Is Ouarzazate safe?
Quiet and low-crime. Touts at the bus station and kasbahs, heat and mountain-pass driving are the main hassles.
Key facts
- SoloSquare safety rating: 4/5, safe with normal care.
- US travel advisory: Level 2: Exercise increased caution, updated 2025-04-20.
- Homicide rate in Morocco: 1.7 per 100,000 people (2023, UNODC via World Bank).
- Road deaths in Morocco: 17.0 per 100,000 people a year (2019, WHO).
- Emergency numbers: Police 190 · Ambulance 150 · Fire 150.
Safety in Ouarzazate at a glance
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Overall | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Crime | Petty theft is uncommon; the main nuisance is touts steering travelers to hotels, shops and tours for commission. |
| At night | The center is quiet after about 10 pm but generally safe. Avoid unlit streets and take taxis. |
| Solo women | Comfortable in the center and at reputable guesthouses; harassment is mild. Dress modestly and book tours through trusted operators. |
| Other risks | Extreme summer heat; Icy or snowy Tizi n'Tichka pass in winter; Flash floods after rare storms |
Scams, areas and local laws
Common scams
- Fake guides at the bus station steering you to hotels
- Souvenir sellers charging 'free' tea or guiding then asking for pay
- Drivers inflating tour prices or adding stops
Take care
- Atlas passes in snow, fog or night: crashes
- Quiet streets after dark: occasional snatches
- Unlicensed drivers on desert tours
Calmer areas to stay
Laws visitors break by accident
- Cannabis is illegal for visitors despite open use in the Rif; sentences are long.
- Drinking alcohol in the street or anywhere outside licensed venues can lead to arrest.
- Unmarried Moroccan–foreign couples can be refused a shared hotel room; sex outside marriage is illegal for Moroccans.
How Ouarzazate compares in Morocco
| Place | Safety |
|---|---|
| Chefchaouen | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Essaouira | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Agadir | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Taghazout | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Merzouga | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Rabat | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Ouarzazate | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Imlil | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Meknes | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Asilah | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Marrakech | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Fes | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Casablanca | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Tangier | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
Quick answers
Is Ouarzazate safe for solo female travelers?
Comfortable in the center and at reputable guesthouses; harassment is mild. Dress modestly and book tours through trusted operators.
Is Ouarzazate safe at night?
The center is quiet after about 10 pm but generally safe. Avoid unlit streets and take taxis.
What is the crime rate in Ouarzazate?
Petty theft is uncommon; the main nuisance is touts steering travelers to hotels, shops and tours for commission. Nationally, Morocco records 1.7 homicides per 100,000 people a year (2023).
What number do I call in an emergency in Ouarzazate?
Police 190 · Ambulance 150 · Fire 150.
More about Ouarzazate
Going to Ouarzazate solo?
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Sources
- US State Department travel advisory
- CTM
- Supratours
- ONDA Moroccan airports
- World Bank: intentional homicides (UNODC)
- World Bank: road traffic deaths (WHO)
Safety ratings are SoloSquare's editorial judgment from official advisories, crime data and local reporting. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.