Ait Ben Haddou

We left Marrakech to visit Ait Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known to many from its featured role in many movies, including both Gladiator films (“Are you not entertained?”). We decided not to rent a car in Morocco, but to use a car service instead, which has been the right decision. The mountain roads are windy and not entirely well-maintained. Plus, the Moroccans drive like Italians and there are a lot of scooters and vehicles of all types on the roads. Letting someone else do the driving was a relief and the cost was not exorbitant.

It was a 3.5 hour drive to Ait Ben Haddou, and the driver knew the best places to stop for good, cheap food. Also, to our surprise, he had a Wi-Fi hot spot for our use, which was nice, but we made sure to also enjoy the views of the Atlas Mountains. We stayed overnight at a lovely riad (large traditional house) with a fabulous view from the rooftop.

Aït Ben Haddou is a historic ksar (fortified village) that was established in the 11th century along the caravan trade route between the Sahara and Marrakech. It is considered an iconic example of Moroccan clay architecture, most of which dates to the 17th century. having been rebuilt after various damaging events, including the recent 2023 earthquake.

Spending the night allowed us to enjoy an early morning tour without the hordes of tourists who daytrip from Marrakech. It also meant we were woken up by the early call to prayer as the local mosque was directly behind our riad. While we’ve heard the call to prayer in various places, it is usually more distant. This was startlingly close, but we fell back to sleep quickly.

We had the only female guide and, in some ways, she was more interesting than the site, having been born in the village. She took us to her family home, which her aunt maintains, as the entire family has moved to the new village across the river. Very few people still live within Ait Ben Haddou which reminded us of Civita Di Bagnoregio, Italy and Saint-Emilion, France – places that are well-preserved for their historic value with few residents, but are highly touristed and known for their scene worthy backdrops or wine.

Walking up, down, and around the village with Chatima was like stepping back in time. The largest homes are called kasbahs (fortified homes) and were made with the harsh elements in mind. We climbed all the way to the top, where it was windy and where you could see the start of the Sahara Desert.

For all its history and scenery, ultimately, we’re not sure it was worth the long trip out to Ait Ben Haddou. Like many places, it didn’t quite live up to the hype. Still, we learned a lot and made the most of the opportunity.

Hasta pronto,

Shana & Jeff