Paradise Valley is what you do on a flat day. Drive inland from Aourir and within a few minutes the coast is gone, the road starts climbing through argan trees and bare red hills, and then you drop into a gorge full of palm trees with turquoise pools at the bottom. It really does look like the name, which almost never happens.
Getting there
The valley is up the road towards Imouzzer Ida Outanane, inland from Aourir. From Taghazout, count on roughly an hour's drive. The last stretch is rough, so take it slowly.
- Taxi: the easiest way without a car. A driver will take you there, wait, and bring you back. Agree the price before you leave. Expect something around 300 to 500 dirhams for the round trip with waiting, depending on your bargaining and the season.
- Shared taxi: the cheap way. Get to Aourir by bus or shared taxi, then take a shared taxi up to the valley for a few dozen dirhams a seat. It works, but coming back late in the afternoon can be slow. Start early.
- A tour: almost every surf camp and guesthouse can book one, usually for 250 to 400 dirhams a person with lunch.
- Scooter or car: both are easy to rent in Taghazout. The road is good until the last part.
What it's like
From the car park it's about half an hour's walk into the gorge, over rocks that are slippery in places. Then it opens up into a string of rock pools under the palms. People swim, lie on the warm rocks, and jump from the ledges into the deeper pools. Small stalls sell fresh orange juice and snacks, and a few simple restaurants do tagines and salads.
There's no entry fee. You pay a few dirhams for parking at the barrier.
When to go
- Spring is best, roughly March to June, when there's water in the pools and it isn't too hot.
- After rain the pools are full and the valley is at its greenest.
- Late summer can leave the pools low and the heat brutal.
- Go early. Tour groups arrive around late morning, and Sundays fill up with local families. Midweek, before ten, you can have a pool to yourself.
Please read this bit
- Check the depth before you jump. Water levels change through the year. A pool that was deep in April can be shallow in September.
- Flash floods are real. In winter, after heavy rain in the mountains, the water can rise fast. If it's brown, or rising, don't go in. Heavy rain sometimes closes the road completely.
- Take your rubbish with you. The valley is only this beautiful because people do.
What to bring
Shoes you can walk and scramble in (water shoes are ideal), a swimsuit, a towel, at least a litre and a half of water, sunscreen, a hat, cash, and a bag for your rubbish. A picnic is a good idea too.
If you keep driving
Another fifteen kilometres or so up the road is the village of Imouzzer Ida Outanane, with waterfalls that flow part of the year, usually from late winter into summer. The path down is steep. Expect unofficial guides to offer their help quite insistently. Imouzzer's weekly souk is on Thursday, and the area is known for its honey.
Looking for more to do when the sea is flat? See things to do without surfing.