Fes Travel Forum

Help! $ of us will go from Fez to Marakesh and need to either rent a car, driver or train. What is best if we want to get there seeign some of teh sights along the way but definitely doing it all in one day? What would it cost to hire a driver adn can they take all 4 of us together? Husband, self adn 18 and 14 yr olfs.
THANKS! What is there to see on way to Marakesh?Is there stuff right along the way or doyou have to go way off road?

Also wonder best way to get from Casablanca Airport to Fez.???

Saludos FTS . My wife and I arrived in Casablanca, rented a car and drove 600 Km in one week. From Casablanca to Fez the hyway (road) is like USA freeway. I then suggest you take old 2 lane road next to desrt down to Marakesh. The road is safe and easy to drive. Many stands by the road that sell fossils, etc. You can do drive in 5 hours easy, and stop along the way. If possible go to VOLIPOLI near Fez. Its ancient Roman city. The drive from Marakesh to Casablanca is all Toll road type, wide, safe , easy. I dont speak arabic or french and was not a problem. People very friendly, police very modern (BMW'S)

If you look at any guidebook with a map or info on Morocco - which if you are taking your family to an unknown country surely you will be looking at something other than just on a travelsite new to you that it seems that even the travelguides and pages by VTers here havent yet been consulted either - that you will see that to do that trip in one day doesnt leave much time for anything really along the way apart from lunch and toilet stops.

Ive done a lot of driving around Morocco and have been able to do and see a lot in a short time - but even when I caught the bus down from Fez to Marrakech - the bus left at 630 am and arrived at 315pm at Marrakech with about 45 mins of lunch and morning tea stop along the way.

Otherwise that route has the most number of must sees in Morocco - but its going down from Fez via Azrou or Ifrane to Midelt via the Ziz Valley to Rissani and then a visit to the Sahara around Merzouga and then along the Dades Valley - Kelaa Mgouna,up the Todra Gorge or up the Dades Gorge, then Skoura, Ouarzazate, Ait BenHaddou, Telouet and the TiznTichka mountain pass to Marrakech. That could be done in 2 days jampacked but really in 3 at a disciplined pace.
There is too of course as mentioned in previous post the must see Roman city of volibulis about 45 mins from Fez and you should spend half a day in Fez to see the medina and the view from Borg Nord above the city.

Its an excellent route of course - but even the direct route that the bus takes is fairly scenic but not actually sights to stop at though one in particularly worth taking a diversion off the main road to see Cascade douzoud which is North AFricas highest waterfall.

You could do it by grande taxi which is about 500 dirham a day for a large mercedes diesel which would include the driver but pay also his accomm and food. Or drive your own rental car. Train links the cities of Casablanca Fes Meknes and Marrakech but no diversions off in between.

Why are you wanting to know how to start in Fez if you could start in Casablanca? But you can actually all catch the train to Fez and/or Meknes.

Have a read of some good guidebooks such as the Lonely Planet, Rough Guide, DK eyewitness and have a roam around VTers pages on the places theyve visited and written recommendations and info along with photos of places too which can help you put things into place as to what youd like to see and so on.

To go to a country like Morocco which is a great place to travel the more prepared you are though the better - especially if you do decide to hire a Moroccan driver or guide!