Azrou Travel Guide: Cedar Forests and Barbary Macaques

Azrou is a market town in the Middle Atlas, at about 1,250 meters, surrounded by some of the finest cedar forest in Morocco. It is more traditional and less polished than nearby Ifrane, with a weekly market that draws people from the whole region. This Azrou travel guide covers the forest, the town and how to fit them into a trip.

Azrou at a Glance

Best for: forest walks, wildlife and an authentic market.
How long: half a day to one night.
Best time: spring to autumn; winter brings snow.
Good to know: the name means “rock” in the Amazigh language, after the outcrop in the middle of town.

The Cedar Forest

The hills south and east of Azrou are covered in Atlas cedar, mixed with oak. Some trees are several hundred years old and more than 30 meters tall. The best-known stop is a clearing a few kilometers from town around the trunk of a giant cedar, now dead but still standing, where stalls sell snacks and souvenirs.

Barbary Macaques

The forest is one of the last strongholds of the Barbary macaque, the only monkey native to Africa north of the Sahara and an endangered species. Troops gather at the roadside clearings, where they have grown used to people. Watch them from a distance and do not feed them, however much vendors encourage it: human food makes them ill and changes their behavior.

Walking

To see the forest properly, leave the car parks behind. Tracks lead deep among the trees, and within ten minutes you are alone with the birdsong. Guesthouses in town can suggest routes or provide a guide for a half-day or full-day walk, and longer circuits reach lakes, springs and shepherds’ camps.

The Town and Its Market

Azrou has a small old quarter of green-tiled roofs around the central square and mosque. The weekly souk, traditionally held on Tuesdays just outside the center, is one of the largest in the Middle Atlas: livestock, vegetables, wool and carpets brought by Amazigh families from the surrounding mountains.

The region is known for its thick wool carpets with geometric designs and for cedar woodcarving. The local craft cooperative near the square shows work at fixed prices, which is useful for comparison before bargaining elsewhere.

Getting There and Where to Stay

Azrou is about an hour and a half from Fes and a little over an hour from Meknes, with frequent buses and shared taxis. Ifrane is 17 kilometers away. The town stands at a crossroads: the main road continues south to Midelt and the desert, and another leads west toward Khenifra and Marrakech.

Accommodation is modest: a few small hotels in town and several friendly guesthouses on the outskirts, some of them on the edge of the forest.