Kasbah Tamdakhte is a true hidden gem just a couple miles north of Aït Benhaddou. Unlike Ait Benhaddou, Kasbah Tamdakhte does not have a UNESCO designation. While there, I was told by a local that this was because the family that now owns the property is not interested in going through the process for gaining recognition, to the dismay of the townspeople.

You need a guide to check this one out. He will find you, don’t worry. Arabic, French, or Amazigh only here. He will be so excited to have someone visiting that by the time the tour is over, you will have toured the grounds, visited the gardens, been to his home, seen the town, met his sister (who is great at English), had some tea, and eaten at one of his friends' places.

One of the more interesting things in the kasbah is the ability to see the inside of the old mosque, which still has its wooden minbar (a sort of pulpit). The grounds take about an hour to see and include a hammam, courtyards, dungeons, harem quarters, and the typical bits (kitchens, bedrooms, etc.).

As beautiful as Aït Benhaddou is, I actually enjoyed Kasbah Tamdakhte quite a bit more. There is a regal quality to it which I didn't find at Benhaddou, and the view of the gardens from the terrace was unmatched. The only downside here is lack of historical information for those who don’t understand French, as I still know almost nothing about the location.

I am a budget traveler, but I don't like sacrificing quality. As a result, to visit Kasbah Tamadakhte I stayed a few nights in Aït Benhaddou at a place called the Bagdad Café and had a great time there. The food was good, they have a pool and rooftop terraces, beer/wine is available to purchase, and the owner went out of her way to help, even driving me into Ouarzazate to catch my bus deeper into the desert.

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