What are the best Excursions in Ouarzazate?

What are the best Excursions in Ouarzazate?

If you are staying in Marrakech and do have not much time to travel to the Merzouga or Erg Chigaga desert, an excursion to Ouarzazate is a fun activity to do. Below I will briefly describe a route hoping it suits you, if not let me know so I can make another program.

Before I give you an idea of the most popular trip to Ouarzazate that many tour operators organize on a daily basis, let me first answer your question:

What are the most recommended activities and excursions in Ouarzazate?

If you are looking for adventurous things to do in Ouarzazate, you can go quad biking in the oasis of Fint, horseback riding, mountain biking, and rafting in Lake Ouarzatze. Other activities you can enjoy are excursions in Ouarzazate, climbing the mountains in the Todgha gorges in Tinghir, or continuing your journey to Merzouga.

You can start your adventure early around 7:30 AM after a delicious breakfast at your accommodation. You can drive towards Ouarzazate by crossing the high Atlas mountains where you can enjoy beautiful panoramic views. Along the way you can stop in a cafe/restaurant on the left side of the road where you can enjoy a glass of tea with a beautiful view.

The road to Ouarzazate is a winding road with many twists and turns. Before reaching Ouarzazate, take the left side road to visit the lush oasis of Fint. A tranquil green paradise in the midst of a dry desert-like environment hovering beneath the Atlas Mountains.

Like the nearby kasbahs, Fint Oasis has been the setting for many famous movies like Prince of Persia, Kingdom of Heaven, and many more. The oasis is perfect for a peaceful stroll and picnic. All the sounds you hear here are your footsteps, the water in the river gushing gently over smooth stones, and the wind blowing through the palm trees.
After the visit to the oasis of Fint, you can continue your journey for an hour's walk in the oasis. Here, you can meet families who are happy to invite you for a cup of tea and hope to have a nice conversation. Later, after enjoying this green environment, take the road to Kasbah Tifoultoute. The Kasbah is majestically located on the banks of the Oued Tifoultoute.

A short distance from this beautiful valley is an old kasbah. In the 1960s, the Kasbah was converted into a hotel for the film Lawrence of Arabia. As part of this tour, visit the Kasbah and have a drink at the restaurant known for its delicious mint and local herbal teas. Tea is served on the rooftop terrace, which offers panoramic views of the area. Later, continue to the Atlas studios, where you can discover different sets and hear the stories of the films. Many famous movies such as Gladiator were shot here in these studios and in the surrounding area. You can see the fortified city wall used in the Gladiator movie. There you can enjoy a wide panoramic view of the snow-capped mountains.

After visiting all that the region has to offer, if you have extra time to spare for the trip, you can head to the Dades Valley or the Draa Valley. If not, it's time to head back to Marrakesh and visit argan oil cooperatives along the way owned by rural Berber women to see how they make the argan oil from nuts in an ancient way. The argan tree is nowadays considered a protected species.