In Morocco there are some waterfalls outside of Marrakesh, the Cascades D’Ouzoud, that are rather exotic. The falls flow steeply from high within the Atlas mountains, and along the fertile valley are small camps and huts, where people can relax and swim or sit for tea. There is a small hotel above the falls where you can have good Moroccan soup, and for 10 dirham (one-dollar twenty) you can lay your sleeping bag out on the roof and sleep beneath the stars. I once spent a night there with some other travelers that had come over from Marrakesh. I remember there was an Argentine fellow who had stayed a month at that hotel, just swimming and relaxing by the streams that flow down into the mountains.

Because of plans for the desert I hadn’t enough time to explore Ouzoud, but I hope to go back there someday. If you are ever in Marrakesh it is well worth the trip. There are some good trails that run along the cascading streams, and many good places where you can swim and jump from the smaller waterfalls. At the hotel Chellal D’Ouzoud you will find good, clean rooms, and they serve mint tea in the cafe, as well as traditional Moroccan food.