Bin el-Ouidane Lake

The dam at Bin el-Ouidane was completed in 1953 across the El Abid river and was one of the largest in Africa at the time, at about 130 metres; the lake behind it is roughly 3,800 hectares, branching into flooded valleys between red hills with the High Atlas rising behind. The colour is the thing - a strong turquoise when the level is high, from suspended mineral sediment - and the road along the corniche gives it repeatedly. It supplies irrigation for the Tadla plain and generates power. Around the shore are a few hotels and lodges, kayaking, waterskiing and boat hire, and fishing for pike and carp. It also functions as the staging point for the country beyond: the Ahansal valley, the Cathedral rock, Taghia's climbing gorge and the Bou Guemez valley all lie south and east, and most people who stop here are on the way to one of them.

What's there

• A 1953 dam - about 130 metres high, among the largest in Africa when built.
• Turquoise water - mineral sediment colouring the lake when the level is high.
• A corniche road - repeated views down into the flooded valleys.
• A staging point - for Ahansal, Taghia and the Bou Guemez beyond.

When to go

Spring and autumn. Two days. Water levels are highest after the winter rains.

Good to know

Levels drop substantially in drought years and the colour goes with them. Accommodation is limited and clustered in a few spots. Roads beyond the lake deteriorate quickly. Summer heat at this altitude is still significant.

Nearby

Ouzoud falls are west; the Ahansal valley and Taghia are south-east.