Aït Benhaddou Day Trip from Marrakech over the Tizi n'Tichka Pass
Aït Benhaddou from Marrakech is a long day over the High Atlas, about four hours each way by the Tizi n’Tichka pass. You walk up through the ksar, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a well-known film set, to the old granary at the top, and stop at the Telouet kasbah on the way back.
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Aït Benhaddou trip from Marrakech at a glance
Marrakech to Aït Benhaddou and Telouet
The road climbs out of the plain through Berber villages and terraced fields to the Tizi n’Tichka, at 2,260 metres. On the far side the country turns dry and the earth-built kasbahs begin.
Aït Benhaddou is a fortified village of earth houses on a hill above the Ounila river, on the old caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech. It has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1987 and has appeared in many films. On the way back you can stop at the Glaoui kasbah in Telouet, or see a film studio in Ouarzazate instead.
Highlights
- The Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 metres
- The ksar of Aït Benhaddou and the view from the granary
- Crossing the Ounila river into the village
- The Glaoui kasbah at Telouet or a film studio in Ouarzazate
- Lunch facing the ksar
How the day goes
From your pickup in the morning to the drop-off at the end of the day.
Morning · Over the High Atlas
An early start at around 7:30, then the drive over the Tizi n’Tichka, with photo stops at the pass.
Midday · Aït Benhaddou
Lunch facing the ksar, then a walk with a local guide across the river and up through the village to the granary.
Afternoon · Telouet and back
A stop at the Glaoui kasbah in Telouet on the way home, or the film studios in Ouarzazate if you prefer. You are back in Marrakech in the evening.
What is included and not included
Included
- Private vehicle and driver for the day
- Pickup and drop-off at your riad or hotel in Marrakech
- Local guide for the walk in Aït Benhaddou
- Fuel and parking
Not included
- Lunch and drinks
- Entrance fees at Telouet and the film studios
- Tips
- Travel insurance
Pickup, best time to go and what to bring
Pickup points
We pick you up at your riad or hotel in Marrakech at the time you choose. If your riad is in a lane cars cannot enter, the driver waits at the nearest square or gate and someone from the riad walks you there.
Best time to go
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) suit a trip that covers the mountains, the desert and the cities. Winter works with warm layers, and summer is hot inland.
What to bring
Clothes for warm days and cool evenings, a warm jacket for any desert night, comfortable shoes, clothes that cover shoulders and knees for the medinas, and a small bag for the camp night.
Price, deposit and cancellation
Prices are per person and depend on the size of your group. You book with a 20% deposit by card or PayPal and pay the balance on the first day of the tour.
If you cancel 30 days or more before the start, we refund the deposit in full; after that the deposit is kept. You can change the date once for free if you ask 14 days or more before. The details are in our Cancellation Policy.
Questions about the Aït Benhaddou trip from Marrakech
Is Aït Benhaddou worth a day trip from Marrakech?
It is a long day, with around eight hours in the car, but the drive over the Tizi n’Tichka is part of it. For more time there, see our 2-day desert tour from Marrakech, which stops at Aït Benhaddou on the way to Zagora.
Which films were made at Aït Benhaddou?
Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator and scenes of Game of Thrones are among the best known, and the studios in nearby Ouarzazate still use the area.
Is it a long day?
Yes, about eight hours of driving in all, with stops along the way. If you would rather split it, ask about our two-day trip to Aït Benhaddou and the Draa Valley.
Is the Tichka road open in winter?
Usually. Snow can close the pass for a few hours or a day; if that happens, we change the date or the plan with you.
Can we change the timing?
Yes. You choose the pickup time, the stops and how long you stay out.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes. Let us know their ages and we adjust the walking and the stops.
How do I book?
Send an enquiry with your dates and group size and we reply with availability and a quote. When online booking is open for this tour, you can also reserve with a deposit by card or PayPal.
Book this tour
Send your dates and group size and we reply with a quote.
- Private tour, only your group
- Free enquiry, no obligation
- Private tour, only your group
- Free enquiry, no obligation
- Route and timing adjusted to you
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