Lonely Planet Morocco

by Lonely Planet

  If you want to linger longer, there's a good sleeping option at Dayet Aoua: the delightfully rustic Le Gîte Dayet Aoua.

  Exploring the Azrou Area

  Agdal Plateau & Kherzouza CliffsHIKING

  This leisurely day hike starts from the forests at Moudmame just outside Azrou, climbing steadily through crops of oak trees that morph into fragrant cedar at about 1800m. You'll then strike out over the broad Agdal plateau, inhabited by Berber shepherds and honey farms, before dipping back into the forests and eventually emerging at the craggy Kherzouza cliffs, with spectacular views over Azrou.

  Signposting for this walk is poor, and if you don't have a good map or GPS it's advisable to book a mountain guide. The walk is about 10km from Moudmame, though it can be done straight from Azrou if you fancy the 8km walk to get to Moudmame as well.

  'Ain LeuhVILLAGE

  This pretty village, 25km southwest of Azrou, is within the Ifrane National Park, and crowned by a small 17th-century kasbah that would have been used to control the local Berber population during Moulay Ismail's time. It’s a pleasant climb through the rough streets of flat-roofed houses to a waterfall at the town's northern edge (best in spring), surrounded by storks' nests and topped by a prettily situated cafe. Shared grand taxis from Azrou cost Dh15 and drop you on 'Ain Leuh's Blvd Hassan II.

  From Blvd Hassan II, which is also where you'll find public parking, follow the road straight uphill and take the pastel-coloured steps up past a small tiered public garden – the cascade is at the top, just beyond the stone gate marking the edge of the village. At the bottom of the steps there's a Women's Co-operative (open 8am to 7pm Saturday to Tuesday and Thursday), where locals weave Berber carpets to sell and can explain the process to you.

  The village also hosts a small weekly souq on Wednesday (the best day to get public transport – at other times you may have to visit on a private trip, costing about Dh500) that attracts market-goers from around the region, as well as a popular Berber music festival each August.

  Sources de l’Oum-er-RbiaWATERFALL

  (parking Dh5, cave Dh5)

  Several dozen springs break out of the rocks to form a series of waterfalls at Oum-er-Rabia, but the attraction astonishment of visiting is not just seeing the cascades themselves (which virtually dry up during and after summer), but it's the makeshift cafes and restaurants that cling precariously to the rocks above the rushing water from where it tumbles down into the river. The road south from 'Ain Leuh deteriorates at some points but the scenery is stunning; expect the drive to take about an hour.

  From Azrou it costs a hefty Dh1000 to hire a private grand taxi for this trip (including a stop in 'Ain Leuh), but the springs are also included in some Middle Atlas tours so ask about. From 'Ain Leuh, the road ascends through thick juniper, oak and cedar forests where troops of Barbary macaques are sometimes spotted, and skirts tiny Berber communities. Watch out for shepherds and their flocks, and working donkeys going about their daily tasks.

  It's also possible to hike to the Sources de l’Oum-er-Rabia from one of the region's lakes: leave the road at Lac Ouiouane, about 20km south of 'Ain Leuh, and follow the path down past a number of farmhouses to a small valley, where a bridge crosses the Rbia river. From here, it’s about a 15-minute walk to the gorge and its cascades. In total this trail will take you about three hours (approximately 10km).

  TTours

  Official Middle Atlas mountain guides work for set rates. It's Dh600/300 per whole/half-day, but this fee doesn't include lunch or transport. Including food and transport (depending on where you want to hike), expect to pay about Dh1000 per day for one to two people.

  Multiday treks, including mule, accommodation, food and guiding cost Dh800 to Dh1200, depending on the number of hikers.

  Boujmaa & Saleh Boudaoud (%0632 36 19 90; salehboudaoud@gmail.com) Official guides covering the Azrou/Ifrane area and sometimes further afield.

  Abdellah Lahrizi Another official guide and owner of the rural guesthouse Les Jardins d'Azrou. He runs a useful website (in French) about trekking in the Middle Atlas: www.moyen-atlas-trekking.com.

  Azrou أزرو

  Pop 54,350

  Monkeys and fragrant cedar forest trails are what draw visitors to Azrou, but the town itself is a thoroughly unhurried, relaxing spot in which to wind down if you're feeling frazzled after too many big cities. It's an important Berber market centre deep in the Middle Atlas, with a shaggy mane of woods and high meadows that burst into flower every spring.

  Azrou (Great Rock) takes its name from the isolated outcrop marking the town’s western boundary. The big Ennour mosque, beautifully finished with local cedar, provides another handy landmark. Azrou's petite medina is most easily accessible from the south side of Pl Mohammed V, and is a refreshing place to wander without hassle.

  Azrou

  1Sights

  1Centre Culturel d'AzrouB3

  4Sleeping

  2Hôtel Beau-SéjourC3

  3Hôtel des CèdresC3

  4Hôtel SalameC3

  5Riad AzrouC3

  5Eating

  6Café Restaurant BilalC3

  Hôtel des CèdresC3

  7Shopping

  7Ensemble ArtisanalB3

  8Information

  8Pharmacie SakhraC3

  1Sights

  oAzrou SouqSOUQ

  (hsunrise-sunset Tue)

  Azrou's weekly souq is one of the largest in the Middle Atlas and truly a sight to behold, but it's not a souvenir-fest: mountain people come from surrounding villages to trade and shop, and the real attraction is in observing a workaday Moroccan market bulging with local produce, livestock and clothes – come before 10am to see goats, sheep and cows being bartered.

  The souq sprawls over an open plain 1.5km north of the town centre and is divided into three sections, with the livestock area the furthest from town. Start at this end and work your way back, stopping at the food tents (downhill from the livestock area) to see carcasses hanging ready for the grills and to grab a mint tea with the locals. Take care if it’s been raining, as the souq area can easily turn into a quagmire.

  Centre Culturel d'AzrouMUSEUM

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Pl Hassan II; h8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri)F

  Azrou's new cultural centre houses a shiny museum with three rooms focusing on the ecology of the Middle Atlas, the cultural heritage of the local Amazigh people, and the region's broader history.

  MoudmameFOREST

  If you're desperate to see Azrou's furry famed locals, it's a piece of cake – just outside town, Moudmame is a popular picnic forest area where one of the region's Barbary macaque troops are guaranteed to be found hanging out. But be prepared for the unpleasantness of seeing the macaques living in squalor: improper waste management has sadly turned the area into a dump and the monkeys have been conditioned to scavenge for food. Take Rte 13 from Azrou heading southeast, or it's a Dh100 grand-taxi round rip.

  Opposite the picnic area, a broad space has been cleared and a museum about the region's cedar forests and industries built. However, the opening has been delayed by drawn-out building concerns.

  2Activities

  Monkey-spotting, horse riding (Dh200 per hour), mountain biking (Dh700 per day) and walking are popular pursuits in this area, but you may have to hire a mountain guide to facilitate these excursions.

  Trails into the hills southeast of town can be reached on foot. From the centre of Azrou, ask for directions to the Sbab hammam, south of the medina. From here, take the road to the left of the hammam (alongside the men's entrance) and follow your nose uphill to the cemetery, which you should find on your left. The road will eventually peter out and be replaced by a pathway that follows the river and ascends into the mountains.

  AZROU'S MONKEYS: MYTHS & REALITIES

  Legend has it that Azrou's Barbary macaques are descended from an impish family who disrespected their hosts. One day the family went walking in the cedar forests, got lost and ran out of food. A charitable family invited t
hem in to share their meal and, it being the day of prayers (Friday), it was couscous on the table. When the family had gorged themselves, they started to play with their food by rolling the couscous into balls to throw at each other. God was not happy and punished them by turning them into monkeys to run wild in the forests forever.

  It's a cautionary tale, but today's reality is more sobering. Six thousand monkeys inhabit Morocco yet the biggest concentration is in this area of the Middle Atlas, where food and water is abundant. There are dozens of monkey troops around, but there's virtually nothing in the way of organised tourism to observe the monkeys in a responsible manner.

  Most tourists head to two well-trodden spots just outside Azrou – Moudmame and Cedar Gouraud – where monkey sightings can be guaranteed. However, the two troops that hang out here do so because they have become habituated to being fed by visitors who claim not to know any better (though there are now educational info boards describing their plight).

  Feeding the macaques causes them health problems, such as obesity, because the foods being offered are not suitable for their stomachs. Being around humans increases stress, and several are killed each year by cars due to begging on the road (though the authorities have recently reduced the speed limits in the park to prevent this from happening). Disease, also, can be transferred to and from humans – especially if people feed the monkeys straight from their hand or if they try to touch them. Feeding also makes young monkeys more vulnerable to poaching, which is one of the greatest threats to the species.

  For more information on the macaques, visit the website of the Moroccan Primate Conservation Foundation (www.mpcfoundation.com).

  4Sleeping

  For its size, Azrou has a surprising number of sleeping options. Budget travellers are spoilt for choice; it's more difficult to find decent midrange options. The most comfortable digs exist on the town's peripheries.

  Riad AzrouGUESTHOUSE€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %06 61 06 42 42; www.riadazrou.com; Pl Moulay Hachem ben Saleh; s/d €30/35, without bathroom €25/30; aW)

  Azrou isn't awash with midrange sleeping options but this budget riad offers a greater level of comfort and more amenities than its neighbours (reflected in the prices). En-suite rooms are large with decent bathrooms and traditional Berber furnishings; rooms with shared bathrooms are a little on the basic side for what you're paying. It's a family-run place with friendly staff.

  Hôtel des CèdresHOTEL€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 56 23 26; Pl Mohammed V; s/d Dh150/250; W)

  Built in 1925, this hotel still has a hint of deco styling in its fixtures. In the past few years renovations have added en suite to every room, though they feel rather makeshift. Nevertheless, des Cèdres is good value. The downstairs square-fronting patio is a focal point for locals, and there's a good restaurant. Breakfast is Dh25 extra.

  Hôtel le PanoramaHOTEL€

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 56 20 10; www.hotelpanorama.ma; Hay Ajelabe; s/d Dh283/348; W)

  Built in a grand alpine-chalet style, this is Azrou’s most comfortable budget hotel. It's in a quiet wooded spot northeast of town (a very dark walk back at night!). Rooms are compact with balconies, but all are in need of a revamp. There are two bars in the hotel grounds, one of which is buzzing after dark. Breakfast is Dh36 extra.

  Hôtel SalameHOTEL€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 56 25 62; salame_hotel@yahoo.fr; Pl Moulay Hachem ben Salah; s Dh80-120, d Dh160)

  Salame gets mixed reviews from travellers, but it's got charm and the staff are exceedingly helpful. Small, cute rooms are nicely presented with a smattering of traditional Berber decoration and shared bathrooms are kept constantly clean, with 24-hour hot showers. There's a functional roof terrace for washing clothes.

  Hôtel Beau-SéjourHOTEL€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 56 06 92, 06 70 84 70 13; sadiki.tarik.40@gmail.com; 45 Pl Moulay Hachem ben Salah; s/d Dh70/120, hot showers Dh10)

  Walls draped in Berber carpets (which are all for sale) welcome you into the 1st-floor reception of this decent budget option. Rooms are clean and simple, and a couple come with balconies overlooking the lively little square below. The roof terrace has good views across Azrou.

  Auberge du Dernier Lion de l’AtlasGUESTHOUSE€

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 56 18 68; www.dernierlionatlas.ma; 16 Rte de Meknès; s/d Dh225/300; W)

  A bit of a way from the centre of Azrou on the road to Meknès, this large orange villa has pleasant rooms and a smokey, zellij-covered Moroccan lounge area. If you’re basing yourself in the Middle Atlas area, there's a good stash of tourist information at reception to help you find your feet.

  Out Of Town

  Camping AmazighCAMPGROUND€

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 56 07 25, 0665 36 16 40; www.campingamazigh.com; Km 5, Rte d'Ifrane; camping per person D17, plus per tent/campervan Dh12/25, r in guesthouse Dh170)

  A delightfully rural campsite with very respectable bathrooms and hot-water showers. There's a small book exchange and communal area where you can hang out on chilly nights, and a slightly rundown kitchen with basic cooking facilities. There's also a simple lodge bedecked with Berber textiles. A log fire keeps things cosy in winter, but it can feel like an oven in summer.

  Campsite electricity costs Dh23 extra per night.

  Les Jardins d'AzrouGUESTHOUSE€€

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0663 77 26 87; www.lesjardinsdazrou.com; Km 4 Afoud Douar Ait Ali, Rte d'Ifrane; s/d incl breakfast Dh450/550; p)S

  The Swiss-Moroccan owners built this tranquil farm and guesthouse from scratch, installing solar panels and specialist equipment to harvest heat from the soil. What has been achieved is an exceedingly pleasant place to stay, with a peaceful patio fronting the farm and sublime views of Azrou's cedar forests from the bedrooms. Food, where possible, comes from the owners' farm or neighbouring gardens.

  The farm is 1km down a dirt track just outside Azrou, but the owner is happy to ferry you to town and back should you need to go. Abdellah is also an official Middle Atlas mountain guide, making Jardins d'Azrou an ideal base for hikers.

  Palais des CerisiersHOTEL€€€

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; Rte du Cèdre Gorou btwn Azrou & Ifrane; s Dh765-965, d Dh930-1530, all incl breakfast; paWs)

  A smart upmarket choice, Cerisiers is surrounded by cherry blossoms in spring. Rooms are spacious with fridges and heating, plus there are free bikes, a spa, an elegant restaurant and a bar (nonguests welcome). The only downside is that it's 4km from Azrou and petite taxis from town won't come out here: this place is better suited to those with a car.

  5Eating & Drinking

  The best cheap eats are found in three main areas – strung along Blvd Moulay Abdelkader south of the bus station, and clustered around Pl Hassan II and Pl Moulay Hachem ben Salah. You can find all the trusty favourites here – rotisserie chicken, brochettes and steaming bowls of harira.

  If you're looking for an alcoholic drink in Azrou, Hotel le Panorama has two bars to choose from. Palais des Cerisiers offers a more upmarket setting for a drink, but it's a bit of drag to get to without a car.

  Hôtel des CèdresMOROCCAN€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 56 23 26; Pl Mohammed V; mains from Dh50, menu of the day Dh100; h11.30am-3pm; 7.30-10pm)

  Hôtel des Cèdres' restaurant is by far the best place to eat in Azrou. Inside there's a 1920s dining room and log fire; outside plaza-fronting terrace tables allow diners to sit cheek by jowl with the town's stalwart coffee-drinkers. The sustainable local trout is always good, plus there are some more unusual dishes such as rabbit tajine. Service is excellent.

  Café Restaurant BilalCAFE€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.restaurant-bilal.com; Pl Mohammed V; sandwiches Dh15-25, mains Dh40-60; h8am-10pm; W)

  The streetside terrace at this cafe-restaurant is crammed with locals partaking in coffee and cake (the cafe doubles as a patisserie), but upstairs there's a quiet dining room that makes a good base for checking emails over a sandwich, tajine or pizza. Service is s
low, but friendly.

  7Shopping

  Ensemble ArtisanalARTS & CRAFTS

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Blvd Mohammed V; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat)

  This small artisan area has a few fixed-price shops and a number of craftsmen working on the premises, mostly carving the famous local cedar wood. You'll find it on the left as you enter through the grand cedar-wood door.

  8Information

  Banks aren't hard to come by in Azrou and there are three ATMs around Pl Mohammed V.

  BMCE ( GOOGLE MAP ; Pl Mohammed V; h8.15am-4pm Mon-Fri) Includes a Bureau de change.

  Pharmacie Sakhra ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Pl Mohammed V; h9.30am-1.30pm & 4-9pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-1.30pm Sat)

  Post Office ( GOOGLE MAP ; Blvd Prince Héritier Sidi Mohammed; h8am-4.15pm Mon-Fri)

  8Getting There & Away

  Azrou sits at a crossroads, with one axis heading northwest to southeast from Meknès to Er-Rachidia, and the other northeast to Fez and southwest to Marrakesh. Its location makes it a transport hub for the region and buses heading all over Morocco pass through here. There's no train station.

  Bus

  CTM ( GOOGLE MAP ; Blvd Hassan II) offers daily departures from its bus station on Blvd Hassan II to Casablanca (Dh130, six hours), Fez (Dh35, one hour), Marrakesh (Dh150, eight hours) and Meknès (Dh30, two hours).

  Other cheaper companies leave from the Gare Routière ( GOOGLE MAP ; Blvd Moulay Abdelkader.) on Blvd Moulay Abdelkader. There are frequent daily departures to Fez (Dh20), Meknès (Dh20), Ifrane (Dh10), Marrakesh (Dh120), Midelt (Dh40 to Dh50) and Er-Rachidia (Dh80). Three buses a day run to Casablanca (Dh70 to Dh80).