Ourika Valley- Situation on 25 October 2026, as seen by our drivers and guides in the valley
- The road from Marrakech to Setti Fatma is open
- The river restaurants are open and serving lunch
- The path to the Setti Fatma waterfalls is walked again, with a local guide
- All our excursions run as usual, with free cancellation up to 48 hours before
Short answers
Is the Ourika Valley open after the October 2026 floods?
Yes. As of 25 October 2026, everything is normal in the Ourika Valley: the road from Marrakech to Setti Fatma is open, the river restaurants are serving lunch, the waterfall path is walked again and the cooperatives and villages welcome visitors. All our excursions run as usual. The valley had already returned to normal on 13 October.
Is it safe to visit the Ourika Valley this week?
Yes. On the morning of 25 October 2026, our flood watch gave a green flood vigilance level for the next 72 hours in the Ourika Valley and no DGM alert for Al Haouz. One model showed possible showers on the afternoon of Tuesday 27 October, up to about 6 mm in 3 hours over the upper valley. We still check the alerts the evening before.
How much does an Ourika Valley excursion cost after the floods?
Prices have not changed after the storms: the private Ourika Valley day trip and the half day each cost 120 EUR per vehicle for 1 to 7 people and 200 EUR for 8 to 17. The walk and lunch with a Berber family and the cooking class cost 60 EUR per person. Booking is online with a 50% deposit and free cancellation up to 48 hours before.
Can you walk to the Setti Fatma waterfalls after the floods?
Yes, the walk from Setti Fatma to the first waterfall has resumed after the October 2026 storms. Go with a local guide, an option at 40 EUR per group for 1 to 7 people on our private day trip, wear closed shoes with grip because the rock stays wet, and go in the morning, the safest part of the day in the mountains.
As of 25 October 2026, the Ourika Valley is open and everything is normal. Our drivers and guides, who work in the valley every day, report that the road from Marrakech to Setti Fatma is open, the restaurants along the river are serving, the path to the Setti Fatma waterfalls is walked, and the cooperatives, gardens and villages are welcoming visitors as usual. All our excursions run normally. The valley was already back to normal on 13 October, after the storms and flash floods of 2 October and the orange alerts of the following days; the new orange storm alert issued by the national weather service on 18 October has passed too. Read on the morning of 25 October, our flood watch gives a green vigilance level for the next 72 hours and no DGM alert for Al Haouz; one model shows possible showers on the afternoon of Tuesday 27 October. If the weather turns on your date, we offer another date or a full refund.
Many travellers have written to us since the storms of 2 October to ask whether they should cancel their day in the valley. The honest answer changed during the first ten days of the month. Today it is simple: come. Here is the situation, point by point.
What is open in the Ourika Valley today?
This is what our team sees on the spot on 25 October 2026.
| Situation on 25 October 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Road from Marrakech to Setti Fatma | Open |
| Restaurants by the river | Open, serving lunch |
| Walk to the Setti Fatma waterfalls | Running again, with a local guide |
| Women's argan cooperatives | Open |
| Villages and family visits | As usual |
| Our private excursions | All running |
The Berber ecomuseum of Tafza remains closed, but that has nothing to do with this month's storms: it has been reported closed since the earthquake of 2023.
What happened in October?
On the evening of Friday 2 October, strong storms over the heights of the valley caused sudden, muddy floods in the ravines. The Moroccan press reported mud and stones on the road to Setti Fatma and tracks cut near the river, and no casualties. The authorities cleared the road with machinery over the following days. The national weather service then issued orange alerts for the province on 4, 6, 7, 9 and 10 October. The valley was back to normal on 13 October. On 18 October, the national weather service placed the province on orange alert for storms again (bulletin no. 216/2026, reported by Médias24, in French); a week later, on 25 October, everything is normal. Our article on the storms and floods of October 2026 gives the details and the sources.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| Friday 2 October | Storms and flash floods; mud and stones on the road |
| 3 to 5 October | The road is cleared stretch by stretch |
| 4 to 10 October | Orange storm alerts for Al Haouz province |
| Monday 12 October | Dry weather returns |
| Tuesday 13 October | Road, restaurants, waterfalls and excursions back to normal |
| Sunday 18 October | New DGM orange alert for storms in Al Haouz province (bulletin no. 216/2026) |
| Sunday 25 October | Everything normal: road, restaurants, waterfall path and excursions |
What is the weather forecast?
Our flood watch, read on the morning of 25 October 2026, gives this for the next three days:
| Read on the morning of 25 October 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Flood vigilance level, next 72 hours | Green |
| DGM alert for Al Haouz | None |
| Showers | Possible on the afternoon of Tuesday 27 October, up to about 6 mm in 3 hours over the upper valley (one model) |
Only one model shows these Tuesday showers, and they are expected in the afternoon over the upper valley. If your trip falls on that day, we will read the alerts again the evening before and tell you if anything changes.
A forecast can change: before you go, look at the live flood vigilance level shown at the top of our Ourika Valley weather page, updated every 15 minutes, next to the forecast table refreshed every hour.
Can you walk to the waterfalls?
Yes. The walk from Setti Fatma to the first waterfall has resumed. After a wet start to the month, three habits make it a good day:
- Go with a local guide. The guides from the village know which path is in the best state and how the river is behaving. On our private day trip, the guide is an option at 40 EUR per group for 1 to 7 people.
- Wear closed shoes with grip. The rock near the falls is polished and stays wet.
- Go in the morning. It is cooler, quieter, and it is the safest part of the day in the mountains.
Our guide to the Setti Fatma waterfalls describes the path, and there is one good side to the rain: the falls have plenty of water.
Which excursions can you book?
All of them. Prices have not changed, and every excursion is private and booked online with a 50% deposit, the balance paid to the driver on the day, with free cancellation up to 48 hours before.
| Excursion | Price |
|---|---|
| Private Ourika Valley day trip | 120 EUR per vehicle for 1 to 7 people, 200 EUR for 8 to 17 |
| Half day in the valley | 120 EUR per vehicle for 1 to 7 people, 200 EUR for 8 to 17 |
| Walk and lunch with a Berber family | 60 EUR per person |
| Cooking class with a local family | 60 EUR per person |
What do we still check every day?
Being back to normal does not mean dropping our habits. In the mountains they are the same all year:
- The evening before, we read the weather alerts and warn you if your day is at risk.
- In the morning, our drivers check the road and the river before leaving Marrakech.
- We leave early, because storms, when there are any, form in the afternoon.
- If the valley is not safe, we offer another date or a full refund.
The valley lives from its visitors: the restaurants, the guides, the cooperatives and the families who cook for travellers all had very quiet days in early October. Coming now is the best way to help them, and it is a good moment to see the valley green and the river full. Our list of things to do in the Ourika Valley will help you plan the day.
Read next before your visit
To prepare the day, these guides from our local team go further:
- Monday souk of Tnine Ourika: The weekly country market at the entrance of the valley: what you see, when to go, bargaining and photo etiquette.
- Berber food in the valley: Tagines, clay-oven bread, amlou and mint tea: what to eat in Ourika, how to eat it, and three home recipes.
- Saffron garden of Ourika: Le Paradis du Safran: opening hours, entry price, what the visit includes and when the saffron flowers.
- Anima Garden by André Heller: Three hectares of sculptures, pavilions and exotic planting on the Ourika road: tickets, hours, shuttle and how to combine it with the valley.
- Ourika Valley with kids: What children enjoy in the valley, what to skip with little ones, and how to keep the day safe and simple.
- Ourika, Ouzoud or Imlil?: Drive time, walking, season, crowds: the three classic day trips from Marrakech compared honestly by a local team.
- Atlas Mountains day trip: How far the Atlas is from Marrakech, the five valleys you can reach in a day, and which one suits your group.
- Pools and day passes, Ourika road: Where to spend a day by a pool on the Ourika road: published prices, what is included and private transport.
Sources
- Our drivers and guides in the valley: situation observed on 25 October 2026
- Open-Meteo: forecast for Setti Fatma read on 25 October 2026
- Médias24, orange alert bulletin no. 216/2026, 18 October 2026 (in French)
- Our article on the storms and floods of October 2026, with the press sources and the weather alerts
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ourika Valley open after the floods of October 2026?
Yes. On 25 October 2026, our drivers and guides report that the road to Setti Fatma is open, the restaurants along the river are serving, and the villages, cooperatives and waterfall path are welcoming visitors as usual.
Can you walk to the Setti Fatma waterfalls now?
Yes. The walk to the first waterfall has resumed. Go with a local guide, wear closed shoes with grip, and keep the usual rule: never go up when a storm is forecast. Check the current flood vigilance level at the top of our weather page before you go.
Are the river restaurants open?
Yes. The restaurants with tables by the water at Setti Fatma and along the road are open and serving lunch. On our private day trip, lunch by the river is an option at 20 EUR per person.
Is it safe to visit the Ourika Valley this week?
Yes, everything is normal in the valley on 25 October 2026. Our flood watch, read that morning, gives a green flood vigilance level for the next 72 hours and no DGM alert for Al Haouz; one model shows possible showers on the afternoon of Tuesday 27 October, up to about 6 mm in 3 hours over the upper valley. We still check the alerts the evening before and the road in the morning, as we do all year.
What happens to my booking if the weather turns bad again?
If the weather or the river makes the valley unsafe on your date, we offer another date or a full refund. Cancellation is also free up to 48 hours before your trip.
What was damaged by the storms?
According to the Moroccan press, the storms of 2 October brought mud and stones onto the road to Setti Fatma and cut some tracks near the river; no casualties were reported in those articles. The authorities cleared the road with machinery in the following days.
