OUARZAZATE, MOROCCO
Ouarzazate is a small, desert town located in central Morocco. “Morocco’s Little Hollywood” is home to Ait-Ben-Haddou - one of the most well-preserved collections of kasbahs in the world. This is a great place to spend a night if you’re making the trip out to the Sahara as there is a nice market in town and the pace here is much slower than the larger cities.
Attractions:
Ait-Ben-Haddou: This UNESCO World Heritage site is a great example of a traditional ksar (a group of mud brick buildings surrounded by high walls) with many kasbahs inside. It has made many Hollywood appearances (Game of Thrones, Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia, etc.) and dates back to the 17th century. You will need to take a taxi to get to the site from Ouarzazate (cost me approximately $25 USD) but once you get there, there is no entrance fee.
La Rose Des Sables: This small, traditional restaurant is a great spot to stop for lunch or dinner! I went there twice and ordered the vegetable tagine (a savory stew named after the pot its cooked in) with a side of harira (a tomato and lentil Moroccan soup) both times.
Desert Tour to Merzouga: From Ouarzazate, I paid for the desert tour (800 dirham). This tour took me from Ouarzazate to Merzouga with many stops along the way. The drive and journey is long but definitely worth it! For more information about my trip to Merzouga, check out this blog post.
Other attractions you can check out include: Flint Oasis, Cinema Museum, Atlas Film Studios, CLA Studios, and Taourirt Kasbah.
Accommodation:
Cinema Riad: I stayed here for a night and was pleased with the accommodation (their rooftop was a nice space to stargaze). The deeper I got into the desert, the more clear the stars became! That said, this hostel is a 35 minute walk from where the bus drops you off and I spent 120 dirham to stay here (options are very scarce in Ouarzazate - it is not a touristy town).
I’m not too sure if you can stay in hotels or hostels near Monkey Fingers or the Dades Valley but those would be two other cool spots to spend a night. The natural wonders around here are endless!
Transportation:
Marrakech is 4.5 hours by bus from Ouarzazate and costs 90 MAD.
Agadir is 6.5 hours by bus from Ouarzazate and costs 145 MAD.
Casablanca is 8.5 hours by bus from Ouarzazate and costs 165 MAD.
There are no direct routes to Fes, Essaouira, Chefchaouen, etc. First, you must take a bus to Casablanca, Agadir, or Marrakech and then transfer.
