Marrakesh : Day Trip To Ourika valley

We did not expect it to be so beautiful and spectacular. Our driver Iman was very polite, gave us information about what we were going to see and stopped every time to take pictures. Arriving at the location, we had a guide, Abdul (I hope I spelled his name correctly) full of a lot of knowledge. I climbed with him up to 800m. A dream image, a wonderful experience.

Pick up on time outside my riad, comfortable transport in air conditioned SUV. We first stopped for tea and breakfast at a traditional Berbère home where the lady of the house prepared tea and we got a tour of the house, it's really interesting to see how people live in the valley and they are very welcoming. Then we stopped at the argan oil shop where you can also find the famous black soap and other spices and products. These are all natural and proper products unlike the crap you find in the Marrakech souks so I definitely recommend buying from there. Next we arrived at the Ourika valley for a hike to the first waterfall (about an hour and a half long). The hike is manageable and it's cool up there so we didn't suffer from the heat. On the way and up there you can stop for shopping at the local artisanal shops and cafés, and cool down in the natural pools and waterfall and enjoy the stunning views of the Atlas. Our guide Khalid was really friendly and knowledgeable, he took loads of photos and videos! After the hike we went to one of the restaurants just by the riverbed which was lovely (tagine & couscous on the menu of course!). Perfect day outside of town, great to escape the scorching heat of Marrakech. Thanks a lot to the organiser Youness and the driver Kamal, I definitely recommend this tour!

My wife and I have always wanted to Travel to Morocco, meet new people, experience their culture and to make a life time experience. We were very lucky all the above happened during our Trip in Morocco. We booked two one day trips to Ourika Valley and Essaouira. We were picked up from our Riad in the morning and dropped back in the evening. The tour was scheduled well and we were picked up on time. The amount of knowledge the guides especially Youness has is very impressive as it clearly shows how much he loves his (Berber) culture. He was very friendly with all of us, has a good sense of humour, and helped us purchase souvenirs. We even exchanged contact details as we become closer at the end of the trip and made our Morocco experience a memorable one. I would highly recommend Moroccan Memory Makers. Thanks for making our stay wonderful Youness.