Things to do · Ouarzazate
Nicknamed the 'Door of the Desert' and Morocco's Hollywood, Ouarzazate guards mud-brick kasbahs, vast film studios and palm-fringed oases at the edge of the Sahara. Here are twelve experiences worth your time.
12 experiences
This fortified ksar of earthen kasbahs above the Ounila River is a UNESCO World Heritage site and Morocco's most famous mud-brick village. It has appeared in films such as 'Gladiator', 'Lawrence of Arabia' and 'Game of Thrones'.
Founded in 1983, Atlas Studios is one of the largest film studios in the world by surface area. Guided tours pass standing sets used for productions including 'The Mummy', 'Kingdom of Heaven' and 'Asterix & Obelix'.
CLA Studios is Ouarzazate's other major production facility, opened in 2004. It has hosted big-budget shoots such as 'Prison Break', 'Game of Thrones' and Ridley Scott's 'Exodus: Gods and Kings'.
Once a stronghold of the powerful Glaoui clan, this 19th-century kasbah on the edge of town is among the finest in southern Morocco. Restoration work backed by UNESCO has preserved its towers, courtyards and decorated reception rooms.
Hidden in a rocky canyon about 10 km from town, Fint Oasis is a ribbon of palm groves and small Berber hamlets fed by a year-round river. The lush green strip set against bare hills makes a striking half-day escape.
The Skoura palm grove shelters Kasbah Amridil, a 17th-century earthen fortress that featured on Morocco's 50-dirham banknote. It is one of the best-preserved kasbahs you can visit, complete with original tools and granaries.
Another former Glaoui residence, Tifoultoute sits beside the river just west of Ouarzazate. Used as a hotel for the cast of 'Lawrence of Arabia', it offers panoramic terrace views over the Atlas foothills and palm groves.
Facing Taourirt Kasbah, the Musée du Cinéma displays props, costumes, cameras and reconstructed sets from decades of films shot around Ouarzazate, giving a behind-the-scenes look at why the region became 'Ouallywood'.
Ouarzazate is the gateway to the Draa Valley, Morocco's longest river valley, lined with palmeries, old kasbahs and Berber villages. The route south toward Zagora and the dunes is one of the country's classic desert drives.
East of town, the Road of a Thousand Kasbahs leads to the dramatic Dadès Gorge with its serpentine switchbacks and the towering rock walls of the Todra Gorge, both popular for scenic drives and hiking.
Off the old Tizi n'Tichka pass road, this ruined Glaoui palace hides surprisingly ornate interiors of carved plaster, painted cedar and zellij tilework, a faded reminder of the family that once controlled southern Morocco.
Created by a dam on the Draa River just east of Ouarzazate, this reservoir supplies the region's water and draws migratory birds. Its open water and mountain backdrop offer a calm contrast to the surrounding arid plateau.
One to two days covers the kasbahs, film studios and Aït Ben Haddou. Allow an extra day or two if you want day trips to the Dadès and Todra gorges or to continue into the Draa Valley toward the desert.
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) bring mild, sunny days ideal for sightseeing. Summers are very hot and winter nights are cold, as Ouarzazate sits on a high desert plateau.
Yes. Ouarzazate is Morocco's film capital, home to Atlas and CLA studios and the UNESCO-listed Aït Ben Haddou, all of which have hosted major international productions and are open to visitors.
See it with a local
We'll build a private, guided plan around the experiences you care about — with a driver, hand-picked riads and a written quote in 24 hours.
Contact us for pricingMore cities