10 Days Mountain Bike in Wild Mountains & Sahara Desert

DESCRIPTION

The two days of discovery of the desert by mountain bike, on a route with constantly changing landscapes, make this raid exceptional.More accessible and very interesting too, the mythical valleys of the High Atlas (Ounila, Todra, Dadès and Roses) -with red lands and numerous villages grouped around kasbahs- that we travel through at the beginning and end of the raid.Nice passage in altitude to the tizi (pass) Zegzaoune when the weather allows it. In the middle of winter the track is impassable with snow, we take one less in altitude.Another beautiful valley – a succession of palm groves, with small villages, kasbahs and ksour (set of kasbahs) – that of the Drâa.When we talk about southern Morocco, the first words are for its exceptional natural sites. On returning from a trip, we praise the hospitality and kindness of the Berbers, its inhabitants.For us mountain bikers they are also wonderful terrain to ride.

Experience Meaningful Connections through Charity Tourism with MTB Morocc

During your visit to Morocco, MTB Morocco extends a special invitation to engage in charity tourism. Beyond the exhilarating biking adventures, we offer a range of activities that allow you to connect with local communities in a meaningful and impactful way.
Discover your passion for cooking, music, photography, or art through personalized lessons conducted by resident instructors. Whether you’re perfecting your tagine recipe, learning traditional Moroccan tunes, capturing the vibrant scenes through your lens, or expressing yourself through art, our instructors are dedicated to making your experience enriching.
What makes this experience even more significant is that the economic benefits generated directly contribute to the local community. Your participation supports the purchase of local products and, more importantly, directly benefits the lives of the locals. At MTB Morocco, we believe in fostering a positive impact through tourism, ensuring that your visit leaves a lasting and positive imprint on the communities you encounter.

THE STRONG POINTS

10 days in Morocco, 1st and last in Marrakech, 8 days of mountain biking in southern Morocco.Beginning of October to mid-April. Raid without technical difficulties.You ride between 700 and 2700m, 40/50km per day (or more) depending on your level.Average level. D+: 2 days between 800 and 1000, 4 between 500 and 700, 2 with insignificant D+.

DETAILS

ACCOMPANIMENT: Mountain bike guide ACCOMMODATION: guest-house, homestay and hotelBAGGAGE TRANSPORT: Only your business for the day; a vehicle transports your luggage from one accommodation to another. NEXT DEPARTURES: See dates

Level of difficulty (1, 2, 3) of this circuit:

As an indication on the technical level, this circuit receives classification 1 or 2:
Level 1: rolling path or path, without obstacles, small roads with little traffic;
Level 2: Path or path with passages containing obstacles (stumps, stones, etc.) steep path with slope.

Itinerary:

DAY 1DAY1: Marrakesh

Depending on the time of arrival, your visit to the city will take place on the first day, or on the contrary on the last day. Marrakech is truly a magical city.The first day, even if you arrive late, don’t miss going to the Djemaa El Fna square.Hotel in Marrakech city.

DAY2: DESCENT IN SOUTHERN MOROCCO: OUNILA VALLEY, KSAR OF AÏT BENHADDOU

By 4×4 to Tizi n’Tichka (2260m) a road classified as “picturesque” by Michelin.Telouèt (1880m) for our first pedal strokes in Berber land.A track parallel to the Ounila valley: red rocks, kasbahs (Telouèt, Imiter) adobe villages… First contact with the Berber mountain dwellers.Then Aït Benhaddou (1330m) and its ksar classified as World Heritage by Unesco.The now paved Ounila track is replaced by other equally fabulous ones.Overnight in Aït Benhaddou, a small typical hotel with swimming pool near the ksar.48km= D+660, D-1160 Easy and medium terrain.

Day3: REG, PALMERA GARDENS AND KASBAHS OF THE DRÂA VALLEY

Direction the film studios of Ouarzazate by the tracks and paths of the reg.Then short transfer by 4×4 (obligated, no tracks to cross the Anti-Atlas) to Tamnougalt, in the first palm grove of the Draa Valley. Visit of the ksar.In the afternoon, tracks and trails in the rich palm groves between Jebel Kissane and Oued Drâa to the small dunes near Zagora. Small passages on the tar. Sumptuous kasbahs. A lot of activity in this valley, we meet the inhabitants on foot and by bike.Bivouac under nomadic tents in the small dunes. Hot showers.Draa Valley 80km possible = D+740, D-940, easy terrain.

Day4: 100% DESERT 1 - TRAILS UP TO DAYA EL MAÏDER

Our goal to reach the dunes of Merzouga in two days and discover what this desert is that is not only sand! Past the small Tizi n’Tafilelt pass and its improbable watermelon crops (in depth there is therefore water!)… we are really there.Always different landscapes and atmospheres: small mountains, dunes, oases, desert plain, small douars (villages). A few nomads with their herd.Evening: Saharan family kasbah in the heart of the desert in Tafraoute Sidi Ali.140 km track = D+680, D-720, you can ride as you please. Easy terrain.

Day5: 100 % DÉSERT 2 - PISTES JUSQU'AUX DUNES DE MERZOUGA

Before arriving at the dunes of Merzouga the track follows the phantom courtyard of the Ziz wadi. Everything is beautiful on the course: the red dunes, the tabular garas, the chott, the djebels with blue reflections, the black reg, the golden sand. Millions of years ago the sea covered everything. Areas rich in fossils.As you get closer to Merzouga, the douars become more numerous: Ouzina Rimal, Taouz (rock engravings), Rmlia. Stop at Ramlia with the Gnaouas, black musicians descended from slaves, and visit the oasis. Large herds of camels.Evening: hotel with swimming pool at the foot of the dunes. Camel ride in the dunes at sunset or sunrise.120 km track = D+580, D-500, you will ride as you please. Easy terrain.

Day 6: DESERT AND PALMERAIE OF TINERHIR AND TODRA GORGES

Morning mountain biking in the desert, then short transfer to the Todra gorges.Track on the reg to leave Erg Chebbi. Visit a quarry of trilobites and fossils before arriving in Rissani where you can visit the souk, the ksar and the Moulay Ali Chérif mosque.In 4×4 160 km towards the Todra gorges, lunch on the road. Crossing oasis, stop to visit a khettara (underground pipes that bring water to the desert.At the end of the afternoon, walk in the gorges and the palm grove of Tinerhir.Kasbah night with swimming pool in the palm grove at the beginning of the Todra gorges.In the morning: 40 km of track, easy hilly terrain.

Day7: GORGES-GORGES TRAIL, DADES VALLEY AND GORGES, ALTITUDE DESERT OF AÏT YOUL, VALLEY OF ROSES

In the morning, loop along the track linking the Todra gorges to those of Dadès via the Tizi Zegzaoune pass (2,639 m). Then descent of the exceptional valley of Dadès today paved in 4×4. Red soils, very beautiful kasbahs, remarkable natural sites (Dadès tortoise, monkey’s feet rocks). In Aït Youl we leave the road towards the Valley of Roses by the desert track of Aït Youl. Magical red lands. Stop at the troglodite nomads.Night in a family kasbah in the Valley of Roses.Gorges-gorges track 45 km = D+950, D-770, medium and technical terrain.Aït Youl desert track 12km = hilly terrain.

Day8: ROSES VALLEY, FOOTFORTS TRAIL, ON THE EDGE OF THE WADI

Wonderful tracks and trails in the foothills and the Agouti Valley.A hilly terrain, soils of all colors. The nomads settle there with their herds during the winter, sometimes in caves, sometimes in tents. They are the only occupants of this region.Then the immensity of the reg between the two chains of the Atlas. To the north the High Atlas, to the south the Anti-Atlas. Meeting nomads at the well.We reach the Wadi Dadès.Night in a family kasbah with swimming pool on the banks of the Dadès wadi.55km of track. Medium terrain. D+830, D-1200.

Day 9: SKOURA PALMERAIE, CROSSING THE HIGH ATLAS, MARRAKECH

In the morning mountain biking in the palm grove of Skoura, visit of the Kasbah of Amerhidil, before returning to Marrakech.Back to our kasbah where lunch awaits us before hitting the road.200km for which it is necessary to plan 4 hours with stops. We pass the Tichka pass. The whole route is a delight, we can only repeat it.Night in the medina near Jemâa el Fna square.30km of track. Easy terrain.

Day 10: MARRAKECH

Si n’avez pu visiter Marrakech en arrivant, sans doute l’horaire de votre vol de retour vous permettra-t-il de le faire ce dernier jour.Transfert à l’aéroport 2 heures 30 avant le décollage.

What's includes

Ground transfers necessary for the normal course of the trip

Accommodation as described

Full board during the circuit (except for lunch and dinner in Marrakech)

Supervision by a guide - Moroccan guide from the MTB Morocco team

Assistance from a local team (drivers, cooks)

A group pharmacy

Mineral water (water to be treated provided)

What's Not includes

Insurance, assistance

Lunch and dinner in Marrakech

Visits to museums, monuments and sites not included in the program

Additional trips related to a modification of the program for meteorological reasons

All personal expenses

Everything that is not indicated in the section “the price includes”.

3500Per Person

10 Day

Wild Mountains

Bike

Ability Levels

2/10

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