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Cedar forest, wild Barbary macaques, an ancient Berber market, and crater lakes — Azrou is the quiet Middle Atlas town that most Morocco itineraries skip and almost nobody regrets visiting.
Leila Tazi· Fes, Culture & Cuisine Editor
Fes-based journalist with a food and crafts obsession, Leila spends her weeks between the tanneries, the Qarawiyyin quarter and the kitchens of the old city. She covers Fes, Meknes, food and Moroccan culture. Fes · 11+ years covering Morocco
Published 27 March 2026 Last updated 12 May 2026
Azrou sits at 1,250 m on the slopes of the Middle Atlas, roughly 80 km south of Fes and 20 km south of the manicured Swiss-style town of Ifrane. Where Ifrane is built for postcards, Azrou is built for life: a working Berber market town with a hexagonal colonial square, a covered craft cooperative, and the cedar forest pressing in from three sides. The road climbs steadily from the Fes plain, and somewhere around the pine and cedar mix of the plateau you realise this is a different Morocco from the Imperial Cities.
The main draw is the cedar forest — specifically the macaques. Morocco’s only wild primates live in these trees in troops of 20–40 and are completely habituated to people. Walk 10 minutes into the forest and they will sit close enough to observe properly. But the forest is only part of Azrou’s appeal. The Tuesday souk is one of the most genuinely local markets in the country, the crater lake of Aguelmame Azigza is a 40-minute drive and strikingly beautiful, and the waterfall valley at Ain Leuh is almost entirely tourist-free. Half a day scratches the surface; a full day or overnight reveals a town that moves at its own unhurried pace.
Six experiences worth making time for, from the cedar canopy to the souk and beyond.
A genuine ancient forest of Atlas cedars, some over 800 years old, rising to 1,700 m. The canopy is dense enough to feel genuinely wild — nothing like a managed park.
Free to enter · 3 km from town centre · Best light 07:00–10:00
Morocco’s only wild primates roam the cedar groves in troops of 20–40 and have no real fear of visitors. Rangers ask you not to feed them, though not everyone complies.
Year-round · Most active mornings · Bring sunflower seeds to watch them crack shells
Azrou's weekly Berber market draws farmers and artisans from the surrounding plateau. It is genuinely local — vegetables, honey, live chickens, hand-woven blankets, and surprisingly good leather shoes.
Every Tuesday · 07:00–14:00 · Near the old colonial square
The old French colonial square is ringed with café terraces and a distinctive hexagonal stone fountain. Sitting here with a mint tea and watching Azrou go about its day is a pleasure in itself.
Town centre · Cafés open from 07:00
A 25 km drive south of Azrou, the village of Ain Leuh sits above a series of travertine waterfalls. The valley is remote, cedar-fringed, and almost entirely tourist-free.
~30 min drive · Tracks may need high clearance in wet season
The crater lake of Aguelmame Azigza lies 25 km southeast — an eerie, green-blue lake ringed by forested cliffs. Combine it with Ain Leuh on a half-day loop.
Indicative drive: 40 min from Azrou · Entrance fee ~10 MAD
The Tuesday souk pulls in sellers from villages across the cedar plateau — arrive early for the best of it.
Azrou is most often visited from Fes (90 min) or Meknes (60 min). The table below covers realistic journey times and indicative costs for 2026 — always confirm fares on arrival as they change.
| From | Method | Duration | Indicative cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fes | Bus (CTM / Supratours) | ~1 h 30 min | 35–50 MAD |
| Fes | Shared grand taxi | ~1 h 15 min | 40–60 MAD / seat |
| Fes | Private car / tour | ~1 h 15 min | variable |
| Meknes | Bus or shared taxi | ~1 h | 25–40 MAD |
| Ifrane | Shared taxi or taxi | ~20 min | 15–25 MAD |
| Marrakech | Private car (via Beni Mellal) | ~4 h | variable |
Tip for day-trippers from Fes: combine Ifrane and Azrou on the same day — they are only 20 km apart and the road between them through the cedar plateau is beautiful. A private vehicle lets you stop freely; shared taxis require a change in Ifrane.
Go on a Tuesday
The weekly souk transforms the town. If you can only visit one day, make it Tuesday.
Bring layers, always
Even in July the forest sits above 1,600 m and morning temperatures can drop below 15°C. Afternoons are pleasant, evenings cool.
Do not feed the macaques
They are wild animals, not a petting zoo. Offering food habituates them in ways that damage their social structure. Watch, photograph, enjoy — that is enough.
Go early to the forest
The macaques are most active from 07:30 to 10:30. By midday they retreat into the canopy. Parking area fills quickly on weekends in spring.
Hire a local guide for the forest trails
Several guides operate from the main parking area for around 100–150 MAD (indicative). They know the troop locations and the deeper trails beyond the tourist circuit.
ATMs exist but are limited
There is a Banque Populaire branch in town with an ATM. Bring cash from Fes to be safe — some guesthouses and the craft cooperative are cash-only.
The craft cooperative is worth 20 minutes
Azrou’s Coopérative de Tapis sells Middle Atlas Berber rugs at cooperative prices — generally fairer than Marrakech souk. Look for handira-style blankets with geometric patterns.
Yes — the cedar forest just outside Azrou is one of the most reliable places in Morocco to see wild Barbary macaques. Troops of 20–40 animals regularly appear near the roadside parking area and along the forest tracks. Morning visits are best because the macaques are most active before midday heat. They are habituated to humans but remain wild, so keep your distance and resist the urge to offer snacks — officially prohibited, and it genuinely disrupts their diet.
The most straightforward option is by CTM or Supratours bus (roughly 1.5 hours, from around 35–50 MAD), or a shared grand taxi from Fes Gare Routière (about 40–60 MAD per seat, departing when full). A private transfer from Fes takes 1 h 15 min on the N8 road and lets you stop at Ifrane on the way. Driving yourself is perfectly manageable: the road climbs steadily through Ifrane and the cedar plateau with clear signage the whole way.
The Cèdre Gouraud forest outside Azrou is genuine old-growth — some trees are over 800 years old and reach 40 m. The air is cool and pine-scented even in summer, and the light through the canopy is spectacular in the early morning. There are marked forest tracks ranging from a short 20-minute loop to longer half-day walks. The famous "Gouraud Cedar" is the most visited specimen, but wander further in and you will quickly lose the few other visitors in the forest. Altitude sits around 1,650 m, so bring a layer even in summer.
Azrou is a quiet, conservative Berber market town with very little tourist infrastructure — which is exactly its appeal. It is considered safe for independent travellers, including solo women. The usual city-medina precautions (keep bags close in crowded areas, agree taxi prices in advance) apply, but the low-key atmosphere means less aggressive touting than Marrakech or Fes. The forest tracks are safe during daylight; after dark, stick to town.
Yes — the Tuesday souk is one of the most authentic Berber markets in the Middle Atlas. It runs from roughly 07:00 to 14:00 near the Place Mohammed V and draws sellers from villages across the plateau. You will find fresh produce, live animals, honey, argan oil, hand-loomed blankets, and clothing. Prices are genuine local prices, not tourist-inflated. Bargaining is expected for non-food items, though the atmosphere is relaxed rather than aggressive.
Plenty. Sit in the colonial square with a coffee, then walk through the weekly Tuesday market. Drive or hire a taxi to the travertine waterfalls at Ain Leuh (25 km south). Visit the crater lake of Aguelmame Azigza for a swim or a picnic. Explore the older Berber quarter of the medina, which predates the French-built new town. The town also has a craft cooperative specialising in Middle Atlas Berber rugs — a genuine alternative to Marrakech souk prices. If you are here for more than one night, Azrou is an excellent base for hikes into the surrounding cedar plateau.
Half a day is enough if you are on a Fes–Ifrane–Azrou day trip: drive up, visit the cedar forest and macaques, have lunch in the square, and return. A full day allows you to add Ain Leuh and Aguelmame Azigza. If you visit on a Tuesday and combine the souk with the forest, a single full day feels very complete. Staying overnight — there are a handful of guesthouses from around 200–450 MAD per night (indicative) — rewards you with the quiet of the town after day-trippers leave and dawn light in the forest.
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