Midelt is a market town on a high, windy plain between two mountain ranges, at about 1,500 metres, and it feels like a place that exists in order to be passed through. The Middle Atlas lies to the north and the High Atlas to the south, with the great bulk of Jbel Ayachi, close to 3,750 metres, rising to the south-west, often snow-capped into spring. The town has about forty-five thousand people, a long main street of shops, cafés and mechanics, and a surrounding landscape of orchards, mines and open steppe.
It lies on the main road from Fez and the cedar forests of the north toward the Sahara, so many riders arrive here after crossing the Middle Atlas via Azrou and Ifrane, over a pass where in winter the snow can be deep. South of the town the road drops through the Ziz gorges toward Er-Rachidia and the desert oases. Between towns, the road is long and open, with wide views and sometimes strong wind, and the temperature swing between day and night is large, so pack layers.
Midelt is known for its apples, grown in the surrounding valleys, and for minerals: stalls along the road sell fossils, crystals and rocks from the mountains, some real and some carved to order, so look carefully before buying. The mines nearby have produced lead and other minerals for decades, and the area has a long history of Berber settlement. The town is also the starting point for the road east and then south into the high country toward Imilchil, for those who prefer something less travelled.
With a population this size, fuel, repairs and food are easy, and the town is the best place to stock up before the remote roads. Cafés on the main street serve tagines, grilled meat and mint tea, and hotels range from simple to comfortable. Winters are cold, with frost and snow common between November and March, so check conditions before setting out, and in summer the sun on the plateau is fierce. Starting early gives you the best light and the calmest air.