“Join a real lifetime adventure”
7 Day High Peaks & Desert | Guided Off-road Motorcycle Tour in Morocco
Ouarzazate, Drâa-Tafilalet, Morocco
Off-Road Motorcycle Tour Morocco
Moto Aventures aims at off-road bikers with good experience, this tour is a total of 7 days; your arrival and departure days, plus 5 days biking, level 6-7 (1-10). You will experience fast tracks across vast dried lake beds, sandy river beds, and trails, rocky tracks up through the southern foothills of the High Atlas Mountains, Virgin desert sand to the famous Cathedral Dunes at Erg Chebbi (the highest in Morocco), twisting trails through the palmeries of the Draa Valley, Jebel Sahro - considered some of the most beautiful mountains in Morocco, a night in our desert bivouac with musicians and campfire - 90kms from the nearest road, and alcohol every night - Moto Aventures brings the beers and wine to their bivouac!
Key information
- Terrain: off-road
- Bike: rental bike (KTM 450 EXC)
- Mileage: 1061 kilometers / 659 miles
- Daily rides: 186 - 250 kilometers / 116 - 155 miles
- Riding gear: not included:
- Meals: half-board meals and picnic or cafe lunches
Meet the instructors
John, Su, & Martine
Read more
Read more
Highlights
- Starts and ends in Ouarzazate
- Enjoy spectacular views across the Dades valley
- Ride across the Jbel Saghro mountain with rocky tracks and truly amazing views
- Turn North across a very flat plateau on super-fast twisting tracks
- Ride to very pleasant and fast-winding sandy trails
- Reach the top of the highest "cathedral dune"
- 6 nights accommodation
Skill level
- Intermediate
5 days with instruction in English
The organizer also speaks: Catalan, French, Spanish
Group size: Maximum of 10 participants
Airport transfer included:
Ouarzazate Airport
Accommodation
Moto Aventures uses a selection of 3-star and 4-star hotels, most styled on the old kasbahs (fortified houses). On at least one night the accommodation is an original kasbah that has been totally renovated and conditioned to be a hotel. Most of the hotels have swimming pools but they're normally cold!
On the off-road adventures, the night in desert bivouac, 90 km from the tarmac, is always a highlight. Having biked up the dunes and parked up on the highest one, watching the sunset while drinking a cool beer you then return to camp for a good meal. Afterwards you sit around the campfire and listen to some local musicians.
Program
Day 1: Arrival day in Ouarzazate
Arrival at Ouarzazate Airport and transfer to the 3-star hotel in the town, about 5 minutes away.
Day 2: Ouarzazate to Dades - approximately 186 kilometers / 116 miles
Have breakfast, the final briefing, and departure for Dades. After refueling the bikes, its straight off-road, 20 kilometers across a flat plateau and it's into a sandy and twisting riverbed. From there it’s undulating, fast sections interspersed with rocky trails winding their way through major washouts and gullies.
Picnic lunch somewhere up on the plateau. 10 kilometers on road and then onto a beautiful, narrow, sinuous mountain track - so narrow and steep in places that the support vehicle can find it difficult - before you come back out for the final 8 kilometers on road down the fertile Dades Gorge, taking you to your night’s accommodation.
You are staying in a 4-star hotel with unusual local decor and spectacular views across the Dades valley towards the High Atlas, offering spacious accommodation and good meals.
Day 3: Dades to Merzouga - approximately 250 kilometers - leave the hotel after breakfast and depart for the Cathedral dunes at Erg Chebbi.
leave the hotel after breakfast and depart for the Cathedral dunes at Erg Chebbi. The first 30 kilometers of the ride will be heading south from Dades, first across a fast, flat plateau that will lead you into the Jbel Saghro mountain range. This range of mountains is arguably the most beautiful in Morocco. Very twisting and well-prepared tracks with stunning views await to be ridden.
Thereafter, 100 kilometers after the days start, you will stop for a coffee break on the main road, joining Alnif in the south with Tinerhir in the north. After coffee, it will be a further 60 kilometers until lunch at an auberge or Moroccan inn close to the desert village of Mcissi. You will refuel in Mcissi then it will be off again through the Moroccan desert on some fast and sinuous trails. Crossing the River Gheris usually with some water in it you then carry on until you reach your local auberge located at the foot of the Cathedral dunes at Erg Chebbi.
Catch a cool beer and relax by the pool as the sun descends, then a pleasant meal awaits the group in the evening. Go to bed anticipating riding in the dunes and the ascent of the Cathedral dunes the following morning.
Day 4: Merzouga to Ouzina - approximately 200 kilometers to our desert camp.
After breakfast, you will get on your bikes and go straight out into the famous Red Dunes of Erg Chebbi and attempt to reach the top of the highest "cathedral dune.”
You will spend time way out in the dunes and sand before returning to your auberge for lunch and some cool refreshment before setting off for your next destination 100 kilometers away. Starting with hard-packed winding tracks leading to a large and dry sandy riverbed crossing.
Then, it will be onto very pleasant and fast-winding sandy trails. Loads of acacia trees and for those who know East Africa, you could imagine giraffes and elephants. The night’s accommodation is in your pleasant Berber desert camp with hot showers. It is situated close to a large area of middle-sized dunes.
In the late afternoon or early evening, once the sand has cooled down and weather permitting, those wanting more biking can go and play in the dunes or alternatively walk to the top and toast the sunset with a beer.
After supper, you will sit around a wonderful campfire with local “tam-tams” or drummers and gaze at the millions of stars in the unpolluted sky.
Day 5: Ouzina to N'Kob - approximately 220 kilometers / 137 miles
Breakfast and another chance to play in the dunes before you head out across the desert towards Remlia where you refuel the bikes from the village shop using old wine bottles (no health and safety considerations here). The 28 kilometers from Remlia to the small hamlet of M'harech where you stop for lunch is 'fesh fesh' (a very soft powder not unlike cement dust). This section can be quite a challenge.
From here, you turn North across a very flat plateau on super-fast twisting tracks that wind around all the flat-topped hills and Acacia trees that dominate this area (those of you wanting to attempt some of the numerous sand dunes that are formed by the wind piling up the sand against these rocky formations are welcome).
Don't get any air though; it’s not sand waiting on the other side but big, gnarly rocks. In the town of Tazzarine, you refuel and have a drink before setting out on your last 50 kilometers of the day that brings you out at a viewpoint just above the village of N'Kob before you carry on to your 3-star hotel which is a renovated Kasbah.
Day 6: N'Kob to Ouarzazate - approximately 205 kilometers
Have breakfast, refuel, and you are off again. 8 kilometers of deeply rutted sandy riverbed will warm you up for the days ride up and over the Jbel Saghro mountain range for the second time on this tour, but a different route. Very beautiful, rocky tracks with truly amazing views south over 'Monument' valley and north towards the Atlas Mountains before bringing you to Skoura where you have lunch at a small Moroccan restaurant.
The last 105 kilometers of the track into Ouarzazate takes you into the foothills of the Atlas before turning south down a black sandy riverbed and back to the hotel where their mechanic will check over your bike for damages.
Day 7: Transfer back to Ouarzazate airport
Have breakfast together on this last morning and then transfer to wherever you are flying from. Look forward to seeing you with Moto Aventures again.
Skill level(s) required for this tour:
Intermediate:
- can ride for 3-6 hours
- stamina
- little assistance required
- comfortable with extreme curves and leans
- reasonable experience with off-road riding
- steep ascents and descents
Instructors
John Griffiths "Johnnymaroc"
JohnnyMaroc as he is known in the bike world, was born in Tanzania. He worked for the 16 years prior to Moto Aventures in the oil-related diving business before biking solo from London to Cape Town. He has hyperbaric medical training and experience from his years working offshore as well as his Wilderness Medical Certificate, and safety on our tours is one of his main concerns. John is also responsible for track finding and checking, plotting the routes for the GPS and together with Su, setting up the logistics for our tours. He is a very experienced off-road rider.
Su Downham
Su has lived in Andorra for over 30 years and speaks English, Spanish, Catalan, and French fluently. She with John are co-owners of the company and she has considerable experience in tourism and PR, as well as having run her own estate agency and building company in Andorra before Moto Aventures began. Responsible for the admin and legal side of the company, finding and booking tour accommodations, etc., and generally making sure that all aspects of our tours run smoothly and efficiently. She organizes all the logistics and drives support for all our BMW adventure biking tours.
Martine Goldenbeld
Having been brought up on a charter sailing ship in the Netherlands, means tourism, hospitality and adventure are in her bones. After working as a hospitality manager, safari camp manager and lodge manager in several African countries she started working for MotoAventures in 2020. With her offshore Medical First Aid and Medical Care certificate she is good to go! She is responsible for driving the assistance vehicle on most off-road tours, for the ‘on ground’ smooth running of the off-road tours and the well-being of our guests. She has also added Dutch and German to our team’s languages.
Location
This motorcycle tour will take place in various locations in Morocco. You will visit Dades, Erg Chebbi, Merzouga, N'Kob, Ouarzazate, and their desert camp.
Food
Half-board meals, picnic or cafe lunches, and drinking water during the day's biking are included.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
Things to do (optional)
You can bike or walk up to the top of the mid-sized dunes in Ouzina.
What's included
- Bike rental: KTM 450 EXC
- Third-party insurance, all fuel, and GPS (GPS is installed on each bike with each days route installed)
- Pick-up and transfer to/from Ouarzazate Airport to the local hotel
- 6 nights accommodation in twin-share with half board
- Picnic or cafe lunches
- Drinking water during the day's biking (carried in the 4x4)
- Support vehicle with driver and mechanic, equipped with fridge, compressor, large first aid box, medical equipment, satellite phone, and GPS
What's not included
- Riding gear
- 700 EUR returnable deposit against the bike and/or GPS damage
How to get there
Recommended Airports
OZZ
Ouarzazate Airport
2 km
Transfer included
Arrival by airplane
Most of our riders choose to go via Marrakech airport and we then organise a road transfer over the High Atlas to Ouarzazate. The transfer bus normally leaves the airport around 14.00 on the first tour date and on the last day if you are flying, don't book a flight before 15.30 to allow transfer and check-in time. Cost of this is dependent on how many join the transfer. Alternatively you can book your flight to arrive at Ouarzazate Airport (OZZ). Transfer from and to this airport is included..
Airport: Ouarzazate Airport
Airport transfer included: Ouarzazate Airport
No additional charges. You can request this in the next step.
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 30% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 60 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through Tripaneer.com. All major credit cards supported.
55490
Similar Holidays you might like
Why choose Tripaneer.com
Largest Selection
Friendly Customer Service
Offers for every budget
Best Price