“Could I be the next movie star”, I wondered as we drove into Atlas Studios in Ouarzazate, Morocco. Having started the day in Merzouga, we made our way to the town of Ouarzazate (pronounced ‘war-za-zat’) and the fascinating Atlas Studios.
“Perhaps I could find the Jewel on the Nile?”. “Perhaps Charles could be the next ‘Lawrence’ of Arabia?”. “Perhaps I could rescue the Black Hawk that was down?”. “Perhaps I could find another Cleopatra and head off into the beautiful Moroccan sunset?”. Such were my zealous thoughts as we paid the ticket price and entered the largest movie studio in the world, by ground covered, reflecting on just four of the famous movies that were filmed, at least partially, at the site.
Having spent the previous evening at Auberge Café du Sud, and woken to a stunning sunrise over Erg Chebbi, we bid farewell to the owners and headed off for the 5-hour drive from Merzouga, 15 kilometers west of the border with Algeria, to Ouarzazate. Stopping along the way to admire the splendor of the Moroccan countryside, we arrived in Ouarzazate after a drive of six hours.
After checking into the hotel in Ouarzazate, we headed to Atlas Studios. Between Egyptian obelisks and Pharaohs, Tibetan temples, and alleyways used for filming Gladiator, you feel as if you have entered another world, turning time back centuries to when life was perhaps easier. You could easily spend a full afternoon wandering around the crumbling film sets, left to disintegrate in the hot Moroccan sun.
Make sure that you find the alley of Egyptian sphynx – hard to miss actually. Be sure to visit the Tibetan temple used for the filming of Kundun, the story of the 14th Dalai Lama. Most of the film was shot at Atlas Studios. Do not miss the Egyptian temple that was built for the 1999 movie, Cleopatra. Here you will be amazed that something that seems so sturdy is actually built of wood and polystyrene. Finally, if time allows and you are feeling adventurous, walk the 30 minutes across the desert to the set for the Kingdom of Heaven, the single largest set at Atlas Studios. We chose not to venture across the desert for the long walk as we wanted to leave to explore the nearby Aït-Benhaddou.
Set aside a full afternoon to explore the magic of Atlas Studios before heading off to explore the World Heritage Site of Aït-Benhaddou, a magnificent example of southern Moroccan architecture from years past. We parked across the river and walked over to the crumbling structures, a walk through very shallow water of around 15 minutes.
If you get your timing right, you will arrive just in time for sunset and the chance to relax as you bring an end to your day of fun activities in central Morocco. What I suggest you do is get there early, explore the beautiful Kasbah while taking advantage of the ‘golden hour’ for your photo’s, and then settle in with a lovely view over the Ounila Valley as you wind down your day.
If you will be in Ouarzazate for more than one day then consider a visit to Todra Gorge for your second day. You will be spoiled by the magnificence of the scenery and the chance to relax and admire the Todra River. The drive from Ouarzazate will be about two and a half hours, but you will not be bored as you pass through stunning mountainous scenery, similar to what you will see in the High Atlas Mountains about 80 kilometers to the west.
Your two days around Ouarzazate will be well spent between Atlas Studios, Aït-Benhaddou and Todra Gorge. Not only will you enjoy the fascinating movie sets, the magnificence of the crumbling southern Moroccan Kasbah and the scenic Todra Gorge, but you will be spoiled by some of the bluest African sky that I have ever seen and your photo’s will be stunning.
Find Atlas Studios on Google Maps here. Find Aït-Benhaddou on Google Maps here. Todra Gorge may be found on Google Maps here.
Consider one of the accommodation options in Ouarzazate, with booking.com, by clicking in the box below, otherwise with Agoda by clicking here.
Booking.com(Visited May 2007)