Visiting Ouarzazate: kasbahs, cinema and the gateway to the desert

At the gates of the Sahara, where the High Atlas gives way to ochre plateaus and palm groves, Ouarzazate has a fascinating double identity: a world-famous film set and a great crossroads of the old caravan routes. It's nicknamed the "Hollywood of the desert", but it's also the real gateway to the desert, the launch point toward Merzouga, Zagora and the Draa Valley. Here's how to visit Ouarzazate without missing a thing — and how to travel light while you're there. Taourirt Kasbah, a heart of red earth Start with Taourirt Kasbah, one of the finest in southern Morocco. Once a stronghold of the powerful Glaoui clan, it raises its rammed-earth towers and narrow alleys right in the city centre. You'll happily get lost among patios, staircases and rooms decorated with carved stucco and painted ceilings, then climb to the terraces for sweeping views over the palm grove and the mountains. In the late-afternoon light the raw earth turns to gold — the perfect moment for photos. Ouarzazate, the "Hollywood of the desert" If Ouarzazate is known around the world, it's thanks to cinema. The town is home to two vast open-air studios — Atlas Studios and CLA Studios — among the largest on the planet. You can wander life-size sets: Egyptian temples, ramparts, grounded planes, sword-and-sandal streets left behind by dozens of shoots. The region has been the backdrop for famous epics, from Lawrence of Arabia to Gladiator, as well as fantasy series filmed nearby. The guided tour is worth it even if you're not a film buff: it reveals what goes on behind the scenes. Aït Benhaddou, the UNESCO-listed ksar About thirty kilometres away, the ksar of Aït Benhaddou is the very image of pre-Saharan Morocco: a fortified village of raw earth clinging to a hillside, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You cross the riverbed and climb between the earthen houses up to the communal granary at the top, where a breathtaking panorama over the valley unfolds. Come early in the morning or at sunset to avoid the crowds and catch the best light. It's the must-do excursion from Ouarzazate. The gateway to the desert: Draa, Fint oasis and the deep south Ouarzazate is the threshold of another world. To the south opens the Draa Valley, a ribbon of palm groves and kasbahs running toward Zagora and the dunes. Closer by, the Fint oasis, tucked into a canyon a few kilometres from town, offers a striking contrast between arid rock and greenery. And for many travellers the town is simply a stop before the great desert adventures: Merzouga and the Erg Chebbi dunes, Zagora and its nights under the stars. Most desert tours set off from here. How many days and how to get around Allow two to three days for Ouarzazate and its surroundings: one day for the town (kasbah and studios), one for Aït Benhaddou and the Fint oasis, and a third if you push on toward the Draa or the desert. Locally you get around by shared grand taxi, rental car or organised half-day excursions. The town itself is easy to explore on foot around Avenue Mohammed V and the kasbah. One tip to make the most of it: before an excursion to Aït Benhaddou or a run into the desert, there's no need to drag your big suitcases along the tracks. Drop them at a luggage storage in Ouarzazate and set off light, with just a small bag. With BoxSpot, you book a drop-off point online at a partner business, leave your things safely behind the counter (dual QR code and timestamped photo), and pick them up on your return. Prices start from 9 MAD per hour. Ready to explore the Hollywood of the desert hands-free? Find luggage storage in Ouarzazate and book your slot in seconds.