Aït Benhaddou Day Trip From Marrakech: Road of the Kasbahs, Telouet and the Tizi n'Tichka Pass

What is Aït Benhaddou?

Aït Benhaddou is a ksar, which is a fortified village, built mainly in earth and straw. Its houses and towers climb a hill above a river, and its walls are the colour of the surrounding land, which changes from pink to orange to deep red through the day. It stands on a historic caravan route that linked the Sahara with Marrakech, and it was a stopping place for traders crossing the mountains.

UNESCO placed Aït Benhaddou on its World Heritage list in 1987, as an outstanding example of southern Moroccan earthen architecture. The village is also well known as a film location. Several famous films and series have used it, including Lawrence of Arabia and Gladiator, and Game of Thrones used it for a city scene. Many visitors recognise it at first sight.

A few families still live inside the ksar, and most of the population has moved to a modern village across the river. The old village is kept as a monument, and its walls need constant repair, because earth is a fragile material that needs regular care. Entrance fees and the small purchases that visitors make help to pay for that work.

The route: from Marrakech to the south

The day trip follows the road that leaves Marrakech to the south-east and climbs into the High Atlas. It is about 180 km to Aït Benhaddou, and the drive takes about four hours each way with the stops. That is why the day lasts about twelve hours, and why we leave early.

Marrakech to the foothills

The road leaves the plain and begins to climb through small villages and red hills. The air becomes cooler and the landscape greener, with terraced fields, walnut trees and stone houses.

Tizi n'Tichka

The pass is at about 2,260 metres, and it is one of the highest road passes in Morocco. The road has many bends, with long views over the valleys. At the top, there is a viewpoint where we stop for photographs. In winter, snow can fall on the pass, and the road can be slow or even closed. We watch the situation and tell you in advance if we need to change the day.

The southern side

After the pass, the landscape changes quickly. The hills become drier and more barren, the colours turn to red and ochre, and the villages are built of earth. The air is warmer, even in winter. This sudden change from mountain to pre-desert is one of the most striking parts of the journey.

Telouet: the kasbah of the Glaoui

Before Aït Benhaddou, our route turns off the main road to the old kasbah of Telouet. Telouet was the home of the Glaoui family, who were powerful in the mountains in the first half of the twentieth century, and who controlled the pass and the caravan routes. The kasbah stands on a hillside above a small village, and it has the look of a fortress from the outside.

Inside, parts of the building are in ruin, because it has not been fully restored. Other rooms have kept their painted ceilings, carved plaster and colourful tiles. They show how rich and refined life was for a family that ruled the mountains. The contrast between the ruined walls and the decorated rooms is the main reason the visit is memorable.

Entry to the kasbah is not included in our price, because it helps to pay for restoration. You buy your ticket on the spot, and your guide explains the history as you walk through.

The old caravan road through the Ounila valley

From Telouet, the route continues on a road through the Ounila valley, which follows the old caravan track between the mountains and the south. The road passes red canyons, small villages and palm oases, and it gives a view of Berber life that most travellers miss. The road is more scenic than the main highway, and a 4x4 handles it comfortably.

Along the way, you see houses built in earth, fields watered by small channels and kasbahs standing alone on the hillsides. Several are in ruin, and some have been turned into guesthouses. It is a good place for photographs, and there are usually stops for views.

Lunch and the visit to the ksar

Lunch is in Aït Benhaddou, in a restaurant with a view of the ksar. The meal is usually a tagine or a similar Moroccan dish, with salad and fruit. Lunch is included in our tour, and the drinks are extra.

After lunch, a local guide takes the group across the river and up through the narrow lanes of the ksar. You see the houses with their carved doors, the small shops with local crafts, and the old granary, called an agadir, at the top of the hill. The walk uphill takes about half an hour at a slow pace, and the view from the top gives a wide picture of the village, the river and the pre-desert beyond.

The river between the new village and the old one can be crossed on stepping stones or a small bridge. After heavy rain, it can rise, and the crossing can be wet. Wear shoes with a good grip.

A realistic timetable

Here is how our Road of the Kasbahs day usually runs. We confirm the details by email.

1. 07:30: pickup at your hotel or riad in Marrakech, and the climb into the High Atlas.
2. 09:30: photo stop at the Tizi n'Tichka pass.
3. 10:30: visit of the painted rooms of the Telouet kasbah.
4. 12:00: drive through the Ounila valley on the old caravan road, with views of red canyons and villages.
5. 13:00: lunch in Aït Benhaddou, with a view of the ksar.
6. 14:30: guided walk through the ksar, up to the granary at the top of the hill.
7. 16:00: return drive over the mountains.
8. 20:00: arrival in Marrakech.

This is a long day, with about eight hours of driving in total. A comfortable vehicle, regular stops and a good guide make it much easier, and the landscape keeps you entertained.

Is this trip right for you?

The day trip suits you well if you love landscapes, history and photography, and if you are happy to spend a good part of the day in a vehicle. It is not hard physically, with short walks, but it is long.

• It suits adults, teenagers and older children who can sit for long drives. Children from about 8 or 9 are usually comfortable, but very small children may find the day tiring. Our child price applies to young travellers.
• The road has many bends. If you are prone to car sickness, take a tablet before you leave, sit at the front and look at the horizon.
• It is not suitable for guests with reduced mobility, because of the long day and the steps and slopes in the kasbah and the ksar.
• If you prefer a shorter day, the Atlas foothills and the Ourika Valley are closer. Our 4x4 trip to a Berber village with lunch takes less time.

If you have more time, you can also spend a night in Aït Benhaddou or Ouarzazate, and return the next day. This avoids the long drive in one go, and lets you see the ksar at sunset. If you want to extend your trip that way, write to us, and we can talk about the options.

When to go

Spring and autumn

March to May and September to November are the best months. The weather is warm without being too hot, and the pass is clear. The light is excellent for photographs.

Winter

Winter is possible, but the pass can have snow from December to March. The south side is warm and dry, and the mix of snow and red earth can be spectacular. Check the weather and road conditions before you travel. If the pass is closed, we tell you in advance and offer another day.

Summer

The south side can be very hot in July and August. If you travel in summer, drink a lot of water, wear a hat and plan the walk in the ksar for the cooler hours.

What to wear and bring

• A warm layer for the pass, which is cool even in spring.
• Comfortable shoes with a good grip for the kasbah and the ksar.
• A hat, sunglasses and sunscreen for the south side.
• Water and snacks for the road.
• Cash in dirham for entry tickets, drinks and tips. Entry to Telouet and Aït Benhaddou is not included.
• A portable phone charger, because you will take many photographs.

Respectful clothing is welcome in the villages. Shoulders and knees covered are a good habit, especially for visits to local houses.

Why a 4x4 and a small group make a difference

A big coach struggles on the mountain road and cannot enter the narrow tracks of the Ounila valley. A 4x4 with up to six passengers can. It also lets the guide stop for a viewpoint or a photograph when something appears on the road, which a large group schedule seldom allows.

A small group is easier to manage at a restaurant, in a kasbah and in a narrow village lane. You can ask questions, you hear the guide, and nobody has to wait for forty people to come back to the bus. This is the main reason many travellers choose a smaller vehicle, even if the price is higher than the large group tours.

On a long day, comfort matters. Air conditioning, water in the vehicle and a driver who takes the bends smoothly add up. Ask any operator what vehicle they use and how many people they put in it.

What you will remember

Visitors talk about the same things when they come back. The sudden change from the green mountain to the red pre-desert after the pass. The colours of the ksar at the end of the afternoon. The painted ceilings of Telouet. The silence of the Ounila valley. And the feeling of having crossed a real mountain range in a day.

If you like the idea of history and landscape together, and a long day does not frighten you, this is probably the trip to choose. If you prefer a gentler day, the Ouzoud Waterfalls and the Ourika Valley give a similar sense of the mountains with much less driving. Read our guide to the Atlas Mountains day trips to compare the options side by side.

Respect for the people and the place

Aït Benhaddou and Telouet are living places as well as sights. Some families still live in the ksar and the villages along the road. Ask before photographing a person, keep to the paths, and do not climb on walls. Buying a small item from a shop in the ksar, or tipping a local guide, supports the people who care for the place.

Take your rubbish with you, and use the toilets at the restaurant. Carry a small amount of change for tips and for the small purchases that make a day in the village more pleasant.

How the earthen architecture works

Aït Benhaddou is built mainly of pisé, which is earth that is pressed into wooden forms, and of mud bricks made from the local soil mixed with straw. The material is cheap, local and a good insulator, which keeps houses cool in summer and warm in winter. Its weakness is water, because rain softens the walls and washes away the surface.

That is why the walls are plastered again each year in many villages, and why the towers have a slightly sloping profile and small windows. The decorative patterns on the towers are made by pressing shapes into the wet surface. Looking at them closely, you can see that every house is slightly different, and that the village was built over generations.

The word kasbah is used for a fortified house of a ruler or a powerful family, and ksar, which is plural ksour, for a fortified village with several families. Telouet is a kasbah, and Aït Benhaddou is a ksar. Once you know the difference, you see it all along the roads of the south.

Film locations and the second life of the ksar

The ksar and the studios near Ouarzazate are used by international productions because of the light, the landscape and the sets that already exist. Several well known films were shot in the area. For visitors, this adds a layer of fun, because you can walk through scenes that you recognise.

At the same time, the ksar is not a film set. It is a real historic place with real families, and the visit is more rewarding if you treat it as a village, not as a backdrop. Your guide will point out places where scenes were filmed, and also explain the details of daily life that a film does not show.

Photography tips for the day

Telouet is best photographed in the morning, when the light enters the painted rooms from the side. In the Ounila valley, stop for wide landscape shots, and use the red cliffs as a frame for villages. At the ksar, the best light comes in the late afternoon, when the earth glows orange. The view across the river, from the new village, gives the classic postcard picture, and the walk to the top of the hill gives a view from above.

Keep your phone charged, clean the lens often because of dust, and carry a small power bank. Do not photograph people without asking, and be especially careful with women and children. A smile and a greeting often open the door to a friendly picture.

Overnight option and other ways to extend

If the long drive does not appeal, an overnight stay changes the pace. You can leave Marrakech in the morning, see Telouet and the Ounila valley, sleep near Aït Benhaddou, and visit the ksar in the early morning, when it is quiet and the light is soft. Many travellers who do this say it is the best way to experience the south. From there, you can continue to Ouarzazate or turn back the next day.

Tell us how many days you have, and we can help you decide whether the day trip or an extended route suits you better.

Booking your Road of the Kasbahs trip

Our Road of the Kasbahs trip is a full-day 4x4 tour with hotel pickup in Marrakech at 7:30. It includes the return transfer in a 4x4 with a driver, a guide and lunch in Aït Benhaddou. Entry tickets, drinks and tips are not included. Each 4x4 takes up to six people, so the group stays small and you have a good view from every seat. You pay on the day, and you can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before the start. Write to us by email with the date and the number of guests, and we reply with the confirmation.

Frequently asked questions