Ouzoud Falls & Bin el Ouidane — Marrakech to AtlasLakes.
Distance
460 km
Duration
2 days
Climb
2,400 m
Ouzoud Falls & Bin el Ouidane — Marrakech to Atlas Lakes.
A two-day Atlas escape from Marrakech to Morocco's most spectacular waterfall and a turquoise reservoir lake hidden in the High Atlas. Day 1 climbs through Berber market towns to the three-tier 110m Ouzoud Falls — resident Barbary macaques, rainbow spray, and a Berber lodge overnight at Bin el Ouidane Lake. Day 2 traverses the high Afourer plateau and the fertile Tadla plain back to Marrakech. A short, scenic alternative to the Tichka pass for riders short on time.
Quick facts
SurfacePaved
Distance460 km
Days2
Total climb2,400 m
DifficultyModerate
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2 days, 2 moods.
A suggested split across 2 days with 10 waypoints to discover along the way.
Marrakech — Jemaa el-FnaaStart · Start at the Jemaa el-Fnaa square. Head east on the R208/N8 through the Haouz plain toward the Atlas foothills. Fuel up at the edge of town.
DemnateScenic Point · Berber market town in the Atlas foothills. Saturday souk is one of the largest in central Morocco. Last reliable fuel before the falls.
Imi n'Ifri Natural Stone ArchPhoto Spot · Massive limestone natural bridge over the wadi Mahsar gorge. Sacred to local Berbers — legend says a saint passed through here. Short walk down to the canyon floor.
AzilalScenic Point · Provincial capital of the Atlas foothills at 1,400m. Cooler air after the plain. Argan oil cooperatives and last fuel before the falls and lake.
Ouzoud WaterfallsPhoto Spot · Three-tier 110m cascade — Morocco's most famous waterfall. Resident Barbary macaques on the descent path. Rainbow in the spray most afternoons. Tagines served at riverside cafés.
Bin el Ouidane LakeOvernight · Overnight at the turquoise reservoir lake ringed by red High Atlas peaks. Lakeside lodges and Berber tent camps. Stars are extraordinary — no light pollution for 50km.
Afourer PassScenic Point · Climb out of the lake basin via R304 hairpins. Panoramic ridge views back down to Bin el Ouidane far below. The road then drops to the Tadla plain.
Béni MellalRestaurant · Lunch in the largest city of central Morocco — under the Tassemit cliffs at 600m. Try mechoui (slow-roasted lamb) at the central market or a Berber tajine at a side-street grill.
Tadla PlainScenic Point · Agricultural heartland — endless olive groves, citrus orchards, and wheat fields irrigated from the Atlas reservoirs. Storks nest on the village minarets.
Marrakech — KoutoubiaEnd · End back at Marrakech via the N8. The Koutoubia minaret marks the medina's edge. Mint tea on a rooftop overlooking the Jemaa el-Fnaa as the storytellers and snake charmers set up for the evening.
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