Setti Fatma waterfalls
A scrambly walk above the village to a series of seven cascades — the first is an easy 30 minutes.
Fes, MoroccoConcierge · 7 Days · 9–21H GMT+1
High Atlas · Near Marrakech
Ourika Valley, Morocco
Berber villages, river-bank lunches and seven waterfalls — the greenest, easiest High Atlas escape, taken on the Marrakech leg of a Fes-anchored journey.
Best time
March–June and September–November (snow upstream in winter)
Recommended
Day trip on the Marrakech leg
Airport
Marrakech Menara (RAK) + 1h
Region
High Atlas · Near Marrakech
Why Ourika Valley
An hour south of Marrakech, the Ourika valley is the city's favourite mountain escape: a green river valley climbing into the High Atlas, lined with Berber villages, terraced gardens and riverside restaurants where tables sit right in the running water. It rises out of the Marrakech plain, not the Fes one, so guests based in Fes reach it on the Marrakech leg of an imperial journey rather than from the north — it is the southern, High Atlas counterpart to the Middle Atlas cedar country and Barbary macaques you meet around Ifrane and Azrou close to Fes. At its head, the village of Setti Fatma is the trailhead for a walk to seven waterfalls, and a Monday souk brings the valley to life.
What to see
Highlights of Ourika Valley.
Riverside lunch
Tables set in the shallows of the Ourika river for tagine and grilled meats with your feet in the water.
Berber villages & gardens
Terraced saffron and herb gardens, a traditional Berber house visit and an argan-oil or pottery co-op.
Monday souk
The weekly market at Tnine Ourika, a working Berber souk far from the tourist circuit.
Itineraries
Our Ourika Valley tours.
Every itinerary below is privately operated, fully customisable, and includes a deep stop in Ourika Valley. Click any tour for the day-by-day plan, the map, dates and pricing.
Before you go
Practical notes.
- Getting there: About 1h by road south of Marrakech into the High Atlas — on the Marrakech leg, not reachable from Fes
- Best for: An easy mountain day, light walking, families, food
Concierge
Have your Ourika Valley trip designed by a local
Tell us your dates, group size and pace. We'll send back a written proposal within 24 hours — private guides, transfers, riads, the lot.
Request a proposalFAQ
Ourika Valley — common questions.
Can I do the Ourika Valley from Fes?+
Not as a day trip — Ourika rises from the Marrakech plain on the far side of the country. It is the easiest and greenest High Atlas day on the Marrakech leg of an imperial journey: Berber villages, a waterfall walk and a riverside lunch, all within an hour of the city. From Fes, the nearest equivalent mountain day is the Middle Atlas cedar country around Ifrane and Azrou.
Can you swim in the Ourika river?+
You can paddle and cool off in the shallows, and the riverside restaurants set their tables right in the water. The waterfalls upstream have small pools, though the current can be strong after rain or snowmelt.
Closest destinations
Pair Ourika Valley with.
These destinations are closest to Ourika Valley — easily combined on a private itinerary.
28 kmHigh Atlas · Toubkal National Park
Imlil
The High Atlas trekking base for Jbel Toubkal — firmly on the Marrakech side, reached on the southern leg of an imperial journey.
Explore
35 kmImperial city · Central Morocco
Marrakech
The red city of the south — Marrakech as the open, theatrical counterpoint to spiritual Fes.
Explore
36 kmNear Marrakech · Stone desert
Agafay Desert
A lunar landscape of rolling hills 40 minutes from Marrakech — a stone-desert shortcut for guests who can't spare the days for the real Sahara north of Fes.
ExploreRead more
From the journal.
Travel notes and practical guides to plan your time around Ourika Valley.