Khenifra

Red earthen fortress town on the Oum er-Rbia River — heartland of the Zayane Amazigh who resisted French colonisation the longest, now gateway to the Plateau des Lacs

Highlights

• Source of the Oum er-Rbia: The great Oum er-Rbia River springs from 40 sources in a forest clearing 15 km north of Khenifra — one of Morocco's most beautiful natural spots
• Kasbah of Moha ou Hammou Zaïni: Ruins of the fortress of the legendary Zayane leader, where Amazigh fighters held off French troops for years at the Battle of El Herri (1914)
• Gateway to the Plateau des Lacs: Just 50 km east lies a chain of volcanic crater lakes on the Middle Atlas plateau — Aguelmame Sidi Ali, Aguelmane Azigza — perfect for wild camping

Top places

• Oum er-Rbia Springs
• Kasbah of Moha ou Hammou
• Aguelmame Sidi Ali Lake
• Oum er-Rbia Bridge Walk