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Béni Mellal,
Morocco.

Middle Atlas foothills · Béni Mellal-Khénifra

Plan a Béni Mellal trip
From Marrakech
173 kmas the crow flies
How long
1 night (or en route between Marrakech and Fes)
Nearest airport
Marrakech Menara (RAK) + 2h30 drive, or Casablanca Mohammed V (CMN) + 2h30 drive
Best time
March–June and September–November

Northeast of Marrakech below the Middle Atlas — Beni Mellal, gateway to the Ain Asserdoun springs and Bin el-Ouidane lake.

Béni Mellal is a city of roughly 200,000 in the foothills of the Middle Atlas at about 465 m, sitting at the junction of the Tadla plain and the mountains, approximately 200 km north-east of Marrakech and 190 km south of Casablanca. It is the regional capital of the Béni Mellal-Khénifra region and, for travellers, primarily a base for the surrounding landscapes: the Ain Asserdoun springs and gardens above the city, the vast Bin el-Ouidane hydroelectric reservoir and its turquoise gorges 40 km west, and the Cascades d'Ouzoud 80 km east — making it a practical central hub between Marrakech, Fes and the central Atlas. The city itself has an 18th-century kasbah, a lively Thursday souk and olive and orange orchards across the plain, though its urban character is modern and the principal draw is the spectacular mountain and water scenery immediately surrounding it.

Where it sits

Béni Mellal on the map.

Béni Mellal is about 173 km north-east of Marrakech in a straight line; the road is longer. The line on the map is that straight line, not the route your driver takes.

  1. Ouzoud Falls50 km
  2. Aït Bougmez Valley75 km
  3. Dadès & Todra Gorges109 km

Map: Marrakech to Béni Mellal

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

What to see in Béni Mellal.

  1. What are the Ain Asserdoun springs?

    Ain Asserdoun ('the mule springs') is a natural spring complex on the hillside above Béni Mellal, reached by a 2 km road from the city centre. The springs feed a series of cascades through terraced gardens of olive, fig, pomegranate and orange trees, with the kasbah of Béni Mellal above and a panoramic view across the Tadla plain below. It is one of the most pleasant green escapes on the Marrakech–Fes route.

  2. Bin el-Ouidane reservoir and gorges

    Forty kilometres west of Béni Mellal, the Bin el-Ouidane dam (completed 1954) impounds the Oued el-Abid in a dramatic canyon of limestone gorges, creating a turquoise lake 150 km long at full capacity. Boat trips on the reservoir, cliff-top viewpoints and swimming in the gorge pools make it one of the most beautiful inland water landscapes in Morocco.

  3. Kasbah of Béni Mellal

    The 18th-century kasbah overlooks the city and the Ain Asserdoun gardens from a hilltop position — its walls and towers are largely intact and offer panoramic views across the plain toward the High Atlas. Most visitors combine it with the spring gardens on the same hillside walk.

  4. Gateway to Ouzoud Falls and the Azilal highlands

    Béni Mellal is 80 km west of the Cascades d'Ouzoud — the most practical overnight base for an early-morning visit to Morocco's highest waterfalls before the day-trip crowds arrive from Marrakech. The Azilal highlands beyond Ouzoud offer further trekking into the central High Atlas.

Trips

Béni Mellal, the way we would plan it.

Every itinerary is private and built around your dates, with a proper stop in Béni Mellal. Each one is priced in a written quote within 24 hours.

  1. Marrakech to Fes via the Middle Atlas

    4 days

    A private four-day overland from Marrakech through Béni Mellal, the Bin el-Ouidane gorges, Ouzoud Falls and Azrou to Fes — the scenic route through the central Atlas.

  2. Béni Mellal & Bin el-Ouidane day

    1 day

    A private day from Marrakech or Fes: the Ain Asserdoun springs, kasbah viewpoint and a boat trip on the turquoise Bin el-Ouidane reservoir.

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Plan your Béni Mellal days

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Béni Mellal, answered.

Is Béni Mellal worth stopping at between Marrakech and Fes?
As a base for the surrounding landscapes, yes. The Ain Asserdoun springs are genuinely attractive, Bin el-Ouidane is spectacular, and the position 80 km from Ouzoud Falls makes it the ideal overnight for an early-morning waterfall visit. The city itself is modern and unremarkable, but the mountain scenery around it is excellent.
What is Bin el-Ouidane and how do you visit it?
Bin el-Ouidane is a large hydroelectric reservoir 40 km west of Béni Mellal, set in a deep limestone canyon. The drive down to the dam is dramatic; local boat operators offer trips on the turquoise water; and the gorge viewpoints above the dam are some of the most striking in central Morocco. We arrange the boat and driver from Béni Mellal.
How far is Béni Mellal from Ouzoud Falls?
About 80 km east on the R304 road — approximately 1h30 by car. Béni Mellal makes a better base for a dawn visit to Ouzoud than Marrakech (which is 160 km / 2h30 away), allowing you to arrive before the day-trip minibuses from the city.

Before you go.

Getting there
About 2h30 (200 km) north-east of Marrakech on the N8; 2h30 south of Casablanca on the same road
Best combined with
Ouzoud Falls (80 km east) and Bin el-Ouidane reservoir (40 km west) in a single day or overnight
Market day
Thursday souk is the principal weekly market — one of the largest agricultural souks in the central region
Note
Béni Mellal is a working Moroccan city rather than a tourist destination; use it as a base for the surrounding landscapes rather than as a destination in itself

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