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The Glaoui Kasbah Trail - Ait Benhaddou & Telouet |
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1 day |
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Cultural Tours Handcrafted in Morocco
Tour summary
Private day tour from Marrakech to visit the magnificent kasbahs of Southern Morocco that dominated the old caravan route from the Sahara. Travelling in 4x4 vehicle day trip crosses the High Atlas Mountains and into the unspoiled Ounila Valley to reach firstly the Glaoui Kasbah Telouet. Passing Berber villages and spectacular mountains along the way, you visit also the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kasbah Ait Benhaddou. This stunning fortified village is typical of southern kasbah architecture and you can explore right up to the top for commanding views over the region. No wonder it has been the favoured location for many great movies, including Gladiator and Lawrence of Arabia. Group size from 2-6 people sharing. All ages and fitness levels.
Or call us now on +212 (0)615 647918 (Morocco) or +44 (0)208 123 7969 (UK)
Please note: All our Morocco tours can be customised to allow extra days for shorter daily car journeys, extra activities, relaxation days, exploration days etc. We can also adapt tours to connect with different start/end locations in Morocco. Let us know your wishes and we will build your perfect Morocco tour itinerary.
Price: Contact us for a personalised quotation.
Prices will vary according to number of people travelling in vehicle, number of days, time of year, category of accommodation chosen and activities requested.
NB Our Morocco tours are private tours organised upon request.
Day tour itinerary
Day 1
Marrakech - High Atlas Mountains - Tizi n'Tichka - Telouet - Ounila Valley - Ait Benhaddou - Marrakech
With an early departure on for your private day tour, you start from Marrakech at 9.00 a.m. and set off across the agricultural plains that surround the city and then you reach the foothills of the High Atlas Mountains. The road twists and turns via the Tizi n’Tichka mountain pass linking Marrakech and Ouazarzate which reaches a height of 2260 meters above sea level at the Col du Tichka which has spectacular panoramic views of surrounding mountains and valleys. Along the way you pass forests and Berber villages clinging to the hillsides. at the highest point you will head onto a minor road that leads into dramatic countryside as you head towards Telouet. The Kasbah Telouet was the seat of the Pacha of Marrakech, Thami El Glaoui, the last feudal lord of the Atlas who held power from 1912 to 1956. The Kasbah at Telouet was largely left to ruin, however due to partial restoration and preservation in recent times there are some still very impressive interior rooms. Two inner chambers of his quarters have fine wooden ceilings and floral zellij tiles with windows overlooking the village of Telouet .
Following a guided visit of the kasbah your day trip continues through the unspoiled Ounila valley with its roadside villages and striking green valleys, filled with almond blossom in the spring. You follow the course of the Oued Ounila as you travel along the ancient caravan route which in days gone by was the only accessible route for the camel trains that came from Sub-Saharan Africa.
At lunchtime you arrive at the ancient fortified ksar of Ait Benhaddou a UNESCO World Heritage site and the location for many epic films such as Gladiator and Lawrence of Arabia and Jewel in the Nile. A ksar is a small village enclosed within fortification. Houses are grouped tightly together and many families share communal meeting areas and granaries. In Ait Benhaddou there are still a handful of families living in the old village and some of them have opened up their homes so that you can step inside to witness the traditional way of life here that has remained unchanged for many centuries. You can explore the dusty streets and climb to the Ksar’s summit to look out over the magnificent surrounding landscape. Depending on time you may be able to add a visit to the nearby Atlas Film Studios, or visit the Kasbah Taourirt in Ouarzazate (about 30 mins from Ait Benhaddou). Both are worth seeing before taking the route directly across the Tizi n’Tichka pass to reach Marrakech, after a whirlwind day tour of the Southern Morocco kasbahs at around 7.00 p.m. NB For a deeper exploration of the kasbahs, see our Morocco adventure tour: SV009 – KASBAHS OF THE SAHARA CARAVAN TRAIL.
Stay: N/A
Meal plan:
- Daily departures 0900 hrs - return approx 1900 hrs.