The Fint Oasis

Fint is a narrow oasis in the dark, broken hills southwest of Ouarzazate, and the contrast is the point: a bare volcanic landscape with no vegetation at all, then a lip of rock, and below it a green cut full of date palms with a stream running through and four small villages along its length. Paths lead down between garden plots of alfalfa, henna and vegetables under the palms, and you can walk from one village to the next in an hour or so. Film crews have used the place often, which locals will tell you about. It is close enough to Ouarzazate for an afternoon trip and quiet enough to feel a long way from it.

What you actually see

• The oasis cut - the sudden green gorge below bare volcanic hills.
• The garden plots - irrigated crops under the palms along the stream.
• The four hamlets - earth-built villages linked by paths through the palm groves.
• The approach road - the drive across black hills with no hint of what is below.

When to go

Autumn to spring is comfortable; from May the oasis floor is hot even in shade. Late afternoon is the best light, with the palms lit and the hills dark behind. After heavy rain the track can be impassable to ordinary cars. Lunch in one of the villages needs to be arranged in advance rather than assumed.

Honest expectations

The road in is rough and partly unpaved, and low cars struggle after rain; a taxi driver may refuse the trip or charge extra. There is not a great deal to do beyond walking, and children in the villages ask visitors for money and pens. Several houses now run as guesthouses and the atmosphere is less untouched than it was. Bring water, as facilities are minimal.

Nearby

Ouarzazate and its film studios are half an hour away, and Aït Benhaddou is a short drive north.