Oukaïmeden: snow, skiing and a day on the High Atlas plateau from Marrakech

• About 78 km by road from Marrakech, about 1 hour 40 without stops
• Ski area between 2,600 m and about 3,200 m, among the highest in Africa
• Snow mainly from December to March, very variable from year to year
• Without skis: Bronze Age rock engravings, pastures, bouldering and mountain air
• Private day Ourika + Oukaïmeden: 180 EUR per vehicle for 1 to 7 people

Oukaïmeden is a high plateau and ski resort in the High Atlas, in Al Haouz province, above the Ourika Valley. It lies about 78 km by road from Jemaa el-Fna in Marrakech, about 1 hour 40 without stops: the road follows the Ourika road to Aghbalou, then climbs for about 36 km. The ski area lies between 2,600 m and about 3,200 m, which makes it one of the highest in Africa. Snow falls mainly from December to March, and the amount changes a lot from one winter to the next. Outside the snow season the plateau is a cool escape of pastures, stone shepherd huts, Bronze Age rock engravings and boulders known to climbers. We go there on a private day that combines the Ourika Valley and Oukaïmeden: 180 EUR per vehicle for 1 to 7 people, 260 EUR for 8 to 17.

We drive the Ourika road every day, and Oukaïmeden is the question that comes back as soon as the first snow shows on the peaks above Marrakech. This guide says what is certain, what changes every winter, and how to organise the day.

Where is Oukaïmeden and how do you get there?

Oukaïmeden sits on a plateau of the High Atlas south of Marrakech, close to the Toubkal massif. There is one road: from Marrakech you take the Ourika road, and at Aghbalou a mountain road leaves the valley and climbs to the plateau.

These are our own measurements on OpenStreetMap data. In winter, count more: the upper bends can be slow after snowfall, and on sunny weekends many families from Marrakech drive up to see the snow. Our page on getting to the Ourika Valley describes the first part of the road, and our map of the valley shows where the Oukaïmeden road branches off.

When is there snow at Oukaïmeden?

Snow is the reason most people ask about Oukaïmeden, and it is the least predictable part. The only long series of measurements we know, published by the Association Internationale de Climatologie for 1982 to 1994, gives this picture:

Over a year that makes about 47 days of snowfall, concentrated between January and March. These figures are old, and recent winters have been irregular: the snow can arrive in November or wait until January, and a sunny week can clear the lower slopes. For the days ahead, the live table on our Ourika Valley weather page includes a seven-day forecast for Oukaïmeden.

Can you ski at Oukaïmeden?

Oukaïmeden is a real ski resort, with a ski area between 2,600 m and about 3,200 m and six lifts according to Wikipedia; the Skiresort.fr directory gives 2,610 m to 3,262 m. Skis and boots are rented on the spot when the resort operates.

The honest answer for this winter is that we cannot promise it. In August 2025, the press reported a renovation plan of about 75 million dirhams (about 8.3 million euros): a chairlift, five drag lifts and two conveyor carpets, with the resort closed during the works and a reopening with renovated lifts not expected before the 2026-2027 winter. At the time of writing, in October 2026, we have not been able to confirm which lifts will run this season.

What we do: you give us your date, we check on the spot whether there is snow and whether the lifts run, and we tell you before you pay. If skiing is not possible, the plateau is still worth the drive for the snow, the views and the walk.

What can you do at Oukaïmeden without skis?

• See the rock engravings. The plateau is one of the best known rock art sites of the High Atlas. A study published in the Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française describes it as a major site of the Bronze Age, with more than a hundred engraved cattle, alongside weapons and symbols. The engravings are scattered and easy to miss: a local guide on the plateau knows where they are.
• Walk on the plateau. In spring and summer, the pastures are green, shepherds bring their flocks up, and the stone huts are in use. The air is cool when Marrakech is very hot: in the old records the average maximum in July is 22 °C.
• Watch the climbers. Oukaïmeden is known internationally for bouldering, with about 1,000 documented boulders according to Wikipedia. Climbers have come since the 1970s, and in larger numbers since the early 2010s.
• Play in the snow. In winter, many visitors come simply to touch the snow, sledge and take photos. That needs no lift.
• Look at the observatory from the road. The Oukaïmeden Observatory, at 2,750 m, hosts the Morocco Oukaïmeden Sky Survey and the TRAPPIST-North telescope of the University of Liège, which contributed to the identification of the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system in 2016. It is a research site; we do not include a visit.

How do we organise the day?

Our Ourika + Oukaïmeden day is private: one vehicle for your group only.

We leave early. In winter the snow is best in the morning and the road is quieter; in summer the plateau is clearest before the afternoon clouds. If the road to the plateau is closed by snow or the weather makes it unsafe, we offer another date or a full refund.

What should you bring?

• Warm layers in every season. It is far colder than Marrakech. In winter: a real jacket, gloves, a hat and shoes that grip on snow.
• Sun protection. At 2,600 m the sun burns fast, and snow doubles it: sunglasses and sunscreen.
• Cash in dirhams. For a meal, a rental or a guide on the plateau. Withdraw money in Marrakech or at Tnine Ourika.
• Water and a snack. Services on the plateau depend on the season.

Oukaïmeden or the Ourika Valley?

They are two different days. The Ourika Valley is a river valley with villages, orchards and the walk to the Setti Fatma waterfalls, at about 1,500 m. Oukaïmeden is high mountain: open slopes, snow in winter, wide views. With one day, the combined trip gives you a taste of both, with less time in each. If walking by the river and a long lunch matter most, keep the day for the valley. Our comparison of Ourika, Ouzoud and Imlil helps you choose among the other day trips from Marrakech.

Sources

• Wikipedia, Oukaïmeden: location, ski area, lifts, bouldering, climate table 1982-1994 from the Association Internationale de Climatologie
• Welcome Africa, 17 August 2025: renovation plan for the ski lifts
• Skiresort.fr, Oukaïmeden: altitude of the ski area
• Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française, 1968: research on the rock engravings of the Moroccan High Atlas
• Wikipedia, Oukaïmeden Observatory
• OpenStreetMap and OSRM: road distances measured on 12 October 2026