The **ouzoud falls location** is Azilal Province, Morocco, in the Middle Atlas foothills near the village of Tanaghmeilt, at roughly 32.03 N, -6.78 W and about 900 meters above sea level.
The ouzoud falls location is Azilal Province, Morocco, tucked into the Middle Atlas foothills near the village of Tanaghmeilt, roughly 32.03 N, -6.78 W and sitting at around 900 meters above sea level. I would treat this page as your quick reference, the exact numbers you would want before pinning the spot on a map or explaining to a travel companion why the trip takes as long as it does.
Where Exactly Is Ouzoud Falls Located?
Ouzoud sits in the Grand Atlas foothills of Azilal Province, roughly 150 km north of Marrakech and about 22 km from the town of Azilal itself. I think the “Azilal Province” detail matters more than most guides give it credit for, since it places the falls firmly in the Middle Atlas rather than the higher, more remote peaks of the High Atlas that people sometimes confuse it with. The nearest village, Tanaghmeilt, is where most guided tours park and begin the walk down through the olive groves, and it is small enough that you will pass through the whole thing in a few minutes on the way to the trailhead.
I would also mention the river by name, since it explains a lot about why the falls exist here specifically. The El Abid River carves through this stretch of Azilal Province on its way toward the Bin el Ouidane reservoir further downstream, and Ouzoud marks the single most dramatic drop along that entire course.
What Are the GPS Coordinates for Ouzoud Falls?
The falls sit at approximately 32.03 N, -6.78 W. I would plug these directly into whatever map app you use rather than searching by name, since “Ouzoud” alone sometimes returns the wrong pin depending on your map provider. If you are driving yourself, I would also save the coordinates offline before you leave Marrakech, since mobile signal gets patchy through parts of the Tadla plains.
How High Above Sea Level Is Ouzoud?
The plateau above the falls sits at roughly 900 meters above sea level, noticeably cooler and greener than Marrakech’s roughly 460 meter elevation. I would actually pack a light layer for this reason, even in warmer months, since the temperature difference is real once you are standing at the clifftop viewpoint in the morning before the sun is fully up. The elevation also explains the olive groves you walk through on the way down, since this altitude and rainfall combination supports agriculture that would not survive at Marrakech’s lower, drier elevation.
How Tall Is the Waterfall Itself?
Ouzoud drops around 110 meters, or roughly 360 feet, from the plateau down to the pools below, making it the tallest waterfall in North Africa. I would not think of that number as one clean vertical drop, since the water splits and cascades across multiple tiers on the way down, which is part of what gives the site its scale when you are standing at the bottom looking up. My complete Ouzoud waterfalls guide covers the fuller picture if you want the whole story beyond the numbers.
What Does the Surrounding Ouzoud Valley Look Like?
The gorge is lined with terraced olive groves right up to the cliff edge, with red rock walls that catch dramatic light in the late afternoon. I would call the valley itself, not just the waterfall, the real draw here, since the terracing and the greenery against red rock is a genuinely different landscape from what most people picture when they think of Morocco. Small stone farmhouses dot the upper slopes, and you will likely pass grazing goats and mules being led along the trail by local farmers on an ordinary working day, which adds a layer of everyday life on top of the scenery. My history and Berber villages page goes deeper into the villages and farms scattered through this same valley.
What Is Directly Below the Falls?
At the base of the drop, the river widens into a series of pools where boats ferry visitors close to the spray, and this is also where most swimming happens on hot days. I would treat this lower section as the second half of the visit, distinct from the clifftop viewpoints above, since the perspective and the temperature both change noticeably once you descend into the gorge itself.
Is Ouzoud in the High Atlas or Middle Atlas Mountains?
Ouzoud sits on the northern fringe of the Atlas Mountains system, in terrain most geographers classify as the Middle Atlas foothills rather than the higher High Atlas peaks further south near Toubkal. I would not get too hung up on the exact boundary line between the two ranges, since in practice what matters for a visit is the gorge and the river, not which official mountain range name applies to the plateau above it. If you have already visited the High Atlas closer to Marrakech, Ouzoud will still feel distinct: gentler terrain overall, but with a river gorge that the higher peaks simply do not have.
How Does the Location Compare to Ourika Valley?
Ourika Valley sits closer to Marrakech, roughly an hour’s drive into the High Atlas foothills, while Ouzoud is a genuinely longer trip north into Azilal Province. I would pick based on how much of your day you want to spend on the road, since Ourika trades travel time for a smaller waterfall and Ouzoud asks for a longer drive in exchange for the taller, more dramatic falls. Neither location is objectively better, in my view, they simply sit in different parts of the Atlas Mountains and reward different priorities. My Ouzoud versus Ourika comparison lines up the full tradeoff.
Are There Other Waterfalls in the Same Area?
Smaller cascades are scattered through the wider Atlas Mountains region, though none reach Ouzoud’s height or draw the same crowds. I would treat Ouzoud as the anchor destination for a waterfall focused day trip from Marrakech, and my waterfalls near Marrakech roundup covers the alternatives if you want to compare.
Does the Location Affect the Best Time to Visit?
Yes, since the falls are fed by Atlas Mountain snowmelt and rainfall further upstream, the elevation and mountain setting directly drive how full the cascade runs in a given month. I would check my best time to visit guide before locking in dates if water flow matters to you, since spring and late summer look genuinely different at this specific location.
Can You See Wildlife Given the Location?
Yes, the olive groves and cliff terrain around the falls support a resident population of wild Barbary macaques, along with birdlife nesting in the gorge itself. I would factor this into how you dress and what you carry, since food left visible tends to draw curious monkeys along the trail. My Barbary monkeys guide covers exactly where sightings are most common.
How Long Does It Take to Reach This Location From Marrakech?
Budget two and a half to three hours each way by road, longer if your driver stops for a break along the Tadla plains, which most do. I would not underestimate this drive time when planning your day, since the location’s distance from Marrakech is the single biggest factor in whether Ouzoud fits comfortably into your itinerary. My complete guide to getting to Ouzoud breaks down every route and travel time in detail.
Why Does the Location Make Ouzoud a Full Day Trip Rather Than a Half Day?
Simple math: five to six hours round trip on the road alone leaves relatively little of a normal day for the falls themselves once you add the hike down, time at the pools, and the walk back up. I would plan on a ten to twelve hour door to door day from Marrakech, and I think anyone budgeting less than that for this specific location is setting themselves up for a rushed, unsatisfying visit.
So What Should You Take Away From the Ouzoud Falls Location?
If you remember one thing from this page, I would make it this: Ouzoud sits far enough from Marrakech, in a genuinely mountainous setting, that it deserves a full day rather than a rushed stop. The payoff for that distance is a taller, more dramatic waterfall and a cooler, greener valley than anything closer to the city offers, and I have not found the drive time to be a serious downside once I weigh it against what you actually see once you arrive.
Ready to see the falls in person? Reserve the Ouzoud Waterfalls guided hike and boat tour with hotel pickup included, so the drive and the directions are someone else’s job for the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where exactly is Ouzoud Falls located?
In Azilal Province, Morocco, in the Middle Atlas foothills near the village of Tanaghmeilt, about 150 km north of Marrakech.
What are the coordinates for Ouzoud Falls?
Approximately 32.03 N, -6.78 W.
How high is the elevation at Ouzoud Falls?
The plateau above the falls sits at roughly 900 meters above sea level.
Is Ouzoud Falls in the High Atlas or Middle Atlas?
It sits on the northern fringe of the Atlas Mountains system, generally classified within the Middle Atlas foothills.
