Dream
Ouarzazate Sights
Film studios, Kasbah, and desert
Superb scenery between the High Atlas and the desert. A film-maker’s dream at 1,150m above sea level. Ouarzazate, the ‘ochre pearl’, is Morocco’s answer to Hollywood and a picturesque base for excursions across the Draa Valley and into the desert. Lawrence of Arabia, Game of Thrones and Gladiator are just some of the blockbusters and series that were filmed here – not just because of the breathtaking kasbahs, such as Aït Benhaddou, but also on account of the scorching sun and a landscape rich in contrasts.
Morocco’s Hollywood: Ouarzazate between the Atlas Mountains and Sahara. Aït Benhaddou, the cinematic kasbah. Film studios. Natural spectacles. Immerse yourself in Berber culture.
Highlights
Onwards to the Top Sights in Ouarzazate!
Kasbah Taourirt
One of the first Berber buildings
A UNESCO World Heritage Site. The setting of The Sheltering Sky, the Golden Globe-nominated film starring John Malkovich, as well as many other blockbusters including Seven Years in Tibet and Babel. Ochre and red rammed mud walls, interweaving and overlapping. Towers fortified with battlements. Like a huge sandcastle: Kasbah Taourirt on the outskirts of Ouarzazate.
One of the first major Berber buildings from the 19th century – and one of the most impressive. The mud castle in the middle of Ouarzazate’s kasbah quarter enchants visitors with almost 300 rooms and fascinating insights into Moroccan and Berber culture. Ouarzazate may have only a few tourist attractions, but this is a must-see!
Make sure to explore the interior of the kasbah too. Carvings, paintings, mosaics and the incredible scale – an educational journey into Berber and Moroccan history!
Atlas Film Studios
Enter the world of Game of Thrones
Ouarzazate: the centre of Morocco’s film industry. Take a fascinating tour of the Atlas Corporation Film Studios and the other studios in ‘Mollywood’, provided they are not closed for filming. Follow in the footsteps of blockbusters, Hollywood films and major series. Wander between the sets of Gladiator, Game of Thrones, Ben Hur, The Mummy, Asterix & Obelix, and many more.
Want a few more examples? Marvel at the Tibetan monastery from Kundun, the F-16 fighter jet from The Jewel of the Nile and the Egyptian temple from Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra. Located around 30km from the Atlas Film Studios, Aït Benhaddou, a ksar (fortified village) and the best-preserved kasbah in the Atlas Mountains, has featured in many films, including Star Wars and Lawrence of Arabia.
The perfect day
With the Private Concierge Service
Practical information from arrival to departure
For exploring nature, culture and the film industry
Location
Ouarzazate is in southern Morocco at around 1,150m above sea level. With the High Atlas to the north, the desert to the south and the huge El Mansour Eddahbi reservoir in the east, Ouarzazate boasts fantastic scenery.
Climate
The weather is desert-like. In summer it is hot and extremely dry with little rain. In winter, daytime temperatures range between 10°C and 20°C and it gets very cold at night.
Ouarzazate – the breathtaking desert city
Average daytime temperatures in Celsius
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
17 | 19 | 22 | 25 | 30 | 34 | 38 | 37 | 32 | 27 | 20 | 17 |