Kasbah Ait Ben Hadou & Telouet Day Trip from Marrakech

Two centuries of Moroccan kasbah architecture in one day, from a UNESCO village to a palace built by legend.

This full-day tour from Marrakech visits two kasbahs: Ait Ben Hadou, a UNESCO World Heritage site of traditional southern Moroccan architecture built into a hillside, and Kasbah Telouet (the Glaoui Palace), an 18th- and 19th-century fortress in the High Atlas with ornate stucco and cedar ceilings. Hotel pickup starts at 7am. The tour runs until 7pm with a private vehicle and guide in English, Spanish, French or Arabic. A minimum of two people per booking is required.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Kasbahs and Atlas Mountains

• Depart from Marrakech at 07:00AM
• Visit Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou village
• Explore Kasbah Telouet
• Sightseeing in Atlas Mountains
• Return to Marrakech by 19:00PM

Stops and time spent at each 4 stops

1. Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou 3h
2. Kasbah du Pacha el Glaoui 2h
3. High Atlas Mountains 10m
4. High Atlas Mountains 10m

What’s included

• Hotel pickup at 7am and drop-off at the end of the day.
• transport in a private air-conditioned vehicle.
• a guide in your choice of English, Spanish, French or Arabic.
• entry to both kasbahs and sightseeing in the Atlas Mountains.

Times

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• Every day 07:30

Information

Full-day tour from Marrakech to two UNESCO-listed kasbahs in the Atlas Mountains with private vehicle, guide and hotel pickup at 7am.

Group Private

Live guide English, Spanish, French and Arabic

Meeting point and pickup Hotel pickup included. See the pickup points

Book up to 2d before

Ages Up to age 2

Cancellation and refunds Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Good to know

Moderate physical effort Infant seats available Infants must sit on laps

More information The pickup points, the operator’s instructions and every other detail are in the full listing. See the full listing

Traveler reviews

4.87 ★★★★★ Exceptional 15 verified traveler reviews

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The experience

The day starts with pickup from your Marrakech hotel at 7am and a drive into the Atlas Mountains. You'll pass through Berber villages and mountain passes on the way to Kasbah Ait Ben Hadou, a ksar (fortified village) that sits on a hillside and has been on UNESCO's World Heritage list. The kasbah is a striking example of traditional southern Moroccan architecture, with clay buildings stacked against the slope and a collective attic (agadir) at the top. You walk through the village, see how it was built and organized, and get a sense of how people lived in these mountain settlements.

From there, the route continues to Kasbah Telouet, also called the Glaoui Palace, in the small Berber village of Telouet. This kasbah was built starting in 1860 by the Glaoua family and then greatly enlarged in the early 20th century by Thami El Glaoui. The interior is where the wealth shows: ceilings and walls are covered in finely chiseled stucco, zellige tilework, and painted cedar, with green ceramic tiles on the roofs. Legend says 300 workers spent three years on the decoration alone. You tour the huge interior rooms and see the craftsmanship that went into the palace.

The tour includes sightseeing in the Atlas Mountains on both legs of the journey. You return to Marrakech by 7pm. Transport is by air-conditioned private vehicle, and your guide speaks your choice of English, Spanish, French or Arabic. Hotel drop-off is included at the end of the day.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Arabic.

What exactly is Kasbah Ait Ben Hadou and why is it on the UNESCO list?

Kasbah Ait Ben Hadou is a ksar (fortified village) in the province of Ouarzazate, built on a hillside with traditional southern Moroccan clay architecture. It was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage list as a striking example of how communities built and organized these earthen settlements, with a collective attic (agadir) at the top of the hill.

How long is the drive from Marrakech to the kasbahs, and what's the route like?

The tour departs at 7am and runs until 7pm, covering the full day. You travel by private air-conditioned vehicle through Berber villages and the Atlas Mountains to reach both kasbahs, with sightseeing stops in the mountains on the way.

What can I see inside Kasbah Telouet?

Kasbah Telouet (the Glaoui Palace) has huge interior rooms decorated with finely chiseled stucco, zellige tilework on the walls, and painted cedar ceilings. The palace was built starting in 1860 and enlarged in the early 20th century, with legend saying 300 workers spent three years decorating the interiors alone.

Is lunch included in the tour?

Lunch is not included in this tour. You'll want to arrange a meal during the day or bring snacks. Your guide can advise on options in the villages you visit.

What's the minimum group size for this tour?

A minimum of two people per booking is required. The tour operates as a private vehicle, so it's just your group and the guide.

Operated by Morocco Sahara Desert Travel. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago