The city of Bhalil, which is about 26 kilometers away from the city of Fez and only five kilometers away from Sefrou, includes about 600 caves that are spread in various neighborhoods of the city and see the visitors and guests who flock to it.
These caves, which differ in their shapes, sizes, and degree of expansion, have many uses, as many of the city’s residents, especially those with limited incomes or those in a situation of fragility and destitution, take them as homes for housing and stability with their family members because they are unable to acquire or rent ordinary housing, while others prefer to use them for Sheltering animals and livestock and storing agricultural materials and products.
However, in recent years, a number of residents of the city, which has a population of about 12,000, have striven to rehabilitate and value these spaces and make them in the best possible way in order to transform them into guesthouses and tourist shelters that attract many Moroccan and foreign tourists.
These spaces, which previously played a historical role as they were used as a venue for meetings of symbols of the resistance, a cache of weapons and the distribution of plans to confront the brutal colonialists, have begun to witness in recent years a great influx and demand of tourists from all over Morocco as well as foreigners to discover them and enjoy the unique and distinct atmosphere within them.
Al-Tuhamy Anjam, a resident of Bhalil, his keen sense and his zeal for this important heritage led him to rehabilitate two caves in his ownership, take care of them, and turn them into guesthouses that attract many Moroccan and foreign tourists.
Al-Tohamy, who is retired from work, explained that tourists who go to the caves are deeply attracted by the strangeness and warmth of the place, and express their sense of comfort and tranquility inside.
In the opinion of the speaker, many of the expatriates to the caves prefer these spaces over other modern hotels and sports, given that they are characterized by calmness and natural air conditioning, as they are cold in summer and warm in winter, which increases their beauty.
In a statement to the MAP and its news channel, M24, Tohamy Anjam said that his keenness to convert a number of caves into guesthouses in a camel hill that attracts Moroccan and foreign tourists reflects his pride in the city of Bhalil and his desire to preserve its culture and introduce it widely.
He added that he was keen to decorate the caves with rare local and Moroccan artifacts in order to make them more glamorous and look as beautiful as possible, noting that the foreign tourists who visited these spaces confirmed their enjoyment of this unique and wonderful experience.
In a related context, Mr. Al-Tohamy reviewed the important historical roles played by these spaces in resisting the brutal colonizer and defending national and territorial unity, which calls for “preserving and protecting them from neglect.”
It is certain that “cave” tourism will turn the city of Bhalil into a distinct destination for Moroccan and foreign tourists wishing to spend wonderful times and enjoy a unique and unprecedented experience, and will also contribute to moving the economic wheel in the region.
