Ourika Valley
- One road, about 63 km from Jemaa el-Fna to Setti Fatma
- Tnine Ourika marks the entrance of the valley, about 36 km from the centre
- The road to Oukaïmeden turns off at Aghbalou
- The walk to the waterfalls starts at the footbridge in Setti Fatma
Short answers
How far is Setti Fatma from Marrakech?
Setti Fatma, the last village of the Ourika Valley, is about 63 km by road from Jemaa el-Fna in the centre of Marrakech, a drive of 1 hour to 1 hour 30. From Marrakech Menara airport it is about 72 km. The distances were measured with OpenStreetMap routing, so hotels in the south of the city are a few kilometres closer.
Where does the Ourika Valley start and end?
The Ourika Valley starts at Tnine Ourika, about 36 km by road from Jemaa el-Fna, where the road from Marrakech leaves the plain, and ends at Setti Fatma, the last village on the tarmac road, at about 1,500 m. Between the two, the road follows the river for about 26 km.
Where does the road to Oukaïmeden turn off from the Ourika Valley?
The road to Oukaïmeden turns off at Aghbalou, in the middle of the Ourika Valley, and climbs to the plateau at about 2,600 m. Oukaïmeden is about 77 km by road from Jemaa el-Fna in Marrakech via Aghbalou, and about 41 km from Tnine Ourika, at the entrance of the valley.
Where does the walk to the Setti Fatma waterfalls start on the map?
The walk to the Setti Fatma waterfalls starts at the footbridge in the village of Setti Fatma, at the end of the Ourika Valley road, and climbs along the stream to the first fall in about 30 minutes of steep, rocky walking. The path has no signposts, so a local guide can show you the way.
We drive this road every day, and the question we hear most from guests planning on their own is simply: where is everything? Here is the valley on one map, drawn from the real course of the road.
How to read the map
The green line is the valley road. It runs south from Marrakech across the plain, enters the valley at Tnine Ourika and then follows the Ourika river upstream to Setti Fatma, where the tarmac ends. The dashed brown line is the mountain road that leaves the valley at Aghbalou and climbs west to Oukaïmeden. There is no road beyond Setti Fatma, and no direct road from the Ourika Valley to Imlil: to change valley you drive back down, as our comparison of Ourika, Ouzoud and Imlil explains.
The stops along the road, from Marrakech
| Stop | What is there | Open the place on a map |
|---|---|---|
| Anima Garden | André Heller's art garden, on the road before the valley. See our Anima Garden guide | OpenStreetMap |
| Bio-aromatic garden | Nectarome's garden of aromatic and medicinal plants, near Tnine Ourika. See the garden guide | OpenStreetMap |
| Tnine Ourika | Entrance of the valley, Monday souk | OpenStreetMap |
| Tafza | Village of the Berber ecomuseum, just after Tnine Ourika | OpenStreetMap |
| Aghbalou | Middle of the valley, turn-off for Oukaïmeden | OpenStreetMap |
| Setti Fatma | End of the road, river restaurants, start of the walk to the waterfalls. See our Setti Fatma guide | OpenStreetMap |
| Oukaïmeden | High plateau at about 2,600 m, reached from Aghbalou | OpenStreetMap |
The argan cooperatives, the potters and the rug sellers are spread along the road between Tnine Ourika and Setti Fatma, which is why they do not appear as single points. Our page on the cooperatives and villages explains what you find where.
Distances and driving times
| From | To | Road distance |
|---|---|---|
| Marrakech, Jemaa el-Fna | Anima Garden | About 33 km |
| Marrakech, Jemaa el-Fna | Tnine Ourika | About 36 km |
| Marrakech, Jemaa el-Fna | Setti Fatma | About 63 km |
| Tnine Ourika | Setti Fatma | About 26 km |
| Tnine Ourika | Oukaïmeden | About 41 km |
| Marrakech, Jemaa el-Fna | Oukaïmeden | About 77 km |
| Marrakech Menara airport | Setti Fatma | About 72 km |
Count about 1 hour to 1 hour 30 from Marrakech to Setti Fatma, depending on traffic and on the stops you make. The Monday souk at Tnine Ourika and the weekends at Setti Fatma slow the road down. Our guide on getting to the Ourika Valley compares the grand taxi, the bus, a rental car and a private driver.
What the map does not show
A map of the road says nothing about the river. After a storm on the heights the water can rise quickly, and the low terraces and the fords are the first places to avoid. Before you leave, look at the live forecast on our Ourika Valley weather page.
Sources
- OpenStreetMap: road course, place positions and road distances (routing by the OSRM project)
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Ourika Valley start and end?
It starts at Tnine Ourika, where the road from Marrakech leaves the plain, and ends at Setti Fatma, the last village on the tarmac road, at about 1,500 m. Between the two there are about 26 km along the river.
Is there a map of the hike to the Setti Fatma waterfalls?
The path is short and has no signposts: it starts at the footbridge in the village of Setti Fatma and climbs along the stream to the first fall in about 30 minutes of steep, rocky walking. Our waterfalls guide describes it step by step, and a local guide can show you the way.
Where does the road to Oukaïmeden turn off?
At Aghbalou, in the middle of the valley. The mountain road climbs from there to the plateau of Oukaïmeden, at about 2,600 m. Tnine Ourika to Oukaïmeden is about 41 km by road.
Where can you park in the Ourika Valley?
There is attended parking along the road in Setti Fatma, which gets busy at weekends. Parking is paid in cash, in dirhams. With our private day trip the driver stays with the vehicle, so you do not need to look for a space.
How accurate are the distances on this page?
They are road distances measured with OpenStreetMap routing from Jemaa el-Fna, in the centre of Marrakech. From a hotel in the south of the city the valley is a few kilometres closer, which is why you will often read that it starts about 30 km from Marrakech.
