In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Ouzoud Falls are 150 km from Marrakech, about 3 hours each way, so a tour is 11 to 12 hours with about 4 hours at the falls and a return around 19:00. The two big tours, GetYourGuide’s guided hike, boat ride and lunchad (4.6 stars from 40,105 reviews, from £13.63) and waterfalls with boat trip and optional lunchad (4.8 from 4,748, from £11.79), sell four options each: self-guided with no guide and no boat, guided with the boat, guided with the boat and lunch, and private. The “from” price is the cheapest option, so check which one you are buying. Lunch outside the price is about 12 to 13 euros locally. Prices vary by option and date; the checkout shows the total (GetYourGuide).
The options on the two largest tours
Both tours use the same four options, numbered differently, so read the option name rather than its number.
| What you get | On the guided hike tour | On the boat trip tour |
|---|---|---|
| Self-guided: no guide, no boat, no lunch | Option 2 | Option 1 |
| Local guide and boat ride, lunch extra | Option 1 | Option 2 |
| Local guide, boat ride and lunch | Option 3 | Option 3 |
| Private | Private | Private |
The tours
Ouzoud Falls guided hike, boat ride and lunch
4.6 stars from 40,105 reviews · 11 to 12 hours · from £13.63 (list £16.04)
An air-conditioned minibus with Wi-Fi, picking up from your hotel or riad at about 07:30 to 08:00. A medina riad that cars cannot reach gets a meeting point 5 to 10 minutes’ walk away. The tourad drives about 45 minutes, stops for coffee, drives about 2 hours to the falls, and gives about 4 hours there with a mountain guide, a boat ride at the foot of the falls and, in option 3, a Berber lunch at a restaurant overlooking the cascades. Drinks and water are extra, and wheelchair users are not accepted. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free meals are available.
Ouzoud Waterfalls with boat trip and optional lunch
4.8 stars from 4,748 reviews · 1 day · from £11.79 (list £13.14)
The same four optionsad with a driver-guide, a local mountain guide in the guided options, a boat ride, and about 4 hours at the falls. The operator calls its option 2, the guided one, highly recommended. Drive time is about 3 hours each way, with the return around 19:00. Baby strollers are not allowed. Bring cash for lunch and drinks.
The other tours
Six more tours go to the falls. The guided tour and boat ridead (4.6 stars from 10,212 reviews, from £12.24) and the guide and boat tourad (4.8 from 6,792, from £10.71) are the same format. The guided hike, boat trip and lunch toursad (4.9 from 1,137 reviews, from £10.53) and the one at £9.42ad (4.8 from 1,018) name lunch in the title. The guided day trip with a boat ridead is from £7.65 (4.4 from 5,120). A private day trip with a boat ridead is from £66.48 (4.7 from 36 reviews).
What to see
Ouzoud is a set of waterfalls in the gorge of the El-Abid River in Azilal province, with a drop of about 110 m in three steps (Wikipedia).
The Ouzoud falls and the pool at their foot. Photo: Jean-Marc Astesana, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
- The viewpoints. Paths run down from the top of the falls through olive groves to viewpoints over the cascades. The first view of the falls and the pool below comes on arrival.
- The boat. A short ride in a traditional boat at the foot of the falls, in the guided options only. Reviewers single it out.
- The macaques. Wild Barbary macaques live around the falls. The operators say to keep a safe distance.
- Lunch. At a restaurant looking over the cascades. Without the lunch option expect to pay about 12 to 13 euros locally.
- Skip. The self-guided option if you want the boat: it includes none, though the tour page says a guide and a boat can usually be arranged on the spot, subject to availability.
Falls seen from the viewpoint at the top, with the village above the rim. Photo: frederikv, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Practical information
- Closed shoes. The paths are a moderate hike, and the tours say to wear closed-toe walking shoes.
- Water. The Foreign Office warns that swimming in open water, including rivers and dams, can be dangerous, and that heavy rain can cause flash flooding in the mountains and near rivers, particularly in winter (GOV.UK). Stay out of the river in rain and follow your guide.
- On your own. The falls are 150 km from Marrakech and 36 km from Azilal, so a day needs a car or a driver. Agree the fare and the return time before you leave.
- The one thing that ruins the day. Booking the cheapest option and finding at the falls that it has no guide and no boat.
For the other long day out, see the Aït Benhaddou and Ouarzazate day trip, and for a shorter one with a waterfall, the Ourika Valley. The Imlil and Atlas Mountains day trip is the walk-and-village alternative in the same mountains. The full list is day trips from Marrakech. 3 days in Marrakech shows where a full day away fits, the best time to visit Marrakech covers the season, and what to book before you go to Marrakech has the tickets that sell out.
Common questions
How far are the Ouzoud Falls from Marrakech?
150 km, and 36 km from the town of Azilal. The tours quote about 3 hours' driving each way with a rest stop, an 11 to 12 hour day, and a return to Marrakech around 19:00.
Does the Ouzoud tour include the boat ride and lunch?
It depends on the option. On the two largest tours the guide and the boat are in the guided options, the self-guided option has neither, and lunch is included only in one option and in the private tour. Lunch otherwise costs about 12 to 13 euros locally.
Are there monkeys at Ouzoud Falls?
Yes, wild Barbary macaques live around the falls. The tour operators ask visitors to keep a safe distance from them.
Can you swim at Ouzoud Falls?
The Foreign Office warns that swimming in open water, including dams and rivers, can be dangerous, with deep mud and steep underwater slopes that can trap people. Follow your guide on the paths and stay out of the river in rain.
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