Ouarzazate, Morocco
Fast Facts
ACTIVITIES
Architecture
Music & Theatre
 
Tourist Attractions
 
Kid-Friendly Hotels
 
Points of Interest Nearby
CITIES & CULTURE
 
 

Ouarzazate

 

Photo by Valentina Marconi

The garrison town of Ouarzazate is a great base for exploring southern Morocco. Not only is this French-built city located at the crossroads of three rivers, it is situated at the foot of the Atlas Mountains just 4 hours from Marrakech. Journey north to Ait ben Haddou, Morocco's most spectacular ksar. Traverse the Draa Valley and visit an oasis or two. Travel east to the Dades, as the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs is formally called. And while Ouarzazate is hardly historic, it has two attractions of note. The Glaoui kasbah of Taourirt provides insight to feudal Morocco. A tour of Atlas Film Studios offers a peek at this film industry hub.
History & Culture
 
Learn more about the crafts of the Glaoua Berber tribe that inhabit this region.
Maps
 
Online maps are a great travel planning resource and a great way to get the kids involved in a family vacation. Map the imperial cities - Marrakesh, Fez, Meknes and Rabat - as well as Berber villages, desert oasis and mountain ranges. Use online maps to pinpoint your family travel destination and get a lay of the land.
Books
 
Books are a great way to introduce young children to a new adventure and get teens and tweens ready for a family trip. We've compiled a list of books about Morocco and books by Moroccan authors for children of various ages and with varying interests. What better why to begin a journey that a trip through literature?
Music & Sound
 
Moroccan music is a web of rhythm and sound. And it comes in a variety of forms. Arab-Andalusian music, a classical tradition imported from Muslim Spain, combines rhythm, vocals and instrumentals in complicated musical structure called nawbat or harmonic modes. Berber music, played at weddings, festivals and tribal gatherings, are poems and tales told through song. Moroccan popular music is rooted in Arabic style but influenced by African, Western and all forms of Moroccan music.
News
 
Read Moroccan newspapers online and, in addition to brushing up on Moroccan current events, find out what's happening from Casablanca to Tamegroute and discover what Moroccans are reading about.
Kids' Stuff
 
Online resources make learning lots of fun. Learn about Ibn Battuta, an explorer from Tangier, and take a virtual tour with this 14th century traveler. Map the routes followed by Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo and compare the two. View images of daily life and discover the Moroccan culture. Get fun facts about Morocco. Test your knowledge before you depart and again when you return. Print the information you find fascinating and take it with you on your family trip. Explain your findings to your family members and use the things you learn to make your travel journal really cool.
Organizations
 
Associations and non-profit organizations are a valuable resource as well as means to get involved. Find out more about a few of the organizations working to preserve the Amazigh Berber culture as well as those working to conserve Morocco's national treasures.
Recommended Reads for Family Travel to Morocco
Free Travel Journal
Get a free kids travel journal to document your family vacation.
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Travel Trivia
Puerto Madryn is located on the shore of which Ocean: