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Ouzoud waterfalls are a popular day trip from Marrakesh. Tour agencies will sell you packages including transport, a guide, and an inclusive boat trip for less than £20 per person. However, if you have a car, it is possible to visit the Ouzoud Waterfalls independently which will save you money and time, especially if you are travelling as a family. Find out how in our ultimate DIY guide to the Ouzoud Waterfalls.
Getting there
The Ouzoud Waterfalls are around 3 hours from Marrakesh. Therefore your DIY guide to the Ouzoud Waterfalls requires a car!! With prices from as little as £20 a day, hiring a car gives you freedom to explore at your pace and can save you a fortune as you can skip the over-priced tours in favour of a DIY trip.
Once you have your wheels, your journey to the Ouzoud waterfalls passes through villages and towns that give you a great insight into Moroccan life. Donkeys ply the streets, laden with kindling, hay and other supplies. Pedestrians amble across the street seemingly unaware of the Green Cross Code and kids wave and cheer as you pass.
This map shows the route we followed from Marrakesh to the falls, and on to the Widiane Resort. Google maps works exceptionally well in Morocco but remember to download offline directions to ensure that you can access the directions without WIFI service.
Note also that some roads may look like a UK B road on Google maps, but in Morocco this can mean a narrow single file road, unpaved tracks or even little more than a depressed gravel path through the desert.
Where to stay
You can do a DIY trip to the Ouzoud Waterfalls in a day however it is a 3 hour drive each way. This makes for an exceptionally long day, especially if you are travelling as a family.
We recommend a stay at the stunning Widiane Resort in nearby Bin El Ouidine instead. Built around a central kasbah, the resort offers huge rooms with incredible views of the lake and mountains. Deep soaking tubs, oversized beds and a splendid patio to feast on the mesmerizing sunrises and sunsets are all included in the room rate.
Guests can also indulge in a range of activities including a spa or can choose to chill by the two gorgeous pools. This truly is a magical desert escape.
Reserve your room at Widiane Resort
From the Widiane Resort, it is an hour’s drive along scenic winding mountain roads to the Ouzoud Waterfalls.
Entry fee
There is no entry fee to the falls (bargain!) but there is a 10 dirham fee for parking. That’s less than a £1 regardless of the length of your stay!!
There’s no shortage of parking options so will not struggle to park. It also means you can spend as much or little time at the falls as you wish.
The route to the falls
The forest trail
There are two ways to descend to the falls. You can take the path at the end of the road which hugs the cliff top before zigzagging through the woods to the falls. One of the guides told us this route was not open to visitors without a guide but I feel this was a ploy to try to get us to join his group. Or, possibly to ensure we did not miss out on the shopping opportunities presented by the other route.
The shopping route
This route heads to the left of the pizzeria and descends a series of steps lined with stalls and restaurants. Shop owners attempt to entice you inside to sample their goods but we were happy enough to admire the myriad colours of the stoneware, clothing, trinkets and carpets.
Suggested route
I recommend taking the stairs down and returning via the woods to ensure you see the Ouzoud Waterfalls in all their glory. Neither route is especially arduous however those with mobility issues will struggle and you should ensure you have plenty of water for the walk which takes between 20 and 30 minutes depending on your fitness.
At the base
At the Base there are a selection of restaurants where you can purchase cold drinks. Prices range from 10 dirhams for a small mint tea and a soda drink to 15 dirhams for a large water. We gorged on cool waters, mint tea and soda for less than £5.
Boat rides
Boats that are little more glorified rafts with an oarsmen head into the pool at the base of the falls to give visitors a thrill. The oarsmen delight in ensuring guests get a refreshing ‘shower’ from the thundering falls, the highest in North Africa and second highest in the whole of Africa after Victoria Falls. They cascade 110 metres over a sheer cliff into a series of pools before reaching the bathing pool at the bottom.
The cost for the short boat ride is just 20 dirham each or about £1.50. Cheapest boat ride EVER!
Food and drink
There is no need to bring a picnic as there are a plethora of places to eat at reasonable prices. The pizzeria on the square has free WiFi and clean toilets and serves a lunch menu for 80 dirhams which includes chicken skewers, chips, mint tea, water, bread and salad. Two people can easily share this meal which costs around £7. The Pizzeria also appeared to serve alcohol judging by some of our fellow guests but we could not be sure it was not zero beer.
Alcohol in Morocco
Speaking of alcohol, beware in Morocco, many restaurants do not serve alcohol and although you may be deceived into believing you can buy beer in local shops it is often zero beer.
The only place we found that you can buy alcohol is in specially licensed shops and the Carrefours of major cities. Look out for the Cave sign which is where you will find the sinners section of the supermarket.
Total costs
Excluding food, this trip cost us 50 Dirhams (about £4) for:
- Parking 10 Dirhams
- Boat trip 20 Dirhams each
There is really no need for a guide as it is easy to find your way to the falls. So, if you are travelling as a group of 4 and would pay around £20 a head, you could save over £70 by doing a DIY trip.
More importantly however, you can time the trip to suit your plans and stay however long you like. You also do not end up following the scores of tour groups around.
Any other thoughts
Feel free to share any other tips that you may have for visiting the falls.
I am conscious that this is inexpensive trip even on a guided tour. However the cost of a DIY trip is less than a £1 for as many people as you can fit into your car making this a true bargain day out.
