The ksar of Aït Ben Haddou lies about thirty kilometres north west of Ouarzazate, on the old caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech. A UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987, it is the most famous earthen settlement in the country and the set of dozens of films.

Getting there

Allow thirty to forty minutes by road. Shared taxis and excursions leave Ouarzazate throughout the day. By car the route is simple and well signed. Parking is in the modern village, on the other side of the river.

When to go

Early morning, before the groups from Marrakech, or late afternoon when the light grazes the walls. In summer avoid midday: the climb to the collective granary is steep and without shade.

The visit

You cross the river on foot, by the ford or the footbridge depending on the season, then climb through the lanes to the top. A few families still live in the ksar and open their homes. Allow an hour and a half to two hours.

On the way back

The road passes through Tifoultoute, our village, five kilometres before the centre of Ouarzazate. It is the hour when the kasbah of Tifoultoute glows and the kitchen of La Table du Berbère begins service. If you booked and chose your menu in the morning, your tagine is on the embers when you arrive. Reservation required: we prepare exactly what you have chosen.

Combining with other visits

On the same road, the kasbah of Tamdaght, a few kilometres north of the ksar, is less visited. Continuing towards the Tizi n'Tichka, the villages of the Ounila valley are worth a detour if you have the day.

For the evening that follows, see dinner in Ouarzazate: how to plan a good evening.