Rising from a hillside between Marrakech and the Sahara, Aït Benhaddou is Morocco’s most photographed kasbah — and for good reason. Whether you recognise it from Game of Thrones or simply want to experience an authentic desert fortress, the question isn’t whether to visit, but how long to stay.
This guide is based on visiting Aït Benhaddou twice, some years apart, which means I’ll cover different ways of experiencing it — from a quick stopover to a multi-day exploration of both the fortified village and the surrounding region.
Let’s dive in!
Aït Benhaddou bathed in warm sunset light
Why is it worth seeing?
To me, the most remarkable aspect of the ancient kasbah is just how your perception of it changes as you approach it.
From a distance it may seem like this ocher-red stone fortress would stand forever even if left untouched. But look more closely and you’ll notice all of its walls and ceilings are in fact built using only rammed earth and adobe.
While this is perfect for the hot and dry climate of the Ounila Valley, without regular maintenance (a ‘repainting’ of exposed surfaces with fresh material), Aït Benhaddou would gradually melt back into the desert landscape. It’s incredible how an imposing structure like this can be so timeless yet so fragile all the same time.
Located along one of the ancient caravan routes between the Sahara and Marrakech, the kasbahor village fortress is thought to date back to the 11th century, though most of the current buildings are believed to be at most two centuries old. It’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and easily one of the top sights in Morocco.
Besides its historical significance, Aït Benhaddou is iconic thanks to being featured in numerous films and TV productions, including Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator, and Game of Thrones.
Even if you have seen none of these, you would surely still be hit with a tinge of recognition, knowing this is exactly what an ancient desert fortress should look like.
Close-up of Aït Benhaddou ancient mudbrick 
The traditional pre-Saharan architecture 
The surrounding valleys from a viewpoint
Wandering the narrow alleys along multi-story adobe buildings with their detailed decorations will give you a greater appreciation for Morocco’s heritage. Climbing to the mountaintop will also give you some terrific views of the surrounding valleys.
If you stay in town for a while, you can also see another non-touristy kasbah nearby, as well as other interesting sights in the immediate region.
Should you see it on a tour?
As I mentioned, I’ve been to Aït Benhaddou twice: once as part of a multi-stop tour on my way to the Sahara desert (which is commonly how people visit) and another time as part of a 3-night stay in the village next to the Kasbah.
Having personally had a feel for both, let me compare the two experiences.
Visiting on a tour let me easily check the box of having seen Aït Benhaddou. It was memorable and satisfied the basic criteria of getting an impression of this epic site. However, I was there for no more than an hour on our busy itinerary.
Being on a tour also meant arriving around midday, which is peak time and more crowded. We had lunch in the village, which was just fine; they put us in the kind of large restaurant that could seat 20+ people and were served fairly average tajines, the place surely not counting on repeat customers. Such are the compromises with organised tours.
Staying in the village offered a more refined experience. This time around, I was not here as a solo backpacker but on a family road trip through Morocco. We got to wander around the fortress in tranquillity after most groups had left. Not being in a rush meant we could grab some drinks near the top with gorgeous views of the valley.
At night, we watched the sunset over Aït Benhaddou from one of the restaurant rooftops on the opposite side of the riverbed. Not only was this vista amazing, but since we could cherry-pick our restaurant, we had one of the best tajines of our trip.
Dining al fresco at Chez Moussa
All that said, I don’t know if staying overnight should be the default recommendation for Aït Benhaddou. The village is small, and I’m sure many tourists will conclude there is not enough beyond the fortress to keep you here.
If you don’t mind visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site at midday, a tour is easily the most practical and efficient option. To see the fortress itself, you realistically need just two hours at most.
If you’re on a first-time trip to Morocco, I would still advise going with a tour. Starting from Marrakech, you can choose from numerous multi-day tour options that will include Aït Benhaddou, the Valley of the Roses, Todra Gorge, and an overnight stay under the stars in the Sahara.
While there may be some compromises in terms of timing, the overall package offers some amazing value in terms of sightseeing and unique experiences.
Consider one of these tours from Marrakech:
- Merzouga 3-Day Desert Safari with stops in Aït Benhaddou, Boumalne Dades, Todra, and Erg Chebbi. This is the exact tour itinerary I did originally, and it offers the most sightseeing in a time-efficient manner
- From Marrakech 4 Days Tour to the Moroccan Sahara Desert. I highly recommend this if you can spare the extra day! It’s what I wished I’d had done on my previous trip. You’ll have a bit more time to smell the roses, with less driving per day and a few more stops in the Atlas Mountains and in oases villages.
- 2-Day Sahara Tour to Zagora & Ait Ben Haddou. This tour goes to the Zagora desert, which has smaller dunes than Erg Chebbi / Merzouga. Consider this only if you’re really looking for a shortened option.
The only thing I regret about my 3-day tour was the amount of driving involved, especially on the final day to return to Marrakech. If you have the chance to do a 4-day itinerary instead of the typical 3-day itinerary, I recommend it.
Staying in the village of Aït Benhaddou is much more of a ‘slow travel’ experience, though most visitors will probably say one night will suffice. We stayed for 3 nights in part just to take it easy while travelling with a small child.
She could be very entertained in the hotel pool while we could recharge a little. It also gave us some extra time to do some other sightseeing in the region, giving us a more complete experience. (I’ll cover these sights later.)
Aït Benhaddou is impractical to visit using public transportation. It can be done, but without any direct buses, it doesn’t seem like an attractive option. First, you’ll have to catch a bus from Marrakech to Ouarzazate.
From there, you’ll need to grab a taxi to the village beside the fort, which would take about half an hour. I would recommend this only if you’re backpacking with a lot more time than budget.
Where to stay in Aït Benhaddou
If you opt for a stay in town, you’ll have a wide range of accommodations to choose from. Staying a night or two may let you break up your journey, enjoy the beautiful surroundings, and visit the kasbah for sunset or sunrise.
I suggest these areas for your accommodation:
- Near the riverbed overlooking the fortress. There are a few places offering direct views of the kasbah, such as Hôtel Lakasbah and Dar Mouna. Keep in mind, this part of town is a bit busier with tour groups and souvenir shops, but only in the afternoons. Later, you get that spectacular view all to yourself.
- Inside the fortress walls. If you dream of staying inside a real kasbah and inside a traditional adobe house, then there are only two places to check out: Kasbah Tebi and Kasbah El Hajja. Expect to pay at least 100 EUR / night for this privileged location.
- Along the main road. At the back of the village is the main road, which is a tad dusty but only lightly trafficked, so you can get some deep sleep. Many hotels can be found here, including Auberge Ksar Ait Ben Haddou, which is where we stayed. My tip would be to pick one near the northern bridge, so you can easily enter the fortress on foot via the back entrance.
Where I stayed – Auberge Ksar Ait Ben Haddou
We really enjoyed our stay at Auberge Ksar Ait Ben Haddou, which offers comfortable and budget-friendly rooms (priced around 40 EUR per night). The swimming pool was a real bonus, letting us cool off in the afternoons and letting our daughter have some fun in the water.
The hotel serves an absolutely splendid Moroccan breakfast with flatbread, omelettes, olives, jams, cheeses, and so on. You’re also a stone’s throw away from one of the legit, non-tourist-trappy restaurants, For You.
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We loved the phenomenal breakfast at Auberge Ksar Ait Benhaddou!
About staying in town
The village is fairly basic and highly tourist-oriented, but it’s big enough to have at least a few dozen restaurants, a couple of mini-marts, and a pharmacy or two. The nearest proper town (more like a small city) is Ouarzazate, which has modern conveniences such as a Carrefour supermarket and a wide range of shops.
People don’t live inside the fortress anymore, with virtually all inhabitants living on the other side of the river in the modern part of the town. So if you stay inside the ksar, it will feel a bit isolated at night.
Almost all restaurants in town serve traditional Moroccan food. We also briefly considered the Italian-run pizza restaurant La Terrazza until we realised the murderous prices were surely higher than in Italy. Instead of remortgaging our house for a quattro stagioni, we were content to stick with the tajine and couscous while in Aït Benhaddou.
Things to do in & around Aït Benhaddou
While Aït Benhaddou itself is a highlight, the surrounding area offers plenty to explore. Here’s what to do in and around this iconic village.
Camel/horse riding
While we didn’t get the chance to do this (we saved our camel rides for Essaouira), I want to mention this first as it’s the one major activity here besides a visit to the Kasbah.
A camel or horse riding trip will let you explore the riverbed area with some great views of the iconic fortress.
This activity is usually included in bigger tours of Morocco that stop in Aït Benhaddou, but if you stay in town, you can reach out to one of the local providers for some riding “à la carte”.
We had heard a recommendation for Nomad Horse Riding.
Ouarzazate
The nearest city of Ouarzazate is mostly modern and not terribly noteworthy, except for the Taourirt Kasbah. This smaller Kasbah may give you a little more insight into how people lived here, especially if you agree to a tour from one of the guides seated outside the main entrance.
We had a really engaging guide who made it absolutely worth it, but without one, you’ll probably just be looking at some walls and empty rooms.
Some sections are newly renovated, while others are crumbling and falling apart. It may not be a must-see, but it’s a worthwhile add-on if you’re passing through Ouarzazate or visiting Atlas Studios.
Our guide dropped us off at La Cacia, which was a lovely rooftop restaurant overlooking the old part of town.
There is a tourist shop in a small alley east of the kasbah selling herbs, soaps, traditional cosmetic goods, etc., that seemingly all tourists are funnelled to (including groups). You’ll probably be promised to visit the “village apothecary” or something.
Keep in mind that the salesmanship is quite smooth here, and you can probably get better prices elsewhere, but the owner is friendly, and you might enjoy smelling the different natural products on sale while sipping a mint tea.
Mudbrick charm in the heart of Ouarzazate 
Rooftop views from La Cacia
Atlas Studios
Thanks to the excellent lighting conditions and many desert backdrops, Ouarzazate has been used as a location for numerous film and TV productions. This includes Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia, and Price of Persia.
While interest in this fact might be diminished by its dreadful final season, you may also recognise the distant walls that represented the city of Pentos in Game of Thrones.
Visiting a film studio may not seem like a high priority if you’re in Morocco looking for traditional culture. However, a tour of Atlas Studios is genuinely a fun experience, especially with kids.
The mandatory guides (English-speaking) offer lots of fun facts along the way. Several of the original sets you’re free to wander around, so here’s your chance to feel like you’re exploring ancient Egyptian tombs and throne rooms.
Road p1506
Coming from Marrakech, you’re likely to arrive via the N9 along the Tizi n’Tichka pass. However, if you have your own wheels, it is also highly worth taking the side road by driving north from Aït Benhaddou.
This small road will take you through rugged and rocky landscapes that make you wonder why any human would settle here. But look at the valley and you’ll find a string of small settlements — some with ocher-red mud buildings and small kasbahs — bordered by patches of palm tree grove.
It’s a stunning drive with frequent viewing points that can be tackled on the way to Aït Benhaddou from Marrakech or vice versa. Although it’s a small mountain road, it’s paved the whole way and can be done with any normal vehicle.
Gas Haven
Driving south from Aït Benhaddou, you may suddenly find yourself teleported to the American Midwest, where a gas station with 1960s-era signs (in English) will advise you it’s the last stop for fuel.
In fact, this was built as a set for the 2006 horror film The Hills Have Eyes. The desolate road is actually a perfect stand-in for a Route 66 type of location, vaguely reminiscent of Rоу’ѕ Mоtеl & Cаfé, where you can imagine tumbleweeds rolling by and strangers having eyes.
The Hills Have Eyes film set 
Gas Haven became a popular Instagram spot, though it was unfortunately closed when we visited. It would have been very fun to explore and check out the old-timer cars on the lot. It’s clearly a perfect stop if you’re on a road trip through Morocco.
The forgotten Tamdaght kasbah
Should you not be kasbah-ed out at this point, you can head north from Aït Benhaddou for about 10 minutes to see the Tamdaght Kasbah. While featuring some similar architecture, it’s a world apart from Aït Benhaddou, having virtually no visitors. If you hang around the gate a bit, you may meet someone who can guide you inside.
Unfortunately, the 2023 earthquake damaged the site, and it is very much a ruin, so you may not be able to enter everywhere. However, it’s worth taking a look even for just the exteriors. Storks are known to nest on top of the towers, which can create some unique visuals, especially when silhouetted against a sunset.
So there you have it — everything you need to know before visiting Aït Benhaddou. Continue planning your trip by checking out our other Morocco travel guides filled with tips and insights.
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