Unfortunately Figuig is not more as it was before, but all is changing, of course, so even Figuig. But you can do a trip there from Fes. It will be unforgettable trip, nothing other than wonderful only.
Start in Fes take first motorway to Taza where you turn of towards Guercif where you can do the first overnight stop. There are couple of hotels, between other good hotel Complex, some kilometer before the town.
Guercif felt like a little dirty city, and very hot. As said there are also one other hotel, but expensive and not so pleasant. A couple of restaurants with average food. But nice people. And I got anyway good grilled chicken.
Next day after breakfast continue towards Taourirt and then to Debdou. Not so many villages along the road, it begin be a little like the desert, but not yet properly of course. Approaching Debdou the landscape began be rather forest-like, green and with a few field.
Debdou self is known for its multi-ethnic population, including Moroccan Arabs, Jews and Berbers. But now there are not so many Jews, they were moving to area around there. There were maybe still living people Banu Urtajjen, a Berber family related to the Moroccan dynasty of the Wattasids, which had their own semi-independent state here from 1430 until 1563.
Continue to Tendrara on N19, but the people in Debdou say there it's a bad road, good only for 4x4 or motorbice but not for the normal car.
I would take P6046 towards Merija, then on to the P608 to Ain Beni Mathar. The road was pretty good to begin with, then later it became a little worse, but maybe they held on and repaired it. So last approx 40-50 km is quite slowly before I came to reached the road to Ain Beni Mathar.
From Ain Beni Mathar it is straight down to Bouarfa. The road was very good and nice. On the way is railroad tracks into sand and gravel, the train does not go there, probably not a lot of people traveling to Figuig from Oujda. Not tourists neither. You can take a pause in Tendrara and look a little around there because somewhere near would be remains of Jews camp, the best-preserved camp along Moroccos eastern border. The railroad was built by the labors of Vichy prisoners and the camp was located near Tendrara. But for this trip is necessary to have 4x4. But it could be very interesting to see it.
Continue to Bouarfa where are few hotels like hotel Sahara, simple and really cheap hotel.
Bouarfa is not big city and not much of the old city is left, I would believe. Now it is new houses almost everywhere with wide main street with a little shops, coffee shops, a few restaurants.
Next morning it is time for Figuig. Only the desert, oh, I love the desert, so free I feel me, open, really good for the soul and so. The road was good so it was only really pleasant to drive there. Before Figuig it was the first (and also the last) police check point.
There in the town is hotel Figuig, fine place and room. Overlooking the 200,000 palm trees and against Algeria.
It is not big city and not much of the old one is left, some piece of wall or house here and there, but so many palms everywhere. 200 000 palms, incredible. And quite many Marabout.
It is hassle-free in Figuig, no one sellers trying to catch you on the street for to sell something, no one touts, all locals are only friendly, moreover a little timid. I think it is really genuine community, probably because there are not many tourists. Children smile to you, look at you with curiosity and not begging nothing from you, only stay and loo.
Oasis Figuig is divided into two levels and consists of 7 Ksars: Laâbidate, Lamaïz, Foukani Hammam, Hammam Tahtani, Loudaghir, Ouled Slimane and Zenaga.
Much of these ruins are on the Algerian territory or border area.
On the top are located six Ksars: El Maiz, Loudaghir, Oulad Slimane, Laabidate, Hammam Foukani and Hammam Tahtani to which joins the small town of Sidi Abdelkader Mohamed Marabout.
Ksour Zenaga which is biggest of them all is located on the down part of Figuig. Unfortunately there are not much of the old ksars and new Figuig is growing, but still it is nice and interesting.
You can driv until the border with Algeria but longer you can not come because about 100 m before it is a sign STOP DOUANE.
From Figuig then you can drive towards Errachidia and continue to Erg Chebbi or back towards Fes. If you choose to go to Errachidia, make a detour to
Wadi Guir via BouDenib. We crossed the river Guir and continued to ksar de Tazzouguert were we saw any towers and buildings at the top of the cliff. It was a beautiful gorge of the wadi Guir. You can past some ruins probably of the old Bordj Archana which was built before the First World War by the French Legion. There were also military cemetery of legionaries and Senegalese soldiers killed in ambush in the years 1929 and 1931.
Soon you come to Gourrama where it is an intersection and the road divided into two roads. One went to the right to Beni Tajjite and Talsint, the other road went to the left toward Rich and to Errachidia.
Start in Fes take first motorway to Taza where you turn of towards Guercif where you can do the first overnight stop. There are couple of hotels, between other good hotel Complex, some kilometer before the town.
Guercif felt like a little dirty city, and very hot. As said there are also one other hotel, but expensive and not so pleasant. A couple of restaurants with average food. But nice people. And I got anyway good grilled chicken.
Next day after breakfast continue towards Taourirt and then to Debdou. Not so many villages along the road, it begin be a little like the desert, but not yet properly of course. Approaching Debdou the landscape began be rather forest-like, green and with a few field.
Debdou self is known for its multi-ethnic population, including Moroccan Arabs, Jews and Berbers. But now there are not so many Jews, they were moving to area around there. There were maybe still living people Banu Urtajjen, a Berber family related to the Moroccan dynasty of the Wattasids, which had their own semi-independent state here from 1430 until 1563.
Continue to Tendrara on N19, but the people in Debdou say there it's a bad road, good only for 4x4 or motorbice but not for the normal car.
I would take P6046 towards Merija, then on to the P608 to Ain Beni Mathar. The road was pretty good to begin with, then later it became a little worse, but maybe they held on and repaired it. So last approx 40-50 km is quite slowly before I came to reached the road to Ain Beni Mathar.
From Ain Beni Mathar it is straight down to Bouarfa. The road was very good and nice. On the way is railroad tracks into sand and gravel, the train does not go there, probably not a lot of people traveling to Figuig from Oujda. Not tourists neither. You can take a pause in Tendrara and look a little around there because somewhere near would be remains of Jews camp, the best-preserved camp along Moroccos eastern border. The railroad was built by the labors of Vichy prisoners and the camp was located near Tendrara. But for this trip is necessary to have 4x4. But it could be very interesting to see it.
Continue to Bouarfa where are few hotels like hotel Sahara, simple and really cheap hotel.
Bouarfa is not big city and not much of the old city is left, I would believe. Now it is new houses almost everywhere with wide main street with a little shops, coffee shops, a few restaurants.
Next morning it is time for Figuig. Only the desert, oh, I love the desert, so free I feel me, open, really good for the soul and so. The road was good so it was only really pleasant to drive there. Before Figuig it was the first (and also the last) police check point.
There in the town is hotel Figuig, fine place and room. Overlooking the 200,000 palm trees and against Algeria.
It is not big city and not much of the old one is left, some piece of wall or house here and there, but so many palms everywhere. 200 000 palms, incredible. And quite many Marabout.
It is hassle-free in Figuig, no one sellers trying to catch you on the street for to sell something, no one touts, all locals are only friendly, moreover a little timid. I think it is really genuine community, probably because there are not many tourists. Children smile to you, look at you with curiosity and not begging nothing from you, only stay and loo.
Oasis Figuig is divided into two levels and consists of 7 Ksars: Laâbidate, Lamaïz, Foukani Hammam, Hammam Tahtani, Loudaghir, Ouled Slimane and Zenaga.
Much of these ruins are on the Algerian territory or border area.
On the top are located six Ksars: El Maiz, Loudaghir, Oulad Slimane, Laabidate, Hammam Foukani and Hammam Tahtani to which joins the small town of Sidi Abdelkader Mohamed Marabout.
Ksour Zenaga which is biggest of them all is located on the down part of Figuig. Unfortunately there are not much of the old ksars and new Figuig is growing, but still it is nice and interesting.
You can driv until the border with Algeria but longer you can not come because about 100 m before it is a sign STOP DOUANE.
From Figuig then you can drive towards Errachidia and continue to Erg Chebbi or back towards Fes. If you choose to go to Errachidia, make a detour to
Wadi Guir via BouDenib. We crossed the river Guir and continued to ksar de Tazzouguert were we saw any towers and buildings at the top of the cliff. It was a beautiful gorge of the wadi Guir. You can past some ruins probably of the old Bordj Archana which was built before the First World War by the French Legion. There were also military cemetery of legionaries and Senegalese soldiers killed in ambush in the years 1929 and 1931.
Soon you come to Gourrama where it is an intersection and the road divided into two roads. One went to the right to Beni Tajjite and Talsint, the other road went to the left toward Rich and to Errachidia.