Easy
From the rim
Viewpoints and terraces
- EffortGentle strolling
- Gets youThe full drop and the gorge
- FacilitiesLunch is on the day's list
Find a stop on the map
Ouzoud waterfalls photos: the walk and the viewpoints
Summary
Our day gives about 4 hours at the Ouzoud waterfalls, and the stepped path to the pool is a moderate hike that asks for closed-toe walking shoes.
On foot
View 13 stops
Ouzoud and the roads that lead to it, pin by pin
Pick a route, then tap a marker or a stop for notes and a Google Maps link.
The tourism office describes a 100-metre waterfall that plunges into the heart of a chasm.
Google MapsA signed viewpoint downstream of the main cascade, mapped in OpenStreetMap as a view of the falls, and a place to see the water from the side.
Google MapsA lookout on the stream bank between the main cascade and the downstream viewpoint, handy for a wider photograph.
Google MapsThe village stands beside the falls, where the walk down to the pools begins.
Google MapsA small car park mapped beside the village road, near a hotel at the top of the slope.
Google MapsA shared taxi stand is mapped at the southern edge of the village.
Google Maps
Our day collects you from your hotel or riad in Marrakech at about 7:30 to 8:00 AM.
Google MapsOne listing plans a coffee break of 20 minutes at Tamlalte, and our day lists an optional break of 25 minutes at Tamelalt on the way back.
Google MapsOur day lists a coffee break of 25 minutes at Ouled Khellouf after the first leg of the drive.
Google MapsThe tourism office lists Ouzoud as a day trip from Azilal of about 40 minutes.
Google MapsThe tourism office describes a 100-metre waterfall that plunges into the heart of a chasm.
Google Maps
The tourism office gives the link between Agadir and Marrakech as 3 h 00 min and 257.9 km.
Google MapsOur day collects you from your hotel or riad in Marrakech at about 7:30 to 8:00 AM.
Google MapsThe end of the Ourika Valley walk, where one listing plans 1.5 hours.
Google MapsThe tourism office describes a 100-metre waterfall that plunges into the heart of a chasm.
Google MapsThe tourism office places the lake of Bin El Ouidane near the town of Beni Mellal.
Google Maps
© OpenStreetMap contributors, map data
The falls reward a slow walk more than a quick look. This guide follows the route from the village rim to the pool and the trails beyond, with the viewpoints that give a wide view and the real photographs worth carrying home.
Editorial team, ouzoudfallstour.com · Updated November 7, 2026 · ~6 min read
Quick look
- Time on siteOur day plans about 4 hours at the falls, with lunch, a guided tour, a boat cruise and hiking.
- EffortThe hike is moderate and closed-toe walking shoes are recommended.
- On the waterThe highlights of our listing name a boat ride close to the waterfalls.
- HeightThe tourism office describes a 100-metre waterfall; our listing's highlights say 110 m.1
- On the way backA guest on our day found the stepped climb back up a moderate hike.
How the walk is laid out
The Ouzoud waterfalls are visited from the top down. You arrive at the rim, where the village stands beside the cascade, and the path then drops through terraces towards the pool at the foot. The first stretch along the rim feels like a stroll through a small hillside town rather than a hike.
Our day plans about 4 hours at the falls, with lunch, a guided tour, a boat cruise and hiking on the list. The listing for our day also mentions scenic trails through olive groves and panoramic viewpoints over the cascades. Both are on foot, and both reward a pace that leaves time to stop and look.
If you take the guided option, the guide sets the order. If you take the self-guided option, you can pick your own, and the sensible order is the one in the timeline on this page: rim, path, pool, boat, lunch, climb. Nothing here is a rule, but it keeps the steepest part of the day until you have had a meal and a rest.
Where to stand
The viewpoints and what each gives you
| Place | Where it is | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Falls viewpoint | Beside the cascade | The full drop and the gorge walls |
| Downstream viewpoint | Along the stream, below the falls | A side view and a calmer frame |
| Stream-bank lookout | Between the two | A wide view of the cascade and the pool |
| Pool and boat landing | At the foot of the falls | Spray and close photographs |
The first three places are mapped in OpenStreetMap and shown on the map above; the last comes from the listing highlights.
The viewpoints at the rim
The top of the falls is where the wide view lives. The map on this page marks a main viewpoint beside the cascade, a signed viewpoint downstream and a lookout on the stream bank between the two. Each frames the same water at a different angle, and the distance changes what a camera sees: from far back you get the red gorge and the whole drop, from near the rail you get texture and spray.
A wide view of the Ouzoud waterfalls works best when something gives the water a scale. Wait for a boat, a person on the stepped path or a bird crossing the gorge before you press the shutter. Those small figures make the height readable in a way a bare cascade does not.
The village sits right by the viewpoints, so refreshments are never far, and the terraces make good places to compare the photographs you have taken. A drink at a terrace café is an easy way to wait for the light to move, and it turns the first photo stop into a rest rather than a rush.
Heights in the sources
How tall the falls are said to be
- Tourism office100
- Our listing110
The tourism office gives 100 m for the main drop, and the highlights of our listing give 110 m; both are shown as written.1
The path down to the pool
The way from the rim to the pool is a stepped path with uneven treads, small landings and views that change at every bend. It is the part of the day that earns the listing's rating as a moderate hike, and the shoes it asks for are closed-toe walking shoes. Sandals and flip-flops are a poor match for wet stone.
The descent is easy and the climb back is not. A guest on our day described the hike back up the steps as a moderate climb that left the legs burning. Plan the return as a slow walk with breaks, not as a race to the van, and keep the water bottle for the way up.
Near the bottom the path reaches the pool and the boat landing. Our listing's highlights mention a boat ride close to the waterfalls, and the pool is also where the best close photographs of the spray are taken. Hold your phone in a dry pouch and wipe the lens after each shot.
Pick your route
Match the walk to your day
Say what you want from the visit and the matching route comes up.
If I have little time
Stay at the rim
Our day gives about 4 hours at the falls, and the rim viewpoints are the shortest stop.
If I want the best photographs
Shoot from the viewpoints and the pool
The highlights of our listing name panoramic viewpoints over the cascades and a boat ride close to the waterfalls.
If I dislike steps
Choose the rim and a seat
The way back up the steps is a moderate climb, a guest says.
If I want a quiet corner
Take a trail away from the rim
The highlights of our listing mention scenic trails through olive groves.
If I want to be on the water
Join the boat ride
The listing highlights a boat ride close to the waterfalls.
Ways to see it
From the rim, the pool or the river
Moderate
At the pool
Steps and a boat
- EffortA moderate hike
- Gets youSpray and a boat ride
- FootwearClosed-toe walking shoes
Optional
On the trails
The quiet extension
- EffortUneven footing
- Gets youScenic trails through olive groves
- TimePart of the 4 hours at the falls
Beyond the pool, on the trails
Most day trippers turn back at the pool, but the highlights of our listing also mention scenic trails through olive groves, and the listed stops at the falls include hiking or a self-guided visit. This is where a postcard becomes a real photograph of the Ouzoud waterfalls in Morocco.
We hold no official length or time for these trails, so we state none. Ask your guide how far they run and how long they take, because the answer depends on the option you booked.
A guided day may not include a longer walk, so ask your guide before you set out, or keep it for the self-guided option. Watch your footing on rock and potholes, and treat the walk as an optional addition to the time the listing gives you at the falls rather than a replacement for it.
Cost of the day
Compare day trips to the falls
Choose the group size and see the from price of each trip.
Compare all 3 options
Compare day trips to the falls
Choose the group size and see the from price of each trip.
- Our guided day11 to 12 hours · price per person from $17
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View - Private or small group11 to 12 hours · price per person from $11
≈
View - Shorter dayLunch not included · price per person from $13
≈
View
Currency conversion uses the ECB reference rate on GetYourGuide from-prices. The exact price is displayed when you book.
The walk in order
From the rim to the river and back
Arrival
The rim and the first view
Trails lead past panoramic viewpoints over the cascades.
Early on
Photographs at the viewpoints
The viewpoints on the map give different angles on the same water.
Mid-morning
The stepped path to the pool
A moderate hike, with closed-toe walking shoes recommended.
Midday
Boat ride and lunch
The listed stops at the falls are lunch, a guided tour, a boat cruise and hiking.
Afternoon
Trails, if time allows
The stops at the falls include hiking or a self-guided visit.
Late
The climb back up
A guest found the steps back up a moderate climb.
Photographing the falls with a phone or a camera
The highlights of our listing give the falls as 110 m, while the tourism office describes a 100-metre waterfall dropping into a chasm.1 Either way, the drop is taller than a normal frame, so shoot a vertical image for the height and a horizontal one for the gorge.
Light matters more than lenses here. The cascade throws mist, the cliffs glow in direct sun and the pool turns brown or green depending on the sky. Morning light and mid-afternoon light each give a different colour to the stone, and a polarising filter or a phone's HDR mode helps with the contrast between white water and red cliff.
Keep your distance from wildlife. Our listing asks guests to keep a safe distance from the Barbary macaques and follow the guide, so a long lens or the zoom on your phone is the better tool than a closer step. Never hold food out for a picture.
Video
The beauty of the Ouzoud waterfalls and the long day trip
The Globe Hoppers with Frank and Alyssa on YouTube · Nothing is fetched until you hit play.
the Ouzoud waterfall offers you a spectacular view of a 100-metre waterfall that plunges into the heart of a chasm.
Before you go
A checklist for the walk
Wear and carry3
- Closed-toe walking shoes for wet steps
- A dry pouch for your phone near the spray
- Hat, sunscreen and a refillable water bottle
Plan the time3
- Keep about 4 hours at the falls in mind
- Agree a meeting time and place with your guide
- Start the climb back with time in hand
Respect the place3
- Keep a safe distance from the Barbary macaques
- Take rubbish away and stay on the paths
- Tell your guide early if steps are hard for someone
Pace, rest and food
The walk is better with a meal in the middle. Option 3 of our day includes lunch, and lunch is among the listed stops at the falls. A table with a view of the cascade turns the long middle of the day into the pleasant part, and it divides the descent from the climb.
Carry water and a little cash for drinks, tips and snacks. The cafes on the way down are small, and a bottle in the bag saves you from queuing in the sun. If anyone in the group finds stairs hard, tell the guide early and agree on a place to wait.
The return to Marrakech is at about 7:00 PM on our day, so the walk is shaped by a clock you can see. Set a reminder for the meeting time with your guide, start the climb with time in hand and leave the last photo until you have caught your breath.
Real photographs and what to expect from them
Search engines are full of picture-perfect images of the Ouzoud falls, and the real thing is both better and messier. The water is brown after rain, the paths are busy and the terraces carry parasols and plastic chairs. None of that spoils the scene; it is the scene.
The best real photographs show people at work and play around the water: boats crossing the pool, guides leading groups, children on the steps. Our guest reviews describe a day with knowledgeable guides and a good boat ride, which suggests that the people are as much a subject as the cascade.
Bring a charged phone and a spare power bank. The day is long, the signal is patchy in places and the camera is the first thing to drain the battery. A paper map is unnecessary, because the map on this page works offline once it has loaded.
FAQ
Common questions, answered fast.
How long do I need at the Ouzoud waterfalls?
About 4 hours on our day.
The itinerary of our day lists about 4 hours at the falls, with lunch, a guided tour, a boat cruise and hiking.
Is the walk to the pool hard?
It is a moderate hike with steps.
The listing rates the activity as a moderate hike, and a guest found the climb back up the steps tiring.
Where is the best wide view of the falls?
From the rim, and again from the pool.
The map marks several viewpoints at the rim, and the highlights of our listing name panoramic viewpoints over the cascades and a boat ride close to the waterfalls.
Can I walk beyond the pool?
Ask your guide which trails fit your time.
The highlights of our listing mention scenic trails through olive groves, and the stops at the falls include hiking.
What shoes do I need?
Closed-toe walking shoes.
The listing for our day recommends closed-toe walking shoes for the moderate hike.
Are there places to eat near the falls?
Yes, lunch is on the day's list.
Lunch is among the listed stops at the falls, and it is included in option 3 and the private option.
Can I take photos of the monkeys?
Yes, from a safe distance.
Our listing asks guests to keep a safe distance from the Barbary macaques and follow the guide.
Sources
- Moroccan National Tourism Office · Nature in Azilal ↩
- Moroccan National Tourism Office · Azilal ↩
- Moroccan National Tourism Office · Agadir-Taghazout ↩
- Moroccan National Tourism Office · Nature in Azilal
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