Reception halls
Zellij, stucco and painted cedar.
Bzgru — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Jon Lean from Bristol, United Kingdom — CC BY-SA 2.0 · R Prazeres — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Emilien Lebourgeois — Public domain · Curt Mühe — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Kasbah of Telouet was the stronghold of the powerful Glaoui family, at about 1,800 m in the High Atlas on the old caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech. Its earthen walls are crumbling, but its reception halls hold some of the richest decoration in southern Morocco. Dues from passing caravans and nearby salt mines made the family rich. The present kasbah was begun around 1860 and grew with the family's power, above all under Thami El Glaoui, pasha of Marrakech from 1912 to 1956. Work stopped with his death in January 1956 and the end of Glaoui power at independence that year; the kasbah was then abandoned and looted. Gavin Maxwell told their story in Lords of the Atlas (1966). Outside, mud-brick towers and ruined rooms are returning to earth. The upper reception wing, partly restored before 2023, keeps zellij, carved stucco rising into muqarnas, painted cedar ceilings and iron window grilles under green glazed tiles; tradition credits some 300 craftsmen from Fes and elsewhere. Damaged by the Al Haouz earthquake of 8 September 2023, the kasbah closed; a 2026 visitor guide reports some interior rooms open again with a guide, though access may change as work continues. A signposted paved road leaves the N9 just south of the Tizi n'Tichka pass and runs about 19 km east to Telouet, some 130 km by road from Marrakech. It continues 46 km down the Ounila valley to Aït Benhaddou, so the kasbah fits a day's drive from Marrakech to Ouarzazate, home of Kasbah Taourirt, another Glaoui seat.
Zellij, stucco and painted cedar.
A crumbling caravan stronghold.
On down to Aït Benhaddou.
Telouet village, near the P1506 road, Ouarzazate Province
In late 1893 Sultan Hassan I, returning with his army from Tafilalt, was caught by snow in the High Atlas, and Madani El Glaoui sheltered and supplied the court at Telouet for several weeks. In return the sultan gave him wide authority south of the Atlas and modern arms, including a Krupp cannon, a turning point in the family's rise.
At about 1,800 m, spring and autumn bring mild days and cool nights and are the best seasons to come, while summer days can be hot and winter nights fall to around freezing. Snow can fall on the Tizi n'Tichka from November to March, so check road and weather conditions before setting out, especially in winter and after heavy rain.