2 Days from Fes: Morocco Day Trips
Two days from Fes reaches exactly two gateway trips, Meknes and Volubilis on day one and Ifrane’s cedar forest macaques on day two. Sefrou, Chefchaouen and the Sahara all need more runway than two days gives you, and this plan won’t pretend otherwise. Want more? The 3-day plan adds Sefrou next. Staying in the medina instead, see the 2-day Fes itinerary .
Book these before you go:
- Meknes and Volubilis day trip (GetYourGuide)
- Middle Atlas day trip to Ifrane and Azrou (GetYourGuide)
- Riad rates in Fes (Booking.com)
| Day | Focus | Distance / drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Meknes and Volubilis (plus Moulay Idriss) | ~60-90km / 60-90 min each way |
| Day 2 | Ifrane and Azrou’s cedar forest | ~60-65km / 1.5-2 hrs each way |
Day 1: Meknes and Volubilis in One Day
A 45-minute to 1-hour ONCF train reaches Meknes for 18-26 MAD, or take a shared grand taxi if you’d rather skip the timetable. Meknes is an imperial city in its own right, Bab Mansour gate and its own medina worth an hour, but the real draw sits 30-45 minutes further on: Volubilis, Morocco’s best-preserved Roman ruin and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997 , roughly 70 MAD entry (confirm at the gate). Pair it with Moulay Idriss, the hilltop pilgrimage town next door, a chartered grand taxi covering all three stops runs roughly 400-500 MAD for the whole vehicle, or book a guided Meknes and Volubilis tour and skip the logistics entirely.
Is Volubilis worth the extra hour past Meknes? Yes, if Roman ruins interest you at all. Meknes gives you an imperial gate and a medina you could find in several Moroccan cities; Volubilis gives you mosaics still in place, a triumphal arch, and a hilltop setting over olive groves that nothing else on this route matches. Skip it only if you’re pressed for time and already worn out from Meknes alone.
Day 2: Ifrane and Azrou’s Cedar Forest
Ifrane earns its “Little Switzerland” nickname honestly, alpine chalet architecture and a climate that turns properly cold and sometimes snowy in winter. Push on to Azrou’s cedar forest, 1.5-2 hours from Fes, for a near-guaranteed Barbary macaque sighting, these monkeys are resident year-round, not a rare spot you might miss. Guided day trips run roughly 7-9 hours round trip with a morning pickup; prices vary widely by operator, compare a couple before you book the Middle Atlas day trip .
Are the Barbary macaques really guaranteed at Azrou? Sightings run close to certain in the cedar forest section of the route, guides know exactly which pull-offs the troops favor at any given hour. Feeding is officially discouraged though still common, keep your distance and your snacks zipped away regardless of what other visitors are doing.
Two days proves Fes works as a base, not how far that base can take you. Come back with a full week and the 7-day plan fits every trip in this family, Chefchaouen and the Sahara included. For the medina itself, the official Fez tourism page and our own Fes guide cover it in depth.