Fes to Middle Atlas Day Trip

English / French / Spanish Meet with guide 1 day

Fes, Morocco (20 Reviews)

Middle Atlas mountains day trip from Fes — Ifrane and cedar forests

Overview

A scenic Fes to atlas mountains day trip — easily one of the most refreshing Fes day trips and a classic atlas mountains day trip route. After pick-up from your riad we drive to Imouzzer, famous for its annual apple festival, then on to Ifrane — the alpine-style town nicknamed the "Switzerland of Morocco". From there we continue to the cedar forests around Azrou, where you can watch and feed the resident Barbary macaques. After a full day in the mountains we drive you back to your riad in Fes. Browse all tours from Fes, the multi-day 3-day Sahara desert tour from Marrakech, or contact us to plan your route.

Highlights

Private driver-guide Authentic experience Authentic experience Authentic experience Authentic experience

Itinerary

Day 1

Full-day excursion

After pick-up from your riad in Fes we drive south into the Middle Atlas. Our first stop is Imouzzer, famous for its annual apple festival. We continue to Ifrane, the alpine-style town nicknamed the "Switzerland of Morocco", a popular ski resort with striking architecture. From Ifrane we head into the cedar forests around Azrou, where you can watch and feed the resident Barbary macaques. After enjoying the cedar woods and the mountain scenery we drive you back to your riad in Fes. Local Morocco Tours is happy to arrange this private full-day Atlas Mountains trip for couples, families and small groups.

What's included

All transfers with experienced local drivers
Comfortable journey from Fes in air-conditioned vehicles
Guided trip with a local guide
Family-friendly day excursion
Available at competitive pricing, with daily departures

Not included

Lunches, soft drinks
Entrance fees, tips

Guide languages

English, Spanish, French, and more languages are available upon request.

Departure

We depart from your riad or hotel in Fes, usually around 8:00 am, and return in the late afternoon.

Departing from Fes

The Middle Atlas is visible from Fes on a clear day — the cedar-covered ridges of the Bou Iblane range begin less than 80km south of the city. A day trip from Fes into the Atlas covers Ifrane (Morocco’s mountain resort town, built by the French with Swiss-chalet architecture at 1,665m altitude), Azrou (a cedar forest town where Barbary macaques live wild in the roadside trees), and the volcanic lakes of Dayat Aoua or Dayat Ifrah.

The Middle Atlas day trip from Fes is a genuine natural-history excursion: endemic Atlantic cedar forest, the only Barbary macaque population in Morocco outside the Rif, volcanic crater lakes with flamingoes in spring, and Berber market towns at 1,500m where the cuisine shifts from Fes pastilla to mountain lamb and truffle. The pace is entirely different from the medina — cool, quiet, and oriented toward landscape rather than architecture.

This trip is particularly good for travellers who have spent two or more days in the Fes medina and want contrast before continuing their Morocco itinerary. Return to Fes in the afternoon. Your driver-guide handles all navigation and can include a stop at the Ain Vittel springs or the Sefrou cherry town depending on the season. Request a quote.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Fes to the Atlas Mountains?

The Middle Atlas around Ifrane and Azrou is roughly 1.5 to 2 hours from Fes. Our Fes to Atlas Mountains day trip is a comfortable full-day loop through cedar forests, Berber villages and lakeside viewpoints.

Is this a private day trip?

Yes. This is a fully private Fes day trip with your own driver and air-conditioned vehicle. Couples, families and small groups stay together throughout the day.

What's included in the Fes to Atlas tour?

Private transport from your Fes riad or hotel, English / French / Spanish speaking driver-guide, fuel and tolls. Lunch and any optional activities (mule rides, cooperative visits) are not included.

Can children join the day trip?

Absolutely. The Middle Atlas is one of the most family-friendly day trips from Fes — Barbary macaques in the cedar forest delight all ages. We can adjust pace and add child seats.

Mohamed Chajia

✓ Licensed guide · MA76175

Hi, I’m a legally certified tour guide in Morocco. I organise all kinds of holidays across the country — High Atlas trekking, desert and coastal treks, cycling tours, imperial-city tours, plus hand-picked hotels, camps and guest houses. I’ll build this trip around your pace and the things you actually care about.

Private guide in MarrakechAlso guides Fez, Merzouga, Ouarzazate, Chefchaouen, Agadir, Essaouira, Casablanca, Rabat, AtlasLanguages: Arabic · English · French · Spanish