Ouarzazate is a town located 124 miles (200 km) to the southeast of Marrakech.

Ouarzazate is nicknamed "The door of the desert". If you’re planning to head to the Sahara Desert, a stop in this fortified city is a must.

Ouarzazate comes from the Amazigh words for without (ouar) and noise (zazt), meaning the “city without noise”.

Hollywood of Africa

Among several nicknames, Ouarzazate is also known as the Hollywood of Africa. This is due to its movie studios, including one of the largest in the world: Atlas Studios.

We highly recommend visiting the Atlas Studios where you will explore the history of the cinema industry. Films like The Jewel of the Nile, Asterix and Cleopatra or The Ten Commandments were filmed in this studio.

Ksar of Aït-Ben-Haddou

Ksar of Aït-Ben-Haddou is a kasbah (fortified town) located 18 miles (30 km) from Ouarzazate. This town has been filmed numerous times, like Ouarzazate, and can be seen in the following films: Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator, The Mommy, and The Jewel of the Nile.

Taourirt Kasbah

Taourirt Kasbah is a fortified city in the outskirts of Ouarzazate. The building is made of adobe, it has crenelated towers and is considered one of the best-preserved kasbahs in Morocco.

How to get to Ouarzazate

  • Book a day trip: With Introducing Marrakech, we offer day tours with English-speaking chauffeurs and hotel pick-up for just 45 (US$ 53.20) per person. We also offer very well priced private tours. Click here to book our day tours. 
  • Hiring a taxi for the whole day: You can hire a taxi for the whole day for approximately 100 (US$ 118.40) – 120 (US$ 142.10) if you are good at haggling. Keep in mind that most taxi drivers speak very little English, the cars are normally very old and that the driving leaves a lot to be desired.
  • Bus: The bus is the cheapest way of getting to Ouarzazate (80 dirhams per person). Nevertheless, we only recommend this option for those who are staying in the city, since some of the major attractions are in the city’s outskirts like Ksar of Aït-Ben-Haddou.