Khnifiss Lagoon

The Khnifiss Lagoon, also called Naila, is a large tidal lagoon on the Atlantic coast between Tan-Tan and Tarfaya, near the village of Akhfennir. It lies at the heart of Khenifiss National Park, created in 2006 to protect its wetlands, coastal dunes and desert.

The lagoon was listed as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention in 1980. Cold, nutrient-rich water welling up from the ocean feeds mudflats, sandbanks and saltmarsh, making it a vital stop for birds migrating along the East Atlantic flyway. In 2022 researchers recorded a breeding colony of greater flamingos here, the first in Morocco in decades.

Visiting

Local fishermen at the lagoon’s edge offer boat trips through the channels. Early morning and late afternoon bring the best light and the most bird activity. Bring binoculars and keep a respectful distance from nesting and feeding birds.

• There are no hotels inside the park; stay in Akhfennir, Tarfaya or Tan-Tan.
• The park is on the N1, within a day trip of Laâyoune or Tan-Tan.