Bin El Ouidane lake: is it worth adding to Ouzoud?

• Dam 62 km from the Ouzoud Waterfalls, about 1 h 20 by road
• 211 km and about 3 h 30 from Marrakech, more than Ouzoud itself
• A 133 m arch dam on the Oued El Abid, the same river as Ouzoud's gorge
• Boat trips and water sports exist; swimming in reservoirs is discouraged
• Best combined with a night at Ouzoud, not as a same-day add-on
• Not priced yet: ask us on WhatsApp, we confirm in writing first

Bin El Ouidane is a large reservoir in the province of Azilal, held back by a high concrete arch dam on the Oued El Abid. It lies 62 km from the Ouzoud Waterfalls, about 1 h 20 by road, and 211 km from Marrakech, about 3 h 30. The lake is a lovely sight, turquoise water between the mountains, and it is a natural extension of a visit to Ouzoud. But it is further from Marrakech than the falls themselves, so our honest advice is simple: see it after a night at Ouzoud, not as a rushed add-on to a day trip.

This guide explains what the lake and the dam are, what you can do there, what to know about swimming, and how the distances work out. The distances and driving times are our own calculation, made with OSRM on OpenStreetMap data. The facts about the dam come from the sources listed at the end, and where they disagree, we say so.

One commercial point before we start, because it matters: we have not yet set a price for trips to Bin El Ouidane, and we do not promise it is available on every date. If you want to see the lake, write to us on WhatsApp before you book anything and we will tell you what is possible.

What is Bin El Ouidane?

Bin El Ouidane is a reservoir, a man-made lake created by a dam across the Oued El Abid in the central High Atlas, in Azilal Province (Béni Mellal-Khénifra region). The English Wikipedia places the dam about 28 km south of Béni Mellal.

The Oued El Abid is the main tributary of the Oum Er-Rbia, one of Morocco's largest rivers. It is also the river at the bottom of the Ouzoud gorge: the Oued Ouzoud drops 110 m over three tiers into the gorge of the Oued El Abid, which flows on east and north towards the reservoir. So the falls and the lake share the same river system, which is one reason they are so often mentioned together.

The dam has three jobs. It produces electricity, it stores water to irrigate the plains around Béni Mellal, and it regulates the river. Bin El Ouidane is also listed as a geosite of the M'Goun UNESCO Global Geopark, the same geopark that includes the Ouzoud Waterfalls and the natural arch of Imi n'Ifri.

When was the dam built, and how big is it?

The sources do not all tell the same story, so here is what each one says.

So when you read "built in 1953", it is broadly right: that is the year most sources give for the end of the works or the opening, while the French article dates commissioning to 1954. For the capacity, the figures range from about 1.4 to 1.5 billion m³. We could not find a reliable figure for the surface area of the lake, so we do not give one. The French Wikipedia only says it is much larger than the lake of Annecy in France.

How far is Bin El Ouidane from Ouzoud, Azilal and Marrakech?

We calculated the road distances and driving times ourselves, with the OSRM routing engine on OpenStreetMap data, and placed the points with Nominatim. The table shows every route involving the dam or Azilal:

Calculated by us on 24 October 2026 with OSRM on OpenStreetMap data (places geocoded with Nominatim). Driving time without stops or traffic: allow more on mountain roads.

In plain words:

• From the Ouzoud Waterfalls, the dam is 62 km away, about 1 h 19 without stops. The road first runs to Azilal (37 km, about 47 minutes), then on to the dam (26 km, about 33 minutes).
• From Marrakech, the dam is 211 km away, about 3 h 29. That is about 50 km and half an hour more than Ouzoud, which is 160 km and about 3 hours from the city.
• From Azilal, the provincial capital, the dam is only 26 km away. Azilal is the natural waypoint between the falls and the lake.

These are driving times without traffic or stops. On mountain roads, with a coffee break and a few photo stops, the real time is longer. Allow 1 h 30 or more between the falls and the lake.

A small note on our own numbers. On our distances page, we give 67 km between Ouzoud and Bin El Ouidane. That figure is measured to the village of Bin El Ouidane, while this page measures to the dam itself. Both are right; they simply end at different points on the lake.

This is the road between the falls, Azilal and the dam, drawn from the same OSRM route:

Can you visit Ouzoud and Bin El Ouidane in one day from Marrakech?

You can, but we do not recommend it to most people, and here is the arithmetic behind that view.

A normal private day trip from Marrakech to Ouzoud already includes about 6 hours on the road: roughly 3 hours each way, as described in our complete guide to Ouzoud. With 3 to 4 hours at the falls, you leave Marrakech around 8:00 and are back in the early evening.

Now add the lake:

• Out and back from Ouzoud: 62 km each way, about 2 h 40 of extra driving. Your total time on the road rises to about 8 h 45.
• A loop, Marrakech to Ouzoud, then the lake, then straight back to Marrakech: about 3 h 03, plus 1 h 19, plus 3 h 29. That is close to 7 h 50 of driving without any stop, almost 2 hours more than the simple day trip.

Either way, you spend 8 to 9 hours in a vehicle in one day, with real stops on top of that. Something has to give, and in practice it is your time at the falls, the walk back up the gorge, or a return to Marrakech late in the evening. In winter, when the sun sets early, a large part of the return would be in the dark. That is not the relaxed day we want for our clients.

There is one more reason. The two places ask for different moods. Ouzoud is a walk: down to the foot of the falls, across the river, back up the other bank. The lake is about stopping, looking, maybe a boat. Done in a hurry, you get neither.

Day trip or night at Ouzoud: which plan fits?

Here is how the options compare, with indicative timings based on our driving times. Exact times depend on the day, the season and your group.

And here is what a two-day plan could look like, as an example only:

1. Day 1, morning: leave Marrakech, about 3 hours to Ouzoud.
2. Day 1, afternoon: settle into your guesthouse, walk down to the falls once the morning crowd thins.
3. Day 1, evening: dinner on a terrace above the gorge.
4. Day 2, early morning: the paths at first light, before the day visitors arrive from Marrakech.
5. Day 2, late morning: drive to Bin El Ouidane via Azilal, about 1 h 20, for the views and, if you wish, a boat trip.
6. Day 2, afternoon: return towards Ouzoud or Marrakech, or continue your trip.

For the night itself, our page on where to stay at Ouzoud maps 16 hotels, riads, guesthouses and campsites within 3 km of the falls and weighs a day trip against a night there. To get to your accommodation, our private transfer takes you from your hotel or riad in Marrakech, or from Marrakech Menara Airport, to the place you stay at Ouzoud.

What does it cost, and can you organise it?

Let us be completely clear here, because we would rather say too little than promise something we cannot do.

• What exists today: our private transfer from Marrakech (city or airport) to your accommodation at Ouzoud costs 180 € per vehicle one way for 1 to 7 people, 250 € for 8 to 17. It covers that route only.
• What does not exist yet: a priced trip to Bin El Ouidane. We have not set a price for driving to the lake, either from Ouzoud or from Marrakech, and we cannot promise it is available on your dates.
• What you can do: write to us on WhatsApp at +212 661 454 738 before you book. Tell us your dates, the size of your group and where you sleep. We check what is possible, then send you the plan and the total in writing. Nothing is due until you have accepted it.

If you prefer a simple day out from Marrakech, our private Ouzoud tour with a local guide at the falls, or our private driver for transport only, are priced and bookable online. For other places within reach of Marrakech, see our page on day trips.

What is there to do at Bin El Ouidane?

The main attraction is the landscape itself. The lake winds between steep mountains, and when it is full the water turns a deep turquoise. The dam is impressive too: a curved concrete wall more than 130 m high, closing a narrow gorge.

Beyond the views, these are the activities we found in published sources. We list them as reported; we have not tested them, and we do not organise them.

• Boat trips: boat outings on the lake are reported by the Belgian daily L'Avenir (2024) and by a lakeside resort, which mentions motorboat hire and picnic trips on the water.
• Kayak and paddleboard: the same resort mentions single and group kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, with instructors for beginners; L'Avenir also lists kayaking.
• Faster water sports: jet skiing, water skiing and wakeboarding are offered by operators around the lake, according to the same two sources.
• Lodges with a view: several lodges and guesthouses stand around the lake, some on the hillsides above the water. We do not review them or book them, so we do not name any here.

Two caveats. First, what runs depends heavily on the season and the water level: in the drought years, the shoreline retreated a long way. Second, ask about life jackets before getting into any boat, especially with children, and never jump into the water from a boat in the middle of the lake.

Can you swim in Bin El Ouidane lake?

Our answer is no, please do not. Here is why.

The Oued El Abid belongs to the Oum Er-Rbia basin, managed by the basin agency known as ABHOER. In 2022 this agency launched a campaign against bathing in dam reservoirs and put up signs prohibiting swimming in the zones concerned. It gives concrete reasons: reservoirs that look calm can hide traps, the silt at the bottom can pull swimmers down, the water can be more than 100 m deep, and the banks are not developed, so getting out of the water can be hard.

Drownings at Bin El Ouidane have been reported over the years. In September 2020, for example, the press reported that a man who dived from a boat in the middle of the lake never resurfaced, and was still missing after three days of searching. The Belgian daily L'Avenir headlined a 2024 report on "drought and drownings" at the lake.

We did not find a regulation that applies specifically to Bin El Ouidane, so we cannot tell you exactly which shore is signposted. The safe rule is simple: enjoy the lake from the shore or from a boat, wearing a life jacket. If you want a dip on your trip, read our page on swimming at Ouzoud first, which explains where people bathe at the falls and the risks there.

Is there always water in the lake?

There is always water, but the level swings a lot. The lake depends on rain and snow in the High Atlas and on how much water is drawn for irrigation, and the last decade has been hard.

• According to the French Wikipedia, the reservoir hit its lowest recorded level at the end of January 2022, about 14 % full.
• L'Avenir reported in August 2024 that the lake had lost more than 90 % of its water in six years.
• According to Le360, the reservoir was 13 % full in April 2025.
• After a wet winter, it reached 94.6 % in mid-April 2026, nearly 1.1 billion m³, a level not seen for about 11 years, again according to Le360.

What this means for you: in a dry year, expect wide bare banks and a smaller lake than in older photos. After a wet winter, it can look completely different. The 2026 peak came in April, after the winter rains, and spring is also when the falls are at their strongest. For the weather at Ouzoud month by month, see our weather page.

Is Bin El Ouidane worth it?

It depends on your trip.

Yes, if you sleep at Ouzoud, travel on towards Béni Mellal or the high valleys of the central High Atlas, enjoy landscapes and lakes, or want a quiet half-day after the busier paths of the falls.

Probably not, if you have a single day from Marrakech and Ouzoud is your main goal. The falls deserve your full attention, and 3 to 4 hours there is what makes the day work. Adding the lake would turn a full but pleasant day into a long one in the vehicle.

Another option nearby: if you want a second stop on the same day without adding much time, the natural arch of Imi n'Ifri near Demnate lies on an alternative route between Marrakech and Ouzoud. Our full loop through Imi n'Ifri is about 6 h 40 of driving, much closer to the plain day trip than the lake.

Whatever you choose, ask us before you book. We prefer to tell you honestly that a plan is too long than to have you spend your holiday in a vehicle.

Sources

• Our calculation: road distances and driving times with OSRM (router.project-osrm.org) on OpenStreetMap data (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), places geocoded with Nominatim, computed on 24 October 2026
• Bin el Ouidane Dam, Wikipedia (English), consulted October 2026
• Barrage de Bin el Ouidane, Wikipédia (French), consulted October 2026
• Barrage Bin el Ouidane : 94,6 % de remplissage, une première depuis 11 ans, Le360, 18 April 2026, consulted October 2026
• L'ABHOER sensibilise sur les baignades des retenues d'eau de barrages, Hespress FR, 8 July 2022, consulted October 2026
• Sécheresse et noyades : au Maroc, la malédiction du lac Bin El Ouidane, L'Avenir, 10 August 2024, consulted October 2026
• Bine El Ouidane : une sortie entre amis vire au drame, Bladi.net, 29 September 2020, consulted October 2026
• Widiane Resort & Spa, Unique Hotels (activities on the lake), consulted October 2026
• M'Goun UNESCO Global Geopark, geosites, consulted October 2026