day trip to Ouzoud waterfalls

Distance:  398km     Time on the road: 6h 

The 110-meter-high Ouzoud Waterfalls are situated 150 kilometers northeast of Marrakech in Morocco, close to the Grand Atlas settlement of Tanaghmeilt in the region of Azilal. In Berber, ouzaoud refers to the process of grinding grain. The several mills in the area appear to support this.

An olive tree-lined trail provides shady access to the falls’ base. There are a dozen historic, modest mills that are still in operation near the top of the falls. The road of Beni Mellal can also be reached by following a curvy and challenging path. Sometimes it is difficult to see the bottom of a canyon when descending the gorges from the “wadi el-Abid,” which is approximately 600 meters below.

It receives the most visitors in the area. Green valleys, mills, orchards, and a spectacular circuit of the gorges of the El Abid River—also known as the “Slaves’ River” in Arabic—can be found nearby. Projects to safeguard and maintain the site are led by several regional and national organisations.