Aït Ben Haddou
29km (18 miles) NW of Ouarzazate, 209km (130 miles) SE of Marrakech
The village of Aït Ben Haddou receives up to 130,000 visitors each year, and every one of them is coming to view the same thing. Perched upon a low hillside overlooking an often-dry riverbed, the Aït Ben Haddou ksour, or kasbahs, are one of the most scenic sights in the country. Towering defensive walls and elaborately decorated corner towers surround the collection of houses, stables, lofts, and even a mosque -- all constructed from a mix of red earth and stone called tabout -- connected by a maze of narrow, winding lanes. Probably established as early as the 11th century, the site was an important stronghold of the clans that controlled the lucrative southern caravan trade that passed through here and Telouet. This strategic geographical importance was severely diminished in 1936 by the French construction of the Tizi n'Tichka road to the west. The ksour has since remained virtually abandoned, bar a few families that still reside here eking out a rural existence that is now somewhat subsidized by travelers who climb past their kasbahs on the way to the hilltop. A ruined fortified granary, or agadir, sits atop the hill and lays testament to the historical reasoning behind the kasbah's strongly defensive position -- their highly prized supply of grain. Since the late 1970s, the kasbahs have been used for numerous movie shoots with the odd bit of Hollywood restoration work undertaken, even though a UNESCO heritage listing of the site in 1983 has assisted the Moroccan government in retaining some control over its exploitation.
The best time of day to visit is very early in the morning when the red-earth tabout contrasts strikingly against the bright blue sky -- and while the tour groups are still eating breakfast in Marrakech or Ouarzazate.
To reach the hilltop and the ruined agadir, simply enter the ksour through one of the entrances -- reached by walking across the usually dry Oued Mellah from one of the hotel car parks in the new village -- and follow the maze of lanes uphill until you eventually come out at the top.
Note: The kasbahs are still inhabited and some of the residents don't take kindly to being photographed or intruded upon. This is fair enough considering how many people pass by each day. Quite often you'll be accosted as you proceed through one of the ksour's entrances by a "doorman" demanding entry. This is a quandary on which I have had conflicting local advice. On the one hand, it could be considered fair payment to hand over 10 dirham ($1.25/65p) to a member of the kasbah's families in exchange for tromping through their backyard. On the other hand, this can lead to squabbles between the families as to who receives the money, if indeed the "doorman" is an actual family member and not just an enterprising nobody. My advice is to abstain from any payment if you are simply traipsing up to the hilltop and especially if you are being accosted by an unlikely sort. However, if you stop to take photographs along the way or are invited, as can often happen, inside one of the houses, then I recommend paying for the privilege.
Getting There -- Twenty kilometers (12 miles) from Ouarzazate, on the main road to Marrakech, is a small roadside settlement with a signposted turnoff for the narrow tarred road to Aït Ben Haddou, 9km (5 1/2 miles) away. Buses traveling to Aït Ben Haddou are few and far between, with the majority only stopping at the turnoff from where you can usually catch a grand taxi (10dh/$1.25/65p) to the village. A better idea, if traveling from Ouarzazate, is to charter a grand taxi for the return trip (350dh/$44/£22 per taxi).
