Ouarzazate
Ouarzazate is where the mountains end and the south opens up. Most routes pass through it — for lunch, a night, or a look at the studios where a lot of desert films were shot.
What stands out
Why this place stays with people
- Taourirt Kasbah
- Film studios
- Crossroads for Dades, Draa and the Sahara
- Lunch stop on the long drives
Best time to go
Good most of the year. Winter nights are cold, summer days are hot.
From the driver's seat
It's rarely the highlight on its own, but it's the hinge of almost every southern route, and a good place to break the drive.
Visitor guide
Your guide to Ouarzazate
How long to stay
Half a day, or one night.
Getting there
About four hours from Marrakech over the Tizi n'Tichka.
Worth seeing
- The Taourirt Kasbah
- The Atlas Film Studios
- The Fint oasis, a green valley just outside town
Good to know
- A good place to break the journey and use a cash machine.
- The studios tour takes about an hour.
- Evening light on the kasbahs is the best of the day.
Routes through here
Ways to make it part of the trip
2 Days · 1 Nights2-Day Zagora Desert Tour from Marrakech
Two Days to Zagora$230–$310 per person · accommodation included
4 Days · 3 Nights4-Day Fes to Marrakech Desert Tour via Merzouga
Fes to Marrakech, Four Days$540–$730 per person · accommodation included
5 Days · 4 Nights5-Day Sahara & Gorges Tour from Marrakech
Nomad Tracks and Golden Dunes$680–$920 per person · accommodation includedOuarzazate, your way
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