Bhalil Cave Houses

Bhalil is a small Berber town about ten minutes by road from Sefrou in Morocco's Fès-Meknès region, built on a hillside above a valley of orchards. It is known for its troglodyte houses, in which some rooms are cut directly into the soft rock and still serve as living rooms, kitchens and storerooms. The rock keeps the interiors cool in summer and warm in winter, and families have lived in this way for generations. Visitors usually tour the lanes on foot, climbing narrow stepped alleys between whitewashed and painted houses. Some residents invite visitors into their cave homes to see the interior, offering tea and bread, and a tip of 20 to 50 MAD is customary for house tours. The town is also known for its traditional weaving, and small workshops produce woollen and cotton textiles, including striped cloth and blankets which can be bought directly from the makers. A viewpoint above the town gives a panorama of the roofs and the surrounding landscape. A visit usually takes one to two hours. Morning is the best time, when the town is quiet and light is good for photographs. The site is free to enter and open all day, but visitors should treat the village as a living community and ask permission before photographing people or entering homes. From Sefrou, shared taxis run to Bhalil for a few MAD per seat, and the trip takes about ten minutes. Bhalil is often combined with Sefrou's medina and the waterfalls of the Oued Aggai in a half-day outing from Fès, which is about 30 km away. Footwear with grip is advisable on the steep stairways.