"Unesco World Heritage site Ait Ben Haddou" Top 5 Page for this destination Ait Ben Haddou by angiebabe

Ait Ben Haddou Travel Guide: 115 reviews and 365 photos

June 2006-through the streets inside Ait Benhaddou

Showing Traceyanne the sights!

Visited this place first in July 2003 with some faux guides, then with my boyfriend in March 2004 and then with my bestfriend Traceyanne, showing her the best of Morocco!!, in 2006, since returned during the lovely almond blossom season February 2009 and 2012, and several times each year 2010, 2011 and 2012 - as being in the cross roads of the major routes getting around Southern Morocco budget La Baraka Hotel at Ait Benhaddou has become a handy stop over point!

right up the top to the fortress

fortified village, oasis, views into the distance

make your way around the maze of streets and steps up to the fortress on top and enjoy the panoramic view over the whole valley in all directions!...look for snow topped mountains of the Atlas mountains zig sagging their way across Morocco.

This complex of kasbahs and ksars has been on the Unesco list since 1987

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/444

kasbahs and more kasbahs

fortified village of kasbahs

Back in 2010 had my 5th visit to Ait Benhaddou - stayed 2 nights and nice to have a relaxed stay - hadnt intended to - went off for early morning views from the lookout over across the valley to the kasbahs and lots of spying on the locals below in the fields shots - before a relaxing breakfast and then a revisit a few kms up the road to Kasbah Tamdaght - had been there last year during almond blossom time and the valley its in was full of pink and white blossoms so that was a heavenly half an hour or so Id had of taking photos of Tamdaghts exterior and surrounds - since then often thought how I shouldve gone to see the interior and my curiousity got the better of me and Im glad I did return!!

By then it was lunch time so we turned up with another hello to where we had stayed at La Baraka and had brochettes and a delicious vegetable tagine (thats a sign of addiction to get cravings for tagine!! and to think when i was living in Morocco for 9 continuous weeks once I was sick to the teeth of tagine!!) and then managed to talk my companion into a walk around the kasbahs to the side where Ive never actually been!!.....doing these things that I think about later that I realised I regretted not having not done!!... so we got across the river's stepping stones - well perhaps I didnt in my mules Id forgotten to change for proper walking shoes! and splashed a bit in front of an entire tour group waiting to cross the other way - and squished through the muddy places but enjoyed the walk right round the other side, good shots in the warm sun and a chat with a guy with a shop there with his interesing style of painting - didnt buy though....

by then we decided to stay another night.....which was good - no more arriving at the next place in the dark and a chance to go catch up with an acquaintance from long ago I came across in one of the shops there - yes he did then try to hustle me to buy his jewellery but i did get some mint tea and my favourite Pommes....
and lovely views of a red sunset sky over Ait Benhaddou a little later!!... a nice return to Ait benhaddou I reckon

Further visits found that a new bridge had been put across the river to the southern entrance of the site - an excellent improvement! no more muddy wet river crossings when the river is up or having to take the usual main path in the centre down past all the shops with their persistent salesmen!

Pros and Cons

Pros:make your way around the palmeraie and miss the touts waiting for tourists coming in the usual way!, see where the movies were made, visit the inside of a fortified village and kasbah.
Cons:not lived in, becoming a bit of a commercialised touristic overkill.
In a nutshell:it is definitely worth a look but there are many others Ive been too that make better visits!

Last visit to Ait Ben Haddou: Jun 2012
Intro Updated May 23, 2013
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Reviews (13)

New walk bridge over the river to Ait... Transportation (1)

In one of my Off the Beaten Path tips here I suggested missing the touts that are along the usual pathway that most... more travel advice

tagine and brochettes in the casual seating area - Ait Ben Haddou

great food and restaurant decor Restaurants (1)

Have stayed here several times now over the past 2 years - 2010-2012 for 1-2 nights at a time and had several breakfast.... more travel advice

The granary on top - get a workout and great views - Ait Ben Haddou

The granary on top - get a workout and... Things to Do (6)

Here were some motivated travellers spied up on the very top of Ait Benhaddou's mound early one morning around the time... more travel advice

pretty almond blossoms and blue winter skies - Ait Ben Haddou

Almond blossoms at Ait Benhaddou Off The Beaten Path (3)

Visiting in February was fantastic for almond trees in full blossom around the area! - not just lots of snow on the... more travel advice

Hotels (2)
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Written Dec 27, 2010

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Tamdaght kasbah

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Comments (19)

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Nemorino Sep 3, 2012 at 3:07 PM

I like those almond trees in full blossom – and the updates you have added to this page since 2009.
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glabah Aug 17, 2012 at 12:58 PM

It is unfortunate that places that have great things to visit also wind up having to become tourist traps.
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AyurinHiro Oct 29, 2011 at 8:06 AM

Hi! Wow, you have visited this great village many times! We wish we had visited the inside of the fortified village of Ait Ben Haddou! Great information and photos!
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Andrew_W_K Aug 2, 2010 at 4:12 AM

I really want to come here, it looks amazing.
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SLLiew Dec 10, 2009 at 6:04 PM

Amazing surreal landscape and architecture. SL :)
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theitman451 Apr 8, 2009 at 2:33 PM

We had the best Tajine of our stay in Morocco at La Rose du Sable.
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lynnehamman Feb 23, 2009 at 5:06 AM

Great page, Angie. We are planning a visit to Morocco end of year. Those Blossoms are exquisite. Good accommodaion tips. And wonderful photos.
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Luchonda Feb 21, 2009 at 4:30 AM

Nice update - A beautiful country and top pictures - greetz from Belgium
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pfsmalo Feb 11, 2009 at 2:07 PM

Some nice updates with some new pics Angie. XXXX
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Nemorino Feb 10, 2009 at 2:23 AM

This does (still) look like a fascinating destination, despite the touts and the creeping (or galloping?) commercialisation. Fine desert photos!