May 19th in the Atlas Mountains

Mountains, Movies, and Moroccan Hospitality

By Kaedyn Murphy

After a windy three hour drive heading east from Marrakech, we arrived at our first destination: Ksar Ait Ben Haddou. This Ksar (term for fortified tribal village) is a collective group of dwellings that showcases earthen construction techniques dating back to the 17th century. This location served as a crucial point along the trans-Saharan caravan route, where camels were traded out with horses who could better navigate the rocky and steep terrain of the Atlas Mountains. Very few families still remain in the village, but it is now a UNESCO world heritage site as well as a popular movie/TV filming location (including Gladiator I and Game of Thrones- to name a few).

Drive through the Atlas Mountains

We were also incredibly fortunate to have been hosted by a local Amazigh family for lunch where we experienced firsthand the heart of Moroccan hospitality. They served us three large platters of couscous that was carefully prepared beforehand over the course of three hours. After we finished the flavorful meal, they served us traditional sweet Moroccan mint tea and cookies, even giving us a demonstration on how to properly prepare the tea by layering leaves, sugar, and boiling water. On the way out, the family led us to their barn to show us their goats (including two kids), sheep, and chickens. As we left with full stomachs, we also carried with us a deeper appreciation for the generosity and warmth that defines Moroccan values and culture.

After lunch, we headed to the Atlas Studios in Ouarzazate- a very popular film location used by some of the biggest production companies in the world. We were led on a tour through sets, transforming us to places such as ancient Rome & Greece, Egypt, China, and Jerusalem. We saw cars from the James Bond movies, the bus from Prison Break, multiple set pieces from Gladiator, and many other incredible sets created for various popular movies and television shows. To see the complete list of films that were shot in this location click here.