A Middle Atlas Road Trip — Cedar Forest, Lakes and Waterfalls

The Middle Atlas is Morocco's most overlooked range, the broad, forested upland between the imperial cities and the High Atlas that almost everyone crosses in a hurry and almost no one lingers in. That is a shame, because it offers something the rest of the country's road trips do not: cool green cedar forest, troops of Barbary macaques, a scatter of mountain lakes, the dramatic source of Morocco's longest river, and big reservoir-and-waterfall country, all within an easy loop of Fes and Meknes.

This itinerary is designed to be distinct from the coastal and southern routes. Where those deliver dunes, kasbahs and Atlantic surf, this one delivers altitude, forest and water, a genuine change of pace and temperature, especially welcome in the hotter months. It is also gentle on the driving, with modest daily distances that leave time for walks, wildlife and simply sitting by a lake.

Over four days it links the polished lake district around Ifrane and Azrou with the wilder Khenifra lakes and Oum er-Rbia source, then drops to the reservoir country around Bin el-Ouidane before looping back. Shorten it, extend it or run it one-way toward Marrakech, but drive it slowly: the Middle Atlas rewards those who stop.

The loop runs south from Fes into the mountains, works its way through the forests and lakes to the reservoir country in the southwest, and returns north, though it can equally be run one-way if you are continuing to Marrakech. The table lays out the suggested four-day structure with approximate driving distances and times so you can see the shape of it and adjust to your own pace.

None of the days is long behind the wheel, which is the point: this is a route to be walked, watched and picnicked, not powered through. Add the Friouato cave near Taza at the start, or the Ouzoud Falls at the end toward Marrakech, if you want to stretch it. The daily narratives that follow fill in what to see and do at each stage.

Treat the times as minimums. Mountain roads wind, macaques and viewpoints tempt you to stop, and rough side-tracks to the lakes eat time, so build in generous margins and aim to reach each night's base before dark.

Leave Fes and climb south into the mountains, and the change is quick: within an hour you reach Ifrane, the tidy, Alpine-looking resort town built by the French, with its pitched roofs, gardens and university, sometimes called the 'Switzerland of Morocco'. It is worth a coffee stop and a stroll, and in winter it is the gateway to the small Michlifen ski area. Nearby, the lake of Dayet Aoua and other pools dot the plateau.

Push on to Azrou and its cedar forest, the day's highlight. The Atlas cedars here are magnificent, and the forest is famous for its Barbary macaques, which gather at roadside clearings. See them, but do not feed them: human food harms their health and worsens habituation, so watch and photograph from a respectful distance. The Ifrane and Azrou cedar forest day trip guide details the best spots.

Spend the afternoon walking in the cool, fragrant forest and settle in around Ifrane or Azrou for the night, where the mountain lodges offer comfortable, cabin-style bases. After the heat and bustle of Fes, the crisp mountain air is a tonic, and a short first day leaves time to ease into the trip.

Day two heads deeper into the range toward Khenifra, and this is where the route turns wilder. Detour off the main road to the lakes and springs of the Khenifra area: Aguelmame Azigza, a deep forest lake, and the extraordinary source of the Oum er-Rbia, where around 40 springs burst from a hillside to birth Morocco's longest river amid waterfalls and cafe shacks. Both are covered in detail in the Khenifra lakes guide.

These are undeveloped, self-sufficient stops: expect rough final approaches, few facilities and real natural beauty. Give the lake and the springs a good few hours between them, walk a little in the cedar forest where you may again see macaques, and picnic by the water. It is a slower, more adventurous day than the first, and the payoff is scenery few foreign visitors ever see.

End the day in Khenifra, the distinctive red-earth town on the Oum er-Rbia, which offers simple hotels, fuel and supplies. It is not a sight in itself, but it is a comfortable enough base and well placed for the onward leg to the reservoir country.

Continue southwest, dropping gradually out of the high forest toward Beni Mellal, a lively town at the foot of the mountains known for its springs and gardens, notably the Ain Asserdoune source and the hillside kasbah above it, both worth a short stop. From here the road climbs again into the hills toward one of the range's grand set pieces, the lake of Bin el-Ouidane.

Bin el-Ouidane is a large reservoir held back by a 1950s dam, a startling sheet of blue among the ochre hills, ringed by lodges and framed by the dramatic Cathedral rock formation nearby. In spring it is the launch point for white-water rafting on the Ahansal river below the dam, covered in the Ahansal rafting guide, while year-round it is simply a beautiful place to stop, walk and stay.

Settle in at one of the lakeside lodges for the night. The setting, water below and mountains above, is among the loveliest on the whole loop, and a good place to slow right down for an evening after the day's driving.

The final day offers a choice. To close the loop, drive north and east back toward Fes or Meknes, a longer haul of around 250 kilometres but on decent roads, with the option to break it wherever tempts you. To continue your wider trip, run one-way toward Marrakech instead, in which case the celebrated Ouzoud Falls make an obvious and spectacular final stop en route, with their cascades, boat rides and resident macaques.

If you have time and interest, the great Friouato cave near Taza, one of North Africa's deepest accessible caverns, sits off to the northeast and can be added as an extension or an alternative first day; the Friouato cave guide has the detail. Either way, day four is as much about the drive and the transition as any single sight.

However you end it, you will have seen a side of Morocco most visitors miss entirely, green, high and watered, and a welcome counterpoint to the deserts and medinas that dominate the standard circuit.

Accommodation on this loop ranges from comfortable, cabin-style mountain lodges around Ifrane and Azrou to simple town hotels in Khenifra and characterful lakeside places at Bin el-Ouidane. It is not a luxury-hotel circuit, and the wilder middle section in particular has limited beds, so book ahead in peak periods and don't assume you can turn up on spec in the smaller places.

The table suggests where to overnight at each stage and the sort of stay to expect, so you can plan the trip around confirmed beds rather than hope. Base choices also shape your days: sleeping high around Ifrane keeps you cool and close to the forest, while a night at Bin el-Ouidane puts you right on the water for a memorable evening.

Wherever you stay, carry cash, as many smaller places and all the mountain stops run on it, and fuel up in the towns, since filling stations thin out fast once you leave the main roads for the lakes and forests.

A standard hire car handles this loop comfortably, as the main roads are paved, though the final approaches to the Khenifra lakes and springs are rough and better with higher clearance in wet conditions. Roads are winding and mountainous throughout, so average speeds are lower than distances imply, and you should drive to the conditions, watching for livestock, potholes and, in winter, ice and snow at altitude.

Spring, roughly April to June, is the finest season, with green forests, wildflowers, strong-flowing springs and rafting on the Ahansal; autumn is a close second for clear, mild weather. Summer offers cool relief from the lowland heat and is popular with Moroccan holidaymakers, especially at the lakes. Winter brings snow around Ifrane, skiing at Michlifen and cold nights, and some higher forest tracks may be impassable.

Come prepared for self-sufficiency in the middle of the trip: carry water, snacks, warm and wet-weather layers, offline maps and a full tank between towns, and remember that the wilder lakes have no facilities and patchy phone signal. Get the season and the pace right, and this is one of the most restful and distinctive road trips in the country.