Bonjour,
Je découvre ce forum, comme je vais découvrir le Maroc et précisement Fès en avril avec mon mari et mon fils de 12 ans.
J'ai lu des livres, visité des sites, mais je souhaite avoir des échanges individuels.
Merci à ceux qui connaissent Fès et ses environs, de me faire part de leurs impressions, leurs conseils, sur les visites à faire, les restos et commerces.
Nous avons besoin de repos et donc ne ferons pas des grandes excursions, mais il semble que nous puissions passer une semaine très très agréable.
J'ai aussi consulté des sites météo, mais que pouvez-vous me dire sur le temps que nous pourrons éventuellement avoir.
Moi ce qui m'interrresse, c'est l'expérience des uns et des autres, le partage.
Merci de prendre le temps de me répondre.
bonsoir, a fes il fais beaucx en cette période, mais pour visiter se qu il y a avesiter(l anciene médina......) il faut un guide je pense c'est compliquer l ancienne médina de fes...sion au allontour, vous pouvez vesiter mekness ville impériale aussi, volubilis, ifrane, si vous voulez voir la suisse marocaine....fes est une belle ville qui vaut le détour.bon voyage
bonjour,
ah je garde un trés bon souvenir de cette villle magnifique, sa vieille medina et ses souk .
pour le mois d'avril en général il fait trés bon la journnée mais la nuit il fait un peu frais style 15°.
je pense qu'une semaine est largement suffisante pour se reposer et visister tranquillement la ville est ces merveilles et de faire quelques petites excurssion: l'arriére pays est trés beau.
ce qui intéressant à voir à fés:quartier de fés al baliquartier de fés jdidla vieille médina et ses monuments historiques: mosque karaouiene, medrsa boaanaia, ... le quartier des tanneurs.la mosqué andalous.quariter juif (malah) palais royal avec ces portes impréssionante.
pour l'arriére pays il faut absolument voir la ville sainte moulay driss, une petite ville à croucher dans la montagne, voir aussi voulibis (des vestiges romaines); et dans aucun il faut pas rater la visite de la ville de meknés (haras souani, le mosolé, et la vieille ville) et si vous aves marre de la ville une petite excurssion dans le moyen atlas ca remonte le morale.
par contre le seul et unique probléme à la ville de Fés c'est le nombre impréssionant de faux guide, qui attendent les touristes dans les entrés de la ville. mais dans tout les cas pour vos premiéres visites il est indispensable de prendre un guide( pour le chemin et aussi pour l'histoire) mais sachez le bien que vous alliez passer dans pas mal de magasin de souvenirs ( tapis, poteries, tissus, épices, ...etc) bref tout.
mais ca reste une belle ville.
bon voyage
Merci pour les infos et les conseils.
Y a t il un moyen de reconnaitre les faux guides, les vrais faux, les faux vrais et également ceux proposés par les TO; Tout ce joli monde est il incontournable, ne peut on vraiment pas visiter en solo la médina ?
Contrairement à des commentaires qui datent du siècle dernier, il n'est absolument pas nécessaire d'avoir un guide pour visiter Fes.
La médina est fléchée de plusieurs circuits, et avec beaucoup d'explications sur des panneaux devant les monuments.
Une simple demande à un commercant quand il y a un doute suffit.
J'en reviens, un vrai bonheur.
On peut y flaner 2 ou 3 jours et faire une excursion du coté d'Ifrane Azrou, et les forets
et d'autre vers meknes, Volubilis, Moulay Idriss,
Pas grave si parfois, quelques avis datent un peu, c'est tellement gentil de répondre aux messages.
Puisque vous rentrez d'un vrai bohneur et que nous nous y partons bientot, simple curiosité, pourquoi si peu de personnes parlent de Fès ?
Nous, nous avons choisi cette ville car elle nous a semblé intérressante, comme ses environs proches. Nous sommes des parisiens et n'avons qu'une semaine de vacances avant l'été, donc nous avons besoin de nous poser et nous reposer. Nous ferons donc à notre rythme les visites et surtout en dehors des groupes de touristes même si nous partons avec un TO en hotel.
Bonjour Murty,
d'aprés mon expérience, je pense que la premiére visite est indisponsable avec un guide officiel, pour que vous rentrez dans le bain en douceur, et s'aacomoder à la folle, au ruelle de la médina, et aprés on sentira mieux tout seul pour toute la semaine.
et aprés je vous assure c'est que le bonheure de se perdre dans les didales de cette ville.
et aussi en utilisant le service d'un guide officiel vous faites tourner léconomie de cette ville dans le bon sens, et vous couper l'herbe sous les pieds des faux guides et autre pour l'harcelement.
bonne voyage murty
J'ai passé un court séjour à fès de 4 jours il y a 2 ans, mais j'en garde un bon souvenir.
La médina est riche en surprises ! Les ruelles étroites c'est un vrai labyrinthe !
Mon conseil est de prendre un guide pour la visiter car on se perd facilement et surtout on se fait accoster de tous les côtés par des vendeurs, des enfants, des faux guides etc... ils peuvent vous suivre toute une journée entière jusqu'à obtention de ce qu'ils veulent, c'est pas très agréable ! Avec un guide c'est différent et en plus ils connaissent tous les recoins et ce qu'il y a de mieux à voir. il y a aussi de très bons restos et des ryads magnifiques.
En ce qui concerne les alentours, il y a la citée romaine de Volubilis qui est aussi superbe et riche en histoire.
La ville de Meknes n'est pas très loin n'ont plus.
Bonnes vacances au Maroc. Nous pensons y retourner en Juin sur Marrakech cette fois !
Nathalie
C'est une expérience récente qui me conforte dans l'idée qu'un guide n'est pas nécessaire, je n'aurais pas tenu ce langage il y a quelques années.
Si comme vous dites, vous voulez faire les visites à votre rythme, le seul moyen est de les faire sans guide, les guides ont leur circuit standard, avec leur timing, et surtout leurs arrets incontournables dans les commerces amis.
mais c'est vous qui voyez.
Peu de personnes parlent de Fes, parcequ'il est difficile de résister au mattraquage de Marrakech, et surtout qu'entre les deux villes il y a une grosse difference de météo, et d'infrastructure touristique.
Fes se mérite. ! il faut pas trop en parler!
le probléme des guides qui s'arretent dans pas mal de magazin c'est un probléme univesel, c'est pas que fés ou le maroc, dans le monde entiér. ce que font les agences a paris pour les touristes japonais, et amérecain,
en Italy, en turquie, en egypte, en thailand. ce n'est pas ls locaux qui ont crée ca! c'est nous l'occident.
mais pour moi fés sans Guide, vous passez devant beaucoups de choses important. et c'est dommage pour 20 euro la journnée de priver de ca, et sache que dans le commerce vous étes pas obilgez d'acheter, et que le chooping reste pour les derniers jours de séjour;
bien à vous
Merci à tous, j'ai bien compris, pour avoir été en Egypte l'an passé, je pense que nous pourrons nous en sortir et surtout en gardant le sourire et parfois avec un guide aussi.
Pour ma part, je préfère payer un guide et avoir un service telle qu'il soit, plutot que de faire de la distribution de 'stylo'.
Si quelqu'un en connais sur Fès, n'hésitez pas à nous donner leurs coordonnées.
D'autre part lorsque je suis allée en Egypte j'avais eu des échanges avec une personne qui s'occupait d'une association d'enfants. Je lui ai donc apporté des vêtements.
Auriez vous connaissance sur Fès d'une association ou autre?
Je suis reste a Fez plusieurs semaines il y a deja quelque temps.
J'habitais dans le quartier des Juifs a l'entree de la medina.Il n'y a pas besoin de guide pour visiter cette derniere.C'est extraordinairement agreable de deambuler dans les ruelles au fil de ses envies.Il y a tellement a voir.Si il ne fait pas trop chaud il faut voir les tanneries absolument car ce sont les plus grandes du Maroc.
Pour le reste il faut se laisser aller au gres de son feeling.
Pour avoir été à Fes en solo, je trouve que le plus agréable est de se"perdre" dans la médina. C'est la ou tu découvres plein de choses que tu ne verrais pas avec un guide. Et de toutes facon, tu trouves toujours une porte pour sortir. Aux environs de Fes, je te conseille de te rendre dans les villages d'Ifrane et Azrou, qui ressemble pour le premier à un village suisse. De là, tu peux aller vers la foret de cèdres ou il y à une quantité de singes magots. C'est très sympa pour une journée.
ah bon, tu trouve???? que c'est des commentaires qui datent du siècle dernier !!!!!!!! je parle en connaissnces de la ville, les vrais fassi, se perdent ds l ancienne médina, et tu nous dis que c'est des commentaires qui datent du siècle dernier, je visite fes chaque année (j suis marocain d origine)... je te conseil de prendre un guide et de ne pas ecouter les commentaire qui gacherent ton séjour, les vrai guide tu les reconnaitra par leur care, t a qu a demander la carte professionnel et de négocier le prix avant, tous se négocis au maroc, si tu veux vraiment découvrir fes, il faut un guide, j ai des amis fassi, des vrai fassi, qui n arrivent pas a se retrouver ds l anciene médina, alor pour un tourisste je vous dis pas......bon voyage...
bonjour, il ya telement d ssociations d enfants a fes, a qui tu peux fair des donts, je vais demander a des amis qui sont de fes, je vous met au courant...
Hello, my husband and I will be in Egypt this coming November. Cairo seems more challenging to explore without a guide, and we’ll be there for 3 full days. Would anyone have the name of a guide?
Thanks!
Hi, we're looking for a guide to show us around Essaouira.
We're 11 adults and don't want to go through an agency. If you have a contact to help us discover this city, that would be great!
Thanks
I’m heading back to Egypt for the first time in 30 years this July. Last time, I was 20, and we spent two weeks traveling on a shoestring as backpackers.
I’m wondering about a "cruise" on a felucca from Aswan—mainly to avoid being stuck in an air-conditioned tourist bubble (we’re already spending our first week in that setting with our diving club). We’d like to explore the most interesting stretch of the Nile between Aswan and Luxor. Do you have any thoughts on this option, tips, or maybe some contacts?
I was wondering if it’s possible to join a group as a solo traveler with local agencies in Djanet for circuits like Tadrart, Essendilene, Sefar, or Tassili?
If you have any agencies to recommend, I’d love to hear about them.
I didn’t find any info on the forum.
Best,
Here’s a first draft for a 14-night itinerary during the Christmas break with two teens. We’re especially fond of hiking (nothing too extreme, though), which is why we’re drawn to the south.
- Marrakech (2 nights)
- Aït Ben Haddou (1 night)
- Dadès (3 nights, though we’re thinking of doing a day trip to the Todra Gorge on one of those days)
- M'hamid (1 night)
- Erg Chigaga (1 night)
- 4 nights to slot in
- Marrakech (2 nights)
Okay, I realize this involves a lot of driving, and we’re still debating the return route since we’d like to avoid the Tichka Pass in January, but going through Taroudant seems like it would add *a lot* of time. 😕
If you’ve got other suggestions for an itinerary with great hikes, I’m all ears!
Also, the 4 nights total in MRK isn’t really our preference, but since we’re arriving/departing super early from overseas, we’d like to be a bit rested before the long flight.
Another question:
For hikes (aside from the desert one), is it better to have a guide with us, or are the trails well-marked?
Hi everyone,
Our trip to Morocco will be from November 3 to 17, in the High Atlas.
Basically, our route would be:
Marrakech - Aït Benhaddou
Skoura - Tinghir - Merzouga
Merzouga via the N12 to Zagora
Zagora - Draa Valley - Marrakech
It seems to be the low season, so I’d love to travel without having to book accommodations in advance. In other countries, pre-booking has restricted us and kept us from visiting unplanned sites. Freedom is important to us, but I’d also like to avoid arriving somewhere and finding nothing available.
What do you recommend? Book ahead or not?
Your advice is always helpful, and thanks to anyone who can shed some light on this for me.
Roberto
First of all: a big thank you to everyone whose insightful, funny, lively, and exotic posts we’ve enjoyed. It’s a joy to find such lovely writers on this forum, who’ve given me tons of ideas and addresses to prepare our trip.
Our plan: to explore Morocco from November 2nd to December 4th. We’ll have our own vehicle (a 2011 Renault Grand Scenic, in great condition), shipped with us from Sète to Tanger Med. Returning from Nador.
Our profile: 75 and 62 years young, so old but happy to be, in very good health. Seasoned travelers—it’s practically our whole life. Lovers of beautiful landscapes, historic sites, fine craftsmanship, and road trips. This will be my 3rd trip to Morocco, but the first two were 20 and 17 years ago. I’ve never been north of the Essaouira-Marrakech line (though I’ve gone further south). As for my husband, a lifelong expat including in Muslim countries, it’s his first time in Morocco.
He’s the one driving. He’s very experienced, cautious, not necessarily fast, but used to driving in all conditions (and countries, including the most creative on the road). But I don’t want to tire him out, and he no longer drives at night (and we’ll be there in November).
I’ve decided to show him a bit of everything by taking a road trip along beautiful backroads, with daily distances averaging 180-200 km (except on highways, which will be rare), regularly broken up by rest days. I’m counting on a speed of 40-50 km/h, plus stops/visits along the way.
Since I’ve read so many posts, I’ve narrowed it down to some very specific questions.
1) Coming directly from Rabat via the highway, we’d prefer to skip Marrakech*. Still, we’ll need to sleep somewhere nearby. We’ll head toward Skoura the next day. Does anyone have a well-located address for this route, possibly east of Marrakech? Ideally, we’re looking for a small town, easy parking, clean accommodation (minimum) with average comfort (or better if available), a bit heated, and if possible, pretty and/or nice—but above all, a place to sleep well, wash with lukewarm (ideally hot) water, and have a decent dinner.
(*Explanation for the "no-go" in Marrakech: it’s a shame, because there are truly beautiful things in this city, but I think the vibe won’t suit us—it’s an understatement for "it’ll put us off" / "make us flee" / "traumatize us." Not because it’s too crowded and we want to stand out from tourists (we’re part of them), but because of forced henna on your hand, or spending 10 minutes every quarter-hour saying "no thank you" to a "guide" who’s as much a guide as I am a trapeze artist. Knowing us, it’ll wear us down. The country is vast and beautiful, and our time too short to waste our memories just days after arriving. And I don’t want to ruin things for my peaceful husband, or he’ll demand we turn back—and Sète in November isn’t exactly thrilling either.)
2) Which route to Skoura (in 2 days)? I see two options: either via the Tichka Pass, with a night in Telouet before reaching Skoura, or via the R307/N23 from Demnate, with a night near Megdaz before descending to Skoura. So: Tichka Pass or R307/N23? I have a slight (big) preference for the second option, even though I know the other route is very beautiful too. Of course, before deciding, we’ll check the weather and the current state of the R307/N23—does anyone know where to get info on the road conditions? But even assuming the road is "passable," is it a bit too tough in itself? In short, is it reasonable? If a kind soul could share their experience, a thousand thanks in advance.
That’s all I’ve written for now. I’ll save the other questions for later posts. Thanks again to those who had the patience to read this and to those who can respond. Happy Sunday to all!
I’m just a few days away from my trip to Marrakech—I’m leaving from November 13th to 20th and bringing my parents along! I’d love to plan my stay as best as I can, and I’m sure the forum crew can help. So, here are my questions:
- Where’s the best place to exchange money without getting ripped off? The owner of the riad where we’re staying told us to avoid doing it at the airport because it’s really expensive and to do it in the medina instead, near Jemaa el-Fna square.
- Which traditional hammams do you recommend that are reasonably priced? How much should we budget for one? That’ll help me plan my expenses.
- What are some nice restaurants in the medina?
- I’d also like to know roughly how much to expect for a tea, a meal, a taxi, a djellaba, and babouches. I don’t want to get overcharged and would like to know what to expect.
- What are the must-do activities and places to visit?
Hi, I’d like to head to Morocco next week with my car. I’ve looked online at all the different info about the ferry crossing to Tangier, but I’m finding it really expensive. Is there a way to buy tickets in Spain? Or another way to get the Algeciras–Tangier crossing cheaper? Thanks for any tips or info!
We found a guide who offers the trip from M'hamid to a camp (departure at 3 PM, tea, meal, camel ride, overnight stay, breakfast, and return to M'Hamid by 11 AM the next day via the sacred oasis). He quoted us a price of 380 € for April.
What do you think of this rate?
This might sound like a silly question, but is it common to negotiate the price for this kind of thing (we're booking from France)? It’s still a big part of our travel budget.
Hi there,
We're planning to visit Egypt between January 25 and February 15, 2027. I looked up the Ramadan dates and found some sites saying it starts on February 8, while others say February 18... Where's the mistake?
Thanks,
Christian
Hi there,
We’re a family of 4 with two boys aged 12 and 10 traveling to Egypt in February.
We’re spending 3 days in Cairo to take our time exploring the city and the sites before heading south.
-Is it necessary to have a guide to visit the GEM? Are audio guides available?
-Do you have any contacts for drivers to organize a few transfers (Giza, Saqqara, Airport)?
-Do you know a French-speaking guide who’s friendly, family-friendly, and good at making things exciting, with reasonable prices?
With our two teens, we’re heading to Morocco for two weeks at the end of December and beginning of January. It’ll be our first trip that’s more "off the beaten path," even though we’ve visited several countries before. Given the overwhelming amount of info, I’m feeling a bit swamped with the prep this trip requires, and I’ll admit I’m a little lost when it comes to figuring out what’s realistic to visit in two weeks 😕 So, all your tips, personal experiences, and suggestions are more than welcome!
- Which places should we prioritize during this time of year? (I’ve read that some spots are less accessible in winter?)
- What’s the best way to get around? (rental car, train, private transport, buses, etc.? — just a heads-up, we’ll have a few suitcases!)
- In terms of "safety," are there any areas to avoid?
- Any recommendations for reliable local tour companies (beyond the big names like "Get Your Guide") that offer excursions or private transport to help us explore the country?
- A doable 2-week itinerary that lets us enjoy the country’s diversity without having to change accommodations every two days?
I’m planning a trip to the High Atlas in Morocco and have a few questions for you:
- Why do so many people recommend avoiding international agencies for car rentals? Can anyone explain why?
- Is Booking.com reliable, and has anyone rented a vehicle through their service? There’s a pretty big price difference compared to local Moroccan agencies.
- Is there a detailed road map included in the rental car?
- Is Google Maps enough to get around the High Atlas? This will be my first trip there.
Thanks so much to anyone who can help with this destination I’ve been dreaming about for years.
Have a great evening,
Roberto
hi there, I’m heading to Tunisia 🙂 from April 27 to May 8 with my family. I’ve read through the various discussions about the country, but I’m still a bit unsure🤪: for currency exchange, I saw on the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs website that withdrawing currency with a bank card from ATMs is limited to 200 TND per week. There are four of us traveling by car, so that might be a bit tight! And it’s a hassle to carry a lot of cash, even if I’m not being paranoid! What do you all recommend?
Cheers,
Laurent.
We're planning a 2-week trip in late February/early March for a road trip in the High Atlas with a rental car, and we'd love to avoid booking our accommodations in advance. Is that doable, easily manageable, or risky (are accommodations available, expensive, or not great)? Thanks for your tips!
Annie
Hi,
This autumn, we’re planning to explore the Oriental region and we’re wondering where the best place to land would be. We’ll have three weeks ahead of us and we’ll be renting a car.
Any tips would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Is there an official website or list of certified Egyptologist guides in Egypt? And most importantly, what are the normal prices for a full day or half day? There’s so much scamming and crazy pricing—depending on who you contact, it can range from simple to quadruple!!!!
Thanks
Hello,
In September, my wife and I, along with another couple, will be traveling to Tunisia and staying at the Sheherasade Hotel near Sousse.
We’d love to hear your recommendations or tips on places to visit, as well as advice on taxis or other transportation options.
Thanks in advance!
This autumn’s trip should be in Morocco—barring any geopolitical issues between now and then.
After many trips to the south of Fès, I’m giving the north a try.
My plan is roughly to do a road trip loop from Rabat back to Rabat, passing through Asilah, Tangier, Tétouan, Chefchaouen, Akchour, Fès, Meknès, and Volubilis.
That’s a lot of cities.
Probably a bit too many for our taste—we usually prefer more isolated spots...
So I’m looking for tips on little backroads, secluded beaches, half-day hikes, and offbeat places.
If you’ve also got recommendations for accommodation... (We’re open to splurging over 100 € if it’s a real favorite.)
Feel free to think outside the box—this is an open-ended plan! !😉
Hello,
I’m looking for testimonials from Pieds-Noirs who have recently returned to Algeria.
There can’t be many left after 65 years of the country’s independence.
I’m planning to go back myself soon to reconnect with my roots... before I pass away...
I’ve started making a few pre-bookings for hotels and apartments to rent in Algiers. At first, I received friendly and welcoming responses. Then, when I mentioned I wanted to stay for two or three weeks—maybe even a month—explaining that my trip wouldn’t be strictly touristy but more of a pilgrimage to the places of my childhood, and that it would likely be a very emotional journey, I expected a positive and warm reaction to my approach. Instead, I suddenly stopped getting replies from the three or four people I’d contacted. So now I’m wondering about the reception former Pieds-Noirs can expect...
Anyone here who can share their experience of returning? I specified “recently” because it seems that right now, diplomatic relations between the two governments are extremely tense, not to say hostile... even if Macron claims otherwise...
Hello,
I’m traveling to Algeria from October 27 to November 16, 2026.
I’d love to hear from anyone who’s been through the process about the accommodation attestation required for the visa application:
- Does it need to cover the entire duration of the trip?
- Is this document mandatory for a hotel to rent a room?
- Is it checked during inspections?
- Is a hotel booking (e.g., via Booking.com) sufficient for the visa?
- If so, does it need to be paid in advance?
I plan to visit several cities and do one or more treks with a guide or agency.
If you have any contacts you’d recommend, I’d be grateful!
Also, I’d love to share this trip with a companion who’s already done some traveling.
We’d organize the journey together, of course.
Thanks for your feedback!
Safe travels to all,
Dom, Dijon, 64 years old
I’m leaving for Tunisia in five weeks for a full 15-day trip. I’ll be arriving in Monastir and departing from there as well.
I’d like to do a route that’s a bit different from my first stay, which was more focused on cities and culture (Tunis, Sousse, Kairouan, El Jem).
I’ll be getting around by public transport.
I’d like to head south toward Tozeur, and I saw that you can take a *louage* from Monastir to Sbeitla (2h30). I imagine it’s not too complicated to get to Tozeur from there afterward? The issue is the return trip to Monastir and safety in Sbeitla.
If this route seems too complicated, I might opt for Djerba instead, which looks simpler.
I’m heading to Morocco in September 2026, and part of my trip takes me through Merzouga. I’m looking for a 4x4 driver-guide to explore the area with my partner and me.
