Ouzoud Excursions
In short
The four waterfalls most visitors can reach in Morocco are Ouzoud, Akchour, Setti Fatma and Imouzzer Ida Outanane. Ouzoud, in Azilal Province, is the largest: 110 m in three tiers, with water all year, 160 km from Marrakech (about 3 hours) and 255 km from Casablanca (about 3 h 48). Akchour lies in Talassemtane National Park, 29 km from Chefchaouen and 120 km from Tangier, then a walk of about 1 h 30 to 2 h each way to the big fall. Setti Fatma, in the Ourika valley, is 63 km from Marrakech (about 1 h 21), with smaller falls up a rocky path. Imouzzer is 58 km from Agadir (about 1 h 14), but its fall is seasonal and stayed dry for more than four years until January 2026. Choose by the city you stay in: Ouzoud from Marrakech or Casablanca, Akchour from the north, Imouzzer from Agadir after rain.
- Four main waterfalls, measured from six cities on the same day and the same way
- Ouzoud: 110 m in three tiers, about 3 hours from Marrakech
- Akchour: 29 km from Chefchaouen, then a walk of about 1 h 30 to 2 h
- Imouzzer: 58 km from Agadir, but only after a wet winter
- Setti Fatma: the closest to Marrakech, smaller falls
- We only take people to Ouzoud, and say so
If you want one big waterfall in Morocco, go to Ouzoud: 110 m in three tiers, water all year, about 3 hours from Marrakech. If you stay in Chefchaouen or Tangier, go to Akchour, a river walk in the Rif mountains. If you have only half a day in Marrakech, Setti Fatma is the closest, with smaller falls. If you are in Agadir after a wet winter, Imouzzer Ida Outanane is about an hour away. The right choice depends more on your base city than on the waterfall itself, because Morocco is large and these four places are hundreds of kilometres apart.
We should say where we stand. We only take travellers to Ouzoud, on private trips from Marrakech. We do not organise trips to Akchour, Setti Fatma or Imouzzer, and we earn nothing if you choose them. The distances below are our own measurements, made the same way for every waterfall, and the facts about each place come from the sources listed at the end.
Which are the main waterfalls in Morocco?
Four waterfalls come up again and again in travel guides and in the Moroccan press, and they are the ones a visitor can realistically plan for:
- Ouzoud, in Azilal Province, in the central High Atlas. The Oued Ouzoud drops 110 m in three tiers into the gorge of the Oued El Abid. It is a geosite of the M'Goun UNESCO Global Geopark.
- Akchour, in Talassemtane National Park in the Rif, near Chefchaouen. A river path leads to a series of falls, the largest called the Grande Cascade, and to a natural arch known as God's Bridge.
- Setti Fatma, at the end of the Ourika road south of Marrakech, in the High Atlas. A string of smaller falls climbs a narrow gorge above the village.
- Imouzzer Ida Outanane, in the mountains behind Agadir. Its fall is seasonal and has spent long periods dry.
There are other waterfalls and springs in the country, which we list briefly further down. They are smaller, harder to reach or mostly known to Moroccan families.
How far is each waterfall from Marrakech, Casablanca, Fes, Agadir, Tangier and Chefchaouen?
We calculated these road distances and driving times on 25 October 2026 with OSRM, on OpenStreetMap data, from the centre of each city. They are driving times without stops or traffic, so add 15 to 30 minutes for a coffee and photo stops. For Akchour and Setti Fatma, we measured to the start of the footpath: the walk to the falls comes on top.
| Waterfall | Marrakech | Casablanca | Fes | Agadir | Tangier | Chefchaouen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ouzoud | 160 km 3 h 01 min | 255 km 3 h 48 min | 384 km 6 h 31 min | 404 km 5 h 55 min | 584 km 7 h 19 min | 587 km 8 h 46 min |
| Akchour (Talassemtane) | 678 km 8 h 10 min | 448 km 5 h 40 min | 220 km 4 h 22 min | 899 km 10 h 27 min | 120 km 2 h 13 min | 29 km 38 min |
| Setti Fatma (High Atlas) | 63 km 1 h 21 min | 301 km 4 h 05 min | 590 km 7 h 09 min | 308 km 4 h 16 min | 630 km 7 h 37 min | 633 km 9 h 04 min |
| Imouzzer Ida Outanane | 224 km 3 h 05 min | 436 km 5 h 12 min | 725 km 8 h 16 min | 58 km 1 h 14 min | 766 km 8 h 44 min | 768 km 10 h 11 min |
Calculated by us on 25 October 2026 with OSRM on OpenStreetMap data: road distance and driving time without stops or traffic. Akchour and Setti Fatma are measured to the start of the footpath; the walk to the falls comes on top.
What the table shows:
- From Marrakech, Setti Fatma is close (63 km, about 1 h 21) and Ouzoud is the long day (160 km, about 3 hours). Imouzzer is 224 km away, about 3 h 05: almost the same time as Ouzoud, for a fall that may be dry. Akchour, at 678 km, is out of reach.
- From Casablanca, Ouzoud is the nearest of the four at 255 km, about 3 h 48. Setti Fatma is 301 km, Imouzzer 436 km and Akchour 448 km.
- From Fes, Akchour is the nearest at 220 km, about 4 h 22. Ouzoud is 384 km away, about 6 h 31, which is too far for a return day.
- From Agadir, Imouzzer is only 58 km, about 1 h 14. Setti Fatma is 308 km and Ouzoud 404 km, about 5 h 55.
- From Tangier, Akchour is 120 km, about 2 h 13. Everything else is more than 580 km away.
- From Chefchaouen, Akchour is on the doorstep: 29 km, about 38 minutes.
So each region has its own waterfall, and almost nobody needs to cross the country for one. For Ouzoud from 24 Moroccan towns, see our page on distances to Ouzoud.
How do the four waterfalls compare?
| Waterfall | Region | Height | Type of walk | Best season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ouzoud | Azilal Province, central High Atlas | 110 m in three tiers (Wikipedia, M'Goun Geopark); biggest single drop 75 m (Wikipedia) or about 100 m (Lonely Planet) | Paved path with steps to the foot, about 20 minutes down; paths on both banks | Water all year; usually strongest in spring, lowest in late summer |
| Akchour | Talassemtane National Park, Rif, near Chefchaouen | Grande Cascade "more than 70 m" (Yabiladi); no measured figure | River path, about 1 h 30 to 2 h each way to the Grande Cascade, sometimes wet feet | Spring (April to June) and autumn (September, October), per Evaneos |
| Setti Fatma | Ourika valley, High Atlas, south of Marrakech | No reliable figure; a series of smaller falls | Steep, rocky path with some scrambling, about 30 minutes to the first falls | Spring; often low by late summer |
| Imouzzer Ida Outanane | Mountains behind Agadir | No reliable figure | No reliable information; the fall is a few kilometres from the village | Only after a wet winter; dry for more than four years until January 2026 |
Two things stand out. Ouzoud is the only one of the four with a published, consistent height and water all year. And Ouzoud and Akchour are very different days: one is a big fall with an easy paved path, the other a river hike in a national park.
Ouzoud: why is it the big one from Marrakech?
The Ouzoud Waterfalls are in Azilal Province, in the Béni Mellal-Khénifra region, at about 1,060 m. The Oued Ouzoud, also called the Oued Tissakht, falls 110 m in three tiers into the gorge of the Oued El Abid. That total is given by Wikipedia and by the M'Goun UNESCO Global Geopark, of which Ouzoud is a geosite. Sources do not agree on the largest single drop: Wikipedia says 75 m, Lonely Planet about 100 m. Some Moroccan articles write "more than 110 metres". We stick to 110 m in three tiers.
What makes Ouzoud easy compared with the others is access. Entry is free. A paved path with steps and terrace cafés goes down to the foot of the falls in about 20 minutes, and paths run along both banks, so you see the falls from above, from the side and from below. At the bottom, small decorated rafts take visitors close to the spray. Barbary macaques, an Endangered species, live around the falls; watch them, but do not feed them.
The water comes from a karst spring and flows all year. Visitors and guides report the strongest flow in spring and the lowest in late summer, though no one publishes measured flow data. After heavy rain the water can turn red-brown: on 20 October 2026, Le360 reported an exceptional flow after more than four hours of rain over the area. Our Ouzoud guide covers the walk, the boat, food and the macaques in detail, and our page is Ouzoud worth it weighs the drive against what you see.
The honest costs: about six hours in a vehicle over the day from Marrakech, a climb back up that is tiring in the heat, and crowds on summer weekends.
Akchour: what are the falls near Chefchaouen like?
Akchour is a village at the entrance to Talassemtane National Park, created in October 2004 to protect the last fir forests of the Rif, over about 590 km². From the village, two walks start in different directions.
- To the waterfalls. A shaded path follows the river upstream past green and turquoise pools. The travel company Evaneos gives about 1 h 30 to 2 h from the main car park to the Grande Cascade; a travel blog measures the trail at about 5.5 km each way and 3 to 4 hours for the return, depending on stops. On the way there is a smaller fall, the Petite Cascade. At times you put a foot in the water.
- To God's Bridge. The Pont de Dieu is a natural limestone arch above the gorge of the Oued Farda. The walk is shorter, about 1.35 km and 20 minutes from the end of the road according to the cave database Showcaves, but steep. Heights given for the arch vary: about 60 m on Showcaves, about 30 m on a tour seller's page.
For the height of the Grande Cascade, the only figure we found is "more than 70 metres", in a January 2026 article by Yabiladi. No measured height is published.
Evaneos recommends spring, from April to June, and autumn, in September and October. In winter the falls are at their strongest, but rain makes the paths slippery. In July and August, and at weekends, the site is busy. One travel blog reports that camping along the trail is prohibited because of litter.
Akchour suits walkers based in Chefchaouen (29 km, about 38 minutes) or Tangier (120 km, about 2 h 13). It does not suit travellers based in Marrakech, nor anyone who wants a short, easy walk.
Setti Fatma: are the Ourika falls enough?
Setti Fatma is the village at the end of the Ourika road, 63 km from Marrakech, about 1 h 21 without stops. Above it, a series of falls, usually counted as seven, climbs a narrow gorge. Most visitors walk to the first ones, about 30 minutes on a steep, rocky path where you sometimes use your hands. The upper falls need a harder hike.
They are much smaller than Ouzoud, but the day is short and varied, with Berber villages and lunch by the river. They are strongest in spring and often low in late summer, and summer storms can make the river rise fast, so walk in the morning. We have compared the two in detail in Ouzoud or Ourika, so we will not repeat it here. Setti Fatma is also part of our comparison of day trips from Marrakech.
Imouzzer Ida Outanane: when does it have water?
Imouzzer Ida Outanane is a small mountain town and rural commune in the Agadir-Ida Ou Tanane prefecture, 58 km from Agadir by road, about 1 h 14. Its waterfall, a few kilometres from the village, runs over pale limestone into stepped pools when there is water.
That last condition matters. The fall depends on rain. In January 2026, Le360 reported that the falls had come back to life after more than four years of drought. The trigger was very heavy rain: Hespress reported 120 mm in 24 hours at Imouzzer on 4 January 2026. Sources also disagree on the best season: one travel site says the fall is full only in winter, from December to February, while Yabiladi writes that flow peaks in spring. Both agree it is seasonal.
Our advice: if you are in Agadir, go after a wet winter or spring, and look at photos posted in the last few days before setting off. From Marrakech it is not worth the 224 km: Ouzoud takes about the same time and has water all year.
Which other waterfalls are there in Morocco?
Beyond the four main ones, the Moroccan press and travel guides mention several smaller sites. We give them for information, without distances:
- Ras el Ma, Chefchaouen. The spring just outside the medina, where water runs over the rocks in small cascades. Le360 reported in March 2025 that it had dried up for nearly a month during the drought, then flowed again after more than 200 mm of rain.
- Ras el Ma, near Taza. A different site with the same name, at the entrance to Tazekka National Park, fed by a powerful spring (Yabiladi).
- The sources of the Oum Er-Rbia, in Khénifra Province, in the Middle Atlas. Springs and a cascade at the source of a 555 km river that reaches the Atlantic at Azemmour (Wikipedia, Yabiladi).
- Imouzzer Kandar, in Sefrou Province near Fes, among cedar forests, strongest in spring (Yabiladi). Not to be confused with Imouzzer Ida Outanane.
- Tamsoult, west of Imlil, at about 2,204 m, reached by a full-day trek (Yabiladi).
When is the best season for waterfalls in Morocco?
In general, spring. Most Moroccan falls are fed by rain and snowmelt, so March to May usually brings the most water and the greenest landscapes. Late summer is the low point.
The exceptions are useful to know. Ouzoud flows all year from its spring, so it is a safe choice in any month, even if the flow is lower in August and September. Imouzzer and the smaller seasonal falls can be completely dry after a dry winter, as they were for several years before January 2026. Heavy rain, on the other hand, can make paths slippery and turn water brown. For Ouzoud month by month, with temperatures and rain, see our page on the weather at Ouzoud.
Which Moroccan waterfalls can you swim at?
People do swim in summer at several of them, but none has a lifeguard that we know of.
- Ouzoud. Visitors bathe in summer in pools at the foot of the falls and further downstream. In June 2026, Aujourd'hui le Maroc reported drownings in the lower pool and a formal ban on swimming in some zones, with prohibition signs. Our page on swimming at Ouzoud explains where it is banned and how to stay safe.
- Akchour. People swim in the pools along the river in summer. Evaneos warns that the water can be very cold and advises against jumping from rocks, because depths change with the season.
- Setti Fatma and Imouzzer. The pools are small, and Imouzzer may have no water at all. At Setti Fatma, summer storms can make the river rise quickly.
The common rule: never swim after heavy rain, never alone, and never where signs forbid it.
Which waterfall should you choose from your city?
| You are staying in | Our honest choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Marrakech, full day | Ouzoud | The largest fall, water all year, 160 km away, about 3 hours |
| Marrakech, half day | Setti Fatma | 63 km away, about 1 h 21, smaller falls |
| Casablanca | Ouzoud | The nearest of the four, 255 km, about 3 h 48 |
| Fes | Akchour, or Imouzzer Kandar for a short outing | Akchour is 220 km away; Ouzoud is about 6 h 31 |
| Tangier or Chefchaouen | Akchour | 120 km and 29 km away |
| Agadir | Imouzzer, if there has been rain | 58 km away, about 1 h 14 |
For photographers, Ouzoud has the advantage of rainbows in the spray on sunny days; our page on photographing Ouzoud gives the times by month.
How can we take you to Ouzoud?
Ouzoud is the only waterfall we work with. We take you there privately from Marrakech: your own vehicle and driver, for your group only, a minivan for 1 to 7 people or a minibus for 8 to 17. We do not sell shared tours. Prices are per vehicle, for the whole group.
| Offer | 1 to 7 people | 8 to 17 people | What it includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private tour | 220 € per vehicle | 330 € per vehicle | Vehicle and driver, plus a local guide at the falls |
| Private transport | 180 € per vehicle | 250 € per vehicle | Return transport, free time at the falls |
| Premium private day | 220 € per vehicle + 35 € per person | 330 € per vehicle + 35 € per person | Vehicle, local guide, boat ride and lunch included |
Options: a local guide at the falls if you choose private transport (40 € per group of 1 to 7, 80 € for 8 to 17), the boat ride (5 € per person) and lunch by the falls (30 € per person). The day usually starts with pickup around 8:00 at your hotel, or at the nearest gate the vehicle can reach for riads in the medina, gives you about 3 to 4 hours at the falls and brings you back in the early evening. Booking is online with a 50% deposit, and cancellation is free up to 48 hours before.
For Akchour, Setti Fatma or Imouzzer, ask your hotel or a local operator based in Chefchaouen, Marrakech or Agadir: we do not run those trips, and we would rather tell you so.
Sources
- Wikipedia, "Ouzoud Falls" (Azilal Province, 110 m, three tiers, Oued El Abid), en.wikipedia.org, consulted October 2026
- M'Goun UNESCO Global Geopark, "Discover" (Ouzoud geosite, 110 m in three tiers), geoparcmgoun.ma, consulted October 2026
- Lonely Planet, "Cascades d'Ouzoud" (largest fall about 100 m, paved path, crowds), lonelyplanet.com, consulted October 2026
- Le360, "Cascades d'Ouzoud: un débit d'eau exceptionnel redonne son éclat au site touristique d'Azilal" (20 October 2026), fr.le360.ma, consulted October 2026
- Aujourd'hui le Maroc, "Le nombre de décès par noyade inquiète: Ouzoud, un site touristique pris entre afflux estival et dangers de baignade" (26 June 2026), aujourdhui.ma, consulted October 2026
- Yabiladi, "Revived by rainfall, Morocco's 10 most breathtaking waterfalls" (7 January 2026: Akchour, Imouzzer, Ras el Ma near Taza, Oum Er-Rbia, Imouzzer Kandar, Tamsoult), en.yabiladi.com, consulted October 2026
- Wikipedia, "Talassemtane National Park" (created October 2004, 589.5 km², Akchour, God's Bridge), en.wikipedia.org, consulted October 2026
- Evaneos, "Voyage à Akchour" (walk of 1 h 30 to 2 h to the Grande Cascade, Oued Farda, seasons, crowds, swimming advice), evaneos.fr, consulted October 2026
- Showcaves, "Pont de Dieu" (natural bridge, 60 m, 1.35 km walk from the road), showcaves.com, consulted October 2026
- Civitatis, "God's Bridge hike" (arch about 30 m high), civitatis.com, consulted October 2026
- Brainy Backpackers, "Akchour waterfall" (trail about 5.5 km each way, 3 to 4 hours, camping prohibited), brainybackpackers.com, consulted October 2026
- Le360, "Les cascades d'Imouzzer Ida-Outanane renaissent et attirent visiteurs et touristes" (11 January 2026), fr.le360.ma, consulted October 2026
- Hespress, "Imouzzer records 120 mm of rain as Morocco faces severe weather alert" (4 January 2026), en.hespress.com, consulted October 2026
- Rove.me, "Cascades d'hiver au Maroc" (Imouzzer fall full only in winter, December to February), rove.me, consulted October 2026
- Wikipedia, "Imouzzer Ida Ou Tanane" (rural commune, Agadir-Ida Ou Tanane prefecture), en.wikipedia.org, consulted October 2026
- Le360, "Chefchaouen: l'eau jaillit à nouveau de la source de Ras El Ma" (22 March 2025), fr.le360.ma, consulted October 2026
- Wikipedia, "Oum Er-Rbia River" (555 km, Middle Atlas, springs, mouth at Azemmour), en.wikipedia.org, consulted October 2026
- Our own routing with OSRM on OpenStreetMap data, six cities to four waterfalls, calculated on 25 October 2026 (data file published on this site)
Frequently asked questions
What is the biggest waterfall in Morocco?
The Ouzoud Waterfalls are usually given as the largest: 110 m high in three tiers, according to Wikipedia and the M'Goun UNESCO Global Geopark. Sources disagree on the biggest single drop: Wikipedia gives 75 m, Lonely Planet about 100 m. The Grande Cascade at Akchour is described as more than 70 m by the Moroccan site Yabiladi, but nobody publishes a measured height for it.
Which waterfalls can you visit from Marrakech?
Two are within reach for a day. Setti Fatma, at the end of the Ourika road, is 63 km away, about 1 h 21 without stops, with smaller falls up a rocky path. Ouzoud is 160 km away, about 3 hours, and is the big one: 110 m in three tiers with water all year. Imouzzer is 224 km away and seasonal. Akchour, at 678 km, is not a trip from Marrakech.
Are the Akchour waterfalls worth it?
Yes, if you stay in Chefchaouen and like walking. Akchour village is 29 km away, about 38 minutes by road, and the path up the river to the Grande Cascade takes about 1 h 30 to 2 h each way, past green pools. A shorter path leads to the God's Bridge natural arch. Go early: travel guides describe the site as crowded in summer and at weekends.
When do the Imouzzer waterfalls have water?
Only after a wet winter. The fall near Imouzzer Ida Outanane, 58 km from Agadir, depends on rain. The Moroccan site Le360 reported in January 2026 that it was flowing again after more than four years of drought, following very heavy rain (120 mm in 24 hours at Imouzzer on 4 January 2026, according to Hespress). Check recent photos before you go.
Ouzoud or Akchour?
Choose by where you are staying. From Marrakech or Casablanca, Ouzoud: 160 km and 255 km away, a paved path to the foot of a 110 m fall. From Chefchaouen or Tangier, Akchour: 29 km and 120 km away, with a longer walk along a river in Talassemtane National Park. Ouzoud is the larger waterfall with the easier walk; Akchour is more of a hike.
Which Moroccan waterfalls can you swim at?
People swim in summer at Ouzoud and Akchour, but neither has lifeguards. At Ouzoud, the local commune banned swimming in some zones of the lower pool after drownings, according to Aujourd'hui le Maroc in June 2026, so follow the signs. At Akchour, guides warn that the water is cold and that depths change, so do not jump from rocks. Never swim after heavy rain.
Can you visit Akchour from Marrakech in a day?
No. Akchour is 678 km from Marrakech by road, about 8 h 10 without stops, before the walk to the falls even starts. It belongs to a stay in Chefchaouen (29 km) or Tangier (120 km). If you are in Marrakech and want a large waterfall in a day, Ouzoud is the realistic choice at 160 km, about 3 hours each way.
How far are the Ouzoud Waterfalls from Casablanca?
By road, Ouzoud is 255 km from central Casablanca, about 3 h 48 of driving without stops, according to our OpenStreetMap routing of 25 October 2026. That is closer than Akchour (448 km) or Imouzzer (436 km). A return day from Casablanca is long but possible; many travellers prefer to visit from Marrakech, 160 km away.
