Ait Benhaddou, a fortified earthen village (ksar) on the old caravan route over the High Atlas, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987. It has also appeared in films such as Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator, and in many TV series. Nearby Ouarzazate is home to large film studios. So is this real Morocco or a film set?
View 1: it has become a stage
Critics say that most families have moved across the river to the new village, that the old ksar is mainly visited for its looks, and that the busy souvenir stalls and film-studio tours in Ouarzazate turn the region into a backdrop.
View 2: it is still a living heritage
Others answer that a few families still live in the ksar, that local builders keep the earthen walls alive with traditional techniques, and that tourism income is what pays for that work. The landscapes of the Ounila valley and the kasbahs around Ouarzazate, such as Taourirt, show how people actually lived on the caravan route.
How to see it well
- Visit early in the morning or at sunset, when the groups have gone.
- Climb to the old granary at the top for the view over the river and the desert.
- Cross the river on the stepping stones (when the water allows) and take your time in the lanes.
- Combine it with the Ounila valley and the kasbah of Telouet on the old road to Marrakech.
Further west: Taliouine and the saffron road
West of Ouarzazate, on the road to Taroudant and Agadir, lies Taliouine, known as the saffron capital of Morocco. The purple crocus flowers are picked by hand in autumn, and cooperatives explain how the threads are dried. It is a beautiful, quiet stop on the way between the desert and the Atlantic.
See Ait Benhaddou on our Ouarzazate and Ait Benhaddou day trip or on any of our desert tours, such as the 3-Day Sahara Tour.
All our tours are private, with your own driver-guide and vehicle, and every route can be adapted to you. Send us your dates on WhatsApp or through the enquiry form.
Written by Hda Abdou, founder of Morocco Cultours.
