Ifrane, Cedar Forest & Barbary Macaques Day Trip from Fes

An hour south of Fes, Morocco looks surprisingly like the Alps. This day trip takes you into the Middle Atlas, a land of volcanic plateaus, lakes and forests of Atlas cedar, one of the most beautiful trees in North Africa. Your first stop is Ifrane, a town of sloping red roofs, gardens and clean avenues built in the 1930s, nicknamed the Switzerland of Morocco; in winter it is often covered in snow. You then enter the cedar forest near Azrou, where some trees are several hundred years old. This is the home of the Barbary macaque, the only monkey native to North Africa, an endangered species you can watch living freely among the trees. After lunch in Azrou, known for its Berber carpets and woodwork, you can stop at a lake on the plateau, such as Dayet Aoua, depending on the season, before driving back to Fes. A fresh and green escape from the medina, especially lovely in spring, autumn and snowy winter days.