Waterfalls, Moroccan souvenirs, and tajine, accompanied by a walk in nature. Who is ready for a day at Ouzoud Falls?
On a sunny winter Sunday, we visited the Ouzoud Waterfall. On our way to Marrakesh, we couldn’t skip the enormous waterfall, falling a total of 110m. It is not only the beautiful nature that attracts tourists and locals to the area. Many restaurants and coffee places are open all year round serving tasty Moroccan dishes and typical fruity drinks. For the ones searching for a souvenir, there you will find tons of them.
From Marrakech by car
Many people visit the cascade from Marrakech. Numerous tours including a guide can be found, but I don’t see why somebody would need a guide there.
The easiest way in my opinion is by renting a car and driving there on your own.
Parking
There is guarded parking in the upper part as well as in a lower part of the waterfall.
Parking costs around 10 MAD (1 euro) or whatever you agree on with the guard.
We chose to have a coffee at the nearby Hotel de France and left our car there. We recommend parking in the upper part as from there you explore the village and get to enjoy a nice walk next to the river.
Plus from the upper one, you will see the waterfall from its highest point. We promise you, the 2 minutes more walk are definitely worth it.
The walk
The pleasant walk around the magnificent waterfalls is easy, but definitely not stroller friendly. In case you are coming with a baby, better take a baby carry bag. You do not need special shoes, however, sandals or flip-flops wouldn’t be my first choice.
From the highest point, you have to turn left, then right. The small path will lead to the lower parking, where you will find many restaurants and places for a drink.
Follow the crowd, down the stairs, and you will find yourself surrounded by shops, where souvenirs and typical Moroccan treasures can be found.
There you can buy fossils and minerals, jewelry, traditional clothes, spices, scarves, and much more. As usual, prices depend on your haggling skills. I overheard other tourists saying that the prices around the waterfalls are a lot higher than those in the big cities.
Down at the small lake created by the waterfall, we had a refreshing orange juice for just 10 MAD (1 euro). In the warmer months, the water is perfect for a refreshing dip, unfortunately, in January it was too cold.
For the price of 2 euros, you can get closer to the waterfall by a small wooden platform, floating on the water, with comfortable seats and densely decorated.
We skipped that part as we thought of other ways we could spend that money.
Monkeys
Continue walking with the water stream, and you will notice something weirdly walking on the ground. No, it isn’t stray dogs.
Monkeys occupy the area!
From the monkey tree up, you will find a path passing a few more restaurants and campsites.
Follow the path and right when you think you got lost in the olive forest, the waterfall and many more monkeys will be in front of you.
Have some spare dirhams for the people feeding them. Because of the food, the Barbarian Macaque will come very close. Perfect time for pictures.
Another way to get closer to the monkeys is by following the right path, on the highest point of the waterfall.
When should I visit?
Each time of the year offers something to the area. During the warmer months, the refreshing water is perfect for a dip but surely a lot more people will be visiting the place at the same time.
In the colder months, there is no crowd and the waterfall is more powerful. As the winter is considered low season and fewer people visit the area it is way more calmer and enjoyable for us.
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