9 Day Morocco High Atlas Guided Motorcycle Tour
Motorcycle Tour in Morocco
This journey takes you through lively atmospheres of medinas, beautiful winding roads through mountains, ancient kashbas, challenging gravel tracks, good food, and breath-taking sceneries. Imagine riding curvy roads through the mighty Atlas mountain range, exploring the night market Djema el-Fna in Marrakech, and experiencing the rich culture and warm hospitality of the Moroccan people! Crossing the High Atlas mountains, Gorge du Dadès, Tizi ’n Tichka pass, exploring remote villages, the warm Moroccan desert, and the buzzing atmosphere of Marrakech. It is all going to happen!
Key information
- Terrain: over 40% of the total distance is off-road
- Bike: personal bike or rental bike (BMW or KTM models)
- Mileage: 1830 kilometers / 1137 miles
- Daily rides: 100 - 320 kilometers / 62 - 199 miles
- Riding gear: not included: helmet, boots, gloves, suit including protectors / back protector (please bring your own)
- Meals: All breakfast, lunch, dinner are included
Meet the instructors
Highlights
- Starts and ends in Marrakech
- See the beautiful Merzouga sand dunes
- Ride on the High-Atlas Mountains and the stunning Tiz n’ Test Pass
- Explore the buzzing UNESCO listed Medina of Marrakech
- Experience the warm hospitality of Moroccan people
- 8 nights accommodation
Skill level
- Intermediate
7 days with instruction in English
Accommodation
Each location is chosen for variety and quality, ensuring an eclectic mix and unique experience at the end of each day’s riding. It ranges from a luxury 5* hotel to (basic) auberges, a typical Moroccan inn, based on a twin room. Toilets and a hot shower are always available. Wi-Fi as well, but it can be a bit slow. Even more reason to have a real conversation with one of your riding buddies instead of hanging out on social media.
Program
Itinerary
- Day 1: Arrival in Marrakech
- Day 2: Marraech - Skoura (290 kilometers / 180 miles)
- Day 3: Skoura - Gorge du Todra (230 kilometers / 143 miles)
- Day 4: Gorge du Todra - Merzouga (320 kilometers / 199 miles)
- Day 5: Merzouga - Merzouga (100 kilometers / 62 miles)
- Day 6: Merzouga - Nekob (300 kilometers / 186 miles)
- Day 7: Nekob - Ouarzazate (320 kilometers / 199 miles)
- Day 8: Ouarzazate - Marrakech (270 kilometers / 168 miles)
- Day 9: Departure
Motorcycles / support
You can rent excellent prepared BMW and KTM motorbikes for this amazing adventure. These all-rounders are perfect on the asphalt and have no troubles when it’s getting a bit rougher. Explore360° will prepare a support vehicle with a mechanic for the luggage and water and snacks.
- Well maintained motorcycles from a partner in Morocco, unlimited mileage, including fuel, and Moroccan third party insurance
- Deposit / self-risk 1500 / 2000 EUR per bike (by cash or by credit card)
There is no full coverage insurance available for the motorcycles. Some travel insurances cover up to 2500 EUR / SEK 25 000 self-risk on the damage of rental motorcycles (i.e. ERV in Sweden). You are responsible yourself to arrange this.
You are also welcome to join this adventure on your own ADV motorbike! Explore360° can help you with the logistics to get to Marrakech.
Motorbikes available for rent:
- BMW 310 GS
- BMW 800 / 850 GS
- BMW 1200 / 1250 GS
- KTM 790 / 890
Riding abilities
On all the trips, having fun and safety are the main goals. You need off-road experience or you have attended an (two-day) off-road course (like ORS in Wales, BMW in Germany, Touratech in Sweden, or similar). But for sure you don’t need to be a Rally rider to join Explore360° tours. You’ll need a minimum of 1 - 2 years of experience on your motorcycle and this tour is a
level 3 / medium level (on a scale of 5 as maximum).
You need to feel comfortable on asphalt as well as on gravel. Riding passes with narrow switchbacks (paved and gravel) is no problem for you. The off-road part is over 40% of the total distance and you will spend the most time (not distance) on the unpaved sections. Challenging sections with bigger stones, steep climbs / descents, and riding on sand will be part of this adventure.
The days can be long, depending on many factors (punctures, weather, etc.), so you have to be comfortable in most situations in order not to suffer fatigue too quickly. The pace is relaxed, it is not a competition. You are traveling, not racing, and will take a break frequently. There will be time enough to take pictures, movies, rest, etc.
Explore360° does want to emphasize that for off-road tours you need to be healthy and in good physical condition. The riding, in combination with the weather, can make it challenging and strenuous.
Skill level 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
Location
There is a lot of variety in the itinerary because you will cross the High Atlas (twice) and ride all the way to the Sahara desert in Merzouga. You will ride as much so-called piste (gravel/off-road) as possible. But you will spend some time on (curvy) tarmac as well, because you’ll cover a large part of the country. After all it’s an allroad tour. You will have a shorter / resting day in Merzouga (day 5) where you’ll make a day-loop around the sand dunes in the desert. In the afternoon/evening you’ll have a guided quadtour (optional) into the sand dunes to watch the sunset and have a sundowner.
Food
Explore360° only halts the adventure at places to “refuel” where the food is good. 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 and dinner are included. Sometimes you have a simple picnics along the track as lunch, simply because there is nothing else available. Additional (alcoholic) beverages you’ll pay yourself.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
What's included
- 9 days holiday with 7 riding days
- 8 nights accommodation in hotels and unique (rural) Auberges (based on a twin room)
- All breakfasts (8x) and all dinners (8x)
- Transfers from/to airport on arrival and departure to/from hotel
- Support vehicle with mechanic, and carrying luggage, etc.
- Very experienced guide (and sweeper when ≥ 7 participants) on a motorcycle
- Garmin inReach satellite emergency tracker and/or satellite phone
What's not included
- Flight tickets to and from Marrakech, Morocco
- Travel / medical insurance (with repatriation) and cancellation insurance
- (Alcoholic) drinks
- Lunches
- Gasoline
- Personal expenses
- Single room supplement
- Guided quad tour in Merzouga dunes (80 EUR per person for 2 hours tour)
- Any costs for unforeseen circumstances
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Transfer included
Marrakesh Menara Airport
5 km away from your destination
Arrival by airplane
There are flights to Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK) from all major airport in Europe like: Amsterdam, Brussels, Frankfurt, Madrid, London etc. but also low-cost airlines like Easy Jet, Ryan-air, and Norwegian fly direct or indirect to Marrakech. It gives you all the flexibility if you would like to extend your holiday for some more days in Marrakech or elsewhere in Morocco. Explore360° will arrange transport for picking you up from the airport and bring you back on the way out.
Cancellation Policy
- 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.
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