Aït Ben Haddou

What you actually see

Aït Ben Haddou is a ksar: a fortified village of earth houses climbing a hill, with a granary at the top. It stood on the old caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

Only a few families still live inside; most people moved to the newer village across the river. You cross the river and walk up through the lanes, past houses turned into shops and small galleries, to the top for the view over the valley.

The ksar has been used as a film location many times, Gladiator among them. It was a real village long before the cameras arrived, and that's the better reason to go.

How the day runs

The road crosses the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass, about 2,260 m high, with many bends and a few viewpoints. Aït Ben Haddou is 170 km from Marrakech, around 3–3.5 h each way with photo stops.

Tours leave early in the morning and get back in the evening. Once you take out the driving, you have a couple of hours at the ksar, lunch included.

Many tours continue a little further to Ouarzazate for a look at the town or a film studio. That adds variety but also time on the road, and shortens the stay in the ksar.

Guided tour or going on your own

A day tour or a private driver is the practical choice. CTM, Supratours and other buses run from Marrakech to Ouarzazate, but you'd still need a taxi to the ksar and back, and a same-day return leaves almost no time there.

If you want to go independently, spend a night in or near Aït Ben Haddou or Ouarzazate. You see the ksar in the quiet of the morning and in the evening light, after the tour groups have left.

In the ksar, local guides offer to show you the lanes, and some houses ask for a small fee to look round. Agree the price first.

Before you book: don't do it twice

Nearly every Zagora tour and Merzouga tour from Marrakech crosses the Tizi n'Tichka and stops at Aït Ben Haddou on the first day. If one of those is in your plans, use your free day for something in another direction, such as Essaouira.

Torn between this day trip and a 2-day desert tour? Zagora covers the same road and adds a night in the desert. Our guide to choosing a desert explains the trade-off.

• Whether your desert tour, if you have one, already stops here
• If Ouarzazate or a film studio is included, and how long you spend in the ksar itself
• Departure time and expected return
• Whether lunch and a local guide in the ksar are included

Best season

Spring and autumn are best: mild days and clear views from the pass. In summer the country beyond the Atlas gets very hot, with Ouarzazate averaging 39 °C in July, so the midday visit can be tiring.

In winter, snow can close or slow the Tizi n'Tichka. Keep a spare day in your plans, check the road before you leave and pack a warm layer for the pass.