Setti Fatma waterfalls
A scrambly walk above the village to a series of seven cascades — the first is an easy 30 minutes.
Fes, Morocco· Concierge · Mon–Sat · 09:00–18:00 GMT+1
Setti Fatma, Ourika Valley · Photo: Khadija31, CC BY-SA 4.0
Ourika Valley, Morocco
The Ourika valley is Marrakech's favourite mountain escape, where riverside restaurants set their tables in the running water. It rises out of the Marrakech plain, so guests based in Fes reach it on the southern leg of an imperial journey. At the head of the valley, Setti Fatma is the trailhead for a walk to seven waterfalls.
- Private or small-group
- A written quote for your dates
- WhatsApp support during your trip
Why go to 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.
- Best time
- March–June and September–November (snow upstream in winter)
- How long
- Day trip on the Marrakech leg
- Nearest airport
- Marrakech Menara (RAK) + 1h
- Region
- High Atlas · Near Marrakech
What you'll see in 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.
Ways to see Ourika Valley
Trips we build around Ourika Valley. Tell us which one fits and we'll write the days and quote them for your group.
1 day
A day in a Berber kitchen
Souk shopping and a tagine workshop in a family home above the Ourika river.
1 day
Ourika valley & High Atlas day
Berber villages, a waterfall walk and a riverside lunch, an hour from Marrakech on the southern leg.
Before you go
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
Read next. High Atlas Mountains Day Trip from Marrakech: Imlil, Ourika & What to Expect; Can You See Wild Monkeys Near Fes, and Is the Ifrane & Azrou Cedar Forest Day Trip Worth It?; Is Fes Worth Visiting, What to See in the Medina & the Best Day Trips Nearby?.
Pair Ourika Valley with
The places closest to Ourika Valley, easy to join on one private route.
Questions about Ourika Valley
Read these before you add Ourika Valley to a trip.
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 about an hour or less from 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.
Tell us your dates. We'll plan Ourika Valley with you.
- Tell us what drew you in. Your dates, who is travelling and what you want to see.
- A person reads it. We write a day-by-day plan for your group, private or small-group.
- You change anything. Then we confirm the guides, drivers and riads.