The 110-metre cascade
Three tiers of water dropping into a green basin — the tallest waterfall in North Africa.
DAY TRIP
Ouzoud Waterfalls The highest falls in North Africa
A hundred and ten metres of water falling through red rock and olive groves, two and a half hours north-east of Marrakech. Wild macaques in the trees, a rainbow in the spray at midday, and lunch on a terrace facing the drop.
Duration
Full day
Distance
110 km · 2h30 drive
Best season
March–June, Sept–Nov
Effort
Moderate walking
Why Ouzoud is worth the drive
Most visitors see the falls from the top and leave. We take the shaded path down through the olive mills to the pools at the base, where the light is best in the late morning and the crowds thin out. The drive itself crosses the Middle Atlas foothills, and we stop where the view earns it.
Highlights
Barbary macaques
A wild troop lives in the olive trees along the path. Watch them; please don't feed them.
Boat to the foot of the falls
A short ride on a wooden boat takes you close enough to feel the spray.
Olive mills and Berber villages
Traditional stone presses still working beside the path down.
Lunch facing the water
A tagine on a terrace built into the rock, directly opposite the drop.
The midday rainbow
When the sun is high the spray throws a permanent rainbow across the basin.
How the day runs
-
08:00
Departure from Marrakech
Collected from your villa or riad in a private air-conditioned vehicle, heading north-east through the Haouz plain.
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10:30
Arrival and descent
Your guide takes the shaded path down past the olive mills, with viewpoints over each tier of the falls.
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12:00
Boat ride and swim
Out onto the basin at the foot of the cascade. Time to swim in the natural pools if the season allows.
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13:30
Lunch on the terrace
Berber tagine and fresh juice at a restaurant overlooking the water.
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15:30
Return to Marrakech
Back through the foothills with a stop for mint tea, arriving in Marrakech in the early evening.
What's included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver
- Certified local guide at the falls
- Boat ride to the base of the cascade
- Lunch on a terrace overlooking the falls
- Hotel, riad or villa pick-up and drop-off
Good to know
- The descent and climb back take about an hour in total — closed shoes are strongly recommended.
- Bring a swimsuit and a towel between May and September if you want to swim.
- The macaques are wild animals: keep your distance and do not feed them.
- The falls are at their most powerful in spring, after the snowmelt.
Shall we arrange it?
Tell us your dates and how many of you there are. We handle the vehicle, the guide and everything in between.
