Family Good Life Guide

Ouarzazate. Centre of the south

Ouarzazate is by all standards a different city from most Moroccan cities of its size: about 40,000 inhabitants.
Its focal point is the long and wide street Avenue Muhammed V which starts before the city starts, and continue along the modern buildings, the kasbah of Tifoultoutte, and ends after Ouarzazate ends.
Ouarzazate is designed for heavy tourism, and is well established with numerous hotels of high standard, but relatively few restaurants. There is a strange and empty feeling to Ouarzazate, except in the centre where a typical Moroccan market dominates.

Ouarzazate. The Kasbah

Despite being slighty scorned by certain traveller’s guide books, the kasbah of Ouarzazate stands out as an exquisite example of how to take care of one’s heritage with style. The entrance is clearly a bit on the clean and proper side, as if it was prepared for a foreign filmtake – something that happens quite a lot actually. Among the better spots for making movies would be near the beautiful Palace of Glaoui on the highest point.

But as soon as you enter the interior, it is packed by people that live here, enjoy it, and who only get help to keep up the standards through a governmental action every fourth year. The red-brown walls are continuously smouldering so that you get a feeling that this is the real thing.
Seeing the kasbah from the other side of the river is a great experience. Through a frame of the palm branches you see the structurers of the kasbah slightly bending and stretching to the sky. All in all it could remind you of Yemen, an impression that is helped by the white painting around windows on some of the houses.

Ouarzazate. Palace of Glaoui

The Glaoui, the last ruling family of the south and a strong contender for control over Morocco, had this palace built in Ouarzazate — but they never lived here. Still it is quite impressive, especially with the help of government aided reconstruction in recent years. Some parts can be entered by visitors, like the visiting hall.

Ouarzazate. Streets of the kasbah

The untouched irregularity of the kasbah streets adds to the feeling of authenticity of the kasbah area. All in all the kasbah is more than large enough to satisfy any average busload coming in for a number of good photo opportunities.

People here are nice, but note that almost every young man walking around is looking for an opportunity of working as a guide. And that is quite unnecessary around here, and it will also hinder you from having contact with the locals and the the kids.

Ouarzazate. Practicalities

HOTELS AND ALTERNATIVES
Ouarzazate has plenty of hotels, covering all price ranges. And even better, this must be the one place in Morocco where booking ahead is completely unnecessary. There is an disproportionate number of top-end hotels here, but while these never are full, they seldom cut their prices.
During the winter season, remember to ask for extra blankets, as temperatures fall quickly after sunset.

RESTAURANTS AND ALTERNATIVES
Outside the hotels, Ouarzazate offers little in terms of restaurants, and what there is is quite uninspired. For anyone who have already discovered how great Moroccan fast food can be, look out for food stalls in the town market.

SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES
Ouarzazate has a public swimming pool which summer tourists will have good use from. In Ouarzazate you can also hire bikes, such as mountain bikes.

NIGHTLIFE
If there are enough tourists in Ouarzazate some of the better hotels can offer some night life. If there are too few, all that is offered are drinks in the bar.

CHANGE MONEY
All necessary banks, most better hotels change money too.

TRANSPORT
Excellent connections with every possible destination with either bus or taxi. Ouarzazate has also an airport, which has flights (2-3 per week) for Agadir, Casablanca, Marrakech as well as Paris in France.