Ouarzazate & Ait Benhaddou - Kasbahs, Hollywood of Africa

The road leaves Marrakech heading south and crosses the Tizi n'Tichka pass, at more than 2,200 metres. The landscape changes as you go: High Atlas relief, rammed-earth villages clinging to the slopes, and valleys crossed by old caravan routes.

The first stop is the Telouet kasbah, the former seat of the powerful Glaoui family. Its richly decorated rooms and its architecture speak to the role this kasbah once played on the routes linking Marrakech to the Saharan regions.

The road then continues through the landscapes of southern Morocco, between traditional villages, valleys and rocky relief, as far as Aït Ben Haddou. This fortified ksar, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1989, brings together earthen houses, crenellated towers and narrow lanes around an old hilltop village. The site has also become a landmark backdrop for international films and series.

The day follows part of the old caravan route between Marrakech and the south, taking in two of the most remarkable architectural ensembles of the High Atlas and the Ouarzazate region.

Good to know: the excursion is also available as a private outing, on request.