Ouarzazate, Morocco Photography

Photographing Ouarzazate

Set south of the High Atlas on the edge of the desert, Ouarzazate is a quiet provincial town that has become a center of Moroccan and international filmmaking, earning it the name Ouallywood. It serves as a base for visiting the surrounding kasbahs and oasis valleys.

Where to shoot

Aït Benhaddou — a UNESCO-listed ksar of clustered earthen kasbahs, glowing warm across the riverbed at sunrise and sunset
Kasbah Taourirt — a sprawling pisé fortress on the edge of Ouarzazate with a maze of rooms and rooftop views
Atlas Studios — one of the world's largest film studios, with surviving sets from major productions open to visitors
Fint Oasis — a green palm-filled valley south of town set against arid hills, a startling pocket of cultivation

When to go

Spring and autumn are ideal for exploring the kasbahs and film studios in comfortable temperatures; the desert-edge town swings between scorching summers and cold winter nights.

What to eat

Hearty Berber tagines, dates from the surrounding oases, and bread baked in communal ovens.

Where to stay

Ouarzazate has a range of hotels and kasbah-style guesthouses; staying near Aït Benhaddou lets you reach the ksar at first light before the day-trippers arrive.

Cross the riverbed to Aït Benhaddou early in the morning, when the rising sun warms the kasbah walls and the village is still quiet.