Marrakech to Aït Benhaddou: Private Transfer from 1,350 MAD

An earthen ksar of walled houses and towers above the Ounila river, on the UNESCO list since 1987.

Aït Benhaddou is 171 km from the Medina, about 3 h 25 over the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass on the N9. No bus goes to the ksar: by public transport you ride to Ouarzazate and come back by shared taxi. A private transfer costs 1,350 MAD per car for up to 3 guests and stops in the village facing the old ksar.

Ways to get from Marrakech to Aït Benhaddou

Booked on this page

Private transfer

Time: About 3 h 25
Cost: 1,350 MAD per car, 1,750 MAD per van

One way, to your guesthouse or the village car park, with stops on the pass.

Day trip with a driver

Aït Benhaddou and Ouarzazate in one day, back in Marrakech at night.

Time: A long full day

Cost: 1,400 MAD per car

Bus to Ouarzazate, then shared taxi

Shared taxis leave from near the Ouarzazate bus station in daylight and often stop at the junction on the main road, a few kilometres short of the village.

Time: About 4–5 hours, plus the taxi

Cost: About 80–140 MAD per bus seat, plus a few tens of dirhams for the taxi

Marrakech to Aït Benhaddou over the Tizi n'Tichka

The N9 climbs out of the Haouz plain into the High Atlas through villages and switchbacks. Taddert, set among walnut groves, is the last village before the pass and the usual tea and toilet stop. Above it the road reaches the Tizi n'Tichka at 2,260 m, then drops into dry, stony country on the south side.

The ksar sits off the N9 a short way before Ouarzazate. The driver leaves the main road at the junction and takes the side road to the village.

Telouet: a detour worth asking about

The Telouet turn-off is on the south side of the pass. Its Glaoui kasbah was badly damaged in the September 2023 earthquake and closed for a long time; parts have reopened since, but what you can see changes as repair work goes on.

If you want the detour, ask the office when you book. It checks whether the kasbah is open that week and quotes the extra time in writing.

Aït Benhaddou from 1,350 MAD per car

The price is fixed before you travel. The office confirms it in writing.

Arriving at the ksar

Most residents now live in the newer village across the Ounila river. The driver stops there, where the paths over to the old houses begin. Climb to the granary at the top of the ksar for the view over the valley. Wear shoes with grip; the paths are steep and dusty.

Late afternoon light on the earth walls is the best time for photos. If you sleep in the village, you also have the ksar almost to yourself in the early morning.

Motion sickness and the pass

The Tichka has long sections of bends on both sides. If anyone gets carsick, take tablets before you leave, sit in the front and ask for a stop at Taddert. Eat a light breakfast.

Plan for the full 3 h 25 and a stop. The climb takes longer than the distance suggests.

Best time to go

Spring and autumn are the easiest. Summer is hot on the south side. From late November to early March, snow can close the pass for short spells; message the office the day before to ask about the road.

Good to know

The road crosses the High Atlas by the Tizi n'Tichka pass, 2,260 m, on the N9.
Most residents now live in the newer village across the river; a few families still live in the ksar.
Snow can close the pass for short spells in winter, roughly late November to early March.
It is 171 km from the medina, about 3 h 25 by road.

The drive

The N9 climbs through Atlas villages and switchbacks to the Tizi n'Tichka, then drops into drier, stony country on the south side before the turn-off to the ksar.

Where the driver stops

In the newer village facing the ksar, where the paths over to the old houses begin, or at your guesthouse.

Stops on the way

Ask for a photo stop or lunch on the way when you book. Short stops are free; a longer detour is added to the written price.

Questions about this transfer

How much is a transfer from Marrakech to Aït Benhaddou?

1,350 MAD per car for up to 3 guests, 1,750 MAD for a van up to 7 and 1,950 MAD for a minibus up to 16. For a return the same day, book the day trip.

Is the Tichka road open in winter?

Most days, yes. Heavy snow closes it for short spells, mostly between late November and early March. If you travel in winter, message the office the day before to ask about the road.

Marrakech to Aït Benhaddou: private transfer

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The road to Aït Benhaddou

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Aït Benhaddou in pictures