Ouarzazate

Just over 4 hours’ drive south east of Marrakech or east of Taroudant, Ouarzazate is the biggest town in the region. It is an ideal stopping off point midway to the Saharan Dunes at either M’Hamid to the south or at Merzouga to the east. It is garrison town with one interesting quarter - the Kasbah Taorirt.

Kasbah Taorirt, Ouarzazate

For a more authentic experience, we recommend accommodation is at villages outside such as:

  • the oasis of Skoura to the east
  • beside the lake to the east
  • in or near the village of Ait Benhaddou to the north not far from the Atlas film studios, the setting made famous by many movies such as the Lawrence of Arabia, Kingdom of Heaven, Gladiator and Alexander the Great. The Ksar (fortified settlement) of Ait Benhaddou is a World Heritage Site.

Climate

The best time to travel to Ouarzazate is between September and June, since temperatures can be excessive outside this period. Rain falls mainly between December and March, which tends to be the wettest month.

Average temperatures in celcius
Months Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Ouarzazate 17 19 23 27 30 36 39 38 33 27 21 17

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