Things to Do in Ouarzazate With Kids

Ouarzazate sounds like a quick overnight on the way to the desert, and then you arrive and realize the kids could happily fill two days here. The best things to do in Ouarzazate with kids come down to two: the ancient kasbah at Aït Benhaddou, and the film studios where a surprising amount of Hollywood desert scenery actually gets made. Here is how we did both with a three year old and a seven year old, heat meltdowns included.

What to See and Do in Ouarzazate With Kids

One of the best things to do in Ouarzazate is visit Aït Benhaddou!  A traditional Berber village and home to an ancient Kasbah, Aït Benhaddou is an experience not to be missed if you are in the area.  Not only has it been featured in several blockbusters, but it is also an UNESCO world heritage site.  In addition to taking in the incredible scenery, you may get an opportunity to tour a local Berber home or even ride a camel when you make it to the top of the village!As you cross the bridge to enter this ancient Berber village, you feel as though you might catch a glimpse of Daenerys riding a dragon overhead.  Sorry, Game of Thrones moment…back to reality!  It does feel a bit surreal as this village is so picturesque it almost feels fake (I assure you it is not).  There are plenty of locals selling goods as you make your way up the switchbacks and uneven steps to the top of the village.  (Tip: if you are there during summer, wear a hat and bring lots of water!!) Once we made it to the top the girls were excited to take on their first camel ride.  It was a great distraction from the meltdown Viona was having from the heat.  The ride was bumpier than expected and made for many laughs!

 The view from the top was stunning, and overall the trek is quite short.  If we didn’t stop for little one heat meltdowns it probably would have only been 15-20 minutes to the top.On the way back down, our guide took us through a local Berber home so we could see how these families live, where they sleep etc.  Our guide also took us to see the cave where scenes from The Gladiator was filmed and the girls got to play with the shield and spear actually used in the film.  The had fun doing it and I was afraid Kaida may actually like poking her sister with the spear a little too much!We stopped for a little ice cream snack at the corner shop near to where we parked.  It was a welcome treat after the hot trek.  I grabbed a mediocre cold soda from the fridge as my treat.  Note: the refrigerators here are no where near as cold as the westerner may be used to, it is quite expensive for them to operate refrigerators, so don’t expect an ice cold beverage.  You can read more on the UNESCO World Heritage listing for Aït Benhaddou.

Tour Some Movie Sets

Touring movie sets is also one of the best things to do in Ouarzazate.  There are two studio companies that offer tours of their film sets; CLA Studios and Atlas Film Studio.  After checking out their websites and reviews, we opted for Atlas Film Studios.  The guided tour took about an hour, and the kids were able to run free a bit while we meandered around with the guide.

It was fun to see sets from the newer Aladdin since that is something the kids had seen as well, among several others that mom and dad had seen.  Even for the sets of movies we hadn’t seen, it was still fun to see the work that goes into making movie magic! Of course you are welcome to hit both studios if you are a real film buff and have the time.  But with one day and two littles, one was plenty for us!

Planning Things to Do in Ouarzazate With Kids

A few things we wish someone had told us before we went. Aït Benhaddou and one film studio fit comfortably into a single day, and that pace is about right for little legs.

Go to the kasbah early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The climb is exposed almost the whole way, and without stops for heat meltdowns it only takes 15 to 20 minutes to reach the top, so there is no reason to do it in the middle of the day.

Leave the stroller in the car for the kasbah itself. The switchbacks and steps are uneven, and a carrier is much easier if you have a toddler who is going to quit halfway up. Bring more water than you think you need, and a hat for every person. Refrigerators are expensive to run here, so a drink from a corner shop will be cool rather than cold, which is worth mentioning to older kids before they are disappointed.

At the studios, pick one. We chose Atlas Film Studios, the tour ran about an hour, and there was enough open space for the girls to run around while we followed the guide. Two studios in one day is a film buff plan, not a family plan.

Here is roughly how the kasbah morning went for us, if it helps to picture it. Park at the bottom, cross the bridge, and start up the switchbacks past the locals selling goods. At the top the girls took their first camel ride, which was bumpier than any of us expected and turned into the part they still talk about. On the way back down our guide walked us through a local Berber home so the kids could see where a family actually sleeps and cooks, then over to the cave where scenes from The Gladiator were filmed, where they were handed the real shield and spear used in the film. We finished with ice cream at the corner shop by the parking area, which is the correct way to end a hot climb.

When you are ready to fill in the rest of the stop, our Ouarzazate with kids guide covers how the town fits into a Morocco route, and you can read where to eat in Ouarzazate, where to stay in Ouarzazate and how the girls handled the days here before you book.