Excursion Day to Ourika Valley

Embark on a journey less than two hours’ drive from Marrakech into the foothills of the High Atlas Mountains to explore the beautiful Ourika Valley. This day tour is popular year-round, packed with cultural experiences and stunning natural landscapes. In winter, snow can be expected as you climb towards the Setti Fatma Waterfalls at the top of the valley.

Your day begins with a departure from Marrakech, heading towards the tiny hamlet of Tafza, famous for its terracotta pottery. Here, you will visit the fascinating Berber EcoMuseum project. The museum recreates a Berber house with antique carpets and jewelry, and features a photo gallery with images of traditional Berber tribesmen and women and dances from the 1950s.

Stop at a Berber family home for a breakfast of home-baked bread and mint tea to experience the true rural way of life and magnificent views of the valley.

Continuing to the end of the road, traverse the edge of the Ourika River to the village of Setti Fatma. Here, enjoy a hearty Moroccan tajine for lunch at one of the many small restaurants perched on the mountainside, or choose to climb further up to the waterfalls above. The climb to the very top of the waterfalls – to see all seven cascades – is a difficult ascent over boulders and along a steep narrow path, but the lower waterfalls are quite easy to reach. You can hire a local guide to walk with you if you wish.

After lunch and the hike, return down the valley towards Marrakech, stopping to visit Nectarome, an aromatic herb garden and natural cosmetics manufacturer at Tnine, near Ourika. Walk in the vast gardens amongst fifty kinds of herb and plants grown organically for medicinal and culinary uses. Nearby, La Safranière Saffron Farm offers guided tours around its museum and gardens of purple Crocus sativa. Visit between October and November to see the crocuses in flower.