Azrou travel guide

Where is Azrou?

Middle Atlas · Ifrane Province.

from Marrakech as the crow flies

327 km

people, 2024 census

58,000

private tour comes here

1

About Azrou

Azrou is the easiest half-day wildlife trip from Fes (about an hour) or Ifrane (17 km): the cedar forest here is the most reliable place in Morocco to see wild Barbary macaques, with semi-habituated troops moving through the groves at road level in every season. A Berber market town at 1,250 m in the Middle Atlas, Azrou sits at the edge of the Cèdre Gouraud forest, one of the oldest stands of Atlas cedar in North Africa, where some trees top 900 years and 40 m. Beyond the macaques, the town's craft cooperative sells carved-cedar woodwork and Berber rugs at fixed prices — among the best craft-buying on the Fes–Marrakech route. As a half-day it pairs with Ifrane; as a longer day it folds into the drive south toward Midelt and the Sahara.

How long to stay

Half-day to 1 night

Nearest airport

Fès-Saïs (FEZ) + 1h drive

Getting there

17 km south of Ifrane and 67 km south of Fes on the N13 — easy to combine en route to Midelt or the Sahara

Wildlife etiquette

Do not feed or touch the Barbary macaques; keep a respectful distance and do not pursue individuals

Best combined with

Ifrane (17 km north for alpine architecture and skiing), Midelt (1h30 south for the Cirque Jaffar)

Craft cooperative

The Ensemble Artisanal is open Monday–Saturday; fixed prices, no haggling required

Highlights of Azrou

• Where is the best place to see Barbary macaques in Morocco?

  The cedar forest south of Azrou on the N13 toward Midelt — particularly the stretch known as Cèdre Gouraud around the ancient 'Cèdre Gouraud' tree — is the most reliably productive location in Morocco for Barbary macaques. Troops of 20–50 individuals are often encountered at road level. The macaques are semi-habituated and approachable; do not feed them, as human food disrupts their foraging patterns and causes dependency.

• Ancient Cedrus atlantica forest

  The forests around Azrou and Ifrane constitute one of the last significant stands of Atlas cedar in North Africa. The 'Cèdre Gouraud' — a single tree near the road — is estimated at over 900 years old and more than 40 m tall. Walking tracks thread through the forest between Azrou and the Ifrane National Park boundary.

• Azrou cooperative and cedar craft market

  The Ensemble Artisanal de Azrou is one of the few government-supervised craft cooperatives in Morocco where cedar woodwork, Berber carpets and embroidered textiles are sold at fixed and transparent prices. Cedar salad bowls, inlaid boxes and geometric-patterned rugs make this one of the best craft-buying stops on the Fes–Marrakech overland route.

• Tuesday souk

  The weekly Tuesday market in Azrou is an authentic working souk drawing Berber communities from the surrounding plateau, with livestock, raw wool, traditional dress and produce from the cedar-forest villages — far less tourist-oriented than the urban souks of Fes or Marrakech.