South · Gateway to the Sahara
Ouarzazate
Ouarzazate — 'door of the desert' in Tamazight — sits below the High Atlas at the edge of Morocco's pre-Saharan south. Two huge film studios (Atlas and CLA) have made it the largest film-production hub in Africa.
Things to do in Ouarzazate
Atlas Film Studios
Full sets from Gladiator, Cleopatra, Kingdom of Heaven, Game of Thrones — guided tour explains how the desert doubles for ancient Egypt.
Taourirt Kasbah
The 19th-century Glaoui residence in town — three hundred rooms of carved stucco and painted cedar.
Fint Oasis
A 15-minute drive into the Anti-Atlas: a green palm gorge, black-stone Berber villages, and lunch at a guesthouse on the riverbank.
Drive to Zagora
The N9 south to Agdz, the Draa Valley palm grove, and on to Zagora — the alternative Sahara gateway.
October–April. Spring is wildflower season in the surrounding desert; winter mornings can be frosty but afternoons are mild.
Ouarzazate airport (OZZ) connects to Casablanca daily. By road, 4 hours from Marrakech over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, or 2 hours from Ait Benhaddou.
Ouarzazate travel FAQ
Ouarzazate or Merzouga for the desert?
Merzouga has the iconic high dunes (Erg Chebbi). Ouarzazate is the cinematic stone-desert and kasbah landscape. Combine both on a 4-day loop.
How long in Ouarzazate?
One night is enough if you're passing through. Two if you want to see both film studios and Fint Oasis.
Can I visit film sets independently?
Atlas Studios requires a ticket and short guided tour. Some external desert sets (like the Game of Thrones Yunkai gates near Ait Benhaddou) are free to walk around.