Ouarzazate Travel Guide
Ouarzazate is a town on the southern side of the High Atlas, known locally as "the Hollywood of Morocco" for the film studios on its outskirts. It's a stop or overnight point on our Marrakech–Merzouga desert routes, and a practical hub for this part of the country — a real town with real infrastructure, not just a tourist stop.
Why it's called the Hollywood of Morocco
Several film studios operate on the edge of town, and the surrounding desert, kasbah architecture, and consistent dry light have made the area a backdrop for a number of international film and TV productions over the decades — hence the nickname. The Atlas Film Studios and Taourirt Kasbah are the two sites most tours stop at.
The Taourirt Kasbah
The Taourirt Kasbah is a large 19th-century fortified residence on the edge of town, once home to the powerful Glaoui family, who controlled much of southern Morocco under the French protectorate. Parts of it have been restored and are open to visit, giving a sense of the scale these family kasbahs reached compared to a typical village ksar.
On the route
Ouarzazate comes right after crossing the Tizi n'Tichka pass and stopping at Ait Ben Haddou. On our longer tours it's an overnight stop, which allows time for the Atlas Film Studios and the Taourirt Kasbah; on the fastest 3-day route it's more of a pass-through on the way to Merzouga.
Tours that visit Ouarzazate
4-Day Marrakech to Fes Desert Tour via the Sahara
A private, one-way route from Marrakech to Fes over the Atlas mountains and into the Sahara — real passes, real kasbahs, and a night under the dunes at Merzouga.
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4-Day Desert Tour from Marrakech to Merzouga
A round trip from Marrakech to the Sahara with an extra day worked into the return leg — the same Atlas and kasbah route out, plus Rissani's market and a Kasbah Telouet stop on the way back.
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6-Day Desert Tour from Fes to Marrakech
A slower Fes-to-Marrakech desert route with a genuine rest day in Midelt built into the drive south, plus a full day exploring around Merzouga before the Dades Valley and Ait Ben Haddou.
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Ait Ben Haddou & Ouarzazate Day Trip from Marrakech
A single-day round trip over the High Atlas to Ait Ben Haddou's UNESCO kasbah and the film studios of Ouarzazate — the same landmarks our multi-day desert tours pass through, without committing to a night away.
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8-Day Morocco Tour from Casablanca
A week-long loop out of Casablanca that trades the Sahara for the coast and the Middle Atlas — Rabat and Meknes, the Fes medina, Ifrane's cedar forest, the Ouzoud Waterfalls, Marrakech, and Essaouira.
View DetailsRelated guides: Ait Ben Haddou, Sahara Desert, High Atlas Mountains
Frequently asked questions
Do all your desert tours stop overnight in Ouarzazate?
It depends on the tour — several of our 4-day-plus routes overnight here, while the fastest 3-day loop passes through on the same day.
Are the film studios worth visiting?
If you're interested in film production or want to see sets up close, yes — it's a genuinely different kind of stop from the kasbahs and gorges elsewhere on the route. It's usually available on request rather than automatically included, so mention it when booking.