On the threshold of Morocco’s Great South rises majestic Ouarzazate, a striking blend of kasbahs, oases and green valleys.
Spread across a vast desert plateau, Ouarzazate draws travellers of every nationality, who come to enjoy its calm, its fine climate (350 sunny days a year), its magnificent landscapes and the warm welcome of its people.
The city without noise
In Berber (Amazigh), the city’s name is made up of two words: “ouar”, meaning “without”, and “zazate”, meaning “noise”. Ouarzazate is therefore the city without noise, calm and serene.
At the crossroads of the caravans
Standing at the crossroads of the old desert caravanserais, Ouarzazate was an essential stop for caravan traders from the Sahel and all corners of the Sahara. They bartered their goods with the villagers south of the Atlas, at stops organised in each village by the pasha, the local ruler.
The city’s history is also tied to the French protectorate in the early 20th century. Ouarzazate was then the ideal place from which to control the whole of south-eastern Morocco: Lieutenant-Colonel Chardon was tasked with drawing up the plan of the town centre, some of whose addresses still exist today, such as the Chez Dimitri grocery, the Hotel Aghzor, a staging post at the time, and the Café-Restaurant Royal.
At the gateway to the desert, Ouarzazate has always been a place where cultures and faiths met and lived side by side: Muslim, Catholic and Jewish.
The kasbahs of Ouarzazate
Like other towns in southern Morocco, Ouarzazate is home to several kasbahs which, during the protectorate, served as residences for the pasha El Glaoui in the surrounding villages. Here are three of them.
The Kasbah Taourirt
The symbol of the city, the Kasbah Taourirt, former residence of the pasha Thami El Glaoui, stands in the centre and holds an important place in its history. It dates from the 18th century and can still be visited with a guide.
The Kasbah of Tifoultoute
Eight kilometres south-west of Ouarzazate, this fortress overlooking the village of Tifoultoute was built in the early 18th century to receive the pasha’s guests arriving from the desert. It was also a meeting place where the region’s leaders settled matters relating to water and farming. It remains open to the public for guided visits or, if you are travelling as a group, for a traditional ahwach performance.
The Kasbah of Telmasla
Nicknamed the kasbah of the storks, as its roof is home to migrating storks, it also dates from the 18th century and stands on the banks of the Ouarzazate river. Now restored, part of it houses guest rooms.
A land of cinema
Beyond trade, Ouarzazate enjoys an incredible mix of landscapes, from the Atlas mountains to ochre hills and lush oases, which gives it valuable assets for cinema and tourism.
The city has always attracted major international film-makers and producers: Lawrence of Arabia, Babel, Asterix, The Sheltering Sky and, more recently, Game of Thrones were all shot here.
Exploring the area by 4x4
A 4x4 excursion from Ouarzazate lets you explore the hidden corners of the region, along beautiful tracks that lead into the heart of Berber culture and the traditions local people carefully preserve: their way of life, weddings and moussems (traditional festivals).
The Fint oasis, the hidden oasis
Twenty kilometres south of Ouarzazate, this true oasis hides behind volcanic rocks. The Fint river waters the villagers’ plots and fields; most of them live from subsistence farming and tourism, and a stroll through the oasis is a must. Reached by 4x4 after 10 kilometres of track, Fint is a little secret waiting to be discovered from Ouarzazate. With or without water depending on the season, it offers a magical landscape to the few curious visitors who make the trip: you see villagers washing their clothes and farmers busy in the surrounding fields. A lost paradise, far from the tourist trail.
The Skoura palm grove
One of the largest palm groves in the South, 35 km from Ouarzazate and part of its wider territory. A 4x4 excursion lets you discover it or, if you enjoy sport, a mountain-bike outing. Do not miss the 17th-century Kasbah Amridil, an architectural gem.
The Amethyst Track
A beautiful track leaves Ouarzazate and reaches the village of Toundoute across the magnificent ochre and green plateaux south of the Atlas, to be explored on a 4x4 excursion from Ouarzazate or by mountain bike.
To discover Ouarzazate off the beaten track, join one of our 4x4 desert escapes for a unique journey into the story of a city that never stops impressing even us, its own children.
See you soon in Ouarzazate!
