Day trip from Marrakech to Ait Ben Haddou Kasbah

Ait Ben Haddou & Telouet Kasbah Day Trip from Marrakech

Departure: Marrakech · Duration: full day · Distance: approx. 400 km round trip

Overview

Cross the High Atlas Mountains via the spectacular Tizi n’Tichka pass and discover the gateway to the Moroccan south in a single day. Visit the Kasbah of Telouet, former palace of the powerful Glaoui family, and the UNESCO-listed Ait Ben Haddou, the most famous kasbah in Morocco and a film location for many Hollywood blockbusters.

Route Map

Marrakech → Tizi n’Tichka → Telouet (≈ 180 km) → Ait Ben Haddou (≈ 40 km) → Marrakech (≈ 190 km).

Itinerary

Early pick-up from your accommodation in Marrakech. Drive through the High Atlas via the Tizi n’Tichka pass (2,260 m), a road often used in films, passing Berber villages that blend into the mountain landscape. As you cross the mountains, the scenery changes dramatically: the Atlas acts as a barrier between the Mediterranean climate of the north and the desert winds of the south.

Leave the main road for the Kasbah of Telouet, which belonged to the Pasha Glaoui, “Lord of the Atlas”. Visit some of its rooms, whose tiled walls, carved pillars and painted wooden ceilings reveal the splendour of this once prestigious residence.

After lunch, explore Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site and once a stronghold on the caravan route that brought gold, ivory and other goods to Marrakech. Admire its earthen architecture, perfectly adapted to the climate of the south, and finish with a panoramic view of the whole village before driving back to Marrakech.

Price

Included

• Pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation in Marrakech
• Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver

Not Included

• Lunch and drinks
• Kasbah entrance fees and local guides
• Tips and personal expenses

Discover our other day trips from Marrakech: Ourika Valley, Ouzoud Waterfalls and Essaouira, or go further with our 3 days from Marrakech to the Sahara.