Ait Ben Haddou & Ouarzazate Day Trip from Marrakech over the Atlas

This is one of the most spectacular day trips in Morocco. Leaving Marrakech early, you climb into the High Atlas on the winding Tizi n'Tichka road, the highest major pass in the country at 2,260 metres, with stops for photos of the mountains and Berber villages clinging to the slopes. On the other side the landscape turns dry and red, and you reach Ait Ben Haddou, a ksar of earthen houses and towers stacked on a hill above the Ounila river. Listed by UNESCO, it has appeared in many famous films and series. With a local guide you cross the river and climb through the lanes to the old granary at the top, with a sweeping view of the valley. After lunch you continue to Ouarzazate, known as the door of the desert and home of large film studios, for a stop at the Taourirt Kasbah or the studios before the drive back across the Atlas. A long but unforgettable day, best for travellers who don't have time for a multi-day desert tour.