Redesigned

Authentic Morocco by Bicycle

Day 1 Arrive in Marrakech

Upon arrival in Marrakech, we transfer to the riad and meet up for a trip briefing. We then take a city tour to visit the Medina of Marrakech, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring a maze of shops and stalls selling succulent traditional food and exquisite handicrafts. After our explorations, we have dinner in a restaurant near the Jemaa El Fena Square.

Riad Luzia
Dinner

Day 2 Marrakech - Kasbah Telouet - Kasbah Ait Benhaddou

This morning we leave Marrakech early and drive via the High Atlas Mountains to Kasbah Telouet (3-4 hours). Once the stronghold of Thami El Glaoui, the so-called Lord of the Atlas during French colonial occupation, Telouet is a great place to start familiarizing ourselves with the unique architecture and history of Moroccan desert citadels. This is also where we saddle up for our first ride of the tour. We’ll be cycling on a winding road through the Ounila Valley, surrounded by a picturesque pre-Saharan landscape of rocky cliffs, lush oases, and traditional Berber villages. After 46 km we arrive at our destination for the day: the stunning village of Kasbah Ait Benhaddou. This UNESCO World Heritage Site contains a well preserved medieval kasbah renowned for its labyrinth of clay-brick buildings, meandering alleys, and breathtaking views of the surrounding scenery.

Riad Maktoub
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 46km
+348m
-878m

Day 3 : Kasbah Ait Benhaddou - Dades Gorges

Today we go valley hopping in the scenic foothills of the High Atlas Mountains. These valleys offer a transition zone between the higher altitudes of the Atlas Mountains and the lower, arid desert regions, creating a unique and diverse landscape - perfect for mountain biking! Departing from Ait Benhaddou in the morning we transfer 90 minutes by vehicle to the town of Kalaat M'gouna. This is the gateway to the “Valley of the Roses” which, though known for its annual festival dedicated to the blooming Damascus roses, is gorgeous any time of the year. We start cycling out off Kalaat M’gouna, traversing an impressively high plateau that connects the Valley of the Roses with Dades Valley of southwestern Morocco. In this region, Bebers still live in centuries-old caves and grow figs, almonds, and pomegranates on the scarce, narrow strips of greenery. Should the occasion present itself, we’ll enjoy some fresh mint tea alongside Bebers in one of the inhabited caves.

Dar Essyaha
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 39km
+658m
-511m

Day 4 Dades Gorges - Jbel Saghro - N’Kob

Today we will snake our way through the Dades Valley to the Berber oasis town of N’kob. The first 25 km is a gradual uphill trek to the heights of the Tizi n’Tzazert Pass which, sitting at 2,200 m ASL, offers stunning panoramic views over the Jbel Saghro Mountains. We’ll rest our legs a little and then embark on a very pleasant, at times steep, downhill section leading us into the Draa River Valley. This is one of the most fertile landscapes of southern Morocco, jam-packed with crop and palm plantations tended to by Berber communities. We’ll spend the night in the oasis town of N’kob, known for its traditional adobe buildings.

Kasbah Ennakhil
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 63km
+769m
-1359m

Day 5 N'kob - Agdz

As we cycle out of N’Kob in the morning, the scenery opens up to vast stretches of date palm plantations and fertile fields that offer a rich tapestry of greens and earthy tones. The terraced gardens and palm groves present an oasis-like contrast against the arid desert surroundings. We will be cycling on gravel roads that connect the Berber communities and farmlands of the Draa Valley, along the way gaining a candid appreciation for the millenia-old ingenuity required to cultivate under such unforgiving desert conditions. As long as our route follows the river, honey and watermelon fields line our way but, if we move just a few hundred meters away from the riverbanks, the landscape is again dry and barren! By lunchtime we’ll arrive in the village of Tafechna after which we have another 15 km to the cycling end point. We hop in the support van and drive to the tranquil town of Agdz (1 hour) where we spend the night.

Kasbah Itrane Tamnougalte
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 50km
+551m
-548m

Day 6 Agdz - Tizi-n-Tichka Pass - Marrakech

On the tour’s final ride we will be cycling from Agdz to Cascade Tisgui, leisurely taking in the scenes of life in the oases and Berber villages lining the Draa River. After completing the ride we will transfer back to Marrakech via the city of Ouarzazate and the Tizi-n-Tichka Pass. At 2,260 m above sea level, it is a spectacular piece of engineering that is often listed as one of the most beautiful roads in the world. We’ll be on the road for 3-4 hours but time goes fast when the views are that nice! Once we arrive in Marrakech we’ll get settled at our hotel and leave the evening for free time. Dinner is on your own in vibrant Marrakech.

Riad Luzia
Breakfast, Lunch
Ride 32km
+531m
-205m

Day 7 Marrakech

It's a bike-free day, and we relax our muscles by taking a guided tour of Marrakech, the Southern Pearl of Morocco, to learn more about the city's rich history and culture. Discover the Palace of Bahia, built the late 19th century. It consists of 160 rooms and meant to be the grandest palace of the time. Next, we visit the Saadian Tombs, the exquisitely decorated and sculptured mausoleum of the Saadi Dynasty members, who ruled Morocco from 1554 to 1659. And we continue the tour to the 69-m Koutoubia Mosque, the city's most famous and largest mosque, and to the nearby square Djeema el-Fna, a bustling square full of shops and stalls where you can practice your bargaining skills. The tour concludes with an exploration of the souk (market), filled with mounds of spices, intricately woven Berber carpets, ceramics, hand-made leather goods, and tantalising food stalls. Lunch is on your own, but we will meet up for a farewell dinner to reminisce on our magical time in Morocco.

Riad Luzia
Breakfast, Dinner

Day 8 Departure

Transfer for your onward travels.

Breakfast

Disclaimer: The adventure cycling tours we operate often go beyond the beaten track, and the countries where we ride are not always predictable. Due to these reasons, it is occasionally necessary to reroute or update itineraries. Our guarantee is that we will not change a trip unless for safety or to improve it. Our listed hotels are always accurate at the time of writing, but should we have to change any hotel, it will always be for a similar or better one.