9 Days High Atlas Guided Motorcycle Tour in Morocco

This is an adventure that will delight and enchant. A journey that will thrill the senses, both on- and off the bike. Fabulous scenery, accessed in the most raw and emotive way possible. From a motorcycle perspective, the best way to travel in Morocco!

Explore360° - Motorcycle Adventures will introduce you to winding roads and challenging gravel roads (pistes) on this all-road adventure, demonstrating the best of both worlds. The ideal adventure for both the experienced and inexperienced off-road rider. As always, hints and tips will be readily available for those looking to improve technique!

There will also be alternative routes for those who want it easier, or the opposite. Join Explore360° - Motorcycle Adventures on this fabulous journey, the opportunity of a lifetime to sample all that Morocco has to offer and that’s not just the riding.

The food, accommodation and photo-stops are all chosen to be varied and of the highest standard available. Set foot in Northern Africa and see for yourself on this amazing Morocco experience!

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Marrakech

You will stay in a luxurious hotel in Marrakech, where your rental bikes are waiting for you! After having a dinner together you will have a briefing of what will follow coming days. You will start early the next morning so you won’t make it too late.

Day 2: Marrakech - Ouarzazate (230 kilometers / 143 miles)

You will take the Tizi n’ Tichka pass (2300 meters) over the High Altas, with its never ending curves, through one of Morocco’s most stunning landscapes.

Followed by the Telòuet pass (partly unpaved) with its many Kasbah’s, descending to Aït Ben Haddou, a fortified town, or Ksar, along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakech.

Ouarzazate is also known for its film studios. Many films were recorded here, like Lawrence of Arabia, The Mummy, and Gladiator. You will spend the night in a Kasbah close to Ouarzazate.

Day 3: Ouarzazate - Gorge du Todra (290 kilometers / 180 miles)

Via “the route of Kasbah’s” and passing the Valley of Roses and Gorge du Dadès, you'll hit the gravel roads. Riding the highest pass of this tour (2940 meters) and the last stretch through the impressive Gorge du Todra, where the mountains go straight up for 300 meter just beside you.

You will stay over in a very special auberge which is partly build into the mountain. Imagine, having dinner under the stars after a good day riding and sleeping in one of their ‘cave-rooms’.

Day 4: Gorge du Todra - Merzouga (335 kilometers / 208 miles)

A long day all the way to the sand dunes of Erg Chebi near Merzouga over curvy tarmac and dusty gravel roads. We will pass some desert art on our way south and we will end up in a beautiful auberge just at the foot of the dunes. You will stay there for two nights. The sunset over the dunes while enjoying dinner in the auberge makes will make this day complete.

Day 5: Merzouga day loop (90 kilometers / 56 miles)

A short day around the dunes where you will drink tea with the beduines in the barren stone-dessert in their tent. Riding in the sand you will avoid with your heavy dual-sport bikes. Then you will do an ATV / quad tour in the afternoon and enjoy the sunset from one of the highest dunes.

Finishing the day by having a cold drink and diner in the garden near the pool of your beautiful desert hotel.

Day 6: Merzouga - Zagora (350 kilometers / 217 miles)

From Zagora it’s only 52 days to Timbuktu, by camel. But you will take first the fast tarmac towards Tazzarine and from there the piste to N'kob followed by the biggest oasis in Morocco along the Draa River.

Ending up in Zagora, a hub from the days when the trading-caravans had a stop-over with their camels. A beautiful Kasbah surrounded by palm trees will be your home for the night.

Day 7: Zagora - Du Fint (200 kilometers / 124 miles)

The first stretch leads you through the Draa oasis along small villages. After this you'll pass the waterfall 'cascade de Draa' and keep on riding towards Ouarzazate. Ending up in the beautiful oasis du Fint in an auberge where you will spend the night. Expect some authentic berber hospitality!

Day 8: Du Fint - Marrakech (350 kilometers / 217 miles)

Early up because it will be a long day back to Marrakech. You'll start with a nice piste toward Taliouine, a town known for its safran. After you will conquer the High Atlas once more and take the famous Tizi n’ Test pass (2200 meters) when heading back to buzzling Marrakech.

Day 9: Departure

Today you will fly back home or extend your stay with some days to explore Marrakech a bit more.

Routes / level of riding

This all-road adventure leads you from smoothly curvy asphalt, well-prepared gravel roads, to more bumpy tracks with stones and rocks (you will not ride in the sand dunes). Total distance is approximately 1500 kilometers (932 miles) whereof 40% off-road over so called pistes. But there is more available!

Depending on personal wishes or like bad weather conditions, there are also alternative routes over asphalt available. It’s mandatory to have experience with gravel riding, and if you have not so much experience, Explore360° - Motorcycle Adventures strongly recommend you to follow an all-road course.

Motorbikes

Explore360° - Motorcycle Adventures rent excellent prepared BMW’s and Husqvarna motorbikes for this amazing adventure. These all rounders are perfect on the asphalt and have no troubles when it’s getting a bit rougher.

The following bikes are available:

• BMW 650 Sertau
• Husqvarna 701
• BMW R 1200 GS Rally
• BMW F 800 GS

These are all well maintained motorcycles from their partner in Morocco, unlimited mileage, including fuel and a Moroccan third party insurance. Tires are TKC 80 off-road tires (or equivalent). You can bring a GPS yourself. Bring also your own mount to attach it.

Bike rental deposit

Explore360° - Motorcycle Adventures requires a 1500 EUR bike rental deposit payable by cash or credit card upon arrival.

Skill level(s) required for this tour: intermediate

Intermediate:

• can ride for 3-4 hours
• average riding experience
• little assistance required
• comfortable with extreme curves and leans
• average experience with unsurfaced roads
• steep ascents and descents

This tour will show you another side of Morocco, where the adventurous rider can safely explore the snowbound passes of the High Atlas or the dusty pistes of the Sahara. In between the well-known highlights and cities, there is a network of beautiful routes far from the hassle-prone tourist hotspots. We’ll ride lots of gravel roads -so called pistes- so you need gravel riding experience or have attended at least a two day off-road course (for example Off Road Skills in Wales, BERRT in Hechlingen, Touratech in Lidköping). But for sure you don't need to be a Dakar rider!

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You will only halt your adventure in the best places to “refuel”. Not only the bikes need to be maintained! You’ll sample the best of Moroccan cuisine and eat as the locals do, and indulge yourself with tagine, couscous or other local delicacies. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included. For lunch you will eat in good restaurants along the road or there will be a picnic.

• 8 nights accommodation in unique (rural) hotels and Auberges (based on a twin room)
• 8 breakfasts, seven lunches, and eight dinners (8x)
• Transfers from/to airport on arrival and departure to / from hotel
• Fuel during the whole tour
• Support vehicle (for five or more participants) for tools and customer’s luggage
• Guide (and sweeper for seven or more participants) on a motorcycle
• SPOT-(GPS)emergency tracker and / or satellite phone

• Flight to and from Morocco
• Medical insurance (with repatriation), travel and cancellation insurance
• Personal expenses
• Alcoholic drinks
• ATV / quad tour in Merzouga dunes (70 EUR per person for two hours)
• Bike rental deposit (1500 EUR)

Recommended Airports

• A reservation requires a deposit of 20% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.