Bihi Lodge: a dream come true

The story of Bihi Lodge

Long before Bihi Lodge came to life, my grandfather Bihi Afkhar, a master potter, and my grandmother Nejma, an Amazigh woman from the village of Azro, had already written their story into this land.

To provide a stable life for their family, they made a courageous choice: to sell their cow, their most precious possession, in order to buy a plot of land and the small hill that faced it. It was there that my grandfather set up his kiln and practised his craft. Away from the village, the spot was perfect — the smoke from the kiln disturbed no one, and the silence of nature accompanied his every gesture.

After their passing, the house gradually fell into ruin, slowly reclaimed by wind and dust. Yet every time I passed nearby in the course of my work as a guide, one thing became clear to me: this place could not disappear. It had to live again.

And so the dream took shape — to build a guesthouse in honour of my grandparents' memory, and to share the beauty of Azro, Tahannaout and this exceptional region nestled at the foot of the High Atlas.

Work began at the end of 2022, with one firm conviction: to call upon local craftsmen and workers exclusively. The devastating earthquake of September 2023 brought that momentum to an abrupt halt. Faced with adversity, I chose to strengthen my support for the village's inhabitants, convinced that rebuilding must above all rely on the living forces of the land. Every stone laid became an act of solidarity — a dialogue between traditional craftsmanship and modern comfort.

Today, Bihi Lodge is an invitation to rest, to discover and to connect. A place to slow down, breathe, contemplate the mountains and feel the Berber soul that still inhabits these hills.

More than a place to stay, it is a shared story — a refuge for travellers in search of meaning, nature and genuine emotion.