Hotels in Ouarzazate

Ouarzazate

Ouarzazate sits at 1,160 metres elevation on the southern edge of the High Atlas in Morocco — a garrison town turned film hub that controls the main pass between Marrakech and the Sahara. The city is roughly 200 km southeast of Marrakech via the Tizi n'Tichka mountain road. Its dry climate, flat desert light, and dramatic kasbahs drew Hollywood and European productions for decades. Ridley Scott filmed parts of Gladiator here in 2000. The Atlas Corporation Studios, one of the largest film studios in the world by surface area, still operates on the western edge of town and is open to visitors.

Most travellers use Ouarzazate as a base or transit point. The Kasbah Aït Benhaddou — a UNESCO World Heritage ksar about 30 km northwest — draws day-trippers who want to see its tiered earthen towers. The Draa Valley extends south from the city, lined with date palms and fortified villages. Trekkers heading toward Zagora or Merzouga pass through, as do overlanders crossing into the Sahara. The city itself is compact and walkable around its central avenue, Mohammed V.

Ouarzazate has its own regional airport — Moulay Ali Cherif Airport — with direct flights from several European cities, making it reachable without routing through Casablanca or Marrakech. Average annual rainfall is under 100 mm, so the weather stays dry and sunny most of the year.