Morocco with kids: Ait Ben Haddou
Ait Ben Haddou is a fortified historic village (ksar) at the base of Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains. From the 11th century, it was an important trading post on the route between the Sahara Desert and Marrakesh. It is now a UNSECO world heritage site. It is also a staple backdrop for many movies taking place in the Middle East, including Gladiator, the Mummy, Prince of Persia, and Game of Thrones. Ait Ben Haddou was one of our favourite stops in Morocco. We felt like we’d stepped straight into the stuff of fables, with rocky deserts and lush oases and ancient caravan routes.
Ait Ben Haddou can be done as a day or overnight trip from Marrakesh. But with its location on the way between Marrakesh and the Sahara, it is a great stop to break up the 8.5 hour journey.
Our recommended itinerary is to stay overnight in Ait Ben Haddou (whether or not you’re heading to the Sahara – which, in our opinion, you should definitely do). We suggest leaving Marrakesh in the afternoon, and exploring Ksar Ait Ben Haddou the next morning, before the day-trip crowds arrive.
Getting to Ait Ben Haddou
Ait Ben Haddou is just over 3 hours from Marrakesh, through the High Atlas Mountains. The drive is quite fun (depending on your definition of it :P) with plenty of hairpin turns high into the mountains. If you are prone to motion sickness, make sure to bring your medications or some ginger candies.
–> By tour group
Ait Ben Haddou is a popular destination in Morocco. You can find day tours to Ait Ben Haddou, or included in multi-day tours around the country. It is always a stop on Marrakesh to Merzouga (the Sahara) tours.
We would recommend a group tour if you’re based out of Marrakesh and don’t plan to drive. If you’re planning to see more of Morocco, it is worth considering a private driver (or private tour), or self-drive, especially with kids. This gives you more flexibility to move at your own place, and for Ait Ben Haddou, the option to explore the village without the crowds.
–> By private car hire
Hiring a private driver is our preferred way of tackling Morocco. It eliminates the stress of driving unfamiliar rural roads and chaotic cities, and frequent police checks. Hiring a driver is significantly cheaper than booking a private tour (basically, you plan the itinerary and the tour companies supply the driver/vehicle), and you get a driver who is very knowledgeable about the country.
–> By self-drive
If you want more independence, considering renting your own car (from the Marrakesh airport. I would not recommend driving in Marrakesh even for the most confident drivers!) You do not need to drive in and around Ait Ben Haddou, as the ancient village (ksar) and the more modern town are all very walkable.
Where to stay in Ait Ben Haddou
There are 2 main options for an overnight stop in the area. The first is at Ait Ben Haddou, and the second is at Ouarzazate, a city about 30 minutes away. Driving along the Marrakesh-Merzouga route, you pass through Ouarzazate. Ait Ben Haddou is actually a bit of a detour.
–> Ouarzazate
Ouarzazate is quite a large Moroccan city (and even has its own airport), with lots of shopping/dining/hotel options. It’s also the home of Morocco’s film industry, where you can tour the famous Atlas Film Studios (the Moroccan Hollywood equivalent).
Ouarzazate is a good option if you are looking for something a little more modern, and a place with more amenities. It’s also a good place to stay if you need more kid-friendly food options (such as Pizzeria Venezario, or grill houses for their kabobs.)
–> Ancient Ait Ben Haddou Ksar
Unbelievably, a few residents actually still *live* in the ancient village of Ait Ben Haddou, even though there is no electricity and almost no running water.
The few hotels you can find inside the ksar *do* have basic amenities. These include Kasbah El Hajja, and Kasbah Tebi. These buildings are several hundred years old, with traditional Berber decor, and make for a very authentic experience. However, these hotels are pricier than what you will find outside the ancient village.
–> Modern Ait Ben Haddou
Most of Ait Ben Haddou’s residents live across the river (the Asif Ounila) in its more modern counterpart. You will find the bulk of the hotels and restaurants on this side of town. It is very walkable to the ksar, either across the riverbed during dry season, or across the new pedestrian bridge. While not historic, most of the town is still traditional, the buildings made from clay/straw. You have more options here at decent prices, and the hotels offer more amenities than what you’ll find in the ksar (eg. pools), although do not expect luxury.
One benefit of staying on this side of the river is the incredible view you get of the ksar itself, the surrounding oases, and one incredible sunrise.
We stayed at Dar Mouna, which we chose primarily because of location and the incredible view of the ksar. Dar Mouna is just at the edge of the village by the side of the river, a traditional hotel with rustic touches. The rooms were basic, but the grounds were spacious and we had a pool – the kids loved it. The view was unparalleled, and the walk to the ksar was less than 5 minutes.
When booking a hotel or riad with kids, make sure they offer family rooms (usually sleeping 4 people). Also give serious consideration to hotels with pools. Ait Ben Haddou is dry and dusty – you’ll want to go for a cool dip. Make sure to book once you’ve firmed up your plans, or family rooms may sell out. (There was only 1 family room available at Dar Mouna when we booked around 3 months out.)
Where to eat
The restaurants in Ait Ben Haddou serve mostly traditional Moroccan fare, including Moroccan salads, tagine, and couscous. Recommended restaurants include: Zaytoune, and Auberge Azaddou Tamlalte (if you are looking for a restaurant with an amazing view of the ksar).
We recommend considering eating at your hotel for dinner (and most hotels provide Moroccan breakfast). Hotel restaurants typically serve traditional Moroccan food, and it is an easy option especially if you’re getting into town relatively late.
We had dinner at Dar Mouna, and it was a prix fixe menu with soup, a chicken and vegetable main course, and a dessert. It was on the pricier side for us (as we had to pay the same amount for the kids, who eat less), and the food was average, but it was highly convenient and we could soak in the views of Ait Ben Haddou from our restaurant terrace.
Exploring Ait Ben Haddou
We recommend allotting around 2-3 hours for a thorough exploration of ksar Ait Ben Haddou and surrounding areas. (Definitely 3 for kids who like to dawdle. ;))
Crossing the river or pedestrian bridge
The pedestrian bridge brings you to the main entrance of the ksar, but the kids had a ton of fun crossing the dried river bed. They loved jumping across all the stones (unnecessarily, as the river was dry, but very necessary for them. :P) You can even take a walk along the river. During peak hours you will find locals offering camel rides here.
On the far side of the river you can see the Ait Ben Haddou “gate”, which is actually built as a movie prop entrance to the ancient village.
Ait Ben Haddou
You can enter the ksar through one of its five gates. The main gates charge a small fee (around 25 dh per person). The other gates are supposedly free, though in our experience there will be somewhere at some point charging an entrance fee. Once inside, you will find numerous little alleyways (some even through people’s homes!), twists and turns and narrow tunnels. It doesn’t really matter which gate you enter or which paths you take, it all converges upwards toward the summit. It’s a bit of a climb (lots of steps), but the kids had fun exploring all the different paths. Along the way, (in addition to people’s homes :P) there are little shops selling souvenirs, cafes, and even animal pens. There are also a number of information signages, including a plaque with a list of the movies shot on location.
The summit (aka “Agadir”)
At the top of the village, you will find the agadir – the ruins of a fortified granary. There’s not much to the summit itself, but it offers a spectacular view of the oasis, the Atlas Mountains, and Ait Ben Haddou village.
The east entrance and “barren hill”
On your way down, we recommend exiting the entrance to the east. This brings you right to the area where they built the arena for Gladiator (at the base of the village). Where we were there, they had just finished filming Gladiator 2, and were still dismantling the set.
Just in front of this entrance is a hill (I could not find an official name anywhere, so henceforth named the “barren hill”. There is literally nothing on it, but Big S was adamant he wanted to climb this hill. It is a short, steep climb. If you attempt this make sure you are wearing walking shoes with good grip, as there are loose rocks that can make things slippery. But one exasperated climb up the hill later and we were rewarded with the best view of Ait Ben Haddou. You get to see the buildings and structures from an elevated vantage point. This is also a good spot to enjoy sunset over the ksar. (Big S saw people here the previous evening, which put the idea into his head. :P)
Tips for visiting Ait Ben Haddou
Visit early in the morning (or late in the afternoon)
Ait Ben Haddou is best experienced when it is quiet. You have the alleyways to yourself, and you next quite know what is around the corner. You feel like you are really a part of history, like you have been transported back in time. Part of the mystique and ancient charm wears off when you have to get in line to climb the stairs. (We arrived at around 9am, and by the time we got to the summit, we could see a trail of people climbing toward us.)
If you are staying overnight, we suggest visiting Ait Ben Haddou in the morning, when everyone is well rested. You can also visit late in the afternoon, where you can catch sunset either from the ksar summit or “barren hill”.
Bring cash for the “entrance fee”
The main gates definitely have someone charging an entrance fee, but some of the entrances do not. (Although you will likely be paying the “entrance fee” somewhere along the road.) It is approximately 25 dh, and you must pay in cash.
We received a piece of paper as a receipt. If you do not, we suggest you request one. We were asked 3 times to pay the entrance fee by various locals (even on the way down). We just showed our paper “receipt” and waved vaguely in the direction of where we paid our fee. 😛
Do you need a guide?
We feel you can easily explore Ait Ben Haddou own your own, as long as you know a bit about the history beforehand. The information signage along the way is also very helpful. A guide could provide more in depth insight, but our kids have fairly short attention spans, and much prefer discovering to listening.
Wear comfortable walking shoes
There’s quite a bit of walking at Ait Ben Haddou. The paths are well maintained, but uneven with uphills, and pebbly toward the summit.
Planning a family trip to Morocco? Be sure to check out our other posts on traveling through Morocco!
