Ouarzazate (ورزازات), Morocco

Ouarzazate (ورزازات) is a city in the Souss-Massa-Draâ region of Morocco. Situated at an elevation of 1,151 m (3,776 ft), to the south of the High Atlas Mountains, it has a population of 60,000 (2011 estimate).

The name Ouarzazate means "noiselessly" or "without noise". It is a Berber name as most of its inhabitants are Berbers. Ouarzazate is located at the edge of the desert, which spreads south from the city.

Ouarzazate experiences an arid desert climate. The hottest month is July, when the average high temperature reaches 40°C (104°F). On the other hand in January, it drops to just 1.1°C (34°F). The city receives just 102 mm (4 in) of rain per year, with September to November being the wet season.

Medina of Ouarzazate
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Studio backdrops of Atlas Studios at Ouarzazate
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In the last two decades the city has developed into a tourist destination. It is the gateway to the Draa Valley and the Ait-Ben-Haddou fortified village, which is recognized as a World Heritage Site. The city also has a movie making industry with many international films being shot there including Gladiator (2000) and the James Bond movie with Timothy Dalton, The Living Daylights (1987).

Visiting Ouarzazate

You can get to Ouarzazate by bus from Marrakesh. The bus fare is 80 dirham. If you can share a seat in a taxi, a taxi ride to Ouarzazate will cost you 100 dirham per passenger.

Souq of Ouarzazate
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Places of Interest in Ouarzazate

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