Ait Benhaddou is an ancient fort (or “Kasbah”) that is located about 30 kilometres from Ouarzazate. It has been used as a filming location for a number of famous films such as ‘The Gladiator’ or ‘The Mummy’ and some scenes from ‘Game of Thrones’. The town, built entirely out of mud, dates back to the 1600s. Now a popular tourist spot, you can find endless stalls, cafes and arty shops selling local handicrafts. Just 10 or so families still call the city home and we were lucky enough to see inside one of their traditional houses when we visited! The majority of the locals now live in the new part of town on the other side of the river. This is our article of what to see and do in Ait Benhaddou!
5 top things to do in Ait Benhaddou
1. See the town from different vantage points and admire its surroundings
In Ait Benhaddou, there are several viewpoints to observe the surroundings and the town itself. The most famous is in the centre of town at the top, where you will have spectacular views of the desert and the surrounding oases.
There is another hill that overlooks the city from the outside, that is a popular spot for people watching sunrise or sunset. You can reach this spot from the base of the city and follow the other tourists to the top to admire the view.
Note: The official entrance to the city is to the west, directly across the new bridge. If you try to enter through the other city gates you will be asked for 20 MAD at the entrance, by some local. Don’t fall for it. Entrance to the city is free!
2. Watch the sunrise / sunset over the city
If you are staying in Ait Benhaddou, we highly recommend waking up early to watch the sunrise over the valley. We slept on a cliff opposite the town in our van (you’ll probably spot a few vans in the distance if you pay attention) and witnessed an incredible sunrise over the city.
If you have your own car, this is the spot from where we watched it. We recommend it as you will be alone, unlike all the viewpoints in the city where you will be with many other tourists. Also, you will have a beautiful view of both Ait Benhaddou from afar and the entire valley and surrounding mountains. Alternatively, the city’s viewpoints are just as breathtaking.
3. Discover its arty, narrow streets
We found the centre of Ait Benhaddou a little too touristy for our taste, due to the large number of souvenir shops. Despite this, the art shops really fascinated us! We recommend you go to a shop where they produce these pieces and have them explain some of the techniques they use. The local artists use ingredients and natural dyes from Morocco to produce the art. One we met was using saffron and tea to paint desert landscapes onto canvas! It was very interesting and unique to watch. And if one strikes your fancy, buy one to hang up at home!
4. Ask a local to show you their house for a small donation
The most authentic part of our visit to Ait Benhaddou was asking a local for a small donation (10 MAD) to show us their house. This was a truly authentic experience and allowed us to imagine how people lived in this town hundreds of years ago. The house was right in the centre of the city, and had multiple levels, rooms and passageways.
There was a small courtyard to the rear, completely hidden from the front, with donkeys, chickens and goats in! If you find any locals, ask nicely if they can give you a tour of their home!
5. Enjoy a meal on a terrace overlooking the city
The new part of town surrounding Ait Benhaddou isn’t much to look at, but it has some great restaurants and cafes with stunning views of the city. After a few hours walking around in the Moroccan sun it might be time for some rest and relaxation! You can spend a few hours sipping some Berber whiskey (tea) and watching the town of Ait Benhaddou from afar from one of these terraces. We had tea at Tighramte restaurant and recommend it if you are looking for somewhere to relax and recharge for a while.
How to get to Ait Benhaddou?
Ait Benhaddou is easily reached by car from Ouarzazate in about 30 minutes, and from Marrakech in about 2.5 hours. In the city centre you will find a car park where you can leave your car, which will cost you only 10 MAD for the whole day. You can check car rental prices for Morocco here.
Sadly there are no bus services to Ait Benhaddou, so if you wish to get there your only options are to rent a car, take a taxi, or book an organised tour.
Note: Travel insurance is a must for any travel abroad, especially when renting a car. Although problems rarely occur, it is better to be covered in case they do. We use SafetyWing and recommend it to anyone travelling the world.
If you don’t have your own car, or can’t rent one, we recommend booking an organised tour. There are many tour operators in cities around Morocco offering all inclusive tour packages to visit Ait Benhaddou. Booking a tour takes all the stress out of using the slow and often unreliable public transport options. You can book these in advance online before you arrive. See below for some tour recommendations from different parts of Morocco.
From Ouarzazate
We recommend: This day trip from Ouarzazate including a quad bike experience around the desert near Ait Benhaddou!
From Marrakech
We recommend: This day trip to Ait Benhaddou from Marrakech, including a stop at Ouarzazate and a scenic drive through the Atlas mountains!
From Fes
We recommend: This 3 days 2 nights tour to camp in the deserts of Merzouga with a stop at Ait Benhaddou and Ouarzazate!
Where to stay near Ait Benhaddou?
There are no shortage of great places to stay in Ait Benhaddou, with prices to suit all budgets. All of our recommendations below are properties rated 8+/10 and most have breakfast included!
Budget / Mid-range
Luxury
Where to go after Ait Benhaddou?
You can visit the city of Ouarzazate nearby to tour the many famous film studios, or visit the gorges of Dades and Todgha to do some hiking or rock climbing.
Alternatively you could head south to the Sahara desert to visit Merzouga. We spent 2 nights camping in the desert dunes here and wrote all about our experience here on the blog. This is a must do experience in Morocco!
If you have any suggestions or comments, don’t hesitate to let us know by leaving a comment!
Leave a Reply