Step inside Morocco's most famous ksar — a UNESCO World Heritage site that's played a starring role on screen for decades.
Rising from the red earth on the ancient caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech, Aït Ben Haddou is Morocco's most celebrated ksar — a fortified village of tightly clustered kasbahs built from rammed earth and straw, unchanged in silhouette for centuries.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site
Aït Ben Haddou is classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, recognised for its outstanding example of traditional pre-Saharan earthen architecture. Its towers and crenellated walls have been rebuilt and maintained by local families for generations, using the same rammed-earth techniques as the original builders.
Hollywood's favourite kasbah
Its dramatic silhouette has made it one of the most filmed locations in North Africa, serving as a backdrop for Gladiator and Game of Thrones, among many other productions. Walking its narrow lanes, it's easy to see why: the light on the earthen walls at sunrise and sunset is extraordinary.
Visiting Aït Ben Haddou
Most visits last around 90 minutes and combine easily with a stop in nearby Ouarzazate, the ‘door of the desert’. It's a highlight on almost every route south from Marrakech towards the Dadès Valley, Zagora or the dunes of Erg Chegaga.