Morocco Desert Tour

7 DAYS TOTAL - 5 DAYS BIKING - DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1 - Arrival at Ouarzazate airport and transfer to our 3* hotel in the town. (About 5 minutes away.)

Day 2 - (approx. 210kms)

Breakfast. Final briefing, and departure for Dades. After refuelling the bikes its straight off-road, 20 Kms across a flat plateau and it’s into a sandy twisting riverbed before emerging in the southern foothills of the High Atlas Mountains. 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. 10kms 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 we come back out for the final 8kms on road down the fertile Dades Gorge, taking us to our night’s accommodation.

We are staying in a new 4* hotel with unusual local decor and spectacular views across the Dades valley towards the High Atlas, offering spacious accommodation and plentiful buffet meals.

Day 3 – (approx. 250 kms)

Leave hotel after breakfast and depart for Erfoud

The first 96kms are off-road winding through the Jebel Sahro, considered some of the most beautiful mountains in Morocco. On arrival in Tineghir we take a 14kms detour by road to drive up and visit the Todra Gorge with its sheer, over 400m high walls. (One of Morocco’s premiere tourist attractions) Refuel then a very fast section across a desert plateau to Goulmima where we have our picnic lunch in the palmeraie followed by virgin desert - no tracks! We navigate by GPS through small dunes and dry riverbeds to Erfoud. Particular care to be taken on this section. Cool beers by the pool in our 4 star hotel. Buffet dinner.

Day 4 – (approx. 150 kms)

Breakfast and make our way to Erg Chebbi (about 45kms) and the famous Red Dunes at Merzouga, where we will attempt to reach the top of the highest "cathedral" dune. After lunch in a local auberge, a further 65kms across flat desert tracks and dried lakebeds to tonight’s accommodation in our pleasant Berber bivouac with hot showers, situated close to a large area of middle sized dunes. In the late afternoon/early evening, once the sand has cooled down, fuel permitting those wanting more biking can go and play in the dunes or alternatively walk to the top.

Day 5 – (approx. 210 kms)

Breakfast and another early start across the desert towards Zagora. 30 kms to our refuelling point at the village of Remlia. Fast winding trails crossing flat dry lakes, deep sandy riverbeds, "fesh fesh" (bull dust) until we get to Lake Maider where we stop for a drink in a local auberge. A further 10kms of fast track across the dry lakebed from where we turn south and take a big loop on one of the well known Dakar 2007 pistes passing two army garrisons on route before we rejoin our original rocky track into Zagora.

Dinner and accommodation in a 3 star French owned hotel styled on a Moroccan kasbah.

Day 6 – (approx. 190 kms)

Leave for Ouarzazate. Morning spent biking through the Draa Valley palmeries. (about 90kms). A further 50kms on twisting trails through beautiful valleys and riverbeds, ending up with 50 kms on road over the Tizi-n-Tifnifft pass with its spectacular scenery. Lunch in a local restaurant on route.

We return to the same 3* hotel from where we started.

Day 7 - Transfer back to Ouarzazate airport.