A pioneer's story
Before Dakhla became a world-class destination, there was an untouched desert, a steady wind and a man with a passion.
Rachid Roussafi, Dakhla's waterman
Raised in Agadir, the first Moroccan and African professional windsurfer to take on Hawaii's biggest competitions, Rachid Roussafi invented several moves, including the “Roussaflip”. Nicknamed “the son of the wind” by the French TV show Thalassa in 1997, he sailed solo from the Canary Islands to Tarfaya, then represented Morocco at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games: the first African and first Arab to compete in Olympic sailing. He discovered Dakhla alone in 1985, opened the very first camp on the peninsula in 2002, and in 2009 helped bring a stage of the windsurfing world championship there.
In 2014 he founded Heliophora on what he considers the most beautiful spot on the lagoon: a sheltered private beach facing flat water. Windsurfing, kitesurfing, then wingfoiling: he has seen every discipline take off in Dakhla.
« I wanted to stay small. I like to remember every one of my guests: here, a person is not a room number. »
A private beach and flat water
Heliophora opens directly onto a private beach and perfectly flat water. Beginners and experienced riders progress safely here, away from the busiest parts of the lagoon.
Our commitment to the environment
The lagoon is our playground; protecting it is our responsibility.
Local materials
Architecture in earth, rammed earth and stone, inspired by Amazigh heritage and naturally insulating.
100% solar energy
The lodge is powered by solar panels: zero emissions and complete silence.
Water management
Waste water is treated by phyto-purification to water our gardens of native plants.
Plan your stay at Heliophora
Choose your dates online, or message us on WhatsApp: we reply quickly and put together your stay, lessons and transfers included.