Positioned between the chaotic and touristy Marrakech, and the enchanting orange sand dunes of the Sahara Desert, Ouarzazate and its surroundings are a must-see destination if you are in the area. Ouarzazate, dubbed the ‘Hollywood of Africa,’ hosts some of the world’s largest film studios, which filmed historical movies like ‘The Ten Commandments’ or ‘Asterix and Cleopatra.’
Apart from its film studios, Ouarzazate may not in itself be the most beautiful town to visit. However, due to its strategic location at the gateway to the Sahara and the Atlas mountain range, its surroundings offer spectacular and unrivalled views, such as the Dades Gorges and the nearby town of Ait Benhaddou.
Check out our article to find out what are the 7 best things to do in and around Ouarzazate!
7 things to do around Ouarzazate
Interactive Map
1. Film studios in Ouarzazate
The city’s number one attraction is undoubtedly the film studios. These are the two main studios in the city that you can visit:
Atlas studios
Located about 5 km from the centre of Ouarzazate, Atlas Studios are among the largest film studios in the world (322 square metres) and are responsible for the production of some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters. The visit is 80 MAD per person (about 7.5 euros), or 110 MAD per person if you also want to include a visit to the set of ‘Kingdom of Heaven’.
Extra: The Oscar Hotel
The Oscar Hotel is situated inside Atlas Studios and offers a number of luxury, themed rooms that are available to stay in. A number of films were even shot in this hotel and you can buy tickets to see some of the locations and designs. There is also a castle in the area where they filmed some of the scenes from ‘Game of Thrones’. If you are lucky enough to find it free, don’t miss it!
CLA Studios
Unless you are a film buff, the Atlas studios are probably enough. CLA Studios is a film museum, but no films were shot here. The entrance fee is 40 MAD, about 3.6 euros.
2. Ait Benhaddou
The most interesting place we visited in the area is the town of Ait Benhaddou. If rushed for time, this is one place you should not miss!
This ancient fort (or “Kasbah”) is located about 30 kilometres from Ouarzazate. It has also been used, as a 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 Ait Benhaddou 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.
3. Telouet Kasbah
The Kasbah of Télouet, was a beautiful kasbah built between the 19th and 20th centuries, and is located in the small Berber village of Télouet, in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco, about an hour’s drive from Ait Benhaddou.
The Telouet Kasbah was unfortunately destroyed in the earthquake that struck the mountainous regions of Morocco in September 2023. On our journey to this place, we also noticed that unfortunately many people are living in tents after having brutally lost their homes due to the earthquake.
Although we were very sad to discover that we could not visit the Telouet Kasbah, which was very impressive from the photos, the excursion to Telouet was nevertheless worth it and we recommend it to everyone. The mountain scenery is breathtaking, the road to get there was pure fun, and one of the most beautiful roads we have travelled in Morocco. It is an adventure in the middle of the beautiful Moroccan Atlas Mountains, and we stopped plenty of times to take photos and admire the beauty of the place.
We had lunch at a local restaurant in the city centre, and we enjoyed being able to contribute by bringing a little bit of tourism to this little-known area of Morocco. If you have time, don’t miss it!
4. Tizi n’Tichka Pass
Driving on the road from Marrakech to Ouarzazate, you will pass through the Tizi n’Tichka mountain pass (which translated means the ‘pasture pass’). The Tizi n’Tichka pass is located 2,260 metres above sea level and is a beautiful, winding wilderness road through the heart of the Moroccan Atlas mountain range.
The road is well maintained and safe to drive, and offers magnificent views of typical Berber houses in traditional villages and the fiery red earth surrounding the mountains.
Remember that there is almost always a strong wind on the pass, so bring a jumper or windbreaker!
5. Pottery shops
On your way to Telouet Kasbah and Ait Benhaddou from Ouarzazate, you will notice a long series of beautiful pottery shops on the side of the road. We strongly advise you to stop and admire the beauty of these shops and buy some souvenirs! We compared the prices of ceramic items all over Morocco, and this was the place where we managed to buy cups and glasses for the lowest cost (only 20 MAD, equivalent to 1.6 euros per cup!).
6. Dades Gorge
Dades Gorge is located in central Morocco, in a part of the Atlas mountain range. The road through the Dades gorges has been ranked as one of the most scenic roads in the world! The R704, otherwise known as the ‘Road of the 1000 Kasbahs’, snakes through the gorge with hair-raising curves and drops at every turn. This route, which can be reached from the town of Boumalnes Dades in about an hour, offers epic scenery.
The main attraction is the crossing of the gorge, but there are other activities and things to do here, such as the hike to the ‘Monkey Fingers’ Canyon. This 8-kilometre route will take you through some of the most impressive rock formations the Dades Gorge has to offer. For the complete guide on what to do and where to stay in Dades Gorge, check our our full article here!
7. Fint Oasis
Located about 1 hour from Ouarzazate, Fint Oasis is the ideal relaxing escape from the tourist hot spots and the overwhelming film studios. After driving for a while through desert landscapes, you will approach a valley with a dirt road leading into it. Once you enter the oasis you will see a paradise of palms, rivers and traditional Berber villages. Here it feels like time has stopped, with women washing clothes in the river, sheep and goats roaming everywhere, and people being transported by donkeys. This is truly a unique place you should visit if you have the time and ability to do so, and is not really on the tourist map so feels very authentic. You can spend the night in Fint Oasis at Maison d’Hote La Roche Noir.
Note: The road conditions leading to the oasis are not good, so be careful in driving if you don’t have a 4×4. You might want to park the car right outside the villages and go explore the oasis by foot.
Getting to Ouarzazate
The closest big city to Ouarzazate is Marrakech, about 3.5 hours away by car. There are a number of buses per day from Marrakech and some other cities in Morocco, but depending on your point of origin you may need to change a few times. In our opinion the easiest way to visit Ouarzazate is with your own car or a rental. You can check car rental prices for Morocco here.
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 Ouarzazate. 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 Marrakech
We recommend: This day trip to Ouarzazate and Ait Benhaddou including a stop at Atlas Studios and lunch!
By bus: There are multiple buses per day connecting Marrakech to Ouarzazate. Travel time is around 4.5 hours and costs 80-140 MAD.
From Fes
We recommend: This 3 days 2 nights trip from Fes to Ouarzazate and the deserts of Merzouga to camp in the dunes!
By bus: Without a group tour you will need to go via Marrakech, so journey times are upwards of 12 hours. This journey will cost you around 450-500 MAD.
Where to stay in Ouarzazate
There are no shortage of great places to stay in Ouarzazate, with prices to suit all budgets. All of the recommendations below are properties rated 8+/10 and most have breakfast included!
Hotels in Ouarzazate View all
Those interested in accommodations in Ait Benhaddou or Dades Gorge, have a look at our full guides here!
Best time to visit Ouarzazate
The best time to visit this region is during spring or autumn, either April to May or September to October. Temperatures are pleasant, with highs of around 30 celcius in the day and lows of around 20 celsius at night. During the summer months of June to August, day time temperatures can reach almost 40 degrees, so outside activities can be difficult.
We visited in winter, where temperatures reach a high of 20 degrees, and a low of 5 degrees at night. We found it ideal during the day time whilst exploring. Just be sure if you are travelling to Morocco in winter to check if your hotel room has heating, as it can be very chilly at night! Bring a jumper!
What to do next?
After visiting the stunning places around Ouarzazate, 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!
Alternatively you can visit the gorges of Dades and Todgha to do some hiking or rock climbing.
If you have any suggestions or comments, don’t hesitate to let us know by leaving a comment!
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