Ouarzazate’s name comes from the Amazigh (Berber) words (war zazat) which means "without noise" and Ouarzazate also known as “The gate of the desert” and as “Morocco's Hollywood”. It is situated at an altitude of 1,160 m, between the Draa river and the Ziz valley in south of the High Atlas Mountains.

This majestic city has 60,000 inhabitants most of them are Berbers, who constructed many of the conspicuous kasbahs and building for which the area is known for. Ouarzazate is one of the best travel destinations in Morocco as a nodal point for excursions across the Draa Valley and the Sahara desert.

Ouarzazate city is well-known of its kasbahs and ksours, souks and crafts, museum and cinema studios, moussems and festivals, lakes and valleys, mountains and gorges.

Ouarzazate is the Hollywood of Morocco. It has several film studios "Atlas Corporation Studio" and "Kanzaman" studio. Several movies were shot on this city such as Lawrence of Arabia, Cleopatra, Kundun, Gladiator, Alexander the Great, Kingdom of Heaven, Babel, Body of Lies and lately Prince of Persia.