After Marrakesh we wanted to continue to Fes but wanted to stop in a smaller and less touristic town along the way. We decided to stay in the town of Azrou as it had been recommended to us.
From Marrakesh there were two ways to get to Fes: The first way was to take the train back to Casablanca and take another train from there to Fes, and the second way was to take a bus that would skirt the peaks of the High Atlas Mountains and go directly to Fes. Although by train would have been quicker and more comfortable we decided to go by bus so as to get to see the wild scenery of the mountains.
We left very early in the chilly morning and the views outside were obscured by a thick fog. The bus we climbed on was cold, dirty and uncomfortable. As the fog burned off over the next couple of hours the towering, snow covered peaks of the High Atlas Mountains appeared. The country we were driving through was green, cultivated mountain foothills with plateaus and canyons falling away on our left. It was really picturesque. The road we took was a narrow winding road similar to a small country road in the States. The bus started climbing through the forested Middle Atlas Mountains until reaching a high plateau. From there we arrived at Azrou.
As a general rule in most of the poorer countries that we visited on this trip you have to add 2 hours to the travel time given to you by the bus company employees, and this trip was no different. Our bus we arrived late in the evening instead of the afternoon as promised.
Ringed with mountains covered with Pine and Cedar forests and covered with snow Azrou was an attractive Berber town of about 50,000 people. After being in touristy Essaouria and Marrakesh we were again stared at a lot in Azrou. We found a place to stay then wandered around the town. At dinner we were spectacularly ripped off at a local restaurant which had no menu or listed prices. We slept that night in a beautiful Riad with tiled walls. It had no heating and was freezing cold. We piled up lots of blankets and managed to stay somewhat warm.
The next morning we packed up again and headed to the bus station to finish our journey to Fes.
It had been a long travel day and even though the conditions on the bus left a bit to be desired the amazing mountain scenery we saw along the way made the trip more than worth it.
Steve
From Marrakesh there were two ways to get to Fes: The first way was to take the train back to Casablanca and take another train from there to Fes, and the second way was to take a bus that would skirt the peaks of the High Atlas Mountains and go directly to Fes. Although by train would have been quicker and more comfortable we decided to go by bus so as to get to see the wild scenery of the mountains.
We left very early in the chilly morning and the views outside were obscured by a thick fog. The bus we climbed on was cold, dirty and uncomfortable. As the fog burned off over the next couple of hours the towering, snow covered peaks of the High Atlas Mountains appeared. The country we were driving through was green, cultivated mountain foothills with plateaus and canyons falling away on our left. It was really picturesque. The road we took was a narrow winding road similar to a small country road in the States. The bus started climbing through the forested Middle Atlas Mountains until reaching a high plateau. From there we arrived at Azrou.
As a general rule in most of the poorer countries that we visited on this trip you have to add 2 hours to the travel time given to you by the bus company employees, and this trip was no different. Our bus we arrived late in the evening instead of the afternoon as promised.
Ringed with mountains covered with Pine and Cedar forests and covered with snow Azrou was an attractive Berber town of about 50,000 people. After being in touristy Essaouria and Marrakesh we were again stared at a lot in Azrou. We found a place to stay then wandered around the town. At dinner we were spectacularly ripped off at a local restaurant which had no menu or listed prices. We slept that night in a beautiful Riad with tiled walls. It had no heating and was freezing cold. We piled up lots of blankets and managed to stay somewhat warm.
The next morning we packed up again and headed to the bus station to finish our journey to Fes.
It had been a long travel day and even though the conditions on the bus left a bit to be desired the amazing mountain scenery we saw along the way made the trip more than worth it.
Steve
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