Day Trip from Marrakech to Ouzoud Waterfalls

Today we will depart Marrakech in the morning, ideally by 8am, for the roughly two-and-a-half-hour drive northeast into the Grand Atlas foothills to reach the Ouzoud Waterfalls, Morocco's most impressive waterfalls and a refreshing contrast to the heat and dust of the city. The drive itself passes through the fertile Tadla plain and increasingly hilly, olive-covered countryside as we approach the small village of Tanaghmeilt, from which the falls take their alternative name. On arrival, we take a gently descending walking path down through terraced olive groves to the base of the falls, where the Oued El-Abid river plunges around 110 metres over a series of red rock cliffs into a series of pools below, creating near-permanent rainbows in the spray on sunny days — a genuinely spectacular sight and one of the most photographed natural landmarks in Morocco. Along the trail, troops of wild Barbary macaques are frequently seen playing in the surrounding trees, generally unbothered by visitors, though we recommend not feeding them or leaving food unattended. At the base of the falls, optional short boat rides across the pools offer a different, closer perspective of the cascading water, and a swim is possible for those who wish, weather and season permitting — the water is notably cold even in summer, which many visitors find refreshing after the walk. Lunch is taken at one of the terrace restaurants overlooking the falls, typically a traditional tagine or grilled fish with a view that few restaurants in Morocco can match. After lunch, there is time to explore further, perhaps crossing to the opposite side of the falls via a small bridge for a different vantage point, before we begin the return journey to Marrakech in the mid-to-late afternoon, arriving back in the early evening.