Itinerary
Arrival at Marrakech
Transfer to Hotel.
A visit to our location this afternoon will allow you to try on and choose your riding equipment.
DAY 1: Marrakech to Essaouira
This morning we will head off-road immediately and traverse the flat, rocky plains just northwest of Marrakech.
The rolling hills, flat plains and the gentle curves make a perfect start to the tour, allowing you to get accustomed to your bike, before we tackle more technical terrain in the following days.
Because we will be riding through undeveloped territory where there are no towns with restaurants or petrol stations, our 4×4 assistance vehicle will meet us around mid-day to bring us a picnic lunch and fuel.
As the afternoon progresses, the pistes will become increasingly more scenic.
The rolling hills, combined with a rocky, technical section make for an exciting ride.
The day reaches its climax as we cut through a beautiful, mature forest to the northeast of Essaouira.
Total distance: 270 kms
DAY 2: Essaouira to Essaouira
Essaouira, the “windy city” of Morocco, has become a favorite destination for windsurfers, kitesurfers and enthusiasts of other ocean sports.
The surrounding region offers terrific off-road riding as well.
We will spend the entire day riding on the beaches, jumping the short, choppy dunes, and gunning it up the taller, 50-meter dunes to the north of town.
Also, just to keep you on your toes, we’ll throw in some technical tracks with sharp, jagged rocks, tight, single-track mule and camel paths, and a run through a low scrub forest.
The exact itinerary will depend on the tidal schedule, since we’ll be riding on the beach for about 50 kilometers.
Because of our flexible itinerary, you will be able to determine how much riding you would like to do.
For those who want to do as much riding as possible, we can spend the entire day on the sand, the dunes and the mule tracks.
For those who want a shorter day in the saddle, we would suggest you take a couple of hours to explore the quaint, picturesque old city (the medina) and ocean port where numerous movies have been filmed.
Total distance: 150-200 kms (mostly off-road)
DAY 3: Essaouira to Immouzer
For most of today, we will be following pistes and tracks that parallel the coast heading southward from Essaouira.
From breath-taking cliffs overlooking the ocean to pleasant Argan forests, the Moroccan coastline offers a beautiful backdrop to a thrilling morning on the bike.
After lunch at the coastal town of Imsouane and a short liaison on tarmac down the coast, the final leg of the day will be a 45 kilometer mountain piste leading us inland to the town of Immouzer-des-Ida-Outanne.
This piste begins with a smooth ascent but rapidly deteriorates into a rugged, technical, rocky stretch that will test the form of even the most experienced riders.
We will spend the night in a comfortable 3-star hotel perched at the top of a scenic valley.
Total distance: 250 kms
DAY 4: Immouzer to Aoulouz
An early start will be necessary for this long day in the mountains.
We begin with a short but rocky piste which will bring us out to the main highway linking Marrakech and Agadir.
A tarmac liaison this morning will bring us to the village of Argana where we start the long, winding mountain piste that we’ll follow for most of the day.
This stretch of 153 kilometres traverses several consecutive mountain passes before bringing us to the town of Ouled Berhil.
The narrow, twisty piste, carved into the edge of the mountains offers breath-taking views.
Loose shale and gravel on off-camber corners will demand your full attention and skill.
We’ll have to carry our own picnic lunches today, since there are no restaurants to be found in this region.
After the sharp mountain corners, you’ll enjoy opening the throttle on a fast 30 kilometre piste across the plains from Ouled Berhil to Aoulouz.
We’ll spend the night in a quaint, traditional Moroccan kasbah down in the Souss River valley.
Total distance: 261 kms
Day 5: Aoulouz to Marrakech
The first piste will take us directly from Aoulouz straight north across the mountains to Ijoukak.
This 80-kilometre mountain track, covered with loose shale and gravel, will take us up to an altitude of 2250 metres before descending down to 1350 metres.
The dizzying descent of 900 metres in 9 kilometres will demand your full attention!
We’ll stop at a picturesque old French gold mine built in 1901, where we will have a picnic lunch.
After a short tarmac section, we’ll start the afternoon piste across the Plateau de Kik and down to the reservoir at Lalla Takerkoust.
A fast smoothe piste heading back to Marrakech will round out the day.
Tonight you will stay at a nice riad, a restored traditional Moroccan guest house in the heart of the Marrakech medina.
You will be conveniently located close to the Jamaa el-Fna, the heart of night life in Marrakech.
This is a public square where the traditional Berber musicians and story-tellers entertain Moroccans and tourists alike.
Total kilometers: 240 kms