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Kasbah Aït ben Haddou day trip from Ouarzazate – overview
Morocco’s two most famous Kasbahs are within easy reach of Ouarzazate. Historically, both have played significant roles in the lives of local Berbers and beyond. They are excellent examples of multi-generational living, local architecture, and lifestyle.
The first of these iconic Moroccan Kasbahs is Ksar Aït Ben Haddou. You can explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site and Hollywood backdrop with a local guide to gain insight into its rich history.
To reach Telouet, you will travel through the stunning Ounila Valley, marvelling at the astonishing rock and soil colours. Along the way, you will pass multiple Berber villages, fields, and orchards. A walk here offers a deeper appreciation of the pure Berber country vistas.
At the top of the valley, you will find Kasbah Telouet, the former residential palace of the Glaoui family, built in three separate phases. (This link is in French for the moment!) Prepare to be amazed at the grandeur of the buildings, which, unfortunately, are no longer accessible to view from inside.
The return journey to Ouarzazate takes you along the southern slopes of the High Atlas Mountains via the main road from Marrakech.
Kasbah Aït ben Haddou from Ouarzazate – highlights:
- Visiting the Film Studios, a cinematic wonderland, known for preserving its film sets
- Touring the Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and famous film location
- Wandering round the exterior of the historical Kasbah Telouet and driving through the beautiful Ounila Valley
- Driving through Berber villages and learning about the history and culture of this region
- Travelling over the High Atlas Mountains, admiring the diverse and beautiful landscapes
What is included in this day trip from Ouarzazate:
- 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 Ouarzazate
- Experienced local English/ French/ Spanish/ Italian speaking driver-guide
- A traditional lunch
- Free time to explore the Kasbahs, Berber villages, for walks
- Local guides at the Kasbahs of Aït ben Haddou and Telouet
- The opportunity to ask the driver to stop for breaks or visits whenever you wish
What is not included:
- Drinks
- Tips
- Extra
Good to know about this day trip from Ouarzazate:
- This Ouarzazate day trip can be customised to be more personal and special
- Here is a downloadable packing list to help plan for your day trip
- We require a 30% deposit of the total price to book the car, while the balance is payable to the driver or to us in the office in Ouarzazate
- We accept payment through PayPal, bank transfers in Europe, by credit card, or cash (USD, Euro, GBP, or MAD)
- We offer a 25% discount for all children under 12, while, in any one family, one child below 3 can travel free of charge
- Our prices can be subject to an increase over the busy season, and, in particular, the Christmas and New Year’s Eve period
Day trip to Aït ben Haddou from Ouarzazate – programme
You leave your riad or hotel in Ouarzazate at 08:30 to start your day trip to Ksar Ait Ben Haddou and Kasbah Telouet.
First, you will visit the 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,” “Prince of Persia,” and “Game of Thrones,” were shot.
From here, you drive to Kasbah Aït ben Haddou, the most famous one in Morocco, and the subject of many postcards. This Kasbah sets the scene for many Hollywood blockbuster films, such as ‘Alexander’ and ‘The Gladiator’. It is one of the nine UNESCO World Heritage sites in Morocco and was elected as such in 1987. It is situated some 30 kilometres away from Ouarzazate along the Salt River.
The itinerary continues along the Ounila Valley to Kasbah Telouet. It is remotely set in a valley in the High Atlas Mountains, far away from the main Marrakech road. It once served as a palatial residence and headquarters of the powerful Glaoui tribe.
None of the three main buildings making up the Kasbah can be entered as their ruinous state does not permit it. 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. Nevertheless, it is still worth visiting the exterior with a local guide to discover its rich history.
The return to Ouarzazate is along the main Marrakech – Ouarzazate road, south of the Tizi-n-Tichka pass. Your day trip to Aït ben Haddou from Ouarzazate comes to an end as your driver escorts you to your riad at the end of the afternoon.
Map of the itinerary
Prices on Request!
