アイット・ベン・ハドゥ：歴史と砂漠の風景を巡るサイクリング

アイット・ベン・ハドゥ：歴史と砂漠の風景を巡るサイクリング

Ait Benhaddou is a famous tourist spot because of its stunning ancient fortified village made of earth and clay. It’s in southern Morocco, about 30 km north of Ouarzazate, and has been used as a film set for many big Hollywood movies. I’m staying just a few kilometers away in a small village called Tamedakhte. It’s most known for its large crumbling kasbah, which is now in ruins, but once had eight defensive towers built around a big courtyard. Hey guys, today I’m going for a ride to explore Ait Benhaddou and I will be starting from here, Tamedakhte. Let’s go! I start my ride early because in summer it gets very hot in Morocco, and I want to be finished and home before 10am. Just leaving Tamedakhte. It’s a beautiful morning. Within Tamedakhte, I joined the main road to Aït Benhaddou This road runs along the Asif Ounila River and passes small villages like Assfalou. Many of these places have a mix of old mud brick houses and newer concrete buildings. Right now it’s seven o’clock, but still early morning, nice temperature, not many people. It’s great. I’m going through Assfalou. A little town. So the next village will be Aït Benhaddou I can see it over there. So I’m just cycling into Aït Benhaddou and then after that I’m gonna go down to the river to get a good view of the Berber village. On one side of the river is the new town with mostly concrete buildings. On the other side, perched on the hillside is the old Berber village, entirely made of mud brick. So now I’m in Aït Benhaddou and then behind me is the actual old town of Aït Benhaddou. It looks so cool. I ride down to the river’s edge and crossing the stepping stone to get a closer view of the village. It’s possible to walk inside the narrow street, but there are many steps, so it’s not easy with the bike. I would fully recommend it if you are visiting on foot though. I finally made it! The ksar or village has tightly packed houses, defensive walls, corner towers, and small alleys winding up the hill. Many buildings are decorated with patterns molded into the clay. It’s so well preserved that UNESCO made it a world heritage site. In the past, it was home to several families who lived inside the walls for protection from raids and the harsh desert. Today, only few families still live there, but it remains an important example of traditional Moroccan architecture which attracts many tourists. It is also famous for movies and TV shows filmed here like Gladiator, The Mummy, Kingdom of Heaven, and Game of Thrones. Wow, it’s beautiful. In the afternoon, I think there will be more tourists in here. I just left Benhaddou. Now I’m going to continue my ride to explore the surrounding villages. After crossing back over the river and riding up the little street to the main road, I stop at a view point that look down the river and gives a great view of the ksar. Now it’s time to head into the desert to explore more of the area. Just five minutes west of Aït Benhaddou I enter a flat rocky desert, making for some fun cycling. Wow, I’m out in the desert now. It’s really beautiful and the temperature is still cool. It’s great. We are out in the countryside now. This place is epic. The land is just open for miles and I can see the towns from miles away. The desert leads me across to the small town of Tadoula. As I ride up, there are great views of the old crumbling buildings and the flat valley below. And just beyond Tadoula, there are some interesting rock cliffs with red and ochre mudstone and sunstone layers. The reddish color comes from iron oxide in the soil and rock. Back off-road, my next stop is Tadoula Nait Twaya Many villages near Aït Benhaddou are switching from mud brick to concrete because of the continuous work required to maintain mud buildings. Concrete is tougher and needs less care but using concrete means losing the unique look, cultural history and natural coolness that mud brick homes have. Just stopped for a little break in a little village called Tadoula Nait Twaya and some of the houses here like half concrete and half mud bricks. Yeah, it’s cool! Mud brick walls must be re-plastered often with fresh mud or a mix of mud and straw to protect them from rain. Cracks appear from heat or water and must be filled quickly. Flat roofs made from wooden beams and packed earth must be checked often and given new waterproof layers. Without this constant care, the beautiful building would fall apart. So looking after them is very important. I’m about 15Km in and now I’m still circling back towards the Aït Benhaddou Back on the road for a couple of kilometers. Another section of the desert to get me home. Heading back towards Aït Benhaddou to finish my ride. I find another great little track through the dry desert countryside. Just stopped for a drink in this beautiful part of this desert. The ride is good. Starting to get a little bit hot now. I just realized that most of this path in this desert is granite. That’s so cool. That was such a fun bit of desert riding. Now I’m gonna go back to the road, back to the hotel. Breakfast time. It was a wonderful day full of history, countryside, different landscapes and interesting geology. With more time, I think there is a lot more fantastic cycling to be enjoyed in this area and many amazing places to visit. That was great. Hot! Nice orange juice. Deserve it after that thirsty desert ride. So this is Msemen. It’s this traditional square shaped pancake from Morocco. Been having this for for a month in here. I usually just roll it up like that. Like this. Yum!! Thank you! Moroccan tea! After this, I’m going to pour it myself. Been practicing. Feeling good! Having some food and tea. It’s good. This is a great way to finish your ride. Very good. Not spilled any tea on the floor.

Join me on an unforgettable ride through southern Morocco as I cycle from the small village of Tamedakhte to the world-famous Aït Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most iconic fortified villages in North Africa. This journey takes us through a landscape full of history, culture, and breathtaking desert scenery.

I start my ride early in the morning to beat the intense Moroccan summer heat. From Tamedakhte, I pass by the ruins of its once-grand kasbah with eight defensive towers before heading along the Asif Ounila River. The route follows winding roads and passes through small villages such as Assfalou, where old mudbrick houses stand alongside newer concrete buildings. This contrast is everywhere in Morocco—between traditional architecture and the modern changes creeping in.

The highlight of this ride is, of course, Aït Benhaddou. On one side of the river lies the newer town, but across the stepping stones sits the spectacular mudbrick ksar, perched dramatically on a hillside. With its tightly packed houses, defensive walls, corner towers, and narrow alleys, it is one of the best-preserved examples of Moroccan earthen clay architecture. No wonder UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site.

For centuries, families lived inside its walls for protection from raids and the harsh desert climate. Today only a few remain, but the ksar still stands as a living reminder of Morocco’s cultural heritage. Walking through its streets is like stepping back in time. Many buildings are decorated with traditional patterns molded into the clay, and the entire setting looks straight out of a movie—because it literally is.

🎬 Movies & TV filmed at Aït Benhaddou include:
• Gladiator
• The Mummy
• Kingdom of Heaven
• Prince of Persia
• Game of Thrones

After crossing back over the river, I climb to a viewpoint overlooking the ksar, with sweeping views of the river and the desert beyond. But the adventure doesn’t stop there. From Aït Benhaddou, I continue west into the open desert, where rocky plains and ochre-red cliffs make for thrilling cycling.

The route takes me through the village of Tadoula, with its crumbling buildings, wide valley views, and striking sandstone cliffs tinted red by iron oxide. From there, I continue off-road toward Tadoula Nait Twaya, where the story of Morocco’s mudbrick architecture continues.

Many villages in this region are abandoning mudbrick for concrete because concrete requires less maintenance. But something is lost in the process—the cool natural insulation, the beauty of the earthen walls, and the centuries-old craftsmanship. Mudbrick houses need constant care: cracks must be filled with mud, walls replastered, and flat roofs reinforced with new waterproofing layers. Without this attention, they slowly fall into ruin. Cycling through these villages, I see this contrast everywhere—heritage fading against the demands of modern life.

The final part of my ride loops back toward Aït Benhaddou, across dry desert tracks dotted with thorny bushes and scattered stones. It’s the perfect mix of history, landscape, and cycling adventure. By finishing early, I avoid the worst of the heat and enjoy the quiet beauty of the Moroccan countryside before most tourists arrive.

✨ This ride had it all:
• Ancient kasbahs and fortified villages
• UNESCO World Heritage history
• Stunning desert landscapes and geology
• Insights into traditional mudbrick architecture
• Famous film and TV locations
• Exciting off-road cycling trails

With more time, there is so much more to discover in this area—the Ounila Valley, the desert routes toward Telouet, and countless other kasbahs hidden in the hills. Morocco is full of incredible cycling opportunities, and this ride around Aït Benhaddou is just the beginning.

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📍 Route Highlights:
• Start: Tamedakhte village & kasbah ruins
• Asif Ounila River & Assfalou
• Aït Benhaddou (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
• Viewpoints overlooking the ksar
• Desert trails west of Aït Benhaddou
• Tadoula & Tadoula Nait Twaya villages
• Return loop through the desert

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🎥 About This Channel
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#CyclingMorocco #AïtBenhaddou #MoroccoTravel #UNESCO #BikeAdventure #GameOfThrones #Gladiator #DesertCycling #CyclingVlog #TravelByBike