Quarzazate, also known as “The door of the desert” is an excursion across the Draa Valley in Drâa-Tafilalet region of south-central Morocco. This desert city leads to the Sahara, has caught the fancy of many Hollywood directors favorite destination when it comes to filming any African destination. This area also doubles up like ancient Rome and Tibet. The dramatic landscapes relative ease of access make it a prime destination for desert scenes.
Quarzazate is the main attraction for inviting international companies to work here. This area is also famous due to its Ouazguita carpets with geometric designs of red-orange on the black background. The Quarzazate climate is hot and dry in summer, but very cold in winter with icy winds coming from the high Atlas Mountains. Quarzazate marketplace is also traditionally selling flavorful spices, colorful clothes, and intricate and designer handicraft items, and many others.
Quarzazate is a renowned holiday destination in Morocco. The Berber speakers constructed most of the kasbahs that exemplify earthen clay architecture and building in this area. The Taourirt Kasbah Museum is one of the most splendid things that you should witness once in your life. A fortified village “ksar” is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A lot of excursions through the valley of the Draa River into the Sahara start from the city.
These include the kasbah-town, trips to Zagora, an oasis town surrounded with beautiful palm tree plantations, and a departure point for camel trains to Timbuktu, and arid plains. Also, Ouarzazate in Southern Morocco has historically served as a route to African traders on their way to northern Morocco and Europe. Those travelers who wanted to explore the Sahara Desert then stopped at Ouarzazate for relaxation and stock their food baskets before heading to the desolate desert.
The Quarzazate local population is a mere 110,000 people. Each year, more than 150,000 tourists visit this place, contributing to tourism investment in a massive way. Hence, Ouarzazate is for sure a place that should be on top of your list of places to visit when discovering the diversity of beautiful Morocco.
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Source: Destination Morocco
