Bhalil cave houses

Bhalil is a troglodyte village near Sefrou in Morocco's Fès-Meknès region, where many houses are built against or cut into the rock of the hillside. A walk through the village is an informal way to see how people live in cave homes: rooms in the rock serve as living rooms, kitchens and stores, with whitewashed and painted facades in front. The route follows narrow stepped lanes up the slope from the lower town, passing small mosques, workshops and neighbours sitting in doorways. Some residents invite walkers into their cave rooms for tea, and a tip of 20 to 50 MAD is customary. Weavers in the village produce textiles on traditional looms, and visitors can stop at workshops along the route. At the top, a viewpoint gives a wide look across the roofs and the valley of orchards and olive groves below. Allow one to two hours for an unhurried walk. Morning is the best time, when the village is quiet, the air is cool and the light shows the rock faces well; in the heat of the day the steep lanes are tiring. Visitors should be respectful of the residents, asking permission before photographing people or homes, and wearing modest clothing. Shared taxis from Sefrou take about ten minutes and cost a few dirhams per seat. A local guide is not essential, but children in the village may offer to lead visitors, and the fee should be settled beforehand. Bhalil is easily combined with Sefrou's medina and the Oued Aggai in a half-day from Fès, about 30 km away.