The 4×4 excursion starts from Ouarzazate at 8:30 am. Direction the famous Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou, considered one of the most beautiful in the Ourzazate region. Visit of the fortified village of Aït Ben Haddou, classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. You will discover towers decorated with geometric patterns. The ruins of this ancient Kasbah are currently being restored. Many films have been shot there.
The Kasbah of Telouet
Built in the 16th century, the highest of the Atlas mountains.
Lunch on site and visit of the Kasbah with our guide.
A strategic point between Marrakech and Ouarzazate, Telouet served as the residence of the powerful Thami El Glaoui. For centuries the Glaoua Berbers have held their wealth from the right of passage of caravans linking the sub-Saharan region to the Mediterranean, and from the proximity of the salt mines.
The current kasbah was built from 1860 by the Glaoua next to an old kasbah whose remains are still visible today.
It was subsequently considerably enlarged during the first half of the 20th century by Thami El Glaoui. Legend has it that 300 workers worked for three years to decorate the ceilings and walls. Finely chiselled stucco, zellige on the walls, painted cedar on the ceiling. The roofs are ceramic tiles painted green.
The result is an immense set of buildings, the interior decoration of which shows significant richness, but today only two rooms are still well preserved.
The support given to the French by Thami El Glaoui earned him the reciprocal support of the French colonial authorities. At the height of his power, the Glaoui wielded considerable power, making him one of the leading figures in the country. But this commitment backfired during the ever-increasing rise of Morocco's independence. He sank into oblivion and died in Marrakech in 1953. Since his death, the kasbah has been almost abandoned.
Return to Ouarzazate around 5 p.m. End of the trip.
Continuation of the excursion by the track to discover the Berber villages clinging to the mountainside.