Chefchaouen sits at 600 metres in the Rif mountains and its entire old town is painted in shades of blue. There is no airport, no railway and no way in except a mountain road - which makes it one of our most frequent bookings in northern Morocco. Two hours from Tangier, three and a half from Fes, four from Casablanca.
The medina is small and walkable in a few hours, but the appeal is the atmosphere: the Plaza Uta el-Hammam with its kasbah, the steep lanes up to the Spanish Mosque for the view over the town, the wool co-operatives and the mountain air. Most people come for the day and regret not staying the night, when the coach parties leave and the blue settles down.
Outside town the Talassemtane national park is underrated: the Akchour waterfalls, the natural rock arch known as the Bridge of God, and paths through cedar forest. The driver takes you to the trailhead and waits, which turns awkward logistics into an easy afternoon.
Why hire a driver here
- No airport and no railway - a car is the only practical way in
- The Rif roads are narrow, mountainous and turn constantly
- The medina is steep and pedestrian; cars stay on the perimeter
- Parking around the Plaza Uta el-Hammam is limited
- The Akchour waterfalls are 30 km up a mountain road with no transport
Included in every booking
- Fuel, tolls and the driver's fee
- Pick-up from Tangier, Fes, Tetouan, Casablanca or Tanger Med port
- Waiting while you explore the medina, not charged by the hour
- Photo stops on the mountain road through the Rif
- English, French and Spanish-speaking drivers on request
