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Aït Benhaddou
Aït Benhaddou · Ounila Valley, Ouarzazate Province, Morocco
An 11th-century earthen village — a thousand-year-old staging post on the trade route from the Sahara to Marrakesh, and a location for Gladiator and Game of Thrones.
Antes de ir · Know before you go
- Don't walk into homes that are still lived in
- ask before photographing villagers
- the earthen buildings are fragile, so don't climb or carve on them.
Este artículo está «Sin verificar». Consulte los avisos oficiales sobre precios, horarios y fechas.
Culture
Cultura y costumbres
Contexto cultural
Aït Benhaddou is a fortified village built by Berbers from rammed earth and mud brick, dating back to the 11th century, and was once an important staging post for Saharan caravans carrying gold, salt and goods to Marrakesh. Its tiers of earthen buildings glow golden-red at sunrise and sunset, a striking sight that has been used as a location for more than twenty films and TV series, including Gladiator and Game of Thrones. It became a World Heritage Site in 1987. A few Berber families still live in the village.
Costumbres locales
- The Berbers (Amazigh) are the Indigenous people of North Africa, and the village elders mostly speak Berber
- caravans and markets carry on traditional livelihoods.
Religión y creencias
- Residents are mainly Muslim and the village has a small mosque
- keep quiet in residential areas and respect people's privacy.
Etiquette
Normas y tabúes
Normas que se aplican aquí
Morocco: don't proselytise
- Respect the local Islamic faith
- Trying to convert Muslims to another religion or handing out missionary material
- Publicly criticising Islam (including online)
Proselytising can mean a fine or up to 3 years in prison; publicly criticising Islam can mean up to 2 years.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Morocco travel advice
No lo haga DON'T
- Don't walk into homes that are still lived in
- ask before photographing villagers
- the earthen buildings are fragile, so don't climb or carve on them.
Lo que aprecian los locales DO
- Local Berbers are proud of the village's fame as a film location and happy to take visitors along the 'film trail'
- most crafts are family-made.
Plan your visit
Información práctica
Consejos de viaje
- Summer temperatures exceed 40°C, so spring or autumn is best
- the light is best at sunrise and sunset, so stay a night. To reach the village you cross the Ounila River (there are stepping stones, but sandals help). It can be combined with the Ouarzazate film studios and the Todgha Gorge on one route.
Eat nearby
Qué comer cerca
Imprescindible
- Berber tagine
- Couscous
- Lentil / chickpea soup
Berber tagine, couscous, lentil / chickpea soup, skewers, Berber flatbread with olive oil and honey
| Dónde comer | Family restaurants and guesthouse meals in the village / the new village across the river (little choice); eat properly back in Ouarzazate |
|---|---|
| Normas en la mesa | Berber villages are unpretentious and conservative — ask before taking photos or entering homes, and avoid drinking in public |
| Precio orientativo por persona | MAD 60–120 ≈ CNY 43–85 |
| Consejos | Mostly day-trip tour meals, so bring your own food and water; guesthouse dinners must be booked in advance (tagine is cooked slowly to order). |
Los precios son orientativos a octubre de 2026, no presupuestos exactos; en zonas con tipos de cambio muy variables solo se da un intervalo aproximado en yuanes.
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Karen and Brad Emerson · CC BY 2.0
Photos
Fotos
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Petar Milošević · CC BY-SA 4.0
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Petar Milošević · CC BY-SA 4.0
C messier · CC BY-SA 4.0
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