Is Lalla Takerkoust lake near Marrakech a natural lake or a reservoir?

Lalla Takerkoust lake is a reservoir, not a natural lake. It is held back by a dam on the N'Fis river, built between 1929 and 1935 to irrigate the plain around Marrakech, and the village beside the dam gave the lake its name.

How far is Lalla Takerkoust lake from Marrakech, and how do you get there?

Lalla Takerkoust lake is around forty kilometres south-west of Marrakech, roughly forty-five minutes to an hour by road from the city centre. It lies on the same side as the Agafay plateau. Most visitors come by car or taxi, or as part of an organised outing.

When is the best time of year to see Lalla Takerkoust lake near Marrakech?

Spring is when Lalla Takerkoust lake is usually fullest, after the winter rain, and when the Atlas behind it still carries snow. Late afternoon gives the softest light over the water. In high summer the middle of the day is hot, as everywhere around Marrakech.

Can you see Lalla Takerkoust lake near Marrakech on an Agafay desert outing?

Yes, you can see Lalla Takerkoust lake from the edge of the Agafay plateau, which rises beside it, with the Atlas beyond the water. Our outings run on the plateau rather than at the lake itself, so say so when you book if the lake matters to you: the two-hour buggy drive goes further out.

Published 29 September 2026 • Updated 30 September 2026 • 2 min read

Lalla Takerkoust lake from Marrakech

Q: Why does Lalla Takerkoust lake near Marrakech look smaller than in older photos?

Lalla Takerkoust lake changes size with the rain, because it is a reservoir. After a wet winter the water reaches far up the shore; after dry years the shoreline retreats a long way, and the lake can look much smaller than in older photographs.

Lalla Takerkoust, the reservoir lake south-west of Marrakech at the edge of the Agafay desert: where it is, how to get there, and what to do nearby.

Man sitting on the back of a buggy with his arms spread, above the Lalla Takerkoust lake

Lalla Takerkoust is a lake of fresh water in a dry landscape, around forty kilometres south-west of Marrakech. It sits at the edge of the Agafay desert, with the High Atlas behind it, and it is often seen together with Agafay in the same outing.

What the lake is

It is not a natural lake but a reservoir, held back by a dam on the N’Fis river. The dam was built between 1929 and 1935 to irrigate the plain around Marrakech, and the village beside it gave the lake its name.

Because it is a reservoir, its size changes with the rain. After a wet winter the water reaches far up the shore; after dry years the shoreline retreats a long way, and the lake can look much smaller than in older photographs.

Where it is, and how to get there

The lake lies south-west of the city, on the same side as the Agafay plateau: count roughly forty-five minutes to an hour by road from central Marrakech. Most visitors come by car or taxi, or as part of an organised outing.

Lalla Takerkoust and Agafay

The two are neighbours. The Agafay desert is the stony plateau that rises beside the lake, and from its edge you can look down over the water with the Atlas beyond — the photograph at the top of this page was taken from one of our buggies.

Our outings run on the Agafay plateau, from our base there, rather than at the lake itself. If the lake is what you want to see, say so when you book: the two-hour buggy drive goes further out across the plateau than the one-hour version.

What to do around it

Look at it from above. The view from the Agafay side, with the Atlas behind the water, is the reason most people come.
Eat by the water. The lakeshore has restaurants and guesthouses with a view over the lake.
Combine it with the desert. A quad, buggy or camel ride on the Agafay plateau and a stop at the lake fit in the same half-day.

When to go

Spring, after the winter rain, is when the lake is usually fullest and the Atlas still carries snow. Late afternoon gives the softest light over the water. In high summer the middle of the day is hot, as everywhere around Marrakech.

The Agafay desert from Marrakech covers the plateau beside the lake in more detail.