Bus ride from Marrakesh to Fes?
 

i am planning an 8-day trip through morocco. so that i can make a loop, and not backtrack at all during my travels, i am intrigued by the idea of taking the bus from marakesh to fes. my guide book says that it is an interesting (very long) bus ride that goes through the mountains. <BR><BR>Has anyone done this? Do you recommend it?

I would recommend you to take the &quot;Grand Taxi&quot; in stead of the bus. It is the most authentic way to go from one city to another in Marocco. It is a shared taxi (with up to 6 people) and it leaves when the taxi is full (you can pay for two seats to have more space for youself). It is cheap, flexible (no fixed schedules) and a great way to have contact with local people!

We drove from Fez to Marakesh. We took 3 days, but it could be done in 2. It even snowed in the mountains (very little by NE US standards) but it shut most of the one highway. It would not be a good idea for a woman to travel alone on a long bus trip. My daughter took bus from Agadir to Marakesh with two girlfriends. They were made very uncomfortable by the men on the bus. Women, especially young women,of good virtue just do not do that in Morocco. Of course, if this post is from a guy...ok.

We took the bus from Fez to Marrakesh. It is a first class bus. The ride was fine, and I recall the cost being about the same as the train ride. Buses to local towns (we went to a market town one day) are much cheaper but also less luxurious. We did it for the same reason you want to. We went from Marrakesh to Mekn&egrave;s and then Fez by train and decided to take a different route back. I would not say that the bus ride goes through the mountains, but rather that it goes along the foothills. I recall the ride being about 10 hours.

Yes, it is a long trip - 8 to 10 hrs. I note that you'll only be in Morocco for 8 days and that you didn't say where you'd arrive in the country. If you're entering from Spain, a do-able trip in that amount of time would be to go to Rabat, then over to Meknes and Fes and back north stopping in Chaouen.