discernible Berber villages on the slopes and in the valleys. The fields and gardens are examples of how life is spent in this terrain.
The UNESCO World Heritage site, Kasbah Aït ben Haddou and Kasbah Telouet are examples of multi-generational housing. You will see many humbler and smaller Berber houses on the drive between the two Kasbahs as you descend the Ounila Valley.
Kasbah Aït ben Haddou and Telouet day trip – highlights:
- Varying scenery of the Tizi-n-Tichka pass, the Atlas Mountains and charming Berber villages
- Discovering Kasbah Telouet’s fascinating history and the beautiful landscape of the Ounila Valley
- Exploring the very famous monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kasbah Aït ben Haddou
- Touring the Film Studios, a cinematic wonderland renowned for its preserved film sets
- Enjoying lunch on a terrace overlooking Kasbah Aït ben Haddou or in the High Atlas Mountains
What is included in this day tour from Marrakech:
- Transport in a private air-conditioned vehicle; 4×4 Toyota Prado TX or deluxe van and fuel
- Pick up from and drop-off at your hotel in Marrakech
- Experienced English/ French/ Spanish/ Italian-speaking driver-guide
- Lunch with vegetarian and vegan options available
- Free time to explore sites such as the Kasbahs, valleys, Berber villages, for walks
- Entrance fees and local guide in Kasbah Aït ben Haddou and Telouet Kasbah
- The opportunity to ask the drive to stop for breaks or visits whenever you wish
What is not included:
- Drinks
- Tips
- Extras
Know before you go to Aït Ben Haddou
- This trip to Kasbah Aït ben Haddou can be customised to be more personal and special
- To spend more time exploring kasbahs in South Morocco, opt for a 2-day tour from Marrakech
- Here is a downloadable packing list to help plan for your day trip and holiday in Morocco
- We offer a 25% discount for children under 12, and one child under 3 per family travels free of charge
- We require a 30% deposit of the total price to book the car, while the balance is payable to the driver
- We accept payment through PayPal, bank transfers in Europe, with credit cards, or cash (USD, Euro, GBP or MAD)
- These prices are liable to fluctuation according to the current exchange rate
- Our prices can be subject to an increase over the busy season, and, in particular, the Christmas and New Year’s Eve period
Prices per person
| No Days | Meals |
|---|---|
| All-inclusive | |
| Total price | |
| 2 Persons |
|---|
| 135 € * |
| 270 € * |
| 3 Persons |
|---|
| 125 € * |
| 375 € * |
| 4 Persons |
|---|
| 115 € * |
| 460 € * |
| 5 Persons |
|---|
| 100 € * |
| 500 € * |
| 6 Persons |
|---|
| 100 € * |
| 600 € * |
Kasbah Aït ben Haddou day trip from Marrakech – itinerary:
The driver will fetch you from your riad at 8:30 and take you across the High Atlas Mountains and over the famous Tizi-n-Tichka pass, the highest in the whole of Africa at 2260 m.
All along the route, you can see the Berber villages perched on the side of the mountains. Sometimes it is hard to see them as they are the same colour as the surrounding soil. At times, you come down into the valleys and drive alongside the river bordered by oleander and fruit trees. The gardens are full of olive, walnut, pomegranate, apple, pear, and quince trees. Berber women and children look after their goats and sheep here and they climb very steep slopes in search of animal food and firewood.
But on the other side of the mountains, the landscape changes dramatically and becomes semi-arid and desert-like. Here you can witness Kasbah architecture with towers at the corners. These buildings have grilled windows and soft peach-coloured walls. These traditional houses are made of adobe, highly suitable for the climatic conditions of the south.
After the Tizi-n-Tichka pass, you leave the main road and take a side road to Telouet Kasbah. It served as a palatial residence and the headquarters of the powerful Glaoui tribe. Their wealth came in part from the salt mines just outside the village. None of the three main buildings of the Kasbah can be entered due to their ruinous state. The one area of the Kasbah that had been opened to visitors is now closed due to the damage caused by the earthquake that struck Morocco in September 2023. However, the exterior is still worth visiting with a local guide to discover its rich history.
Then the route leads south down the Ounila Valley with the green fields and gardens running parallel down below full of bends in the roads. You will be surprised at the hues of the rock and soil, the Berber villages and gardens, as well as the smaller Kasbahs. Here olive, almond and fruit trees are the main crops and the mainstay for many families.
This stunning road leads to the Kasbah Ait ben Haddou, which is the oldest and most famous Kasbah in Morocco. It is also one of Morocco’s nine UNESCO World Heritage sites. The architectural style is well preserved and the earthen constructions are perfectly adapted to the climatic conditions and in harmony with the natural and social environment. It probably originated in the 17th century and was one of the most important fortress strongholds on the old Salt Road caravan routes. Traders brought slaves, gold, ivory and salt from sub-Saharan Africa to Marrakech and beyond. The Kasbah is now especially famous as the backdrop to many Hollywood blockbuster films.
From here, a 40 minutes drive takes you tothe Film Studios just outside Ouarzazate, a cinematic wonderland renowned for preserving and reconfiguring its sets. This allows production studios a variety of options and offers tourists the unique thrill of exploring locations where many iconic films and series, including “Gladiator,” “the Kingdom of Heaven,” and “Game of Thrones,” were shot.
You have just spent a wonderful day fascinated by the landscapes and Berber life, and your visits to these famous Kasbahs. We return along the main road back to the Tichka pass and so to Marrakech. We reach the city in the early evening.
Map of Ouarzazate day tour from Marrakech:
