- 0:00 | Welcome to Ait Ben Haddou one of Morocco’s
most iconic landmarks a fortified Berber - 0:08 | Village built only from mud and straw clay
and wood this wonderfully preserved Ksar - 0:14 | sits high on a hillside along an ancient
Caravan route between Marrakech and the - 0:19 | Sahara desert but these days Ait Ben Haddou
is probably more recognizable as a Hollywood - 0:25 | backdrop than a historic Trading Post so the
question is has it become more of a movie - 0:32 | set than a piece of Moroccan history we’re
Chris and Lydia join us as we find out for - 0:37 | ourselves we travel to Ait Ben Haddou along
the famous Road of a thousand kasbahs from - 0:46 | the Dades Valley passing countless
ancient mud brick kasbahs along the - 0:50 | way there’s plenty of accommodation options
in the area and while you could always stay - 0:58 | at a luxury hotel in the city of Ouarzazate
just 30 km down the road for a more authentic - 1:05 | experience we highly recommend spending
the night close to Ait Ben Haddou in one - 1:09 | of those historic kasbahs we did and it
turned out to be one of the most unique - 1:14 | accommodations we’ve ever stayed [Music]
in this is our accommodation for the night - 1:50 | [Music]
- 1:51 | this
- 1:59 | [Music] [Applause] [Music]
- 2:32 | [Music]
- 2:41 | [Music]
- 2:52 | this
- 3:15 | [Music]
- 3:16 | there also toilet another toilet downstairs
- 3:18 | downstairs need the laun
[Music] [Applause] [Music] - 3:47 | more upstairs you nice you could
take a good picture in the end of - 3:54 | the day and in the morning and if you
want you could stay to see the stars - 4:03 | oh wow and this is our Terrace only for you
wow you you put that if you don’t Closs look - 4:14 | at this this is all this is our private
at the end of the day you could take yes - 4:22 | in the morning also when you wake up
and if you want to stay all together - 4:26 | a little bit in the end of the today in the
evening to see the stars here it’s okay good - 4:33 | place [Music]
- 4:43 | wow got views of the pool views of the mountain
very authentic views of the old [Music] kasbah - 4:57 | look at the big birds nest did you see oh on
top of the the tower so I asked her how they - 5:06 | came about living in Morocco because they’re
from France and she owned a restaurant for 50 - 5:10 | years in France with her husband’s a chef so
we get good food French food tonight and they - 5:15 | used to come work really eight months really
hard through the year and they’d come here for - 5:19 | a holiday so they used to just own this for
their own holiday house and come here for 4 - 5:24 | months of the year and then in 2002 they sold
their business and they moved here permanently - 5:29 | and they set it up as a business and back then
they didn’t have any um electricity running water - 5:36 | roads but she said they still had plenty of people
come to visit cause it’s so authentic it’s in the - 5:41 | Berber traditional housing she said you can’t
build like this anymore so and this particular - 5:46 | apartment is um as traditional as you can get you
just won’t get this sort of accommodation um and - 5:53 | we we won the lottery it was out of three people
in our group and we chose the lucky number nine so - 5:58 | it’s a big apartment and it’s it’s just a really
authentic traditional accommodation so we’ll show - 6:04 | you through and if you want to come here we will
put the link below and um you can choose number - 6:10 | nine and this is what you’ll [Music] get on our
way back down the stairs we discovered another - 6:18 | little cozy bedroom tucked away but with the day
moving along there wasn’t much time to settle in - 6:24 | before long it was time to head out to see Ait
Ben Haddou the main reason have come [Music] - 6:33 | here Ait Ben Haddou is a wonderful example of
an ancient ksar a traditional fortified Village - 6:43 | made of Earthened buildings and surrounded by
defensive walls and Towers these Villages were - 6:49 | often located along Caravan trade routes built
to protect their inhabitants and their goods - 6:56 | Caravans would stop here to rest trade goods
and stock up for their long Journeys this is - 7:03 | Ait Ben Haddou the scene of many Hollywood movies
and you can see why just look at this Hollywood - 7:13 | discovered this incredible Place decades
ago from epic films like Lawrence of Arabia - 7:19 | and Gladiator to TV shows like Game of Thrones
these theatrical clay buildings and kasbahs have - 7:26 | served as the perfect setting for Hollywood’s
vision of an ancient exotic [Music] world the - 7:34 | historic part of Ait Ben Haddou is located on
the north side of the Ounila River to Cross we - 7:40 | walked across the riverbed there’s also a modern
bridge that was built in 2011 before the bridge - 7:47 | when the river was full you’d have to Cross
by Donkey if you didn’t want to get your feet - 7:51 | wet the main gate here was actually just built
- 7:59 | as a prop for the Gladiator movie and but
it’s been used in Indiana Jones Movie Game - 8:07 | of Thrones but it’s only a recent
Edition they just haven’t taken it - 8:12 | down we entered the Village from the East
passing by Gardens full of crops and artists - 8:20 | and Craftsmen selling their [Music] wares and
so you just get a bit of your water and green - 8:30 | tea and then not many people actually live in
the crumbling clay ksar these days most live - 8:36 | in the village on the south side of the river
but still rely heavily on tourism for their - 8:41 | livelihood it’s sugar oh yes smells good cream
caramel it does smell good voila that’s awesome - 8:58 | earlier we we visited a carpet shop in
the village that was part of a women’s - 9:03 | Cooperative these co-ops play a vital role
in empowering local women providing them - 9:09 | with opportunities to earn a living and
gain Financial Independence we’ve made - 9:14 | an effort to support them whenever
we can during our time in Morocco - 9:30 | [Music]
- 9:31 | I like this one 88,200 Durham so this is
a women’s Cooperative where they make the - 9:38 | rugs here the Berber rugs and there’s
200 women here and 85% of the profits - 9:43 | go back to the women most of them
work from home so yeah they’ve got - 9:47 | a few women here that are showing
us how it’s done yeah it’s amazing - 10:05 | [Music]
- 10:06 | as we made our way up to the Village we
passed by the square where the arena for - 10:10 | the Gladiator movies was built
references to the film industry - 10:15 | are everywhere which isn’t surprising
since Hollywood has become a key part - 10:19 | of Ait Ben Haddou’s identity and a
major draw card for tourists [Music] - 10:43 | Hollywood Fame has shone a spotlight on
this ancient Ksar drawing in tourists which - 10:48 | benefits the local economy and indirectly
helps preserve Ait Ben Haddou so if you’re - 10:52 | looking for a scarf or a rug or a Moroccan
souvenir then you won’t be disappointed - 11:23 | [Music]
- 11:24 | Sunset is one of the best times to visit at Ait
Ben Haddou after the day trippers from Marrakech - 11:30 | have left and the Setting Sun casts Long Shadows
over the landscape below the old fortified granary - 11:37 | at the peak of the village offers incredible
views that haven’t changed in centuries it gives - 11:43 | you a sense of the ksar’s Strategic importance
and it’s also the perfect spot to admire the - 11:48 | sunset well the sunset and the wind has picked up
- 11:57 | it’s going to blow us back
down the mountain [Music] - 12:11 | apparently this is the short cut
- 12:12 | [Applause] down despite its popularity as a film
location Ait Ben Haddou wasn’t built for Hollywood - 12:23 | it stood here for centuries long before the
cameras arrived it’s a UNESCO world heritage site - 12:29 | with roots that Trace back to the 11th
century any Renovations made to Ait Ben - 12:34 | Haddou must use traditional building methods and
materials to maintain the authentic character - 12:39 | of the Ksar and ensure it remains a true
representation of Berber architecture and - 12:45 | [Music]
- 12:52 | Heritage while films have undoubtedly brought
Global attention to Ait Ben Haddou they certainly - 13:03 | haven’t erased its past it’s been inspiring
to walk through these streets and imagine the - 13:09 | bustling life that once filled the Alleyways
leaving us with a sense of awe for us Ait Ben - 13:16 | Haddou embodies both history and Cinema a
unique space where the Two Worlds coexist - 13:25 | back in our kasbah accommodation our wonderful
hosts Michel and and Colette prepared a gourmet - 13:31 | meal for us which we enjoyed in their Jazz
inspired dining area it was our first turkey - 13:37 | tagine of the trip and it was amazing thanks
for watching today and please subscribe as - 13:43 | we’d love for you to join our roving Community
let us know in the comments what you think of - 13:48 | Ait Ben Haddou do you think it’s become too
Hollywood or does its history still shine - 13:52 | through and if you’ve been there yourself did
you go for the history or the film sets or both - 13:59 | so now we’re heading on out
next stop Marrakech [Music]
In Episode 11 of our Morocco Vlog road trip we travel to the ancient Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate, the “Hollywood of Morocco”. Countless movies, including Game of Thrones, The Mummy & Gladiator, have been filmed here, and when you see this UNESCO World Heritage Site you will understand why. It is incredible! But has it become more Hollywood than historic? Watch our video to find out.
Built on a hill in the southern slopes of the Moroccan High Atlas Mountains, Ait Ben Haddou is a historic fortified Berber Village constructed of mud & straw, clay & wood, strategically located along an ancient caravan trading route. Almost biblical in appearance, it is a popular stop for daytrippers from Marrakech, or tourists making their way to the Sahara Desert.
Although it is centuries old, Ait BenHaddou is very well preserved, making it an attractive location for filming movies and TV show. In fact the nearby city of Ouarzazate is home to movie studios, such as Atlas Film Studios, giving it the nickname “Hollywood of Morocco”.
Our accommodation in an old kasbah, Kasba Ellouze, a few minutes down the road from Ait Ben Haddou, is equally stunning. Our hosts, Michel & Colette, originally from France, leave no stone unturned to make sure we have a wonderful stay. Join us for a full tour of our amazing 5-level apartment with rooftop terrace overlooking the crumbling mudbrick kasbah, lush green oasis, and rugged mountains.
If you love immersive travel experiences and stunning landscapes then this video is perfect for you.
Don’t forget to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE for more travel vlogs! And please leave a COMMENT and let us know where you are from – we LOVE hearing from you!
Happy travels and see you in the next video!
#morocco #moroccovlog #aitbenhaddou #gameofthrones #gladiator #travelvlog #morrocotravelguide #moroccotravel #maroc #kasbah #ouarzazate #moroccohollywood #moroccomovie #ksar #uniquehotels
Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction
01:19 – Accommodation in Kasbah Ellouze
04:02 – Rooftop Terrace
06:31 – Ait Ben Haddou arrival
08:58 – Women’s Cooperative Carpet Weavers
09:54 – Entering Ksar
11:21 – Sunset from Ait Ben Haddou Granary
11:51 – Ait Ben Haddou descent
13:24 – Jazz Dinner
My Music:
Our earlier Morocco Travel Vlog Series:
Episode 1 – Casablanca:
Episode 2 – Rabat:
Episode 3 – Chefchaouen:
Episode 4 – Volubilis/Meknes:
Episode 5 – Fez:
Episode 6 – Fez to Midelt Road Trip
Episode 7 – Ziz Valley:
Episode 8 – Sahara Desert:
Episode 9 – Todra Gorge:
Episode 10 – Dades Gorges:
Accommodation at Kasbah Ellouze –
Moroccan Tour Company – Uncovered Trails:
Itinerary developed in conjunction with TravelManagers agent, Natalie Miller.
🌍 Hi, we’re Lydia & Chris, the Roving Balys!
🌍As an empty nest couple from Newcastle, Australia, we’ve traveled the world together for 30 years. We started this vlog to share our travel tales and showcase our beautiful region. We met traveling around Europe in 1995 and have since visited 50+ countries. We love discovering new places, meeting people, and trying local cuisines (including gluten-free options).Our journey has evolved from backpacking to family travel, and now back to couple adventures. With the kids doing their own thing, we’re ready to dust off our backpacks (now suitcases) and start new adventures. So grab a cup of coffee and come roving with us!
If you want to see more from The Roving Balys, we also run a travel blog over at:
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