7-Day Offroad Motorcycle Tour through Morocco's High Mountains & the Desert

On this exciting journey through Morocco's Sahara Desert, you will experience a combination of fast stretches across vast dry lake beds, sandy river beds and trails, muddy rivers that sometimes flow, and the spectacular Jebel Saghro mountain range with its barren lunar landscape and its very own "Monument Valley."

Our "High Peaks and Desert Morocco" motorcycle tour is aimed at enduro riders looking for a balanced mix of rocky mountain trails, lots of sand, and the chance to conquer the country's highest dunes (at an incredible height of 205 m!) in Erg Chebbi. But this isn't just a motorcycle tour through the Sahara—our CanAm Sport and X3 buggies can also take part in this excursion, making it suitable for all experience levels.

Day 1: Welcome to Morocco

Arrival either at Ouarzazate airport and short transfer to our 4-star hotel in the city, or landing in Marrakesh and minibus for those in the group who wish to do so, followed by a 4-hour transfer across the High Atlas Mountains on the winding Tizi n Tichka Pass (over 2000 m altitude).

Refresh yourself, complete the formalities for the bike, and then relax by the pool or stroll into town. Dinner will be served as a buffet at the hotel.

Day 2: Ouarzazate to Dades

Breakfast. Final briefing and departure for Boulmalne de Dades.

After refueling the motorcycles, we head straight into the countryside, traveling 12 miles across a fast plateau frequently used by the military and into a sandy and winding riverbed. From there, we ride over undulating, fast sections, interrupted by rocky paths that wind through large washouts and gorges.

Picnic under the trees next to a stream.

A short stretch of road through a village, where we may stop for a coffee break, then down into a normally dry riverbed, where the most rocky section of this tour awaits us, which is 10 km long. After the riverbed, a beautiful, winding path leads us up to a plateau, where we pick up speed before finally descending through a rocky river and gorge into the fertile Dades Gorge.

After about 15 km on asphalt, we reach a small dirt road. We turn off here and continue for about 1 km until we reach the Kasbah Hotel (castle), which is hidden among the trees. This Kasbah has recently been completely renovated and enlarged and impresses with its beautiful interior.

There is a beautiful pool on a lower terrace near the stream and plenty of outdoor seating to enjoy a beer. Dinner is served in the restaurant, or outside in good weather.

Day 3: Dades to Merzouga

After breakfast, you will leave the hotel and set off for Merzouga and the red dunes. The first 30 kilometers of the journey take you south from Dades across a fast, flat plateau that leads you to the Jbel Saghro mountain range.

This mountain range is arguably the most beautiful in Morocco. You can expect very winding and well-maintained roads with breathtaking views.

After 100 kilometers, you will take a coffee break on the main road connecting Alnif in the south with Tinerhir in the north.

After coffee, it's another 60 kilometers to lunch at an auberge or Moroccan inn near the desert village of Mcissi. In Mcissi, you'll recharge your batteries before continuing on fast and winding paths through the Moroccan desert.

We cross the Rheris River, which sometimes carries a little water and mud, and then continue until we reach our local auberge at the foot of the cathedral dunes of Erg Chebbi.

Treat yourself to a cold beer and relax by the pool as the sun sets. In the evening, a delicious dinner awaits the group. Go to bed and look forward to riding through the sand and conquering the Cathedral Dunes the next morning.

Day 4: Merzouga to Desert Bivouac

After breakfast, we will hop on our bikes and ride straight to the famous red dunes of Erg Chebbi, where we will attempt to reach the summit of the highest "cathedral dune."

We will spend some time in the dunes and sand before returning to our auberge to relax by the pool before lunch, and then set off for our next destination—our desert bivouac—100 km away.

It starts with compacted, winding paths that lead to a large and dry sand riverbed crossing.

We then continue on very pleasant and fast-moving sandy trails. There are plenty of acacia trees, and those familiar with East Africa can imagine giraffes and elephants. We spend the night in our comfortable Berber bivouac with hot showers. It is located near a large area of medium-sized dunes.

In the late afternoon or early evening, when the sand has cooled down and the weather permits, those who want to cycle some more can play in the dunes or alternatively hike to the summit and toast the sunset with a beer.

After dinner, we sit around a beautiful campfire with local "tam-tams" or drummers and gaze at the millions of stars in the unpolluted sky.

Day 5: Desert Bivouac to N'Kob

Breakfast and another opportunity to play in the dunes before we set off across the desert to Remlia, where we refuel the motorcycles at the village shop with old wine bottles (health and safety considerations are irrelevant here).

The 28 km from Remlia to the small hamlet of M'harech, where we stop for lunch, consists of 'Fesh Fesh' (a very soft powder similar to cement dust). This section can be quite challenging.

From here, we turn north and ride across a very flat plateau on super-fast, winding tracks that snake around the flat hills and acacia trees that characterize this area (anyone who feels like climbing some of the numerous sand dunes created by the wind piling sand against these rock formations is welcome to do so).

But don't breathe too deeply, because on the other side there is no sand, but large, gnarled rocks. In the town of Tazzarine, we refuel and have a drink before embarking on the last 50 km of the day, which take us to a viewpoint above the village of N'Kob before continuing on to our 3-star hotel, a renovated kasbah.

Day 6: N'Kob to Ouarzazate

Breakfast, refuel, and off we go again. An 8 km deep, sandy riverbed warms you up for the day's stage, which takes you over the Jbel Saghro Mountains for the second time on this tour, but on a different route. Very beautiful, rocky paths with truly breathtaking views to the south over the 'Monument' valley and to the north towards the Atlas Mountains before we arrive in Skoura, where we have lunch in a small Moroccan restaurant.

The last 105 km of the route to Ouarzazate takes us into the foothills of the Atlas Mountains before we turn south into a black riverbed and arrive at our workshop, where Hussein (our mechanic) checks your motorcycles for damage.

Day 7: Journey home

Breakfast together and then transfer to your departure airport (subject to surcharge).