Atlas and Morocco Desert Motorbike Tour

There are not many places in the world where you can ride from cedar-forested mountain passes to desert dunes in a day. This nine-day tour promises to be a unique adventure unlike any you’ve undertaken before. Enjoy the exhilarating switchbacks of the Atlas mountain passes before heading into the Sahara Desert where you’ll spend a night in the dunes.
This tour will test your technical abilities as we go off-piste, crossing rivers and dirt tracks to find hidden oases and explore the local way of life. Some of the highlights of this trip include the cedar forests of the Atlas, Barbary apes, Dades valley, a night in the Sahara, the Ouzoud falls and the hidden oasis of Fint.

Day 1 : Arrival
Arrival to Marrakesh. Transfer to your hotel, where you will be able to settle in and relax by the pool to prepare for your trip the next morning. You will meet your tour guide and go through a welcome briefing as well as the formalities required before the start and you will receive your welcome pack.

Day 2 : Marrakesh – Bin El Ouidane (approx. 170 km)
You will receive your BMW bikes early in the morning before starting our journey towards Bin El Ouidane. We will head towards the High Atlas on normal roads to warm up so you can get used to your bike as well as local driving habits before tackling the winding mountain roads that will provide an excellent insight to the great riding Morocco has to offer. We visit the scenic waterfalls of Ouzoud, where we will have some time to do a short walk around. Our stop for the night will be in a nice hotel on the border of the lake where you can relax by the pool or discuss the first day at the bar.

Day 3 : Bin El Ouidane – Azrou (approx. 200 km)
We will leave the hotel in the morning and start our climb into the mountains with magnificent views of the lake beneath and the pine forests. We will tackle plenty of twists and turns before commencing a slow descent towards Khenifra, which will be our lunch stop for the day. From Khenifra, we will turn east and climb through the Azigza National Park, which offers a great setting. The road gets narrower and eventually turns into gravel tracks that zig-zag through the Ifrane National Park, all the way to our hotel, located on the edge of Africa’s largest cedar forest. As this area is home to the infamous Barbary Apes, we will hopefully see them around while riding through the forests.

Day 4 : Azrou – Errachidia (approx. 260 km)
We will start the day with light off-road riding through the forests where we’ll have the opportunity to admire the quiet setting and maybe feed the Barbary Apes that live in the area. We will then tackle the climbing roads of the Middle-Atlas passing the high plateau of the mountain range. We will go through the French Foreign Legion tunnel towards Errachidia, the infamous old Dakar town, before reaching our accommodation for the night. You will likely see relics of Dakar – posters and stickers on garage walls – this part of Africa really misses Dakar as it became a way of life here and a cash generator.

Day 5: Errachidia – Merzouga (approx. 130 km)
Today we will start our ride to the Sahara Desert. We stop at a great hotel in Merzouga where we leave the bikes and climb aboard a 4×4 to journey on to our camp in the dunes of the Sahara. The images here are like from a film or a book – they will not disappoint. Enjoy the sunset from the dunes before dinner and then experience a spectacular star filled desert sky. *Note: In case of a rare sand storm, we would have to remain at the hotel for safety and comfort

Day 6: Merzouga – Boumalne Dadès (approx. 220 km)
Our wake up call is early today as we’ll climb the dunes to admire a stunning sunrise before an early breakfast.
We return to the hotel, pick up our bikes and head to the Rock of the Mummy for some off-road riding and to admire the view of the desert from the top of the rocks – a cool view, seen by few people. Our route will take us through deserted landscapes before heading to the Todra Valley to ride beneath huge cliffs. We know you will be impressed. We will spend the night at the foot of the spectacular Atlas mountains in a superb hotel.

Day 7: Boumalne Dadès – Ouarzazate (approx. 180 km)
Despite the short distance today, the riding will be exceptional. We will start our day by climbing the most photographed hairpins in Morocco in the Dadès Valley. A relatively short bike ride will take us to our lodging for this evening where you can enjoy a drink by the pool while taking in the wonderful sight of the lake. In the afternoon we’ll head to the hidden Oasis of Fint through some more technical off-road tracks and smaller river-crossings to get an insight to the lives of local villages and explore the oasis. Ouarzazate is a famous Dakar town. Many rally enthusiasts would stop here and visit the rally bivouac, where all the action could be seen late into the evening. The locals still hope the Dakar may return to North Africa one day.Today you will have the opportunity to visit the Kasbah of Ouarzazate and wander around the many local souvenir shops – you’ll feel like you’ve gone back in time. Excellent local dishes will be served for dinner.

Day 8: Ouarzazate – Marrkesh (approx. 220 km)
Another wonderful touring day awaits us full of twists and turns on quiet roads, combined with beautiful surroundings as we climb the High Atlas. We will ride to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ait Benhaddou and enjoy the twisties of the famous Telouet and Tizi n’Tichka Pass before arriving to the Imperial City of Marrakech. Be prepared with your camera because these are the images you’ll want to take home and show your friends. Guaranteed to impress. Tonight we’ll have our last night together and eat well, reflecting on the adventure and probably planning your return to Morocco!

Day 9: Departure
Depending on your flight time, you might take the opportunity to relax or visit the city for souvenirs before the arranged pick-up takes you to the airport.