Rock The Kasbah, Ride The Oases

Marrakech

Welcome by our team at Marrakesh Menara Airport and short transfer to your hotel in town. Overnight on bed and breakfast basis at 3* hotel www.hotelracine.ma or similar. This hotel is practical as closed to our store so you can try and fit your bike if you hire one from us, or mount yours and store your bike box.

Marrakech - Skoura

You will be met by your guide and driver(s) at your hotel and head south towards the High Atlas Mountains. After the little city of Demnat, you will visit the amazing natural bridge of Imi n’Ifri. You will then carry on through the outstanding landscapes of the Berber Valleys. After the Tizi n’Fedghat Pass (2250m), the road snakes down to the southern side of the Atlas to reach the village of Ghessat where your mtb adventure will start. After bike preparation we ride east on a nice track, the terrain is undulating with short ups and downs, all what we need for a gentle start. Overnight in a gite near Toundout.

Transfer by road: 210km / Ride distance: 32km / Altitude Gain, Loss: +520m, -480m / Minimum Altitude: 1490m, Max 1700m / Physical difficulty: ▲▲▲▲▲ / Technical skills: ▲▲▲▲▲

Boutghrar

After a hearty breakfast our day starts on a flat stretch before we bike up a beautiful valley. A short climb will then lead us to heights of the Ait Zaghar Plateau, here many nomad families graze their herds during the winter time from October to May under the watchful eye of Mount Mgoun (4068m). We will traverse few Berber villages with lush terraces before reach the superb gorges n’Qati. This is the most technical part of the day crossing the river bed many times on a singletrack (if not too much water) and you will certainly need a good balance to ride it, the scenery is jaw dropping. We get out of the canyons to discover an amazing green valley of Agouti with its roses fields and towering Kasbahs. Our day ride ends at Boutaghrar where we spend the night in a gite in the old part of the village.

Ride distance: 70km / Altitude Gain, Loss: +800m, -660m / Minimum Altitude: 1450m, Max 1900m / Physical difficulty: ▲▲▲▲▲ / Technical skills: ▲▲▲▲▲

Saghro Mountains

Today stage starts with a first climb to enjoy the superb view on the Mgoun Valley and the snow-capped Atlas Mountains. We will then traverse a vast desert dry plateau before we bike along the left bank of the Dades Valley, this area is famous for rose agriculture used for perfumes and cosmetics. We will leave the lush fields and Kasbahs behind us and approach the foothills of the Djebel Saghro. A challenging and long climb through this amazing volcanic range will lead us to the top of Taglout pass at 1860m. After a deserved pause few km downhill to join our gite in the middle of nowhere!.

Ride distance: 75km / Altitude Gain, Loss: +1140m, -960m / Minimum Altitude: 1370m, Max 1860m / Physical difficulty: ▲▲▲▲▲ / Technical skills: ▲▲▲▲▲

Draa Valley

A Superb day biking a cross the Djebel Saghro, winding through canyons and picturesque pitons. We start our stage with a steep climb to reach the first col, then we will ride west across a succession of small cols. The scenery is just amazing across volcanic chaos. But even so dry and mineral this area is the territory of the Ait Atta nomad tribe who still perpetuate their secular nomadic way of life, we will certainly meet few nomad tented camps on our way. At the highest point of the day, we will enjoy unforgettable views of the southern face of the Djebel Saghro extending far south towards Sahara. For the end of the day, we will ride a superb piste downhill to reach the legendary and amazingly green Draa Valley where we spend the night nearby Tansikht.

Ride distance: 62km / Altitude Gain, Loss: +820m, -1700m / Minimum Altitude: 800m, Max 1960m / Physical difficulty: ▲▲▲▲▲ / Technical skills: ▲▲▲▲▲

Zagora

For our last day ride, we bike along the legendary Draa Valley with its palm groves and Ksars, a good opprunity to encounter the welcoming populations of the oases. In the afternoon a last wheel tour will lead us to the town of Zagora where our bike adventure ends. Overnight in a 3* hotel.

Ride distance: 78 / Altitude Gain, Loss: +500m, - 600m / Minimum Altitude: 700m, Max 850m / Physical difficulty: ▲▲▲▲▲ / Technical skills: ▲▲▲▲▲

Zagora - Marrakech

Ground transfer by Agdaz, Ouarzazate before cross the Tichka pass at 2260m, arrival to your hotel in the mid afternoon. Overnight in a riad in the Medina on BB bases.

Drive distance 320 km

Marrakesh Airoport

Depending on your flight schedule, an airport transfer from the Riad will be arranged for you.

Good to know

This tour is available for private as for shared groups, the tour can start with 4 participants. We can offer a personalized program for bigger groups or bikers who wish a more challanging ride or any specific requests.

The Area

This tour takes place in the southern side of the High Atlas, cross the Anti-Atlas, the Draa Valley, the pre-Sahara Mountains and Sahara Dunes. The altitude is between 680m and 1900m high.

Your Guide

A Moroccan english speaking mountain bike guide who will meet you at your arrival at the airport, he will be with you the whole biking trip. Before the mountain bike stages, he will give you a briefing about the day, safety and the use of your bike. All along the trip, he will give you explanations about the traversed area and the way of life of the local population. He can also assit you in case of injury or mechanic issues on your bike.

Your Bike

For this tour, we recommand a full suspension bike (100mm/120mm travel) in perfect working condition! Wearing a helmet while riding is obligatory.

The food

You won't have to worry on food or drink, we take care of everything during the mtb tour. Mineral water will be supplied all day with a mix of dry fruits to refuel. All meals are included either in lodges or camps on tour. In Marrakech, only breakfast is includes.

Lodging

On this tour, you will be staying in a mix off accommodation: Hotel / Riad in Marrakech, Gites (family Houses) in the south, and camps when we approach the desert.

Assistance

You will have a full back up during this mountain bike tour. A 4X4 vehicle(s), with bike rack(s), will be following behind at a reasonable distance in case of emergency or tiredness.

Non cyclists

Are you a family, your spouse or husband doesn’t cycle? Non cyclists are welcome on this tour, they can stay with assistnce car and a guide who will organize short rambles, sightsee and meet with the biking group at the end of the day.

Price & Group Size

The trip price is based on 6 mountain bikers and more. The maximum shared group size for the "Rock The Kasbah, Ride The Oases" is 10 mountainbikers.