Morning
Out by Bab Guissa
North out of Fes past Ain Kansara and Tissa, into the hills.
Fes, Morocco· Concierge · Mon–Sat · 09:00–18:00 GMT+1
Taounate · Photo: Emyabbadi, CC BY-SA 4.0
Taounate: fig country in the Rif foothills
Taounate is the capital of a hill province about 79 minutes north of Fes by car, in the southern foothills of the Rif. It is fig country, with a festival of figs and a Friday market. Drive up through Ain Kansara and Tissa, walk the town on its ridge, and look out towards the reservoirs of the Sebou basin before heading home.
- From Fes: 80 km by road
- Drive time: About 1 h 20
- Length: Full day
A day in the hills north of Fes
Taounate sits on a plateau in the southern foothills of the Rif, above the valley of the Oued Sra, in the cultural country of the Jbala. It became a provincial capital in 1977 and is still a modest town tied to the farms around it.
Late morning
Taounate
The town on its ridge, and the market if it is a Friday.
Lunch
Lunch with a view
A simple lunch in town, looking out over the terraces.
Afternoon
Hill roads and reservoir country
A drive through fig and olive terraces towards the lakes of the Sebou basin, as far as the day allows.
Evening
Back to Fes
About 1 h 20 home to your riad.
Road distances and times are typical ranges for a private car, without stops.
The road from Fes to Taounate, drawn to scale
Out of the medina by Bab Guissa, on the OpenStreetMap car route. Each town sits at its real distance along the road.
80 km
about 1 h 20 at the wheel, without traffic or stops
من فاس، باب عجيسة إلى تاونات
Road distance and free-flow time from the OSM car router (OSRM), Bab Guissa to Taounate. A real day takes longer: traffic leaving Fes, a viewpoint, a slow lorry on the bends. We plan the day around it.
- Fes, Bab Guissaفاس، باب عجيسة0 km
- Ain Kansara19 km
- Tissaتيسة47 km
- Taounateتاونات80 km
How we run it
Its economy runs on agriculture, figs above all, with olives, cherries, pears and apples in the watered valleys. The town holds an annual festival of figs, and Friday is market day.
West of the town, Al Wahda on the Ouergha river is Morocco's largest dam, in service since 1997. The province also holds the kasbah of Jbel Amargu and craft villages known for weaving, basketry, woodwork and pottery.
Private
Private means your party only: one vehicle, one driver, your start time, your stops. Linger at the macaques, skip the shop, add a viewpoint. It suits families, couples, photographers and anyone with a fixed plan.
Small-group
Small-group means we pair you with other travellers on the same route and date when there is a match, which shares the day with a few like-minded people. Ask for it in your quote request and we will tell you honestly whether a group fits your dates.
What we arrange
- Private vehicle and driver from your Fes riad or hotel and back
- Timing built around your pace, the season and site opening hours
- A licensed local guide where one adds real value (on request)
- Lunch stop chosen for the route, from a roadside grill to a riad table
- Bottled water on board and a phone or WhatsApp contact throughout
- Fuel, tolls and parking folded into one written quote
- A route planned around market day if you want it
Best season
Spring for green hills, and late summer for the fig harvest. Winter roads in the Rif can be wet and slow.
From Fes, 80 km by road.
Al Wahda reservoir, TaounateThe honest details
Off the tourist circuit
Taounate sees few foreign visitors. Facilities are simple and the welcome is local; that is the point of going.
Photographs
Ask before photographing people, especially at the market.
Questions, answered
What people ask us most before they book this.
How far is Taounate from Fes?
About 80 km by road from Bab Guissa, roughly 1 h 20 by car without stops, through Ain Kansara and Tissa.
What is Taounate known for?
Figs, above all, with an annual festival of figs, and its place in the Jbala hills of the southern Rif. Al Wahda, the largest dam in Morocco, is west of the town.
When is market day in Taounate?
Friday. We can plan the day around it if you would like to see the market.
Is this tour private or small-group?
Both are possible. Private is your party alone. Small-group pairs you with other travellers on the same date when there is a match; tell us your preference when you ask for a quote.
How much does this tour cost?
Every tour is a custom quote for your party, dates, pace and choice of private or small-group. Send the details through the quote form and we reply with a written plan and one figure.
Tell us your dates. We'll plan it 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.