Event: Morocco

Ait Benhaddou

When:	Daily
Where:	Ait Benhaddou

Follow in the footsteps of Orson Welles and camel merchants in Hollywood's favourite location and discover the best preserved kasbah (traditional fortress or palace) in the Atlas region to boot - Ait Benhaddou.

When it comes to kasbahs, Ait Benhaddou knocks the socks off all the other romantic hillside Moroccan crenellated offerings. Made famous in more recent years by the location managers of the Hollywood hills (Jesus of Nazareth and Lawrence of Arabia are just two epics to have resulted from its stunning location), it houses some of the best preserved kasbahs of the entire Atlas region. Every day of the year is a special time to visit - the changing bird life, colours and water levels always complement its incredible structure.

One of the happier consequences of Hollywood's fascination with "Ait" is that it has been fantastically restored to its former glory - and indeed, in recent years, a more controlled restoration has been executed by UNESCO-approved restorers. In 1994, the Moroccan government jumped on the bandwagon in order to ensure its conservation. The result of all this effort is a magical, mystical, fascinating place that is always worth exploring - over a few hours or even a few days. Every day is a special event here.

Ait is actually made up of a pile of kasbahs that sit upon a dark shaft of rock above a shallow, reed-strewn river. Towered and crenellated, and with high sheer walls of dark red mud, they are connected with tiny, winding, narrow routes. It's not difficult imagining life as it was (probably in the 16th century) - this site once commanded the area for miles around. Caravans passing through the area would carry salt accross the Sahara to return with ivory, gold and slaves. Now, there are only a handful of families living there (some of whom offer the usual tourist wares) - as well as scores of film extras and sets.

It can be confusing exploring Ait, although you may just want to get lost amongst the bisecting little roads. If you want a guide (who may get you in the inside of a kasbah or two), head for the coffee shop on the west bank of the river. In winter, bear in mind that you may well have to wade through a knee-deep river.