AIT BEN HADDOU Kasbah AND SURROUNDING – 2 Days Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou – Skoura Valley

Departure at 9am from your hotel, we will drive the road to Ouarzazate through the High Atlas mountains then, towards the Tizn’Tichka pass (commonly called the “High Pastures” pass). This mountain range offers various beautiful landscapes as well as many views of the small villages traditionally built in terraces.

Further the pass, we will go through the old caravan route towards Ouarzazate, which will take us to the Kasbah of Telouet that we will visit.

This extraordinary palace was built by the powerful tribal leader, the Pasha of Morocco El Glaoui, also known as the “Vulture Sultan”.

After lunch, we will keep on going through a track that will take us through ksours (fortified villages), until we reach the valley of Ounila and its wonderful rivers, green valleys and lively and colorful hillsides. Our last stop before Ouarzazate will be at the UNESCO site of Ait Ben Haddou, a World Heritage Preserved Site.

It is one of the most beautiful and best preserved monuments in Morocco, as evidenced by the architecture and the fortification system of the village. This historical place has also served as the setting for various well-known films, such as Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Alexander (2004).

After visiting the Kasbah, we will take the main road to Ouarzazate where we will stop again to visit this time the Kasbah of Taourirt.

Finally, we will take you to the large palm grove of Skoura, about 20 kilometers away from Ouarzazate, to a charming guest house with swimming pool, and where you will have dinner a magnificent aromatic-organic garden.

Today’s driving time is approximately 4h30 hours in total.

After breakfast, discovery of the palm grove of Skoura (kasbah of Amerdihil). You will then be taken to the oasis Fint. This magnificent oasis is surrounded by four villages and is known for the breathtaking views it offers its visitors.

1200 people live in these villages. We will therefore see here the traditional way of life of these locals, and especially the water irrigation system for agriculture. Lunch will be on site or if you prefer, on the way back.

Finally, we will return to Marrakech in the afternoon.

Today’s driving time is approximately 4h30 hours in total.