Friouato Caves

The Friouato Caves, also called Gouffre de Friouato (مغارة فريواطو in Arabic), sit about 30 kilometers south of Taza, Morocco. The deepest point explored so far reaches roughly 271 meters (889 feet) down, and the system stretches 2,178 meters (7,146 feet) in length. Inside, there are many chambers, tight tunnels, and natural bridges, all filled with stalactites and stalagmites. Evidence suggests an underground river runs nearby, possibly connecting to the Grottes of Chiker.

Locals from the adjacent village mention that many explorers have entered the caves over time, and some never returned. In 1969, a team from the Exeter University Speleological Society conducted a cave diving expedition, passing two static sumps to uncover more large chambers and shafts. The system ends in a massive boulder choke, which may be the same boulder choke seen at the end of the upstream passages of the nearby Grotte du Chiker—also discovered in 1969 by the same group. In 1976, the Cerberus Speleological Society from the UK took images of both cave systems.

At lower levels, the temperature stays steady between 12 and 14 °C (54–57 °F), and high humidity causes condensation on the walls. These conditions support rare plants and animals in the chasm. Since spring 2016, the cave has been closed to visitors for safety reasons.

Among the many explorers, the youngest recorded by the official guide was an eight-year-old girl named Oumaima Ouballa, who visited around 2010.