Ouarzazate

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, Ait Benhaddou is arguably the most visually spectacular earthen architecture in Morocco. The fortified village (ksar) is a complex of six large kasbahs and numerous smaller structures, all built from pise — compressed earth mixed with straw and gypsum. The structures rise in irregular terraces above the Ounila River, their earthen towers glowing gold in morning light and deep orange at sunset.

Right in the heart of Ouarzazate, Taourirt Kasbah was the seat of power for the Glaoui clan — the "Lords of the Atlas" who dominated southern Morocco in the early 20th century. Thami El Glaoui, the last great pasha, expanded the kasbah into a palace complex with over 300 rooms. Parts of the complex are open to visitors, revealing beautifully decorated reception rooms with intricate painted cedar ceilings, carved plasterwork, and zellige tile floors.

The world's largest outdoor film studios cover over 30,000 square metres and have hosted productions including Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator, The Mummy, Babel, Kingdom of Heaven, and multiple Game of Thrones seasons. Guided tours walk through standing sets including reconstructed ancient Egyptian temples, Roman forums, desert fortresses, and various fantasy world constructions. Props and costumes from major productions are on display throughout.

Hidden in a rocky canyon just eight kilometres from Ouarzazate's centre, the Fint Oasis is one of the region's best-kept secrets. Date palms, fig trees, pomegranates, and oleander fill the canyon floor while Berber villages cling to the canyon walls. The Oued Fint river creates a thin ribbon of life through the surrounding mineral desert. The contrast between the stark plateau above and the lush canyon below is visually dramatic.

Morocco's longest river, the Draa, flows south from Ouarzazate through one of the country's most visually arresting valleys. The road south toward Zagora passes through 100 kilometres of continuous palm grove — the Draa palmeraie — interspersed with ancient kasbahs, fortified granaries (agadirs), and traditional ksour (fortified villages). The valley is also Morocco's most important date-producing region.

The Skoura palm grove, 40 kilometres east of Ouarzazate, is one of Morocco's most photogenic landscapes — a vast oasis of date palms hiding dozens of historic kasbahs. The jewel of Skoura is the 17th-century Kasbah Amridil, one of the finest preserved kasbahs in southern Morocco and recognisable from the 50-dirham banknote. The town is also known as the "rose capital of Morocco" for its rose harvest each May.

The Dadès River has carved a spectacular gorge through the High Atlas foothills north of Ouarzazate, creating sheer red and grey rock walls up to several hundred metres high. The "Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs" road runs along the Dadès, passing village after village of earthen kasbahs against dramatic mountain backdrops. The upper gorge near Msemrir features extraordinary rock formations called "Monkey Fingers" or "Rock of the Camel."

Between Ouarzazate and Ait Benhaddou, the partially-ruined Kasbah of Tamedaght is an impressive earthen fortress that sees far fewer visitors than its famous neighbour. The kasbah rises dramatically above the Ounila Valley and can be explored more freely than the managed UNESCO site. The surrounding landscape of palmery and eroded rock formations is equally photogenic.

The Museum of Cinema within the Atlas Film Studios complex documents Ouarzazate's remarkable history as a film production destination through photographs, props, costumes, and behind-the-scenes memorabilia from major productions. Artefacts from Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia, Babel, and Game of Thrones are among the highlights.

Ouarzazate's high altitude, dry air, and distance from major light pollution sources create exceptional conditions for stargazing. On clear nights — which are frequent given the region's arid climate — the Milky Way is clearly visible from virtually anywhere outside the town. The Fint Oasis, the banks of the Draa River, and the open desert south of town offer particularly dark skies.