We left Marrakech for our Atlas Studios Morocco day trip expecting a beautiful drive through the Atlas Mountains. What we didn’t expect was to spend part of the day walking through actual movie sets.”
Before visiting Atlas Sutdios Morocco, we knew films had been shot around Ouarzazate, but we had no idea just how deeply this region was connected to the movie industry. Often nicknamed the “Hollywood of Morocco” or “Hollywood of Africa,” the area has doubled for ancient Rome, Egypt, Tibet and many other places on screen.
And on this single day trip from Marrakech, we got to experience two very different sides of that story: the constructed movie world of Atlas Studios, and the real, centuries-old ksar of Aït Ben Haddou, which has appeared in productions such as Gladiator and Game of Thrones.
If you’re planning a day trip from Marrakech to Aït Ben Haddou, love movie locations, or simply want to see a completely different side of Morocco, this excursion brings all of it together in one long but unforgettable day.
Prefer to see the journey first? Watch our full Atlas Studios & Aït Ben Haddou travel vlog and come along with us from Marrakech.
Atlas Studios official visitor information.
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Leaving Marrakech Before Sunrise
Our pickup was scheduled for 7 a.m. at Jemaa el–Fnaa, the famous main square in Marrakech and a common departure point for day tours. We were staying in the Riad Zarka tucked inside the medina, and by that point in our trip we’d figured out it took us about eight minutes to walk there.
One useful thing to know if you’re staying in the medina too: vehicles can still access parts of the square early in the morning, before it becomes much busier and more pedestrian-focused later in the day.
Our riad host got up early enough to prepare breakfast before we left, which we were genuinely grateful for given how long the day ahead turned out to be. If you haven’t locked in where to stay yet, we cover our full breakdown of Marrakech neighborhoods in our Marrakech arrival guide.
For us, Café de France was an easy landmark to recognize near the edge of Jemaa el-Fnaa, and it helped us quickly locate the area where the tour vans were waiting.
From there, we found our guide and van without much trouble and hit the road toward Ouarzazate.
Our tip: check the exact meeting point in your booking confirmation and arrive a few minutes early, since different tour operators may use slightly different pickup spots around Jemaa el-Fnaa.
The Drive Through the Atlas Mountains, Morocco
One thing we really appreciated about this day trip was how many stops were built into the drive. Since the journey from Marrakech to the Ouarzazate region is a long one, those little breaks made the experience much more enjoyable and gave us the chance to see more of the landscape along the way.
Before arriving at Atlas Studios Morocco, we stopped in few places:
1. Breakfast and a Quick Break
Not long after leaving Marrakech, we stopped for breakfast and a quick washroom break. It was a simple stop, but definitely a welcome one before continuing deeper into the mountains.
2. Tizi n’Tichka Pass
Our next memorable stop was Tizi n’Tichka. This famous mountain pass connects Marrakech to Ouarzazate through the High Atlas Mountains.
3. Argan Oil Experience
Later, we stopped for a quick argan oil experience. It was a nice introduction, especially since argan oil is such a well-known product in Morocco.
Later in our trip, we had a more in-depth argan oil experience during our Essaouira day trip from Marrakech. There, we learned more about how it’s traditionally produced and used.
4. Oasis Views Along the Way
The scenery kept changing, and one of our favorite stretches was the string of oasis views along the route. So many date palms lined the road, more than we expected. Roadside stalls sold fresh dates at several points, tempting us to stop.
That contrast between the dry landscape and these green pockets of palms made the drive especially interesting.
By the time we reached the outskirts of Ouarzazate, we were already amazed by how much we’d seen — and we still hadn’t even reached Atlas Studios yet.
Walking Through the Movie Sets at Atlas Studios Morocco
Atlas Studios was one place we were really curious to visit, especially because we’re both movie lovers. Located just outside Ouarzazate, the studio has become part of the reason this area is often nicknamed Morocco’s Hollywood or even “Ouarzawood.”
The region’s connection with cinema goes back decades. David Lean filmed parts of Lawrence of Arabia around Ouarzazate in the early 1960s, helping showcase how easily Morocco’s desert landscapes could stand in for completely different parts of the world. Atlas Studios officially opened in 1983, and major international productions continued arriving.
Good to know: depending on the tour you book, Atlas Studios admission may not be included in the base price and could need to be paid separately at the entrance. We recommend checking the “Includes” and “Not Included” sections of your booking tour info before you go.
Famous Movies & TV Shows Filmed at Atlas Studios
This is where things got especially fun for us. According to Atlas Studios’ official filmography, Atlas Studios has hosted productions including:
- The Jewel of the Nile
- Kundun (Martin Scorsese’s film about the Dalai Lama, complete with a full-scale Buddhist temple that’s still standing)
- The Mummy
- Gladiator
- Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra
- Kingdom of Heaven
- Babel
- Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
- Prometheus
- Game of Thrones
And that’s only part of the list.
For us, seeing names like Gladiator, The Mummy, Prince of Persia, and Game of Thrones made walking around the studios even more exciting. We’ve watched several of these movies and series ourselves. Suddenly standing among sets connected to them felt pretty surreal.
Walking Through the Movie Sets at Atlas Studios
Our experience walking through Atlas Studios, Morocco – we found ancient-looking Egyptian statues, Roman-style sets, massive temple façades and entire constructed streets.
Some areas looked remarkably well preserved, while others had been weathered by years of desert sun and wind. Strangely enough, those older and slightly deteriorated sets were sometimes the most interesting because you could really see how they had been built for the screen.
Our guide was also very relaxed about giving us time to explore, take pictures and have a little fun. At one point, Serge even filmed himself pretending to drive one of the prop buses — which, of course, immediately became our unofficial sequel to Speed.
One highlight of our tour, we made a little group movie with everyone from our tour. It ended up being one of the funniest moments of the day.
Serge included a short clip from it in our vlog, but we didn’t share the full video since several other travellers appear in it and we don’t have their permission. Even that little moment still makes us laugh when we watch it back.
You can catch a glimpse of it in our full Atlas Studios Morocco & Aït Ben Haddou travel vlog.👇🏻
What Came Next: Aït Ben Haddou
One thing worth keeping in mind is that the Ouarzazate region itself is also a major filming location. Not every scene connected to these productions was filmed on the exact Atlas Studios backlot we walked through.
Some productions used several locations around Ouarzazate, including nearby Aït Ben Haddou.
And that’s exactly where we headed next.
If you’re planning your own Atlas Studios Morocco day trip from Marrakech, this is the tour we booked: Ouarzazate, Aït Ben Haddou & Atlas Studios day trip. It combines both main stops in one day.
Lunch Before Exploring Aït Ben Haddou
After Atlas Studios, we stopped for lunch near Aït Ben Haddou before continuing with the walking portion of the tour. It was a simple local meal with a beautiful view, and a nice break before exploring the village.
Tour inclusions can vary, so if you’re booking through GetYourGuide, check whether lunch is included, optional, or paid separately at the restaurant.
Our tip: when comparing tours on GetYourGuide, check the “Includes” and “Not Included” sections carefully. If lunch isn’t included, you’ll normally want to budget separately for the meal during the stop.
You can compare current Marrakech to Ouarzazate, Atlas Studios and Aït Ben Haddou tours on GetYourGuide here: check available day trips.
Then, with lunch finished and a little more energy in us, it was finally time to explore Aït Ben Haddou.
Aït Ben Haddou: A Real Kasbah With Its Own Hollywood Résumé
If Atlas Studios is where movie magic gets built from scratch, Aït Ben Haddou is the opposite: a genuinely ancient fortified village that Hollywood simply discovered and couldn’t stop filming.
A ksar like this one is a cluster of earthen buildings enclosed by defensive walls, typically with corner towers and a main gate, built by Berber communities as homes, granaries and trading posts along old caravan routes. Aït Ben Haddou has stood on this hillside for centuries, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.
It’s also one of Morocco’s best-known filming locations. Lawrence of Arabia used the area back in 1962, while Gladiator, The Mummy, Kingdom of Heaven and Prince of Persia also filmed scenes here. And if you’ve watched Game of Thrones, you’ve already seen it: Aït Ben Haddou was used to represent Yunkai.
A fun detail from our October 2023 visit: Gladiator II had also filmed in the Ouarzazate region earlier that same year, including locations around Aït Ben Haddou and the nearby studios. Knowing that such a major production had been there only a few months before made the movie connection feel even more exciting for us.
We visited about two weeks after a major earthquake had struck the region, damaging parts of Marrakech, the surrounding roads and Aït Ben Haddou itself. Seeing some of that damage firsthand added a very different and more sobering layer to the visit.
Aït Ben Haddou – Climbing Through the Village
From the base, our guide and a local Berber guide led us through Aït Ben Haddou’s narrow alleys and slowly up toward the top. One of the things we loved about this part of the visit was that the climb included a few memorable stops along the way.
A Local Art Demonstration
Our first stop was a demonstration of a local painting technique sometimes described as “fire painting” or “magic painting.” The artist used natural materials such as saffron, henna, indigo, tea or coffee, and darker pigments to create the image.
The most fascinating part came at the end, when the artist heated the paper and the design slowly appeared. We loved the demonstration and ended up buying one of the pieces for ourselves. Although bargaining is common in Morocco, we were happy to pay the asking price this time.
Want to see how the painting actually appeared with the heat? We included the full demonstration in our Aït Ben Haddou & Atlas Studios vlog.
Inside a Local Home
Further up, our guide introduced us to a local resident who invited our group inside his home. We walked through the narrow interior stairs and had the chance to see a little of what life inside the ksar looked like.
Even the beautifully decorated front door caught our attention, especially its traditional locking mechanism and key. It was one of those unexpected moments that made the visit feel much more personal.
We were also invited back into the same local home for tea and a small snack. Sitting together in that simple room after exploring the village became one of the most memorable moments of the entire day.
Reaching the Top of Aït Ben Haddou
We kept climbing until we reached the upper part of Aït Ben Haddou. The views alone made the walk worth it. From up there, we could see the whole valley, the surrounding landscape, and the earthen buildings below. It’s the kind of moment that makes you stop and just take it in.
Our local guide pointed out a small structure near the top. Traditionally, it was used to store valuable goods and protect important items belonging to the village. That gave the climb an extra layer of meaning — the upper part of Aït Ben Haddou wasn’t just scenic, it played a real role in daily life in the ksar.
Seeing the Earthquake Damage Firsthand
We couldn’t ignore the damage left behind by the September 2023 earthquake. Our visit came the following month, only weeks after it happened, and the structure at the top hadn’t escaped it either. Part of it had clearly been affected.
Standing there with those views on one side and earthquake damage on the other made this part of the visit hit differently. It was beautiful and humbling at the same time.
Aït Ben Haddou on the Big Screen
Inside one of the local homes, our guide showed us a wall filled with photos from some of the movies and TV productions filmed around Aït Ben Haddou. It was really fun to recognize actors and scenes connected to productions such as Gladiator, Lawrence of Arabia, The Mummy, Kingdom of Heaven, Prince of Persia and, of course, Game of Thrones.
Seeing those photos while actually standing inside the ksar made the movie connection feel much more real. Our guide also pointed out that Aït Ben Haddou was used to represent Yunkai in Game of Thrones, which made walking through the village even more interesting for us as movie and series fans.
Heading Back to Marrakech
By late afternoon, it was time to head back to Marrakech. This was an unforgettable day trip for us, and we’re really happy we did it. That said, if we were planning the same route again, we’d probably do it a little differently.
Instead of returning to Marrakech that evening, we would seriously consider continuing toward the Sahara Desert on a multi-day tour. At this point in our Morocco trip, we still hadn’t decided if we were going to visit the Sahara. Spoiler: after coming this far, we eventually realized we simply couldn’t leave Morocco without experiencing it.
The drive back into Marrakech traffic became an experience of its own. We had originally planned to rent a car for a later part of our trip to Fez, but after watching the traffic on the way back from Aït Ben Haddou — cars weaving between lanes, motorcycles appearing from every direction, and plenty of organized chaos — we changed our minds pretty quickly.
That same evening, we cancelled the rental car and booked first-class train tickets to Fez instead. Looking back, it was absolutely the right decision for us. And next time, rather than making Aït Ben Haddou a return day trip, we’d be tempted to make it the beginning of a longer journey toward the Sahara.
Tips Before Booking Your Aït Ben Haddou & Atlas Studios Day Trip
- Book a combined tour. Many day trips from Marrakech combine Atlas Studios and Aït Ben Haddou, which makes sense since they’re relatively close to each other. This is the tour we booked.
- Expect a long day. Depending on the tour and pickup location, you could easily be out for around 10 to 12 hours, including the drive through the High Atlas Mountains, sightseeing stops, Atlas Studios, Aït Ben Haddou and the return to Marrakech.
- Bring a bottle of water. You’ll spend a good part of the day on the road and walking outdoors, so having water with you is essential, especially during warmer months. We personally prefer an insulated reusable bottle that keeps water cold for hours — something like this one on Amazon is ideal for long day trips like this.
- Wear comfortable walking shoes. Aït Ben Haddou has uneven pathways, stone, packed earth and some climbing, so this is definitely not the day for uncomfortable footwear.
- Pack sun protection. A hat, sunscreen and sunglasses can make a big difference, since there isn’t always much shade during the outdoor portions of the tour.
Check What Your Tour Actually Includes
- Bring some cash for extras. Depending on the tour, things such as lunch, Atlas Studios admission, local guide fees, drinks or souvenirs may be paid separately.
- Check exactly what your GetYourGuide tour includes before booking. This is probably our biggest tip. Tour details can vary, so always check the “Includes,” “Not Included,” “What to Bring,” and “Know Before You Go” sections before confirming your reservation.
- Some tours include hotel pickup, while others use a meeting point;
Extra tip: If you have more time, look at tours that continue toward the Sahara Desert instead of returning to Marrakech the same day. Looking back, that’s probably how we would plan this part of our Morocco trip next time.
Final Thoughts
What made this day so memorable for us was how different the two main stops felt.
At Atlas Studios, we had fun walking through movie sets, recognizing places connected to films we love, and seeing how some of that movie magic is created behind the scenes.
Then Aït Ben Haddou gave us something completely different. Yes, the views were beautiful and the movie history was fascinating, but what stayed with us most were the smaller moments — meeting local people, stepping inside a home, sharing tea, seeing the artwork, and hearing stories along the way.
We originally chose this excursion because we wanted to see the famous filming locations. In the end, it became much more than that.
It was one of those unforgettable day trips from Marrakech that gave us a little bit of everything: incredible landscapes, cinema history, local culture, and some very personal travel memories.
And if we return to Morocco one day, we’d happily do this route again — although next time, we’d probably keep going from Aït Ben Haddou toward the Sahara instead of heading straight back to Marrakech.
Eli & Serge
Discovering Destinations
Lia & Serge from Discovering Destinations
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