Morocco - Atlas to Desert
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9 Day(s)
Mod-Advanced
158 Miles
avg 26 Miles
Guided
Image supplied by Saddle Skedaddle
This superb mountain bike holiday in Morocco explores a land of big skies and stark mountain ranges. We explore a range of Morocco’s fantastic trails including remote paths and dirt roads taking us from Marrakech to the Tichka Pass, the highest in the High Atlas, and then descending along the Draa Valley to the fringes of the Sahara Desert. Mud-brick Kasbahs appear to rise up out of the desert, sitting in tranquil palm oases and framed by dramatic backdrops of snow-capped mountains.
While non-technical the routes reward riders with good bike handling and reasonable off-road fitness. There are plenty of challenging climbs and fun descents which all levels of riders will enjoy. For more experienced riders we will seek out the singletrack where it is available for a few extra thrills.The riding is along largely hard-packed trails which are normally in good condition, although they can be rough and bumpy at times.
En route we pass through numerous traditional villages, on the way visiting the ancient Kasbah of Ait Benhaddou and making plenty of mint tea stops to experience close-up the legendary hospitality that has risen up from the remote outposts of the desert. As we descend from the High Atlas we see a gradual change in flora and fauna as the desert starts to make its imprint on the landscape. We follow a route of palm oases, finding the occasional refreshing pool for a dip, cycling alongside ruined villages and Kasbahs which, in the early morning and late afternoon are bathed in a sublime desert light.
As we arrive at the fringe of the Sahara Desert, not far from the town of Zagora, we take a break from the bikes and Kasbah hotels and instead opt for camels and a night under the stars in a Berber desert tent, surrounded by pre-Saharan dunes.