Best of Bin El Ouidane

Amid the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, the deep blue waters of Bin El Ouidane contrast sharply with the rocky landscape surrounding it. Back in the 1950s, a long stretch of the Bin El Ouidane river was transformed into one of Morocco’s largest dams, which provides both hydroelectric energy as well as irrigation for thousands of acres. The lake also offers a wide range of aquatic activities and lies near some vibrant Berber communities that have long welcomed visitors. 

Lakeside adventures range from wakeboarding, jet skiing, or kayaking. You can also head out on rafting trips along the class III rapids of the Ahansal River. An excellent day trip in the area takes you to the so-called “happy valley” of Ait Bougmez. It’s a place of mountain scenery, fertile green fields and mud-brick Berber villages inhabited by the Aït Atta, a people known for their legendary hospitality. Other attractions in the area include fossilized dinosaur footprints and 10,000-year-old rock carvings made by Neolithic people.