Middle Atlas & Ifrane

The Middle Atlas is Morocco’s most surprising mountain region — a plateau of cedar forests, volcanic lakes, Berber market towns and the unexpected alpine village of Ifrane. The cedar forests near Azrou are home to one of the largest wild populations of Barbary macaques in Morocco — easily spotted from the roadside on the Fès–Midelt highway. Ifrane was built by the French Protectorate in the 1930s in a Swiss alpine style, complete with chalets, a ski resort and a university campus. The town sits at 1,650m and provides a dramatic contrast with the Sahara, just a few hours south. Midelt, at the foot of the Ayyachi massif, is famous for its apple orchards and the traditional carpet market. The Middle Atlas is a key part of all Marrakech-to-Fès and Casablanca-to-Marrakech desert itineraries.