Ourika Valley
Valley in the Atlas Mountains, Morocco
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ourika Valley is a valley in the Moroccan High Atlas along the Ourika River. It is located around 30 km from Marrakesh, and is essentially populated by Berber people speaking Shilha. Despite its proximity to Marrakesh, it is still considered a relatively well-preserved valley, by its very nature it preserves the traditional mountain way of life.[1]
| Ourika Valley | |
|---|---|
 Ourika Valley | |
  Location within Morocco | |
| Naming | |
| Native name | وادي أوريكا (Arabic) |
| Geography | |
| Coordinates | 31°20′37″N 7°45′05″W |
 Interactive map of Ourika Valley | |
History
Ourika is the name of one of the most famous tribes, written by Ibn Khaldoun.
Monuments and touristic sites
Setti-Fatma
Setti-Fatma is the last small town (or douar) which is accessible by the paved route. It is the departure point for many excursions to the nearby mountains. The most prized and most easy hike consists of mounting the length of a mountain torrent in order to discover the cascades.
Tnine-de-l’Ourika
It is a little village (or douar) without great architectural interest. It is however the center of the weekly traditional market (or souk), taking place every Monday (or tnine in Arabic).
ANIMA Garden
Among the valley’s attractions is Anima Garden, a botanical and sculpture garden established by Austrian artist André Heller on formerly arid land. [2]