Ourika Valley
Our packages add a second experience to a private day in the Ourika Valley from Marrakech: a short camel ride in the Atlas foothills, a beginner friendly quad session, a trek and lunch with a Berber family, or the high plateau of Oukaïmeden. Each is a private day, booked by request.
- Four combined days, all private, from your hotel or riad in Marrakech
- Camel ride: a short ride at a roadside camel stop, not a desert trek
- Quad: beginner friendly session with a partner base, helmet and briefing
- Trek and home-cooked lunch with a Berber family
- Oukaïmeden: high plateau, rock engravings, snow in some winters
The classic Ourika Valley day trip already fills a day: the drive through Berber villages, an argan oil cooperative run by women, the walk towards the waterfalls of Setti Fatma and lunch by the river. Some of our guests want something more, or something different. These four packages are the combinations we are asked for most. They all start and end at your hotel or riad in Marrakech, in a private vehicle with a driver who speaks French, English and Spanish.
Ourika Valley and camel ride
On the way to the valley, the plain between Marrakech and the Atlas foothills has a few roadside camel stops, where handlers keep a small group of camels saddled for visitors. We stop at one of them for a short ride, led on foot by the camel handler, with the mountains ahead. Then we continue to the Ourika Valley for the rest of the day.
Let us be honest about what this is: a short ride, a fun break and a good photo, not a desert trek. There are no dunes here. If you dream of the Sahara, that is a multi-day trip far to the south.
- What the day includes: private vehicle and driver, pickup and drop-off in Marrakech, the camel stop on the way, then the Ourika programme (villages, cooperative, Setti Fatma).
- Who it suits: families with children, first-time visitors to Morocco, anyone who wants to try a camel without spending a night in the desert.
- Season: all year. In summer, a morning ride is more pleasant than midday.
Ourika Valley and quad biking
This package adds a quad session with a partner quad base in the foothills and palm grove area on the Marrakech side of the valley. The base provides the quads, helmets and a briefing, and an instructor rides with the group along dirt tracks between palm trees and dry riverbeds. Beginners go at an easy pace; there is no need for experience.
- What the day includes: private vehicle and driver, pickup and drop-off in Marrakech, the quad session with the partner base (quad, helmet, instructor), then time in the Ourika Valley.
- Who it suits: friends, couples and teenagers who want some action along with the landscapes. Tell us the ages of everyone in your group when you ask, so we can check the rules for younger riders.
- Season: all year. Tracks are dusty in summer, so bring sunglasses and a scarf to cover your face.
Trek and lunch with a Berber family
This is the quietest of our days and, for many guests, the one they remember best. With a local guide from the valley you walk on mule paths between villages, above terraced fields watered by the seguias (the traditional irrigation canals), then share a home-cooked lunch in a Berber house, usually a tagine, bread from the clay oven and mint tea. The walk is at a relaxed pace and adapted to the group.
You will find the full programme on our page trek and lunch with a Berber family.
- What the day includes: private transport from Marrakech, a local guide for the walk, lunch with the family. Details are on the dedicated page.
- Who it suits: walkers of all levels who prefer people and villages to crowded spots; families with children used to walking.
- Season: spring and autumn are ideal; summer mornings are fine; winter days are short and can be cold, but clear.
Ourika Valley and Oukaïmeden
At Aghbalou, a mountain road leaves the Ourika Valley and climbs to the Oukaïmeden plateau, at about 2,600 m, one of the highest ski areas in Africa. This package combines the lower valley with a climb to the plateau, where high pastures, stone shepherd huts and prehistoric rock engravings (animals, weapons and symbols carved into the rock) share the space with the ski lifts.
- What the day includes: private vehicle and driver, pickup and drop-off in Marrakech, a stop in the Ourika Valley, the drive up to Oukaïmeden and free time on the plateau. We can arrange a local guide on the plateau to find the engravings, which are scattered and easy to miss on your own.
- Who it suits: travellers who have already seen Setti Fatma, photographers, families who want to see snow, and anyone looking for cool air in summer.
- Season: in winter, the ski area opens only when there is enough snow, roughly January to March, and this varies a lot from year to year. We check conditions close to your date and adapt the plan if the road is difficult. From late spring to autumn, the plateau is green and cool, a welcome break from the heat of Marrakech. Bring a warm layer at any season: it is much colder up there than in the city.
Read our guide on getting to the Ourika Valley for more on the Oukaïmeden road.
How to request a package
Send us a message on WhatsApp (+212 661 454 738) or an email to booking@ourika-valley.com with the package you like, your date, the number of adults and children, and your hotel or riad. We reply within the day with the programme and the price. If you only need transport, see our private transfer, and for more ideas in the valley, our list of things to do in the Ourika Valley.
Frequently asked questions
Can we build our own combination?
Yes. These four packages are the combinations our guests ask for most, but the day is private, so we can adjust it: a cooperative visit instead of a garden, a longer walk, a quieter lunch. Tell us what matters to you and we check that the timing works in one day.
Is the camel ride like a Sahara experience?
No, and we prefer to say it clearly. It is a short ride with a camel handler at a roadside stop in the foothills, a fun break and a good photo. For dunes and nights in a camp, you need a multi-day trip to the Sahara, far from Marrakech.
Do I need experience to drive a quad?
No. The session starts with a briefing and a short practice with the instructor of our partner base, and helmets are provided. Beginners ride at an easy pace. Tell us the ages of everyone in your group so we can check the rules for younger riders with the base.
When can we ski or see snow at Oukaïmeden?
Only when there is enough snow, roughly January to March, and it varies a lot from year to year. Some winters are generous, others almost dry. We check conditions close to your date. Outside winter, the plateau is a cool green escape with prehistoric rock engravings.
How do we book and pay for a package?
Send us your date, group size and the package you like on WhatsApp or by email. We reply within the day with the programme and the price, and explain how to pay. Only the classic Ourika day trip is paid online at booking.
What is the cancellation policy?
Free cancellation up to 7 days before the trip, with a full refund. Later cancellations and no-shows are not refunded. If weather or river conditions make the valley unsafe, we propose another date or a full refund.
