Private long day over the High Atlas
Telouet & Ait Benhaddou Day Trip from Marrakech the old caravan road
الأطلسAit Benhaddou, the end of the road
At a glance
A long day, two kasbahs
- Length
- Long full day
- From
- Your riad or hotel in Marrakech
- Best
- Spring and autumn; the pass can close for snow in winter
- Pace
- Mostly road time, short walks at each stop
The road
- Marrakech → TelouetAbout 2½ h (120 km) at the wheel
- Telouet → Ait BenhaddouAbout 1 h (50 km) at the wheel
- Ait Benhaddou → MarrakechAbout 3½ h (185 km) at the wheel
Driving times from our planning road map, before photo and rest stops.
- A long day: most of it on mountain roads. A night in Ouarzazate or at Ait Benhaddou makes it gentler, and opens the way to the desert.
- Snow can close the Tizi n’Tichka pass for a few hours in winter; your planner checks the road before the day.
Step by step
The day, step by step
Early morning
Over the Tizi n’Tichka
Leave Marrakech early and climb the switchbacks to the Tizi n’Tichka pass, about 2,260 m, with stops for the views.
Late morning
The Glaoui kasbah at Telouet
Take the side road to Telouet, seat of the Glaoui family. Inside the crumbling kasbah, a few rooms still keep their painted cedar ceilings and zellige.
Afternoon
Down the Ounila valley
Follow the Ounila valley south past earthen villages and green terraces, the old caravan route towards Ait Benhaddou.
Late afternoon
Ait Benhaddou
Walk up through the alleys and granaries of the UNESCO-listed ksar to the top for the view, then start the drive back to Marrakech.
Driver, guide or both
With a guide at the kasbahs
Your own driver handles the mountain road. A local guide at Telouet and Ait Benhaddou explains the Glaoui story, the caravan trade and how the ksar was built and lived in.
Meet our local guides- Private car and driver from Marrakech
- Local guides at Telouet and Ait Benhaddou
- Optional night in Ouarzazate
- Can become the first day of a desert tour
After you ask for a quote
What you get within 24 hours
- A day-by-day route, with the driving time between stops
- Stays matched to your style (riads, kasbahs, desert camps or hotels), named so you can look them up
- Which moments are private to you, and which are shared, such as a camp’s dining tent
- An itemised quote: what is included and what is not
- Who is planning your trip, and how to reach them on WhatsApp
- Free, with no obligation to book
Every trip is private and priced to your dates, so there is no fixed price list. Ask, and the proposal shows the full cost before anything is booked.
Telouet and Ait Benhaddou: your questions
Can you do Telouet and Ait Benhaddou in one day from Marrakech?
Yes, but it is a long day with several hours on mountain roads. Many travellers add a night in Ouarzazate or at Ait Benhaddou to slow it down.
Is Telouet worth the detour?
For anyone interested in the Glaoui story and Moroccan decoration, yes: the painted ceilings and tilework in the surviving rooms are remarkable, and far fewer people visit than at Ait Benhaddou.
Is the Tichka pass open in winter?
Usually, but snow can close it for a few hours after a storm. Your planner checks the road and adjusts the day if needed.
How much is the Telouet day trip?
It depends on the vehicle, the guides and your group. We do not publish fixed prices: every trip is quoted for you, free, within 24 hours.
Two kasbahs and a mountain pass, in one day or two.
المغربⵜⴰⴳⵍⴷⵉⵜ ⵏ ⵍⵎⵖⵔⵉⴱThe Kingdom of Morocco