Ouarzazate with Kids, a Practical Family Guide

Ouarzazate is a surprisingly easy place to travel with children. The town is calm and compact, the roads are good, and its best-known sights read like a child's adventure book: giant film sets, mud-brick castles, camels, palm groves and, a few hours away, real sand dunes. The secret to a good family trip is pacing. Plan activities for the cool hours, keep drives reasonable and give everyone a comfortable base to come back to.

Here is what to do with kids in and around Ouarzazate, how to handle heat, food and health, and how to organise transport and accommodation so the trip stays relaxed for parents too.

Kid-friendly things to do

The film studios, an obvious favourite

Ouarzazate has been a filming location for decades, and walking through the sets is pure fun for children. At Atlas Film Studios, guided visits move from an Egyptian temple to a Tibetan monastery to the streets of an ancient city in about an hour, so there is little time to get bored. Children can climb, pose next to giant statues and spot scenes they may know from films. Go early in the morning or late afternoon: the sets offer little shade. Our guide to Atlas Studios has more detail on visiting.

Kasbahs and Aït Ben Haddou

Kasbah Taourirt, right in town, is a maze of small rooms, narrow stairs and decorated ceilings that children enjoy exploring. Keep a hand on small ones near steps and open terraces. Aït Ben Haddou, about 35 minutes away, is a whole fortified village on a hillside: the climb to the granary at the top is short but steep, with great views as a reward. Cross the river early or late in the day and bring water. See our Aït Ben Haddou guide for timings.

Camel rides

A short camel ride is often the highlight for younger children. You do not need to go all the way to the Sahara: short rides are offered near Ouarzazate and in the Draa valley. For little ones, 20 to 30 minutes is plenty, ideally with a handler leading the camel and a parent walking alongside. Hold on tight when the camel stands up and kneels down, which is the bumpy part.

Oasis walks

The Fint oasis, about 30 to 45 minutes from the residence (partly on a dirt track), is a peaceful palm grove with a river, small gardens and a village. It is a lovely, gentle walk for families and a good contrast to the dry landscape around it. The Skoura palm grove, about 40 km east, is another easy option, with kasbahs to peek into along the way.

Quads and buggies for older kids

Quad and buggy tours run on tracks around Ouarzazate, and teenagers love them. Be careful, though: operators set their own age limits, children usually ride only as passengers, and helmets should be non-negotiable. A buggy, where a child sits belted next to an adult, is often the safer choice. Choose a short ride at the end of the afternoon rather than a long one in the midday heat.

A desert night, if your children are ready

Merzouga is about 360 km away, 6 to 7 hours of driving. With children, split the trip with a night in the Dades valley or Tinghir, or choose the closer dunes near Zagora instead. Our Sahara route guide explains the options.

Pacing, heat and sun

Ouarzazate sits at around 1,100 m on the edge of the desert. The sun is strong all year and summer afternoons are often above 38°C, while winter nights can drop close to freezing. For children, that means:

• Morning and late afternoon for activities, midday for rest. Between about 12:00 and 16:00 in the warm months, go back to air conditioning, nap, play cards or cook lunch.
• Hats, sunglasses and high SPF sunscreen every day, even in winter. Light long sleeves protect better than sunscreen alone.
• Water all the time. Children often do not say they are thirsty. Carry a bottle each and offer it regularly.
• One big outing per day. A morning at the studios plus an evening walk is a good day; three sights and a long drive is not.
• Layers in winter. Days can feel warm in the sun while evenings are cold, so bring fleeces and warm pyjamas from November to March.

Spring and autumn are the easiest seasons for families. See our guide to the best time to visit Ouarzazate for month-by-month weather.

Food for children

Moroccan food is generally child-friendly: grilled brochettes, couscous, chicken tagine with potatoes, omelettes, fresh bread, harira soup, oranges and dates. Ask for dishes "sans piment" (without chilli) if needed, though most food is mildly spiced rather than hot. Some practical tips:

• Breakfast is easy with msemen and baghrir (Moroccan pancakes), honey, olive oil, eggs and fresh orange juice.
• Supermarkets and small shops in town sell familiar basics: milk, yoghurt, cereal, pasta, biscuits and baby food.
• Having your own kitchen means you can serve a simple dinner at a familiar time when restaurants feel like too much.
• Restaurant meals often take time to arrive. Bring something to keep children busy.

Health basics

• Use bottled or filtered water for drinking and brushing teeth, and avoid ice of unknown origin for young children.
• Wash hands often and bring hand gel; peel fruit or wash it with clean water.
• Pack oral rehydration salts, children's paracetamol or ibuprofen, a thermometer, plasters, insect repellent and any regular medicine.
• Pharmacies are easy to find in Ouarzazate and pharmacists are helpful for minor issues. Ouarzazate also has a provincial hospital and private clinics.
• Watch for signs of heat exhaustion: unusual tiredness, headache, flushed skin. Move to the shade, cool down and rehydrate.
• Check travel insurance covers children and medical repatriation.

Car seats and driving

Driving is the most convenient way to explore the region with children, but car seats need planning. Moroccan rules require young children to travel in the back with an appropriate restraint, yet in practice seats are not always available, and grands taxis rarely have them. Our advice:

• Request car seats when you book a rental car or private driver, specify your children's ages and weights, and get confirmation in writing.
• Consider bringing your own seat or a compact booster; airlines usually carry them free or at low cost.
• Keep drives short: 1 to 2 hours per stretch, with breaks for snacks and stretching.
• Avoid driving at night, and keep motion sickness remedies handy for mountain roads such as the Tizi n'Tichka pass or the Dades gorges.

Why an apartment makes family travel easier

A hotel room with two adults and two children gets crowded quickly, especially when everyone needs a nap in the middle of the day. A two-bedroom apartment changes the rhythm of the trip: children can sleep in their own room while parents relax in the living room, there is space to spread out, and the kitchen means you control mealtimes and snacks.

At Residence Chay, the apartments YAN, SIN, KRAD, KUZ and SDIS sleep up to 4 guests in 2 bedrooms, and SEMMUS sleeps up to 3. Each has an equipped kitchen with refrigerator and microwave, a washing machine (very useful after a day in the dust or a night in the desert), air conditioning for the hot hours and free Wi-Fi with satellite TV for quiet evenings. Children are welcome, breakfast is served every morning, and there is free private parking on site with a guard at night, so loading and unloading the car is simple. The reception can also help you arrange family-friendly activities such as horse riding or a short desert excursion. You can read more on our family stays page.

A simple 3-day plan with children

1. Day 1: Atlas Film Studios in the morning, lunch and rest at the apartment, Kasbah Taourirt and a walk downtown in the late afternoon.
2. Day 2: Aït Ben Haddou early, picnic or lunch nearby, rest in the afternoon, short camel or horse ride near sunset.
3. Day 3: Morning walk in the Fint oasis or the Skoura palm grove, slow afternoon, early dinner at home.

Older children with energy to spare can add a buggy ride, while families with more time can extend the trip into a desert night. For more ideas, see our things to do in Ouarzazate.