Ait Benhaddou: Kasbah to the Stars

Last Friday I detailed our visit to Atlas Studios, where many major motion pictures have shot over the years. We have one final ‘Hollywood’ stop before the day is done — we’re en route to Ait Benhaddou, an UNESCO World Heritage Site and popular filming location.

There’s a one-lane road in. Luckily our excellent driver Mufasa is up for the challenge.

IMG_4113.jpg

Another fabulous hotel. Excellent job picking accommodation, Nomadic Tours!

IMG_4119.jpg

IMG_4122.jpg

IMG_4128.jpg

It’s late afternoon as we set off to hike the kasbahs of Ait Benhaddou.

IMG_4129.jpg

IMG_4178.jpg

There it is… does it look familiar?

IMG_4136.jpg

Perhaps you’ll recognize it from Game of Thrones

gameofthrones.jpg

[images via here, here, here, and here]

Another movie that recently shot in this area is Queen of the Desert, which will be released at the end of this year starring Nicole Kidman, James Franco, Robert Pattinson, and Damian Lewis.

IMG_4138.jpg

IMG_4161.jpg

PUPPIES…!! I’m ready to give up the rest of my day to sit and play with them. But alas, they are feral and I didn’t get my rabies shot before this trip.

IMG_4169.jpg

IMG_4177.jpg

IMG_4182.jpg

Looking back down over the kasbahs:

IMG_4193.jpg

IMG_4191.jpg

The natural lighting here is spectacular. Check out those hills glowing in the distance — no Hollywood magic needed!

IMG_4201.jpg

There’s another giant hill opposite this one; we’ll climb up there later.

IMG_4204.jpg

IMG_4211.jpg

Here we are approaching the very top of Ait Benhaddou.

IMG_4219.jpg

IMG_4220.jpg

IMG_4222.jpg

IMG_4223.jpg

IMG_4274.jpg

IMG_4242.jpg

IMG_4243.jpg

IMG_4270.jpg

IMG_4261.jpg

IMG_4237.jpg

IMG_4239.jpg

We descend and climb up the opposite hill. The views — and this light — continue to impress.

IMG_4299.jpg

IMG_4307.jpg

My tour mates are a blast.

IMG_4312.jpg

IMG_4315.jpg

ait2.jpg

IMG_4328.jpg

IMG_4347.jpg

We walk back to the hotel just as the sun sets. This was a long and perfect day — can’t believe how much we squeezed in.

Thanks to Nomadic Tours for discounting my tour in exchange for photography and blogging. Opinions are my own.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *