Ouarzazate

If you want to go off-the-beaten-path, Ouarzazate is perfect. This city doesn’t feature on tourist itineraries but that does not make it any less significant. It showcases Moroccan scenery perfectly and we highly recommend visiting it on your city break to Marrakech. Ouarzazate is a 5-hour drive away from Marrakech. It’s possible to take public transport or a guided tour but we suggest renting a car as it provides flexibility. Ouarzazate is the gateway to the arid Moroccan desert. The drive is peppered with innumerable kasbahs, majestic mountains, and arid plans. Every now and then, you will stumble on a fertile oasis or lush valley that provides the perfect contrast to the stark scenery of the desert.
Ouarzazate is much quieter and smaller than most Moroccan cities. It’s also home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site called Ait Benhaddou, a walled city that has appeared in dozens of films including Lawrence of Arabia. There are hardly any tourists or guides around, which makes for a refreshing change after the cramped alleyways of Marrakech.