Tours From Ouazazate
Tours From Ouarzazate
Why visit Ouarzazate ?
Want to learn more about Ouarzazate? There are a million and one ways to accomplish this. The Hollywood of Morocco, with its countless adobe Kasbahs, arid mountains and plains, green valleys and oases, palm groves, and villages made of red or ochre earth, is a caramel-colored oasis accentuated by the cloudless blue of the North African sky. These features add to the region's charm and draw tourists. The Taourirt Kasbah, which belonged to the Glaoui, is the city's emblem. In the middle of the 18th century, it was constructed. It borders the medina and is depicted on the new 50-dirham banknotes. This Moroccan city serves as the hub of a vast area of southern Morocco. It is situated where the Ouarzazate and Dades river valleys (from the High Atlas) converge to form the Draa river downstream from their meeting. With a population of 100,000, Ouarzazate dominates both the nearby desert and the southern High Atlas foothills. On the outskirts of the kingdom's deep south, Ouarzazate emerges as a striking combination of oases, Kasbahs, flourishing valleys, and a vast desert plateau that draws tourists from various nationalities to experience the city's natural beauty. Some of its kasbahs have been turned into tourist accommodations and are recognized as heritage sites. The Fez Medina is still home to about 90,000 people. It can appear in a constant state of chaos; some visitors fall in love immediately while others recoil in horror. But it has many charms. Apparent blind alleys lead to squares with beautiful fountains and streets bursting with fragrant food stands. A sea of minarets is revealed on the rooftops, and stooped doorways reveal tireless artisans.
Must see attractions in Ouarzazate
With the aid of some Hollywood touch-ups, this Unesco-protected red mudbrick ksar (fortified village) appears to be stuck in the past, still resembling its heyday as an Almoravid caravanserai in the 11th century. It may look familiar to moviegoers from Lawrence of Arabia, Jesus of Nazareth (for which much of At Ben Haddou was rebuilt), Jewel of the Nile (note the Egyptian towers), and Gladiator. The Tamdaght Kasbah, a deteriorating Glaoui fortification topped by stork nests, is a less restored kasbah that can be found 6 km north of At Ben Haddou along the asphalt.
Visitors are mostly encouraged to touch, play with, and take pictures with the historic film sets, props, and cinematic equipment on display at this modest movie museum, which is housed in a former studio. If you are unable to travel to the larger studios outside of town, this convenient alternative is situated directly across from the Taourirt Kasbah.
Mohammed Belghimi founded the first “Ouarzawood” studio in 1983. It features sets and artifacts from films including Jewel of the Nile, Kingdom of Heaven, and Kundun that were shot there. You can explore the 11-hectare property on your own or take one of the guided tours that leave every 20 to 40 minutes. The trips take you through some of the stages, sets, and workshops that are present there.
This impressive hilltop kasbah was constructed in the 17th century and expanded by the Glaoui clan in the 18th. It has since been transformed into a privately owned restaurant with tables arranged throughout the structure. Even though only the smaller 18th-century addition is accessible to guests (the rest is let to revert to sand gradually), the interior contains a number of exquisitely tiled rooms that make the trip worthwhile.
Bus 4 (Dh4) stops here after traveling past the bus terminal and souq in Ouarzazate and arriving just in front of the Kasbah. It’s a simple idea to combine trips to the two if it’s not too hot out to walk the 4 km to Atlas Studios from here.
Taourirt, in contrast to other Glaoui-era kasbahs, avoided ruin by working as a Hollywood backdrop (Sheltering Sky, Gladiator, Prince of Persia), catching the eye of Unesco, and having small portions of the inner sanctuary meticulously repaired. The prayer room is on the top floor, accessible by a tangle of stairwells, keyhole archways, tataoui (woven reed) ceiling remnants, and remains of stucco.
After that, explore the old hamlet beyond the kasbah walls, where you might find discounts on regional handicrafts in tucked-away shops.
The El Mansour Eddahbi dam was built in 1971 downstream of the Draa wadi. The objective of this dam is to fight against desertification and consequently improve the standard of living of the surrounding populations. The volumes of water are then contained behind the dam, and the distribution is regulated according to the needs (particularly for the irrigation of the cultures). The El Mansour Eddahbi dam is 70 meters high, and its vaulted shape makes it very impressive! The monument retains approximately 560 million cubic meters of water! In other words: a breathtaking visit! Getting there: Tourists will take the P31 road in a southeasterly direction for about 13 kilometers. Then, they will fork on a track on the left and continue for about ten kilometers before reaching the colossal building!
