The cliffs and the view over the Saïss
The line of cliffs that crosses El Hajeb marks the edge of the Middle Atlas. From the top, the Saïss plain opens out towards Meknes and Fes.
Fes, Morocco· Concierge · Mon–Sat · 09:00–18:00 GMT+1
El Hajeb · Photo: Yves30, CC BY-SA 3.0
El Hajeb, Morocco
El Hajeb is a provincial town on the first slopes of the Middle Atlas, about 56 minutes by car from Fes through Ain Taoujdate and 30 km south of Meknes. A line of cliffs splits it in two, with caves, the ruins of a kasbah and a wide view over the Saïss plain from the upper town.
- Private or small-group
- A written quote for your dates
- WhatsApp support during your trip
Why go to El Hajeb
El Hajeb stands where the Saïss plain meets the Middle Atlas. A line of cliffs runs through the town from north-east to south-west, separating the lower quarters that face Fes and Meknes from the upper ones on the plateau, such as Cantina; from the cliffs the whole Saïss spreads out below. The cliffs are pierced with caves, one with an entrance shaped like a lion's open mouth, visible from the Fes road, and a few cave dwellings were built at their foot in the old quarters. El Hajeb was long an important military post, and the ruins of a kasbah built under Sultan Moulay Hassan still stand. Most of its people descend from the Zayanes, a Berber people, and the town is the capital of its own province. It holds a large weekly market every Monday, on the plateau at the exit towards Azrou.
- Best time
- April–June and September–October
- How long
- A stop of an hour or two on a Middle Atlas day
- Nearest airport
- Fès-Saïs (FEZ)
- Region
- Middle Atlas foothills · El Hajeb Province
The road from Fes to El Hajeb, drawn to scale
Out of the medina by Bab Ftouh, on the OpenStreetMap car route. Each town sits at its real distance along the road.
63 km
about 56 min at the wheel, without traffic or stops
من فاس، باب الفتوح إلى الحاجب
Road distance and free-flow time from the OSM car router (OSRM), Bab Ftouh to El Hajeb. A real day takes longer: traffic leaving Fes, a viewpoint, a slow lorry on the bends. We plan the day around it.
- Fes, Bab Ftouhفاس، باب الفتوح0 km
- Ain Chkefعين الشقف20 km
- Ain Taoujdateعين تاوجدات29 km
- El Hajebالحاجب63 km
What you'll see in El Hajeb
The lion cave
Caves pierce the cliffs, and the entrance of one, seen from the road to Fes, looks like a lion's open mouth.
The kasbah
El Hajeb was long a military post. The crenellated walls of the old kasbah, built under Sultan Moulay Hassan, still stand in ruins, best seen from the Cantina quarter.
The Monday market
Every Monday a large market fills open ground on the plateau at the exit towards Azrou, drawing traders and buyers from the towns around.
Tours that reach El Hajeb
Each one runs private or small-group and stops properly in El Hajeb. Open one for the day-by-day plan, then ask us to quote it for your dates.
Before you go
Getting there. About 63 km from Bab Ftouh, roughly 56 minutes by car on the OpenStreetMap car route through Ain Chkef and Ain Taoujdate
Market day. Monday, on the plateau at the exit towards Azrou
Pairs with. Azrou, Ifrane and Meknes
Read next. High Atlas Mountains Day Trip from Marrakech: Imlil, Ourika & What to Expect; Is Volubilis Worth Visiting, and How Do You Do a Meknes & Volubilis Day Trip from Fes?; Can You See Wild Monkeys Near Fes, and Is the Ifrane & Azrou Cedar Forest Day Trip Worth It?.
Pair El Hajeb with
The places closest to El Hajeb, easy to join on one private route.
Questions about El Hajeb
What people ask us before they add El Hajeb to a trip.
How far is El Hajeb from Fes?
About 63 km by road from Bab Ftouh, roughly 56 minutes by car through Ain Chkef and Ain Taoujdate.
What is there to see in El Hajeb?
The line of cliffs with its view over the Saïss plain, the caves in the cliff face, the ruined kasbah and, on Mondays, a big weekly market.
Is El Hajeb on the way to Azrou?
Yes. The road from El Hajeb climbs on to Azrou and Ifrane, so it makes a natural stop on a Middle Atlas day.
Tell us your dates. We'll plan El Hajeb with you.
- Tell us what drew you in. Your dates, who is travelling and what you want to see.
- A person reads it. We write a day-by-day plan for your group, private or small-group.
- You change anything. Then we confirm the guides, drivers and riads.