Some 30 km north-east of Agadir, on the road to Imouzzer, a valley in the Atlas hides an oued, a river lined with palm trees. Down at the bottom, the water forms clear pools between the rocks and the reeds. We went at the end of October 2024, during the French autumn half-term. Our verdict fits in one sentence: Paradise Valley is well worth a day of your trip, especially if there's water.
- Where
- Agadir & Taghazout, Morocco
- When
- Visited in October 2024
- Duration
- 1 day
- On the programme
- 6 stops
A green valley in the middle of dry mountains
What you see as you arrive
- Place
- Paradise Valley · Open in Maps
The Imouzzer road leaves the coast at Aourir and climbs into the first mountains of the Atlas. The landscape soon turns dry: ochre slopes, scrub, rocks. Then, at the bottom of the valley, a strip of palm trees marks the river. That's where the rock pools are.
Where we started walking, the riverbed was no more than a trickle of muddy water. You need to go on a little further to find clear water.
The path between reeds and palm trees
The path follows the river. You walk on red earth, between reeds and palm trees, with the water a few metres away. The kids led the way.
In places, the water spills over the path and the earth turns to mud.
Wear closed shoes that don't mind getting wet: the path is earth and waterlogged in places.
“Paradise Valley is well worth a day of your trip, especially if there's water.”
The rock pools: the reason to go
And a tagine by the water
- Place
- Paradise Valley rock pools · Open in Maps
Further on, the river widens into pools between the rocks. At the end of October, the water was clear enough to see every pebble on the bottom. That moment is what you make the trip for.
Little cafés set out plastic chairs, parasols and rugs at the water's edge. We stopped at one for a tagine, in the shade of the reeds, watching the river flow by. And there we rediscovered what vegetables taste like: a real taste, the kind you don't come across very often any more. Our guess is that they were naturally grown, but the setting surely had something to do with it too.
In fact, that's true all over Morocco: vegetables taste of something again, and Moroccan food is a must on the trip, especially when you know where to eat.
Read our guide “10 best restaurants in Agadir & Taghazout”
If you swim with kids, check the depth before letting them in: it changes from one pool to the next.
Higher up, the path runs along the gorges
After the pools, the path carries on. It passes above a small gorge of red rock, between dry trees, with an open view of the mountains. There's less water and less shade.
We pushed on a little further before turning back. If you go in the heat of the day, take water and a hat for this stretch.
For the kids: the donkey ride back
On the way back, you can ride up on a donkey. Our son was 8 when he did it, and it has stayed with him as an unforgettable memory.
If you're coming with kids, don't miss it: for them, it's perfect.
When to go: it all depends on the water
The valley is only really worth it if there's water, and the level depends on the rain. It's at its highest from February to April, after the winter. In high summer, from June to August, the pools can be almost dry and the walk becomes hard going in the heat.
At the end of October 2024, there was enough water to make the walk worthwhile. Before you set off, ask your accommodation or a taxi driver whether it has rained in the valley recently.
Paradise Valley doesn't ask for much: a car or a taxi, good shoes and a free day. In return, it gives you what is sometimes missing after several days at the beach: fresh water, a tagine in the shade of the reeds and, for the kids, a donkey ride they won't forget in a hurry. We recommend it to families staying in Agadir or Taghazout, on one condition: check there's water before you go.
Our tips before you go
- Water level: ask whether it has rained in the valley over the last few days before making the trip.
- Best time to go: February to April; avoid June, July and August.
- Closed shoes that don't mind getting wet: the path is earth and waterlogged in places.
- Water, a hat and sun cream: away from the valley floor, the slopes have little shade.
- Lunch: have a tagine at one of the cafés by the water.
- With kids: plan on the donkey ride for the way back.
- Small change in dirhams for parking, lunch and the donkeys.
