DER ATLAS UND DIE AFFEN

From imperial cities to imposing mountain passes, this luxury tour offers incredible sights at every turn. A feast for the eyes, soul and taste buds. On this nine-day tour, you’ll be immersed in two of Morocco’s finest features; it’s rich cultural heritage and breath-taking natural landscapes. We cross the Middle Atlas to the imposing Thodra and Dades Gorges, riding beneath the mighty cliff faces before spending a night in the beautiful Dadès valley. After climbing the most photographed hairpins out of the gorge and stopping for plenty of photos, we head to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ait Benhaddou, where you can wander this ancient fort (and take more photos). From here we tackle the twists and turns of the Tizi n’Tichka pass before reaching the magical city of Marrakech.

Day 1 : Arrival
Arrival to Marrakesh. Transfer to your hotel, where you will be able to settle in and relax by the pool to prepare for your trip the next morning. You will meet your tour guide and go through a short briefing session as well as the formalities required before the start and you will receive your welcome pack.

Day 2 : Marrakesh – Bin El Ouidane (approx. 190 km)
You will receive your BMW bikes early in the morning before starting our journey towards Bin El Ouidane. We will head towards the High Atlas on normal roads to warm up so you can get used to your bike as well as local driving habits before tackling the winding mountain roads that will provide an excellent insight to the great riding Morocco has to offer. We visit the scenic waterfalls of Ouzoud, where we will have some time to do a short walk around. Our stop for the night will be in a nice hotel on the border of the lake where you can relax by the pool or discuss the first day at the bar.

Day 3 : Bin El Ouidane – Fes (approx. 380 km)
We will leave the hotel in the morning and start our climb into the mountains with magnificent views of the lake beneath and the pine forests. We will tackle plenty of twists and turns before commencing a slow descent towards Khenifra, which will be our lunch stop for the day. From Khenifra, we will turn east and climb through the Azigza National Park, which offers a great setting. Our stop for the night will be in a fine hotel in the centre of the city where we will have the opportunity for a tour in the old medina and get a taste of Moroccan food.

Day 4: Fes – Azrou (approx. 100 km)
After breakfast we will have opportunity to visit the imperial city of Fes. Around midday, we’ll start our ascent of the Middle-Atlas and arrive to our hotel near Azrou where you will have plenty of opportunities to feed the monkeys that live in the cedar forests of the area and visit the Cedar of Africa.

Day 5: Azrou – Errachidia (approx. 260 km)
We will start the day with riding through the forests where we’ll have the opportunity to admire the quiet setting and maybe feed the Barbary Apes that live in the area. We will then tackle the climbing roads of the Middle-Atlas passing the high plateau of the mountain range. We will go through the French Foreign Legion tunnel towards Errachidia, the infamous old Dakar town, before reaching our accommodation for the night. You will likely see relics of Dakar – posters and stickers on garage walls – this part of Africa really misses Dakar as it became a way of life here and a cash generator.

Day 6: Errachidia – Boumalne de Dades (approx. 190 km)
Today we will ride at the foot of the Atlas with the mountain range on one side and the desert on the other. We will make a detour at the town of Tinghir to the Todgha gorge and ride through the pass beneath the huge cliffs. After some photos and an excellent lunch made from home-grown vegetables at a local restaurant, we will continue to our hotel in the Dadès valley where you will have the opportunity to relax at the pool or in the Spa and we will enjoy the sunset behind the mountain range from the terrace.

Day 7: Boumalne de Dades – Ouarzazate (approx. 180 km)
Despite the short distance today, the riding will be exceptional. We will start our day by climbing the most photographed hairpins in Morocco in the Dadès Valley. A relatively short bike ride will take us to our lodging for this evening where you can enjoy a drink by the pool while taking in the wonderful sight of the lake. Ouarzazate is a famous Dakar town. Many rally enthusiasts would stop here and visit the rally bivouac, where all the action could be seen late into the evening. The locals still hope the Dakar may return to North Africa one day. Today you will have the opportunity to visit the Kasbah of Ouarzazate and wander around the many local souvenir shops – you’ll feel like you’ve gone back in time. Excellent local dishes will be served for dinner.

Day 8: Ouarzazate – Marrakesh (approx. 200 km)
Another wonderful touring day awaits us full of twists and turns on quiet roads, combined with beautiful surroundings as we climb the High Atlas. We will ride to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ait Benhaddou and enjoy the twisties of the famous Telouet and Tizi n’Tichka Pass before arriving to the Imperial City of Marrakech. Be prepared with your camera because these are the images, you’ll want to take home and show your friends. Guaranteed to impress. Tonight, we’ll have our last night together and eat well, reflecting on the adventure and probably planning your return to Morocco!

Day 9: Departure
Depending on your flight time, you might take the opportunity to relax or visit the city before the arranged pick-up takes you to the airport.