Ait Benhaddou & Ouarzazate Day Trip from Marrakech over Tizi n’Tichka

Highlights

• Cross the Tizi n'Tichka, one of Morocco's highest road passes (2,260 m)
• Guided visit of the UNESCO-listed ksar of Ait Benhaddou
• Climb to the old granary for views over the Ounila valley
• See the Taourirt Kasbah in Ouarzazate
• High Atlas scenery on both sides of the mountains
• Hotel or riad pick-up and drop-off in Marrakech

Itinerary

1. 1

   07:00 · Pick-up in Marrakech

   Your driver collects you at your hotel or riad in an air-conditioned minibus. If your riad has no car access, the nearest meeting point is confirmed on WhatsApp the evening before. You head south-east out of the city towards the mountains, with a welcome coffee stop in the foothills before the road starts its long, winding climb into the High Atlas.

2. 2

   09:30 · Tizi n'Tichka pass

   After a winding ascent through Berber villages and walnut groves, you reach the top of the Tizi n'Tichka at 2,260 m. There is a stop for photos and fresh air at the summit before you descend the southern slopes, where the scenery turns red, dry and mineral, and you get your first sense of the pre-Saharan landscape that lies ahead.

3. 3

   11:15 · Guided visit of Ait Benhaddou

   A local guide meets you and leads you through the narrow lanes of the ksar, explaining how its earthen architecture is built and restored, and how families once lived inside the walls. The walk climbs to the ruined granary at the very top, where the view stretches across the Ounila river and the surrounding plain. Wear shoes with a good grip for the steps.

4. 4

   13:00 · Lunch facing the ksar

   Lunch is taken at a restaurant looking across to Ait Benhaddou and is paid separately on the spot. Afterwards there is time to rest and photograph the ksar from the opposite bank of the river, which is the classic angle seen in films and postcards. It is a good moment to slow down before the second half of the day.

5. 5

   14:15 · Ouarzazate

   A short 30 km drive brings you to Ouarzazate, the gateway to the south and home to Morocco's film industry. You can view the Taourirt Kasbah, a former Glaoui residence, from outside or pay a small fee to explore its rooms and courtyards. If time permits, Atlas Film Studios is an optional visit, also with its own entrance fee, and a fun stop for film fans.

6. 6

   15:30 · Return to Marrakech

   In the afternoon you begin the journey back over the High Atlas, enjoying the mountain views again from the other direction, with rest stops along the way. You reach your hotel or riad in Marrakech between about 19:00 and 19:30, after roughly eight hours of driving in total, with the rest of the evening free for a relaxed dinner in the city.

What’s included

Questions about this tour