Ida Outanane
Ait Lahcen Waterfalls
Waterfalls, pools and a palm oasis an hour from Agadir — with an optional climb to a 1 160 m summit looking back at the coast.
The practical bits
- Length
- Half day or full day
- Time out
- About 8 hours
- Difficulty
- Easy to moderate
- From Agadir
- 32 km
- Drive time
- 1h
- Best time
- Spring, autumn and winter
- Phone signal
- Phone signal available
An hour from Agadir, in the Ida Outanane mountains, water comes down through the rock into a series of pools you can swim in. It is the closest of our trips and one of the easiest, and it still feels a long way from the beach.
The valley floor is an oasis: date palms, pomegranates, olives and argan, and an old stone olive-oil press that is still there to look at. The village is small and unpretentious. People keep goats and chickens and bees, and if you want to see how that actually works rather than read about it, this is the day for it.
How long and how hard the day is depends on you. Some people spend it beside the water. Others walk up to the summit of Lalla Hajja at 1 160 metres, where on a clear day you can see the whole Agadir coastline behind you. We plan the day around what your group wants to do.
What makes it special
- Waterfalls and pools that are genuinely good for swimming
- A palm oasis with pomegranate, olive and argan trees
- An old traditional olive-oil press
- A small mountain village where people keep goats, chickens and bees
- Optional climb to Lalla Hajja, 1 160 m, overlooking the Agadir coast
What you can do here
- Hiking, at whatever pace your group is happy with
- Swimming in the falls and pools
- Photography
- Sitting round a fire the traditional way
- Eating a home-cooked local meal
- Camping overnight in tents
- Climbing to the Lalla Hajja summit
Everything here is included in the day if you want it, and nothing is compulsory. Tell us in advance what you are hoping for and we will plan around it.
When to come
Good all year round, apart from the hottest stretches of summer. Spring is the best of it, when the valley is green and the water is high.
What to bring
- Enough water for the day
- Comfortable clothes you can move in
- Sun hat and sunscreen
- Swimwear and a towel
- Walking shoes if you want the summit
Good to know
- Rocks around the falls are slippery. Take your time getting in and out.
- The summit walk is optional and adds real effort — tell us in advance so we plan the day for it.
- Mobile signal and internet are available here.
Other trips
Half dayAit Chleuh Valley
A green valley in the Ida Outanane mountains with water running all year, reached on foot through an old Amazigh village.
- Distance from Agadir
- 43 km
- Drive time
- 1h15
- Difficulty
- Easy
Private tripAsk for a price
Full dayAssif n Ahad Cave
The quietest of our trips — a cave mouth and rock formations in the Tidrart valleys, well off any tourist route.
- Distance from Agadir
- 70 km
- Drive time
- 1h30
- Difficulty
- Easy
Private tripAsk for a price