Last updated: June 2026
Fes is one of the best-placed cities in Morocco for day trips - but not all of them are worth the effort. Some are genuinely rewarding, some eat most of your day in the car, and at least one is a stretch that only makes sense if you know what you’re getting into. After six trips to Morocco since 2017, here’s the honest breakdown.
The Classic Triple: Volubilis, Moulay Idriss and Meknes
This is the most popular day trip from Fes, and for good reason - it works. You get Roman ruins, a hilltop holy town, and a proper imperial city all in one loop, and you’re back in Fes by early evening.
The route: Head west from Fes towards Meknes (about 60 km), stopping first at Volubilis (roughly 30 km beyond Meknes, near Moulay Idriss). Most tours and drivers do Volubilis first, then drop into Moulay Idriss for lunch, then finish in Meknes before the drive back.
Volubilis is the highlight - Morocco’s best-preserved Roman site, a UNESCO World Heritage site with mosaics still vivid after 1,800 years. Budget 2 hours minimum. Entry is 100 dirhams (around €9). Go in the morning if you can; the light is better and it gets hot by midday.
Moulay Idriss is quieter and often skipped by organised tours, which is a shame. It’s a genuine pilgrimage town built around the tomb of Morocco’s founding saint. Non-Muslims can’t enter the mausoleum but you can walk the streets, eat at a hole-in-the-wall spot above the town, and get views across the valley to Volubilis. An hour is plenty.
Meknes is substantial - the medina, the Bab Mansour gate (genuinely impressive), the granaries - and deserves more time than most tours give it. If you’re on an organised day trip you’ll get 2 to 2.5 hours in Meknes, which is enough for the highlights but rushed if you want to wander properly. If Meknes interests you, it merits its own dedicated visit - see the Meknes guide for more.
Getting there - organised tour: Easiest option. Group tours run from around 660 MAD (~€60) per person and typically include pickup, transport and a guide. Tours on GetYourGuide and Viator hover around €35-55 and cover 8-9 hours. Lunch is sometimes included; entry fees usually aren’t. Check before you book.
Getting there - grand taxi: A shared grand taxi from Fes to Moulay Idriss costs around 10 MAD per seat (yes, really - a 30-minute shared ride). From there you can pick up onward transport to Meknes. The issue is logistics - combining all three sites independently requires planning, some waiting, and a willingness to piece it together. If there are two or three of you, hiring a private grand taxi for the day (negotiate before you get in) makes more sense. Budget 600-900 MAD for a private hire, plus entry fees and lunch.
Honest verdict: Do this trip. It’s the strongest single day out of Fes. If you have any interest in Roman history, Volubilis alone justifies it. Read the full Volubilis guide before you go - the context makes the site much richer.
Chefchaouen - The Blue City
The blue city is 200 km from Fes, which puts it around 3.5 to 4 hours each way. That’s 7 to 8 hours of driving for a day trip - before you’ve even set foot in the medina. Be honest with yourself about whether that suits you.
What you get: Chefchaouen is genuinely beautiful. The blue-washed streets, the Rif mountain backdrop, the relaxed pace - it’s different to Fes and Marrakech in all the right ways. A few hours there feels right; a few hours there after 4 hours in a car feels rushed.
The honest case for going as a day trip: If your Morocco itinerary doesn’t allow for an overnight, and you’re set on seeing Chefchaouen, then go. You’ll get 3 to 4 hours in the medina, which is enough to see the kasbah, walk the main square and the blue quarter, and have lunch. You won’t feel settled, but you won’t feel cheated either.
The honest case for overnight: You arrive less frazzled, you get the early morning light (the medina before 8am is something else), and you can actually sit with the place. A single night changes the trip significantly.
Getting there: Organised day tours run around €25-30 per person from Fes and take care of the logistics. A private taxi starts at around 1,700 MAD one way. The CTM bus runs for around 120-150 MAD each way but with 4h40m journey times you’re looking at a very long day. Most people on a one-day trip book an organised tour or hire a private driver.
Drive time: 3.5 to 4 hours each way in normal conditions. Allow more in summer.
Honest verdict: Better as an overnight, but workable as a long day trip if you know what you’re signing up for. Check the Chefchaouen travel guide for what to prioritise if time is tight.
Ifrane and the Cedar Forest
This is the most underrated day trip from Fes, and the one that tends to surprise people most.
Ifrane is 60 km south of Fes in the Middle Atlas, about an hour’s drive. It was built by the French in the 1930s as an alpine retreat - think pitched red roofs, manicured parks, clean wide streets - and it sits at around 1,650 metres elevation. In summer, it’s noticeably cooler than Fes. In winter, it gets snow. It earns the “Switzerland of Morocco” nickname, and the contrast with the rest of the country is genuinely striking.
Most day trips combine Ifrane with Azrou and the cedar forest, roughly 20 km further south. The cedar forest is where you’ll encounter the Barbary macaques - North Africa’s only wild primate and the only wild monkey species in Europe or Africa north of the Sahara. They come to the roadside and are habituated to people. They’re also beggars. Don’t feed them - nuts, fruit and human food disrupt their diet and behaviour, and the vendors selling nuts to throw them are making money at the animals’ expense. Watch, photograph, enjoy, but keep your snacks in your bag.
Getting there: Organised tours from Fes run around €30-40 per person for a full-day Middle Atlas excursion. A private grand taxi or hired car for the day costs in the region of 500-700 MAD depending on negotiation. There’s also public transport (bus or shared taxi to Ifrane), though reaching the cedar forest independently without a car is trickier.
Honest verdict: Go. Especially if you’ve been in Fes for a few days and want a complete change of pace. The macaques are a genuine draw, the mountain landscape is beautiful, and Ifrane is unlike anything else you’ll see in Morocco. Good fit for families and for anyone who’s had enough medina for a few hours.
Sefrou - The Overlooked One
Sefrou is 30 km south of Fes, a 30 to 40 minute drive, and almost nobody outside Morocco knows it exists. That’s exactly why it’s worth visiting.
It was once one of Morocco’s most significant Jewish communities - a mellah still sits within the medina walls. A river runs through the old quarter, creating small waterfalls and shaded walkways that feel genuinely refreshing in summer. The medina is smaller and quieter than Fes, easy to navigate without a guide, and you’ll have it almost entirely to yourself.
Nearby Bhalil is a 15-minute drive and adds something unusual - cave dwellings still inhabited today, carved directly into the hillside. The combination of Sefrou and Bhalil makes a solid half-day or a relaxed full day if you’re happy to linger over lunch.
Getting there: Shared grands taxis from Fes run regularly and cost around 15-20 MAD per seat. It’s one of the easiest independent day trips from the city. You don’t need a tour; just negotiate a fare to wait or agree a return time.
Honest verdict: Excellent half-day. Undervisited, accessible, and a genuinely different texture to Fes. Particularly good if you’ve already done the Meknes/Volubilis circuit and want something low-effort and local.
Which Day Trip Should You Do?
Here’s the honest ranking for first-timers:
- Volubilis + Moulay Idriss + Meknes - the best combination, clearest payoff
- Ifrane + cedar forest - most surprising, best for a change of scene
- Sefrou - easiest, most low-key, great if you want a breather
- Chefchaouen - most beautiful, but best as an overnight
If you’re planning a two-day itinerary in Fes, the Fes 2-day itinerary has suggestions for how to fit these in around the city itself. You can also browse the day trips and tours available through Explora Morocco if you want a guide to handle the logistics.
Practical Notes
Best time to go: Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) for the Middle Atlas. Summer works but the Fes-to-Meknes run gets hot by midday. Ifrane and the cedar forest are more bearable than the plains in July and August.
Cash: Grand taxi drivers work in cash. Bring dirhams. Entry fees at Volubilis (100 MAD) are cash-only. ATMs in Fes medina work; don’t rely on finding one outside the city.
Start early: Every one of these trips benefits from an early start. Volubilis in particular is best before the tour groups arrive and before the midday heat. Aim to leave Fes by 8am if you can.
Language: French is widely spoken by drivers and guides. Spanish is useful near Chefchaouen (Rif region influence). English is less reliable outside Fes itself; a guide or organised transfer makes communication easier.
See the full Fes travel guide for accommodation, medina orientation and getting around the city itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Volubilis from Fes?
Volubilis is around 88 km from Fes, roughly an hour and a half to two hours by car depending on traffic. It’s usually combined with Moulay Idriss (a few kilometres away) and Meknes (30 km back towards Fes) on the same day.
Can you do Chefchaouen as a day trip from Fes?
Yes, but it’s a long day. The drive is 200 km each way - around 3.5 to 4 hours in each direction - which means you’re spending 7 to 8 hours in a vehicle. You’ll get 3 to 4 hours in Chefchaouen itself. It’s manageable if you’re on a tight itinerary, but an overnight gives you a much better experience.
What is the entry fee for Volubilis?
As of 2025/2026, entry to Volubilis costs 100 dirhams (approximately €9). This isn’t included in most organised tours, so bring cash. The site is open daily.
Is it safe to travel by grand taxi for day trips from Fes?
Yes. Grand taxis (large shared Mercedes) are how Moroccans travel between towns and they’re safe and reliable. Agree the price before you get in - for shared taxis, there’s a standard per-seat fare; for private hire, negotiate a round-trip price upfront. Having a French phrase or two helps, or your hotel can help you negotiate.
Which day trip from Fes is best for families with children?
Ifrane and the cedar forest is the strongest choice for families - the Barbary macaques are a genuine draw for children, the drive is only an hour each way, and the mountain setting is pleasant. Sefrou is also very manageable as a half-day. The Volubilis/Meknes/Moulay Idriss circuit is the longest and involves more walking on uneven ground, but it’s still fine with older kids.
Do I need to book day trips from Fes in advance?
For organised tours, booking a day ahead is sensible in peak season (March-May, September-October). For independent travel by grand taxi, you can simply turn up at the taxi stands - Fes has two main ones (one for Meknes direction, one for the south). Your riad can point you to the right one. If you want a private driver for a full day, arrange it through your accommodation the night before.
