Ouzoud Waterfalls Day Trip from Marrakech | Barbary Apes, Rainbows & Morocco's Most Beautiful Waterfall

Hidden at the edge of the central High Atlas Mountains, 150 kilometres northeast of Marrakech, the Ouzoud Waterfalls are one of Morocco's most magnificent natural spectacles — and one of its best-kept secrets. Three tiers of cascading water plunge 110 metres into an emerald pool below, framed by ancient olive trees and the red-clay cliffs of the Atlas foothills. Resident Barbary apes swing through the branches overhead, rainbows shimmer in the spray and the sound of falling water drowns out the world. It is exactly the kind of place you find yourself returning to again and again.

Highlights

• Marvel at the three-tiered Ouzoud Waterfalls plunging 110 metres into jade-green pools — Morocco's most spectacular natural cascade
• Walk the winding trail network through ancient olive groves to the misty pools at the base of the falls, watching for rainbows in the spray
• Spot the resident colony of Barbary macaques — Morocco's wild apes — as they descend to drink from the river's edge
• Explore the extraordinary Imi n'Ifri natural bridge and underground passages near the charming old town of Demnate
• Enjoy a relaxed Moroccan lunch at a riverside restaurant with front-row views of the falls

The day begins easily enough: a comfortable pick-up from your Marrakech hotel at 8am, a mint tea pressed into your hands and a two-and-a-half hour drive northeast into the foothills of the central High Atlas. The road unspools through Berber hamlets, argan groves and the gentle undulations of the Azilal province before the sound reaches you before the sight — the distant roar of water finding its way over ancient rock.

Arriving around 11:30am, your guide leads you to a terrace restaurant beside the falls where the panorama reveals itself in full: three tiers of white water tumbling over ochre cliffs into the pool below, olive trees leaning in from either side, the air thick with moisture and the slightly surreal chatter of Barbary macaques competing for riverside real estate. After a proper introduction to the area over mint tea, lunch follows — fresh salads, slow-cooked Moroccan tagine and the unhurried pleasure of eating with a waterfall as your backdrop.

The afternoon is given over to exploration. A network of winding trails drops down through the olive grove to the pools at the base of the falls, where the mist settles on your skin and, if the light is right, a full arc of rainbow hangs in the spray. For those with an appetite for adventure, a detour leads to the underground passages near the neighbouring Berber village — a cool, cave-like world carved by centuries of water. En route home, the day trip takes in a stop at Demnate's old medina and the Imi n'Ifri natural bridge — a dramatic geological arch under which a river disappears into shadow. You'll be back in Marrakech by 7 or 8pm, with dusty boots, a full stomach and a camera roll you'll be proud of.