How to Get to Aït Benhaddou, Morocco
Last Updated on 13th December 2025 by Jessie
A complete transport guide for getting to Aït Benhaddou from Marrakech, Essaouira, Agadir, Ouarzazate and Zagora.
Aït Benhaddou is just 30km from Ouarzarzate, so most travellers opt for a 2-for-1 deal and visit both destinations in one go. Most transport routes to Aït Benhaddou will take you through Ouarzarzate anyhow.
I think both are well worth a look in. But if you were reaaally pressed for time, I’d say Ouarzarzate could be foregone in favour of the smaller, historic village. Aït Benhaddou is a national icon (and popular film location) for a reason. The time warp through the ancient mudbrick village is one of a kind.
Here are all your transport options for getting to Aït Benhaddou, whether you want the full guided tour experience, or you want to DIY it with a rental car or public transport.
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Moroccan Travel Essentials
- First and foremost, get travel insurance with SafetyWing. They’re super affordable and one of the few companies that let you buy insurance mid-trip.
- Book the dreamiest Moroccan abode on Booking.com. They’re my go-to for accomodation because you can save loooaads with their loyalty discounts.
- Or if you’re after the one-stop-shop, BookSurfCamps is the best place to find surf camp packages in Morocco.
- Find the best local tours with GetYourGuide. It’s the easiest way to visit places like Paradise Valley or Timlalin Dunes.
- Make sure you’re connected as soon as you get off the plane with Airalo’s Moroccan eSIM.
- Set up a Wise travel card to save on international transaction fees.
- And if you’re working online (or want to watch Netflix in your downtime) I highly recommend getting set up with a SurfShark VPN.
And you’re sorted.
How to Get to Aït Benhaddou from Ouarzarzate
There are no buses running between Ouarzarzate and Aït Benhaddou. Your two options for getting from Ouarzarzate to Aït Benhaddou are to drive or catch a taxi. The drive takes just 30 minutes. The taxi system is fairly reliable and easy to navigate.
Collective Taxi
Head to the Grand Taxi Station in Ouarzarzate. There are several small booths dedicated to taxis heading in each direction. I made a few false starts, but everyone was super helpful and pointed me towards the Aït Benhaddou vendor.
Once you find the right booth, ask for ‘collective’ to Aït Benhaddou. It costs 20dh (€2) per person for the 30-minute ride. You will have to wait until the car is full before leaving. In the morning, there tends to be plenty of people heading to the village, so you shouldn’t have to wait more than 15 minutes.
Private Taxi
Alternatively, you can pay for the whole taxi and leave immediately. This is a good option if you’re travelling as a group. A private taxi costs 120dh (€12).
Return Taxi to Ouarzarzate
Taxis regularly depart from the main street in Aït Benhaddou. Note that most tourists leave the village around 3-4pm; so it may be harder to get a collective taxi later in the afternoon. However, there will usually be drivers willing to take private trips up until sunset.
How to Get to Aït Benhaddou from Marrakech
To get to Aït Benhaddou from Marrakech, you can book a guided tour, catch a bus, or take a taxi. If you’re not familiar with Moroccan public transport, a tour is a great (and fairly affordable) way to see all the sights. But if you’re happy to DIY, I’d recommend catching a bus.
Guided Tour to Aït Benhaddou
As one of Morocco’s most recognisable tourist attractions, there is no shortage of guided tours to Aït Benhaddou. Most of these depart from Marrakech and take you through the High Atlas Mountains.
If you’re starting your Moroccan trip in Marrakech, I suggest asking your accommodation for tour recommendations. Riads like Equity Point or Riad Dar Aida are big and well-established with great tour and activity add-ons.
Alternatively, you can book a tour through GetYourGuide in advance. I’d recommend this day trip to Ouarzarzate and Aït Benhaddou if you’ve got a limited timeframe and you want to make sure you’ve got your itinerary sorted.
Having visited Ouarzarzate and Aït Benhaddou myself, however, I would recommend taking a few days to leisurely explore the region. This 3-day Merzouga and Sahara Desert tour takes you to Ouarzarzate, Aït Ben Haddou, Boumaln Dades and Todra Gorges, and includes an overnight stay at a Berber desert camp. Ideal.
Bus from Marrakech to Aït Benhaddou
CTM and Supratours buses don’t travel directly from Marrakech to Aït Benhaddou. But you can buy a ticket to Ouarzarzate and ask the driver to drop you at the carrefour (intersection) in Tabourahte.
Aït Benhaddou is 10km further north of Tabourahte. Many taxis pass by the intersection, so if you wait long enough, you should be able to score a ride in a collective or Berber taxi. The 10-minute trip should cost 5dh (€0.50).
See bus timetables from Marrakech to Ouarzazate.
Alternatively, you could stay a night in Ouarzarzate, check out Kasbah Taourirt, and then catch a taxi to Aït Benhaddou (see above).
Return Bus to Marrakech
If catching a CTM or Supratours bus from Aït Benhaddou to Marrakech, it’s best to backtrack to Ouarzarzate and embark at the designated bus station.
Alternatively, you can take a collective taxi to Tabourahte and then catch a local bus to Marrakech. These buses tend to be very full and slightly less comfortable than the private bus lines. They pass through Tabourahte every hour, so you will need to wait at the intersection and wave one down.
Tickets from Tabourahte to Marrakech cost 70dh (€7) and must be purchased on board. The bus stops at the village of Lakhbar for a quick lunch and a stretch of the legs. You disembark at the Gare Routiere next door to Bab Dakkoula in Marrakech.
Taxi from Marrakech to Aït Benhaddou
From the Grand Taxi Station at Bab Doukkala, you can catch a taxi to Aït Benhaddou. A collective taxi should cost 100-150dh (€10-15) per person. But you will have to wait until there are enough passengers to fill the car.
A private taxi from Marrakech to Aït Benhaddou should cost between 600 and 900dh (€60-90). This is a good option if you’re travelling with a group.
How to Get to Aït Benhaddou from Essaouira
Aït Benhaddou is about 400km southeast of Essaouira and takes 5 hours and 45 minutes by car. There are no direct buses to Aït Benhaddou, so it is best to make your way from Essaouira to Marrakech, then catch a bus or taxi to the village.
How to Get to Aït Benhaddou from Agadir
Aït Benhaddou is 345km northeast of Agadir and takes 5 hours by car. You can catch a CTM or Supratours bus directly from Agadir to Ouarzarzate. Just ask the bus driver to drop you at the Tabourahte intersection, then catch a taxi to Aït Benhaddou, as above.
See bus times from Agadir to Ouarzarzate.
Taxi From Agadir to Aït Benhaddou
Alternatively, you can take a private taxi from Agadir Airport to Aït Benhaddou for 1800dh (€180). With an additional charge of 20dh (€2) per piece of luggage.
A private taxi from Agadir city centre would be similarly priced.
For a cheaper alternative, you may be able to catch a collective taxi from Gare des Grande Taxis in Inezgane to Ouarzarzate. The price for one passenger is 130dh (€13). However, I am unsure how frequently collective taxis would travel in this direction.
Guided tour from Agadir to Aït Benhaddou
There are a few tour operators on GetYourGuide that offer trips from Agadir to Aït Benhaddou and the surrounding villages. I would recommend this 3-day Desert Tour that gives you the full bang for your buck. It includes an overnight stay at a Sahara Desert camp, plus visits to Ouarzarzate, Aït Benhaddou, Draa Valley and Todra Gorge, before finishing in Marrakech.
How to Get to Aït Benhaddou from Tamraght or Taghazout
To get to Aït Benhaddou from the coastal villages of Tamraght or Taghazout, you will need to catch a bus or taxi to Agadir, then take a bus to Ouarzarzate.
See transport options:
How to Get to Aït Benhaddou from Zagora
If you’re heading to Aït Benhaddou, I highly recommend continuing on towards the desert for the full Moroccan experience. The city of Zagora is known as the ‘Gateway to the Sahara’ and is the departure point for trips to the Erg Chegaga dunes.
Zagora is 185km southeast of Aït Benhaddou and takes 2 hours and 50 minutes to reach by car.
Bus from Zagora to Aït Benhaddou
There are no buses running directly between Aït Benhaddou and Zagora, so you will need to take a bus to Ouarzarzate and then catch taxi from there.
Tickets for both CTM and Supratours can be purchased online or in person.
Bus Timetable from Ouarzarzate to Zagora
| Bus Line | Departure | Duration | Price |
| CTM | 05:00 | 3 hours | 65dh (€6.50) |
| CTM | 16:30 | 2 hours 50 minutes | 65dh (€6.50) |
| Supratours | 17:15 | 3 hours | 70dh (€7) |
| Supratours | 20:00 | 2 hours 50 minutes | 70dh (€7) |
Bus Timetable from Zagora to Ouarzarzate
| Bus Line | Departure | Duration | Price |
| Supratours | 06:00 | 2 hours | 70dh (€7) |
| CTM | 19:30 | 3 hours | 65dh (€6.50) |
| Supratours | 22:30 | 2 hours 50 minutes | 70dh (€7) |
Taxi from Aït Benhaddou to Zagora
From the Grand Taxi Station in Zagora, you can take a collective taxi to Ouarzarzate. Tickets cost 60dh (€6) per passenger. You can then catch a collective taxi for 20dh (€2) from Ouarzarzate to Aït Benhaddou.
If you pay for a private taxi, you can travel straight from Zagora to Aït Benhaddou. The whole taxi should cost around 360dh (€36).
Happy travels. For more tips, check out my Moroccan Travel Info.
