In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Morocco
Ouarzazate
ورزازات
Spend 1 day in Ouarzazate: see Kasbah Taourirt, Atlas Studios, and Aït‑Ben Haddou; stay night only if you plan a desert extension.
Ouarzazate is a small Saharan gateway with a walkable centre, film studios and nearby kasbahs. One full day covers the main sights; add a night for desert trips or relaxed travel.
- Country
- Morocco
- Local name
- ورزازات
- Best months
- Oct–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (heat)
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MAD
- Money
- Currency is the Moroccan dirham (MAD). Hotels, larger restaurants and chain shops take cards; souks, taxis, small cafés, guides and tips are cash.
- SIM and data
- Maroc Telecom, Orange and inwi sell tourist SIMs at airports and shops with a passport; 20–50 GB costs about MAD 100–200.
- Emergency
- Police 19 · Gendarmerie 177 · Ambulance / Fire 15
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 220 V · 50 Hz · European round-pin plugs; bring an adapter for UK or US devices.
- Tipping
- Café: Round up or leave MAD 2–5.; Restaurant: 5–10%.; Porter or bag carrier: MAD 10–20.; Guide, full day: MAD 100–200.; Desert camp staff and driver: MAD 100–200 per day shared.
- Water
- Tap water is treated in cities but most visitors drink bottled; carry water in the south.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; squat toilets in older cafés and on the road. Carry tissue and MAD 2–5 for attendants.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Tagine (standard) | 30 MAD |
| Petit taxi (airport‑city centre) | 10 MAD |
| Grand taxi to Aït‑Ben Haddou | 150 MAD round‑trip |
| Bus CTM (Marrakesh‑Ouarzazate) | 120 MAD |
| Kasbah Taourirt entry | 20 MAD |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- OZZ · Ouarzazate Airport
- Domestic flights to Casablanca, Tangier; international to Paris, Marseille, Barcelona (2026).
Typical fares
- Airport → city centre (petit taxi)
- ≈10 MAD, 5 min
- Grand taxi to Aït‑Ben Haddou
- ≈150 MAD round‑trip, 30 min each way
- Atlas Studios tour
- 80 MAD per person, 1 h
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The city centre around Avenue Mohammed V is walkable. Petit taxis cost ≤10 MAD from airport to hotel. Grand taxis to Aït‑Ben Haddou ~150 MAD round‑trip. Buses run from CTM stations; expect delays.
See and do
Known for
- Kasbah Taourirt
- Atlas Studios film complex
- Aït‑Ben Haddou UNESCO ksar
- Solar park
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Aït‑Ben Haddou | Grand taxi from CTM station, about 30 min, 150 MAD round‑trip | ≈1 h |
| Atlas Studios | Taxi 4 km (2.5 mi) from centre, ~10 MADTaxi 2.5 mi (4 km) from centre, ~10 MAD | 15 min |
| Oasis de Fint | Grand taxi ~150 MAD return; bike rental 120 MAD day | ≈1 h each way |
Sleep
- La Palmeraie
- Centrally located, double room ~340 MAD (check Booking.com).
- Hotel Atlas
- Near bus station, singles 60–90 MAD, doubles 110–160 MAD.
- La Gazelle
- Budget double room 156 MAD, hot shower.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Excuse me | سلامsalaam |
| Thank you | شكراshukran |
| How much? | بكم؟bikamm? |
| Do you accept cards? | هل تقبلون بطاقات؟hal taqbaluun bitaqat? |
| Where is the bus station? | أين محطة الحافلات؟ayna maḥaṭṭat al‑ḥāfilāt? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Salam alaykum' and a handshake; hand on heart after; avoid: Offering a hand to a woman first unless she does
- Eating: Right hand, bread as your spoon; avoid: Refusing all food at a home
- Bargaining: Smile, take your time, walk away kindly; avoid: Naming a price you will not pay
- Dress: Shoulders and knees covered in medinas and villages; avoid: Beachwear away from the beach
- Photos: Ask and accept no; avoid: Photographing women or children without consent
- Ramadan: Eat discreetly indoors in daytime; avoid: Snacking on the street
Scams and watch-outs
- Taxi drivers may push desert tours; decline politely.
- Buses often take long lunch breaks; allow extra time.
- Parking: red/white kerb = no park, green/white = allowed.
Ouarzazate is generally safe; watch for pushy taxi drivers and keep valuables secure.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Ouarzazate yet. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Kasbah Taourirt
- Atlas Studios film complex
- Aït‑Ben Haddou UNESCO ksar
- Solar park
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Commune Ouarzazate official site: www.commune-ouarzazate.ma/
- Wikidata – Ouarzazate: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1315
- Wikivoyage: Ouarzazate, revision 5272268 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5272268
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/ouarzazate). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.