Itinerary

Day 1: Spain

Meet at hotel. Group evening meal. Re-unite with your bike if transported by Fly and Ride.

Day 2: Malaga – Chefchouen

161mi / 257km

A short ride to the ferry for our crossing to Africa and once the border formalities are completed we’ll head up into the Rif Mountains and the fabled Blue City. Same itinerary as UK to Morocco. 

Day 3: Chefchouen – Azrou

172mi / 275km

Descend the Rif Mountains stopping off at the UNESCO World Heriitage site of the Roman ruins of Volubilis en-route to Azrou on the edge of the Middle Atlas. Same itinerary as UK to Morocco.

Day 4: Azrou – Mountain Bivouac* (Lac Tislit)

Tarmac: 141mi / 227km   –   Piste: 33mi / 53km   –   Total: 169mi / 271km   –   20% Piste

Through the cedar forest, famed for its Barbary Apes, to Timahdite where we’ll fuel-up and buy supplies for tonight’s bivouac. We’ll then leave the main road behind us and take to the minor roads of the Middle Atlas, across limestone plateaus, past polje lakes and via a forested piste stage as we wind our way up to Lac Tislit at 2260m.

*If the weather prevents us from camping then we will defer to accommodation/dinner in Imilchil (6km) at an additional cost of approx £25pp

Day 5: Lac Islit – Aït Bougemez

Tarmac: 60mi / 97km   –   Piste: 65mi / 105km   –   Total: 126mi / 202km   –   52% Piste

Following a few minor passes, we’ll plunge a vertical kilometre into the Assif Melloul, a narrow gorge where the piste is often carved into the vertical walls. Exiting the gorge at the 700m high Cathedral Rock we stay on piste through the pine forests, overlooked by magnificent cirques, to the medieval hamlet of Zaouiat Ahansal where we rejoin tarmac. Three passes follow and after reaching 2764m our route returns to piste  for the descent into Ait Bougemaz  – ‘Valley of the Happy People’.

Day 6: Aït Bougemez – Nkob

Tarmac: 27mi / 44km   –   Piste: 99mi / 160km   –   Total: 138mi / 221km   –   72% Piste

Leaving the Middle Atlas behind us we’ll climb out of the valley and over the highest points of the tour; the Tizi n’Aït Imi (2898m) and the Tizi n’Ait Hamad (3042m) on a remote crossing of the High Atlas. A brief stint on tarmac follows as we stop for lunch and fuel in Boumalne du Dades before turning east to cross the Djebel Sarhro. From the pass the scenery changes dramatically, offering extraordinary views across basalt ridges and ravines to the Djebel Bani beyond. Saving the more popular descent via the Tizi n’Tazazert pass for another day, we’ll take a slightly more challenging route to the valley floor and Nkob.

By the time evening comes around, your brain will be wondering if what you saw this morning really was today.

Day 7: Nkob – Desert Bivouac

Tarmac: 67mi / 108km   –   Piste: 103mi / 166km   –   Total: 170mi / 274km   –   61% Piste

The piste begins at the edge of town where switchbacks lead to a little used,  ‘invisible’ pass that carries us onto carries the Djebel Beni. Our descent passes another un-named cirque into the Draa Valley before looping north to Tazzarine for lunch, and the purchase of supplies for tonights desert bivouac. A short stretch of tarmac follows as we fuel-up and turn east, following the Oued Taghbalt through gardens and date palms to Oum Jrane, and a last chance to pick up snacks before continuing into the desert for tonights billion star hotel.

Day 8: Desert Bivouac – Agdz

Tarmac: 124mi / 200km   –   Piste: 85mi /  137km   –   Total: 186mi / 297km   –   46% Piste

‘Sand’. A word that strikes fear into many an Adventure rider. But with the right technique and a little practice there’s no reason why it should. Today is the day to overcome that fear and that’s exactly what we’ll do as we tackle a few short sandy sections. You can’t say you’ve ridden in the desert but not tackle a bit of sand can you!

After lunch we’ll take a piste into the western end of the Djebel Sarhro and a landscape like no other in Morocco.

Day 9: Rest Day in Agdz

A chance to fettle your bike or chill out by the pool and prepare yoursef for tomorrow’s piste, the longest of the tour.

Day 10: Agdz – Tazenakht

Tarmac: 124mi / 200km   –   Piste: 106mi / 171km   –   Total: 227mi / 363km   –   47% Piste

A long day in the saddle with no less than six piste stages and lunch in the spectacular Aguinan Canyon, that you’ll be forgiven for thinking is a dead-end. You won’t believe there’s a rideable exit until you’ve ridden it! We’ll end our day in the market town of Tazenakht, famed for its rugs and carpets, but without the hassle of Marrakesh, Meknes or Fez. Indeed, this is where those northern traders come to buy the rugs made by local Berber women.

Day 11: Tazenakht – Bou Tharar (Valley of Roses)

Tarmac: 94mi / 151km   –   Piste: 69mi / 111km   –   Total: 163mi / 261km   –   43% Piste

As we ascend a little used piste  across the Djebel Sarhro with its flat topped mesas and canyons you’ll be forgiven for thinking you’ve woken up in Arizona. Once across the Route de Kasbahs we’ll ascend the Jebel Talouit for a spectacular view over our accommodation in Bou Tharar to the High Atlas beyond.

Day 12: Bou Tharar – Imi n’Ifri

Tarmac: 94mi / 152km   –   Piste: 41mi / 66km   –   Total: 135mi / 207km   –   32% Piste

With the M’Goun range on our right we’ll follow the valley SW on piste until we hit tarmac and turn north to cross the Tizi n’Fedrhate (2190m) and Tizi n’Outfi (2059m) passes on this backroad across the High Atlas.

Day 13: Imi n’Ifri – Cascades d’Ouzoud

111mi / 177km

Squeezing through a gap in the ridgeline, past irridescent green terraced fields more akin to Northern Pakistan, we climb to a pass and a final look across the High Atlas,  before following the Oued Lakhdar valley as it loops north away from the mountains.

Day 14: Cascades d’Ouzoud – Fez

237mi / 379km

Fez: The most complete medieval city of the Arab world and home to the world’s largest car-free urban area. The 9500 streets and alleys in the Old Medina will bombard your senses with sights, sounds and smells… will you remember your way back to our accommodation?

Day 15: Fez – Malaga

297mi / 475km

Last day in Africa as we return to Tangier Med and the ferry to Spain

Day 16: Malaga

Hotel checkout is 1100.

For those flying home, please book your flights for early afternoon.

Should anyone want to check-out late, or extend there stay, please let us know and additional charges will apply.