Discover Ouarzazate: Top Attractions & Travel Tips
A destination worthy of the tales of One Thousand and One Nights, Ouarzazate embodies everything you can imagine about Morocco. With its oases, Kasbahs, deserts, and caramel-colored valleys, Ouarzazate invites you to take your time exploring its lands, in complete serenity and tranquility. In fact, its name means "the city without noise" in Berber: a tranquil journey, we tell you!
Where is Ouarzazate located?
Located in a vast desert plateau, teeming with treasures to explore, Ouarzazate is situated at the southern gateway to the Moroccan desert and at the crossroads of the Dadès and Ouarzazate valleys. Positioned at an altitude of over 1100 meters, the city serves as the starting point for many excursions, whether into the Atlas Mountains, the desert valleys, or the oases. In just 3.5 hours, with numerous direct flights from most French cities, you can experience a complete change of scenery, worthy of fairy tales (or Hollywood films).
The best time to visit Ouarzazate
With a desert climate, it gets very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter (often around 3/4°C). Therefore, it is advisable to visit the region in spring or autumn.
The History of Ouarzazate
A relatively recent city, Ouarzazate was initially a garrison camp for colonial troops in the region. Since then, it has become the administrative center of the Drâa region and a standalone destination during your trip to Morocco, given the breathtaking variety of its landscapes and its (a)typical architecture. Its unique environment has even attracted film studios, earning the city the nickname "Ouarzazood." For many years, it has been the location for numerous film productions, including Gladiator, Asterix and Obelix, and The Mummy.
Things to see and do in Ouarzazate
As an authentic city with a diverse cultural scene and natural excursions, you won't be bored in Ouarzazate, and you can easily spend a week here:
Visit the Atlas Studios. Three studios are still active on the outskirts of Ouarzazate, and you can visit them with privileged access to the sets of major blockbusters!
- Stroll through the old medina, where you'll also find the Kasbah of Taourirt. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site, it's one of the most beautiful in Morocco!
- Indulge in artisanal pottery or Damask rose water, local specialties found in the souk. Tamegroute pottery remains one of Morocco's artisanal gems, while Damask rose water is renowned worldwide. Explore the surrounding areas, from fortified villages like Ksar Aït Benhaddou or the Kasbah of Amridil to vast natural expanses such as the Fint oasis, the Dadès Gorges, or the Drâa Valley...