Enjoy the best Ait Benhaddou has to offer. Viver a Viagem spent three days in the citadel and slept in two different and amazing places. Be part of this adventure.
Read Ait BenHaddou – a Moroccan treasure to find out more about the citadel
Watch the sunset and sunrise gazing at the beautiful Ait Benhaddou ksar was mandatory for me. I wanted to experience both moments; not just to spend a couple of hours and hop on a van back to Ouarzazate like most do. I also wanted to stay within the walls and sleep in a kasbah. To be able to do it, I stayed two nights, one facing the village and other across the river, inside a 400-year-old kasbah.
To better enjoy sunrise I booked a night at Fibule D’Or, a hotel with terrace and a killer view to the walled citadel. Later on, after chatting wth the owners I discovered the hotel had been the first house to be built when people started flocking to the opposite riverside and abandon the ksar looking for more infrastructure and a better life, in early 40s.
Hamid and Elhoussain are brothers and were born within the walls of the citadel. His father was the first man to cross the river and build the first house, nowdays Fibule D’O hotel.
On the first day I had already explored the whole citadel and photographed it from all the angles. At night, you could see anything but feable flickers of candle light coming from tinny clay windows within the walls. There is no electricity inside the village. I was very excited because on the following morning I would check in in a 400-year-old kasbah – an earthen palace with at least four towers.
On the following day, I headed to Kasbah Tebi, one of the three hotels inside the ksar. I had a clue on what to expect from the kasbah, but staying there surpassed any expectations I have ever had.
The kasbah é original and has been recently restored to its full glory. It is in Mohamed’s family for more than 400 years. Everything was done preserving the history and traditions; at the same time with good taste and comfort. They followed tradition because not much can be changed since it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Ait Benhaddou is a well known tourism destination. However, most of the people overlook the citadel and spend a few hours only before heading to other destinations. I had a wonderful time there and that was possible because I decided to stay longer and get in touch with locals.
Slow down the pace and allow yourself to get in touch with real people.
If you want to get in touch with them you may find links hereunder. Viver a Viagem believes in real life experiences and like trying and sharing them with all the readers. Click on the links for further information.
Referências e Notas Explicativas
