Overview:

This blog is a random concoction and blend of my thoughts, interests, and daily observations. Currently, I am a lover of tea, indoor house plants, trying new foods, and learning about different cultures. I work for the public schools and despite all the downsides that most of us are aware of, it is a job that I am grateful for and feel proud to show up at everyday. Some thoughts here will reflect my experiences at work.

Excursion: Ouzoud Falls

Published on Sunday, June 3, 2012 Leave your thoughts »

Being just a 3-hour bus ride away, I made a one-day excursion with two other lovely volunteers from Marrakech to Ouzoud falls. I'd heard other volunteers talk about the gorgeous sight there but it's even more stunning in person. We took a private tour bus at 7am which picked us up just in front of a mosque in the medina. I dozed off for more or less the whole way there, occasionally being jolted awake when the bus went over a particularly rough bump and bounced us off our seats. Once we arrived, a tour guide met us as we stepped off the bus and offered to take us on the 90 minute trek up to the top of the waterfalls.
We started near the drop-off sight where there was a market selling fresh fruit, various dangling meats, and random knick knacks like hats and knock-off watches. There were donkeys everywhere. These creatures can be seen silently pulling huge loads and carts, fetching water, carrying people, and tied to random posts and trees.  It never occurred to me until my visit in this country that these animals live such harsh lives. But in a place where physical labour is a central part of everyday human life, the donkeys are an important method of transportation and survival.
We followed a small trail and passed by some small houses/shacks (or would they be considered huts?). The walls and doors were so thin that we could hear someone showering inside as we walked by.
We also met some monkeys after luring them in with a couple bananas. It's always nice to see wildlife in their natural habitat.

After about 45 minutes of hiking and observing many olive groves along the way, we reached a small bridge of wooden planks and a mini-waterfall. Here, visitors are invited to change into bathing suits and dive in! I had neither adequate courage nor the swimming skills for this so I settled for wading and splashing around near the bottom.
This is a view as we were approaching the peak. After trekking through mud paths, being surrounded by trees, and battling through stubborn bushes, it was thrilling to finally look down over the canyons and see the breathtaking waterfalls. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant just on the side of a trail where I devoured some chicken skewers and olives. It was a very mellow and comfortable atmosphere for unwinding and getting to meet and chat with other travelers on the tour.
There are boat rides that take you just under the falls which is a fantastic way to cool down after the climb. Each colourful decked-out boat has a single rower at the front who takes the work of steering twenty passengers in a full circle under the flood of cascading water. It's a magnificent sight that just can't be captured through a camera lens. I absolutely recommend coming to Ouzoud if you're ever in Morocco. It's not too time-consuming even if you're on a short trip and it's a relatively cheap excursion for some beautiful landscapes.


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Location: Morocco

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