Getting There
By Bus -- Traveling from the south, the regional centers of Demnate and Azilal can be reached by buses departing daily from Marrakech's Bab Doukkala bus station (2 hr. to Demnate, 40dh; 3 1/2 hr. to Azilal, 70dh). Coming from the north, buses depart daily from the main bus station in the strategic transport hub of Beni Mellal (2 hr. to Azilal, 40dh; 3 1/2 hr. to Demnate, 60dh).
By Grand Taxi -- Grands taxis operate from terminals adjacent to the bus stations mentioned above in both Marrakech (1 hr. to Demnate, 70dh; 2 1/2 hr. to Azilal, 80dh) and Beni Mellal (1 hr. to Azilal; 45dh). Separate grands taxis also ply the route all day between Demnate and Azilal (50dh), with the Aït Bou Guemez Valley accessed by grands taxis operating from the latter.
By Car -- Marrakech and Beni Mellal lie almost 200km (124 miles) apart on the major N8 highway, which originates in Fes. From Marrakech, take this highway for 18km (11 miles) to the R210 turnoff for Demnate, which is 80km (50 miles) farther on, via Tazzerte -- this is a more scenic and less trafficked road than the R208 road to Demnate, whose turnoff is just past Tamlet farther along the N8. If you're coming from Beni Mellal, take the N8 for 20km (12 miles), and turn left onto the R508 for a stunning scenic drive via Afourer to Azilal, 68km (42 miles) away.
By Organized Tour -- Many companies in Marrakech offer day tours to the Cascades d'Ouzoud with a short visit to Imi n'Ifri.
Visitor Information
The regional Délégation du Tourisme (tel. 0523/458722) is in Azilal on avenue Hassan II, near the Hotel Assounfou, and is friendly but largely ineffectual. They do have a handy list on their window of late-night pharmacies and a notice board inside with brochures from local hotels.
Fast Facts
WafaCash (tel. 0523/478942) and Banque Populaire (tel. 0523/894571) both have branches with bureaux de change in the center of Demnate, just past the entrance arches, open Monday to Friday 8:15am to 3:45pm. In Azilal, at the turnoff to the valley, there are also branches of WafaCash (tel. 0523/368462) and Banque Populaire (tel. 0523/617854), open Monday to Friday 8:15am to 3:45pm.
Post offices in both Demnate and Azilal are located on the main Demnate-Beni Mellal road, and are open Monday to Friday 8am to 4:15pm and Saturday 8 to 11:45am.
In Demnate, Pharmacie Nouvelle (tel. 0523/896784), opposite the post office, is open 8:30am to 9pm Monday to Friday. In Azilal, at the junction with the road up to the valley, is La Grande Pharmacie de l'Atlas (tel. 0523/458408), open 9am to midnight.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
