How much time do you need for the Atlas Mountains and Ourika?
Updated October 14, 2026 · 6 min read
Plan on a full day: the three Ourika day trips from Marrakesh run for six and a half to seven hours on their booking pages. The shortest is Marrakech: Ourika Waterfalls, Atlas Mountains, Guide & Lunch, which takes 6.5 hours, costs €13.17 and has 4.9 out of 5 from 2,127 reviews. All three go to the Setti Fatma waterfalls; the cheapest is the seven-hour hike.
Six and a half hours or seven: what actually differs
The extra half hour has nothing to do with price, since the shorter day costs €13.28 and the hike costs €9.93. It sits in the programme. The shorter tour describes local villages, a guided hike to the Setti Fatma waterfalls and a choice of option with a traditional riverside lunch. Both seven-hour tours also name Setti Fatma as the destination.
The day trips compared
| Tour | Duration | Price | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marrakech: Ourika Waterfalls, Atlas Mountains, Guide & Lunch | 6.5 hrs | €13.17 | 4.9 / 5 (2,127 reviews) | the shortest day, with optional riverside lunch |
| Marrakesh: Ourika Waterfalls, Atlas Mountains, Guide + Lunch | 7 hrs | €14.31 | 4.9 / 5 (26,708 reviews) | Setti Fatma and the Berber villages |
| Marrakech: Ourika Valley lunch & guided hike to waterfalls | 7 hrs | €9.38 | 4.9 / 5 (10,300 reviews) | the hike at the lowest price |
See prices and dates for the tour with optional riverside lunch
See prices and dates for the tour to the Setti Fatma waterfalls
See prices and dates for the guided waterfall hike
What the hours leave open
None of the three short descriptions says how the hours split between driving, walking and eating. The €13.28 tour speaks of choosing an option with a riverside lunch; whether the other options end earlier only shows once you pick an option on the booking page. For the €9.93 hike, lunch by the river is part of the description, but no time is given for the hike itself.
If you need to be back for the evening, look at the sunset trips to the Ourika Valley: they take five or six hours and replace the day trip rather than adding to it.
Our recommendation
For most people the 6.5-hour day is the right choice: the shortest duration and a 4.9 rating, with a guided hike to the waterfalls and riverside lunch as an option in the description. It has far fewer reviews (2,023) than the other two, so confirm the itinerary, walking time and inclusions on the booking page. If you want to walk to the waterfalls at the lowest price, take the €9.93 hike and accept seven hours. The €15.38 tour costs €5.45 more than the hike and names the same waterfalls, but no hike explicitly.
To book: Marrakech: Ourika Waterfalls, Atlas Mountains, Guide & Lunch.
