Departing from Marrakech and taking a road of about 4 hours to reach Ait Ben Haddou passingTelouet kasbah

EL GLAOUI FAMILY Thami El Glaoui or El Haj T’hami el Mezouari el Glaoui (1879 – 23 January 1956), better known in English-speaking countries as T’hami El Glaoui or Lord of the Atlas, was the Pasha of Marrakech from 1912 to 1956. His family name was El Mezouari, from a title given to an ancestor by Sultan Moulay Ismail in 1700, while El Glaoui refers to his chieftainship of the Berber Glaoua (Glawa) tribe of Southern Morocco, based at the Kasbah of Telouet in the High Atlas and Marrakech. He became head of the Glaoua upon the death of his elder brother, Si el Madani, and as an ally of the French in Morocco, he conspired with them to overthrow Sultan Mohammed V.

When we head to the far side of the mountains the landscape changes dramatically, becoming semi-arid and desert-like. Here is the Kasbah architecture with turrets on all the buildings, adorned with grilled windows and soft peach-colored walls. These traditional houses are made of adobe, highly suitable for the climatic conditions of the south. We leave the main road and take a side one the Telouat kasbah which belonged to the Lords of the Atlas, the Glaoui family, and which now stands in ruins. From there we continue for Lunch at Ait Benhaddou. The afternoon is spent exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ait Benhaddou, which has been used as a backdrop for many Hollywood blockbusters. It was one of the most important fortress strongholds on the old Salt Road caravan routes, where traders brought slaves, gold, ivory, and salt from sub-Saharan Africa to Marrakech and beyond. We end our day trip heading back to Marrakech where you still enjoy the views of the high Mountains.