1 Day Trip from Marrakech to Ait Ben Haddou and Ouarzazate
Cross the High Atlas in a single day and step into the Morocco of the films. This private day trip climbs the Tizi n'Tichka pass, detours to the crumbling Glaoui kasbah at Telouet and spends the afternoon exploring Ait Ben Haddou, the earthen fortified village that has starred in Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia and Game of Thrones, before a glimpse of Ouarzazate, the gateway to the Sahara.
- Duration: 1 day (about 12 hours)
- Starts and ends: your riad or hotel in Marrakech
- Distance: about 190 km each way over the Atlas, roughly 4 hours' drive
- Style: private day trip with driver and local guide
- Price: on request, depends on group size
Highlights
- The Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 m and its views over the High Atlas
- The painted salons of the Kasbah Telouet, former seat of the powerful Glaoui family
- The Ounila Valley's red cliffs, salt mines and fortified villages
- A guided walk through Ait Ben Haddou up to the ruined granary at the top
- A stop at Ouarzazate's Atlas Film Studios or the Taourirt kasbah
- Lunch with a view of the ksar
Day by Day
Day 1: Marrakech → Tizi n'Tichka → Telouet → Ait Ben Haddou → Ouarzazate → Marrakech
An early start at 7:00. Your driver takes the N9 road up through Berber villages and walnut groves to the Tizi n'Tichka pass, then turns off to Telouet to visit the kasbah's tiled and carved reception rooms. The quiet back road through the Ounila Valley brings you to Ait Ben Haddou in time for lunch.
In the afternoon a local guide leads you across the river and up through the ksar's alleys, where a few families still live and artists paint with saffron and tea. From the top, the view stretches over the valley and the old caravan route. You continue a few kilometres to Ouarzazate for a stop at the film studios or the Taourirt kasbah, then return over the Atlas, arriving in Marrakech around 19:30.
Included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver
- Pick-up and drop-off at your riad or hotel in Marrakech
- Local guide in Ait Ben Haddou
- Fuel, tolls and bottled water
Not included: lunch, entrance fees to Telouet, Taourirt or the film studios, tips.
Good to Know
- Long day: about 8 hours in the car in total. If you can spare a night, we recommend sleeping in Ait Ben Haddou or continuing into the desert.
- Go further: this route is the first day of our 2 day Zagora desert tour and our 3 day Merzouga desert tour.
- Motion sickness: the Tichka road has many bends; sit in front and take breaks.