Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
^ Kasbah Tiffoultoute
Thami El Glaoui
In 1893, the Glaoui clan of Telouet
were rewarded for rescuing
Sultan Moulay Hassan and his
army from a raging blizzard, and
benefited further after the French
took over. Thami El Galoui was
then made pasha (lord), one of
the most powerful men in the
country. Hated for his support of
the French, he died soon after
Morocco gained independence.
Tiffoultoute is another
kasbah that once belonged to
the Glaoui and is situated just
outside of Ouarzazate. Although
parts of it are crumbling away,
another section has been rebuilt
and serves as a hotel and rest-
aurant. The location is beautiful,
situated dramatically between a
river and a palm oasis. d Map D2
• Open 8am-7pm daily
% Aït Benhaddou
& Ouarzazate
This kasbah is on UNESCO's
list of World Heritage Sites and
is one of the best preserved of
all the kasbahs in the Atlas
Mountains. It is also the most
famous, thanks to its popularity
with visiting film producers and
has been immortalized in dozens
of movies, including Lawrence of
Arabia , The Last Temptation of
Christ , The Mummy , Gladiator
and Alexander . Part of the appeal
lies in the location: the kasbah
tumbles down a hillside beside
the Ouarzazate River. It is still
partially inhabited by ten families.
d Map D2
The so-called “Gateway to
the Sahara” (pronounced “war-
zazat”) is a town of around
60,000 people. Most visitors
tend to spend at least one night
here before pushing on south to
the desert proper (see “South to
the Desert , right) or heading
east to the Dadès Valley and
beyond (see p98) . The number of
hotels in town is always
increasing and with constantly
improving quality. There are
plenty of interesting activities
here, from camel-trekking and
quad biking to visiting the film
studios for which the town is
renowned (see below) . d Map D2
• Tourist Office: 0524 88 24 85
* Kasbah Taourirt
This is the main landmark of
Ouarzazate, a large kasbah that
used to belong to the Glaoui
clan. Parts are still inhabited,
while some abandoned sections
have been carefully restored. A
pleasant place to wander
through, its atmospheric, narrow
alleys evoke a real sense of what
life in the kasbah was like in the
past. d Map D2 • Open 8:30am-6pm
daily • Adm
( Atlas Corporation Studios
A busy, administrative hub
of a region with spectacular
mountain and desert scenery,
Kasbah Aït Benhaddou
96
 
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