From Marrakech : Ouzoud Waterfalls
Welcome to Ouzoud Waterfalls! My favourite water-based day trip from Marrakech – if you’re currently in the middle of looking for things to do while you’re there, then I’m sure you’ve seen it come up somewhere. Ouzoud Waterfalls are an absolute MUST! I mean, giant waterfalls in Morocco? Really?! Yes, really.
And, when you book a day trip to Ouzoud, not only do you get to see those giant waterfalls from a ton of different angles, but you can also swim in their spring and take a boat to their fall – and, trust me, when it’s blazing hot outside (like it often is in Morocco) you’ll be glad to do both these things! Plus the boat ride is so much fun.
Ouzoud was the number one thing on my long list of things to do in Marrakech. In fact, I even took my first solo trip to Morocco because I wanted to go see Ouzoud Waterfalls! Too bad I missed the excursion that day (it’s a very long story) – but I eventually went, during my third solo trip in May 2023, and then again with my daughter in December 2024.
Today I want to share my experience with you, and I’m gonna do that in the most transparent way, to help you decide whether a day trip to Ouzoud Waterfalls is worth booking and sacrificing a whole day for, or if you should look into your other options – I know there are plenty (and they’re all so very tempting as well) so I totally understand why you want to make sure you’re choosing the right day trip for you.
That’s why I’ve put together this photo journal – and, if you’re anything like me, I know you’ll appreciate seeing images of the actual day trip you’ll be going on before you even book it, you know, just so you can judge if : 1/ it’s worth your investment and time, 2/ you’ll enjoy it and 3/ you should book something else instead.
I’ll take your questions in the comment section!
Ophelie xx
For the record –
I took this day trip to Ouzoud Waterfalls on May 9, 2023 and booked it with Ando Travel via GetYourGuide for £17.
Duration : 9-10h
Price : From £17
Price Includes :
- transport from/to Marrakech
- tour guide
- argan oil cooperative tour
- boat ride
- swim time
Price Excludes :
- lunch (usually 100Dhs (£8/10€) for 3 courses)
- drinks
GetYourGuide Tip #1 : Do NOT book your tickets too much in advance! You will get the best prices by booking within the last two to three weeks before your day trip. Don’t worry though, cancellation is FREE, usually up to 48h before the date of your booking. That said, make sure you always check the activity provider’s cancellation policy first, for peace of mind.
8AM
Today is the day. I’m finally going to see AND SWIM in Ouzoud Waterfalls! The activity provider for this day trip, Ando Travel, contacted me via WhatsApp last night to give me the address of the meeting point. They usually offer to pick you up from your accommodation, but my riad isn’t accessible by car so we’re meeting at Cafe de France instead, one of the most common morning pick-up spots for day trips like this one. This makes finding your own tour rather challenging by the way, as there are quite a few other tourists waiting like you, and just as many vehicles circling around (and they pretty much all look the same as well) (I’m talking about the vehicles, not the tourists). From there we will make our way to Ouzoud Waterfalls. Exciting! It’s a three-hour drive with a stop half way through. I suspect I had food poisoning last night so I’m not exactly looking forward to this long journey (it’s going to be so hot today as well) but hopefully I’ll be ok. Been waiting for this day FOR AGES! No way I’m going to back down now.
9:15AM
Quick stop at a petrol station half way through the drive to Ouzoud Waterfalls, as planned. There you can get snacks, drinks and go to the toilet. You only get 15mins, but that’s more than enough time to smoke a cigarette, get a coffee, eat an ice cream and use the bathroom. The surrounding views are stunning, so you might find yourself taking a photo or two as well (at least I know I did). That break was much welcome and I was just glad that I could walk for a bit and get some fresh air (well, not so fresh – it was already about 25ºC by this point).
Toilets in Morocco Tip #1 : Always leave a tip when you use public toilets.
Toilets in Morocco Tip #2 : Always have toilet paper or tissue with you, just in case.
10:50AM
We arrived in Ouzoud around 11am and met with our very friendly guide (who spoke arabic, english and french) as soon as we got off the van. He took a moment to explain what we were going to do, then we could go to the toilet if needed before starting our hike down to the bottom of the falls. As we were waiting for everyone to be ready we could see locals prepare a meshwi (moroccan style roast lamb) in a mud-made sort of oven which they all closed off together very methodologically and very rapidly, so rapidly I didn’t get my camera out of my bag quickly enough and sadly only just caught the aftermath of it. You could tell that this is something that they do all the time. Great start to the day – and this was not even part of the tour!
11AM
Time to begin our hike down Ouzoud Waterfalls. It starts off easily with a nice relaxing walk where you get to cross little torrents like this one and discover a whole different side of Morocco. There’s a lot of vegetation over there, which is not your usual sight of the country (or even the first thing that comes to mind when you think Morocco) so it made that part of the journey enjoyable for that reason. Plus it was nice to get a bit of shade from the sun, thanks to the olive and argan trees sporadically scattered around. Feels like the south of France a little bit.
11:10AM
Quick 10mins stop at an Argan Oil Cooperative where you’ll get to learn about argan oil, how they produce it and which other products they can make with it, and what benefits those products have on your health. You will see a group of women who are actively producing argan oil in front of you, and you’ll even be offered to participate and basically do what the woman is doing on this video. The hike resumes at the end of the visit.
11:25AM
This is the first viewpoint you’ll get of this incredible overall scenery, standing at approximatively 110m high. It’s grandiose! You can’t exactly tell just how grandiose we’re talking right now but you sure will in a minute. And you’ll definitely know what I mean when you’ll get there! I can’t tell you what the big pink building in the distance is but I’ll be sure to take note of this when I go back to Ouzoud later in 2024, or if you know then please do let me know), but I just spotted the restaurant in which you’ll be having your traditional lunch later on in the day – never realised we could see it until just now as I’m writing this photo journal! It’s the one that has an open corner terrace (in the lower half of the photo) and you’ll even get to see the view from that very terrace in a moment.
Only a few minutes into the hike and you basically find yourself standing on top of Ouzoud Waterfalls, with this breathtaking view right before you. What a feeling! It’s VERY overwhelming (to say the least) – especially when there’s no safety barrier of any kind… Zero. None. There’s you, and there’s the view (= the void). That’s it. Nothing in between. Just a rope, the kind of rope that usually separates you from the wall of an exhibition at a museum (which doesn’t exactly count, does it). Now I can’t say I feel super comfortable with heights (unless it’s a tall man, lol) so I wasn’t pleased about the lack of safety, but I somehow still managed to take that photo before swiftly stepping away from this giant hole and enjoying the moment from a distance. Would this safety concern push me off going back to Ouzoud? No way! Like I said I’ll be there again later this year, that’s how much I enjoyed it. And who knows, maybe it’s safer now… I’ll let you know.
UPDATE (Dec 2024) : There are now safety barriers all along at this specific viewpoint, which makes the whole experience much more enjoyable!
11:30AM
Here is a beautiful lamp post, casually standing on top of a giant cliff as if it wasn’t super dangerous over there. It’s not just the massive void and the lack of actual safety barrier, it’s also the slippery terrain – one dance move gone wrong and you’re out of the picture! Literally. But hey, who cares about safety I guess. At least it’s a beautiful lamp post and now I wonder if it actually works at night (not that I want to find myself over there in the dark (imagine!), I’m just saying). The view over the Atlas Mountains is just incredible from there by the way, and you don’t even need to come to the edge of the cliff to appreciate it. Side note : there’s a lot of sun on that portion of the hike, so you may want to bring some sort of hat with you.
11:40AM
One thing that always surprises me in Morocco is that there are souks (shops) literally everywhere! Including on the trail up/down Ouzoud Waterfalls, standing amongst a plethora of trees, pretty much in the middle of nowhere. So random, but so cool. And also much much quieter than in Marrakech’s busy Medina! In those cute little makeshift shops you can find handmade pieces of all kind, such as these colourful Berber rugs that you see hanging here. This is the perfect place to source various local souvenirs peacefully – so make sure you bring some cash (no card payment, obviously) if you’re looking to bring something back from Morocco.
11:50AM
This is one of the many ‘fresh bars’ you’ll see along the Ouzoud Waterfalls trail. Not exactly your usual local bar, right! Personally I (very) often lure myself into them as it’s not every day that you get to drink a fresh glass of orange juice in this kind of utterly peaceful setting, in Morocco. Plus if you need to sit down for a minute, why not sip on a fresh drink at the same time and enjoy the calmness and beauty of the place? Again, remember to always take a bit of change with you as these guys don’t take Apple Pay either.
12PM
There are quite a few benches standing along the trail which is especially good to know if you need to take regular breaks. Some are well shaded, others aren’t. Same goes for the trail itself – some parts are in direct sunlight and others are fully shaded by the surrounding vegetation. Although the trees will protect you from the direct sun for the majority of the time, I still highly suggest you take a hat with you anyway as it does get really hot! Particularly at this hour of the day. I didn’t have one with me and regretted it more than once.
12:10PM
And… another fresh bar! This is where I eventually gave in and ended up treating myself to a glass of orange juice that was freshly squeezed in front of me. For just 10Dhs (£0.80/1€) you can’t exactly go wrong, can you (I guess say no to ice cubes though just in case, you never know with Morocco’s water). By the way – you don’t have to buy anything! Your guide will only stop at a fresh bar if someone from the group wants to purchase something from it. If not then the walk will just continue, perhaps after a photo or two.
In our case we stayed for a little while and I shared this musical moment with the guide and a couple of italian guys from our group. Great memory.
12:25PM
I mean, look at this view! This is what sold it for me – I had to sip on a delicious Moroccan orange juice whilst starring at this view (and photographing it a million times). If that’s not worth an extra 80p then I don’t know what is.
Seriously…
12:30PM
Anyway we left the fresh bar after a 20min break and a ton of photos (yes, the view really was that great and literally everyone from the group was on their own personal photoshoot with themselves) and then got closer to the falls. And as you get closer you really start to feel the freshness that comes from them, and of course the closer you get the bigger they grow. Suddenly you realise just how impressive Ouzoud Waterfalls really are. And just like that you don’t regret booking this day trip at all and can’t wait to tell everyone about it when you get back home!
12:40PM
Here comes the boat. It’s time for Ouzoud Waterfalls’ boat ride!
12:45PM
The boat ride was included in the price that I paid for my day trip, but after spending hours and hours reading review after review after review on every single GetYourGuide listing for a day trip to Ouzoud Waterfalls, it seems that not every activity provider includes it. If you end up having to pay for it on the day of your excursion, the boat ride is only 20Dhs (£1.60/2€) per person. Having it already included in your booking, and therefore paid for in advance, allows you to have a more relaxed experience, and also keeps you from using your cash – which can turn out to be handy as you might need to save it for other things at the time. Trust me, in Morocco it’s not always that simple to just withdraw some cash whenever you run out!
I love the boat ride, the guy takes you very fucking close to the fall, so close you start questioning if he has actually lost his mind and whether he’s ever going to stop rowing forward because it looks like he’s just going for it, he’s going to go all the way in and under the fall! But luckily he’s not. He keeps a safe distance, yet still goes far enough that you feel all the feels and get all the thrills from finding yourself face to face with a giant waterfall. It’s just incredible! Definitely one of the highlights of this day trip for me and I just can’t wait to be on that boat again, in Ouzoud Waterfalls, in Morocco, living my best life. Maybe I’ll see you there?
The boat driver offered to give me the wheel at some point, and having rowed little barges a lot in my childhood I just couldn’t say no to rowing one of Ouzoud Waterfalls famous boats – and wow, these beasts are incredibly hard to manoeuvre as they are SO heavy! Felt like I was trying to move Titanic with my hands and I just couldn’t get us away from the cliff so the guy took over again as nobody else was in the mood for making a fool of themselves. Good times. Though you’ll be soaked pretty much from head to toe at the end of the ride you will also get such a privileged view of the waterfalls from the boat, and not only does it look stunning from down there but it also feels mesmerising and I can’t even begin to describe the atmosphere… it’s just so full of emotions (you would have to be there, or have been there, to really get what I mean).
(no comment)
1PM
After the boat ride we were given time to enjoy a fresh swim right by the waterfall, which I obviously did – I was already wet anyway. The water was ice cold and admittedly I didn’t hang in there for too long. But my god, even just a quick soak in such a unique and unusual decor felt profoundly freeing (and incredibly refreshing) and just made my day trip to Ouzoud Waterfalls extra special. If you want to take a dip by the waterfall too, I suggest you book the exact same experience as me as not all activity providers allow time for people to do that (again, I’ve read the reviews!). There are no towels provided so make sure you bring your own, along with your swimwear of course. For those who are wondering about what to wear, I had a bikini on and it was just fine. It’s a water-based touristic place, and so as long as you don’t show up to a Mosque or walk in the street like this you’ll be ok.
1:15PM
Once you get out of the water, it’s time to head out to your restaurant for lunch. Be prepared – there is a big and fairly wide staircase with a lot of steps to get there, and when I say a lot I mean a lot! I will take photos of it next time so I can show you. But don’t worry, there’s no real rush (maybe aside from your stomach, who by this point might start getting a little impatient), and so you can go up at your own pace. By the way this is the view you get of Ouzoud Waterfalls from the restaurant’s terrace. Not bad, right. Oh and earlier I was standing on the other side, you know, when I unexpectedly spotted the open corner terrace of the restaurant on the lower half of the photo. Anyway.
1:30PM
And finally, the much-anticipated traditional three-course lunch! This isn’t included in the price, but the meal only costs 100Dhs (£8/10€) per person and you get a fresh Moroccan salad with harissa sauce on the side and some bread, followed by a main of your choice, usually tajines or a couscous (they have vegetarian options) then fresh fruits for dessert. It won’t be the most delicious food you’ll have in Morocco, but this isn’t the point of this day trip so who cares. At this time of the day and after doing so much in just a couple of hours, trust me, you’ll be glad to put something in your stomach – especially in such a cool setting. By the way, you can expect a group of local musicians wearing traditional gowns to come to your table to give you a ‘private’ little show while you eat. This is common practice in touristic places in Morocco.
They literally go from one table to another, which means you get to hear the same song over and over and over (and over!) again. Don’t be surprised if it stays stuck in your head afterwards! Anyway, you’ll get about 45mins of lunch/free time before leaving the restaurant, and a complimentary cup of mint tea on your way out. Obviously!
2:15PM
As you’re making your way towards the end of the trail, and if you’re lucky, you might spot quite a few monkeys walking/running around freely. Monkeys! They were one of the main reasons why I was so looking forward to taking this day trip to Ouzoud Waterfalls (who said women were hard to please). I mean, it’s not every day you get to hang out with them like this! My camera doesn’t have a zoom by the way, that’s how close I was to this guy. Plus it’s just nice to see them in their own habitat. Makes a nice change from the ones you see caged and/or chained on Jemaa el-Fina square that’s for sure. I didn’t but you can feed the monkeys if you wanted to, there are local kids selling nuts for that purpose. I could have hung out with that guy for much much longer, but sadly we had to leave – but I’ll be back!
2:30PM
And this marks the end of this fantastic day trip. It’s now time to meet with our driver so we can all head back to Marrakech (and who knows, maybe have a digestive/power nap on the way). What a day! It was undoubtedly an unforgettable day trip to Ouzoud Waterfalls, one I will forever remember, and I’m so very thankful to have been able to go there and enjoy the beauty of the area, and to have been treated with such respect and kindness by the locals. Hospitality sure is ALWAYS on point in Morocco. Always! I mean, they even drop you off at or near your accommodation (if it’s not accessible by car) at the end of the day and at no extra cost, which is just so kind and thoughtful, and very much appreciated after a long day like this.
5PM
Back to Marrakech and heading straight to my riad for a quick shower – I’m going on a street food tour this evening! Three hours of eating traditional food, the day after my suspected food poisoning. Great timing, truly. By the way we didn’t stop on the way back to the city, we just drove straight here.
© OPHELIE
every photo in this article was shot with
Olympus MJU II + Kodacolor 100 film ♥️
