The city of Ouarzazate was built in 1928 on a barren and desert plateau 1200 meters above sea level at the foot of the High Atlas Mountains . Ouarzazate is a real movie set to open the treasures which hosts local crafts : weaving carpets (called High Atlas ) , jewelry making , modeling of ceramics and pottery . The city of Ouarzazate is a modern city that is different from traditional Moroccan cities by the absence of Medina and its organization around wide avenues . Ouarzazate is the cinema , desert and a great step before exploring sublime valleys : the Dades Valley and its kasbahs, the Draa Valley and its ksours the Valley of Roses and its subtle flavors ... Ouarzazate and its region home to two places of incomparable beauty also listed as World Heritage by UNESCO . The fascinating Kasbah Taourit and Kasbah Ait Benhaddou . Built with mud and straw by the Glaoui tribe 1.5 km from the city center , Kasbah Taourit was the place of residence in the nineteenth century the powerful Pasha of Marrakech. You can visit the remains of old apartments Thami El Glaoui and admire the decorations decorated stucco ceilings and cedar . This kasbah has recently been renovated .
The Kasbah of Aït Benhaddou , located thirty kilometers is a sublime sand castle posed as if by magic in a meadow of blooming almond trees . This magnificent fortress games amazing light has often served as a film set (Lawrence of Arabia, The Sheltering Sky , Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra, Gladiator ) . With its climatic and geographical conditions Ouarzazate effect since 1984 welcomes a multitude of movie studios. Located at the crossroads of the valleys of Dades and Draa , the city of Ouarzazate is the ideal starting point for many excursions in this beautiful region. South of Ouarzazate lies the Draa Valley and its oases and fortified or " ksars " villages. In this region Draa Saharan climate , the inhabitants are concentrated in oases. Enjoy the pretty village of Amezrou , old Kasbah Jews and the village of Tamgrout , dug into the rock , and its remarkable Koranic library that contains precious manuscripts of the Koran and books of mathematics, medicine or history. To the east is the Dades Valley or " the road of 1000 kasbahs ." You will discover with interest the innumerable traditional Berber mud habitats that mark the Dades Valley . You can visit the cave houses, now used as granaries .
Guests can enjoy a refreshing break in the lush palm grove of Skoura . Many fruits are harvested : pomegranates, almonds, apricots , dates, figs and olives. Near Toundout , you can see the salt mines : the red salt to dry the meat, black salt for animal feed , and white salt for cooking. Not forgetting of course the beautiful ocher rocks of the Gorges du Dades , Todra Gorge nicknamed " the great Moroccan canyon " and the famous Valley of Roses. South of the valley , the fortified village of Kelaât M'gouna this flower festival each spring the sweet scent and products derived therefrom. In addition to the many possible in the Dades Valley and the Draa Valley hiking , Ouarzazate is the place to succumb to the call of the desert and offer an exotic and relaxing break in the middle of sand dunes. Time for a hike , a bivouac or a sand bath , plunge into the magic of the desert and find harmony and serenity. With its architectural and natural heritage and its film activities the city of Ouarzazate has a strong attraction for travelers and is sure to offer a pleasant stay