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This tour has completely changed from our previous Mountain & Desert tour itinerary largely because of the ongoing Moroccan rural development programme - meaning more asphalt in the High Atlas. We have spent a lot of time driving around to find interesting new trails, and we are very satisfied with what we have found - more than 85% new trails for this tour.

The tour still offers lots of twisting and sinuous trails but with less rocks, dramatic mountain landscapes and awesome views, and by popular demand we take you back to the pink dunes at Erg Chebbi where the Cathedral dunes (124m high) are. The night out in the desert is also mandatory... plus

• Beautiful winding trails, gorges, rocky climbs, and some big wash-outs!
• river crossings - with and without water
• sandy river beds & vast dry lake beds
• 2,500m mountain passes
• isolated mountain villages
• and the highest dunes in Morocco.

More than enough to make you go home having experienced a real adventure.

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Ouarzazate. After your evening flight from Casablanca to Ouarzazate, we meet you at the airport and transfer you to our first night’s 3* riad-style hotel..

Day 2 Ouarzazate - Agdz (160 km). A very pleasant day’s biking giving you time to get accustomed to your bike and the terrain. After breakfast and about 6 km on road, we take off into the countryside heading west on sweeping trails. Predominantly hard packed soil interspersed with some short rocky sections, river crossings and small villages today’s route is totally new for us. We turn south-eastwards after our picnic lunch, which is taken somewhere on the trail, and wind our way down through the Anti Atlas Mountains to our first nights’ accommodation near the town of Agdz. Depending on tour numbers we use one or two different small riad hotels set in the palmeraie amongst falling down kasbahs.

Day 3 Agdz – Boulmalne de Dades (190 km). The first 30 km spent winding along the Draa Valley through the palmeria with its narrow trails, many kasbahs in ruins and countless inhabitants. We turn north and cross a high pass over the Jebel Saghro range of mountains – considered the most beautiful in Morocco. Spectacular views, winding rocky trails with drop-offs down into fertile valleys, twisting mountain passes and isolated Berber villages. We emerge south of the High Atlas and continue through the foothills of the mountains, traverse the Valley of the Roses and a rocky riverbed to come out in the fertile Dades Gorge. Most of today’s route is new for us. We stay in a 4-star hotel with spectacular views across the Dades valley, offering spacious, unusual accommodation, a roof-top swimming pool with a heated outdoor Jacuzzi, massage facilities and plentiful buffet meals.

Day 4 Boulmalne – Ousina (270 km). After breakfast we head south from the hotel towards our destination for the night - the desert jaima. First 100 km is spent crossing the high passes and biking down through the mountains on twisting trails with dramatic rock formations and amazing scenery to reach the beginning of the desert. We refuel before starting the desert section. Winding sandy trails and riverbeds that lead us onto the enormous dry lakebed of Lac Maider. From here we traverse through the dunes to where we refill at Remlia and then a further 20 km through dunes to our night’s stop at the desert 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. Again most of today’s route is new for us.

Day 5 Ousina – Merzouga (160 km). Set off after breakfast up a twisty sandy riverbed and then onto very pleasant fast winding, sandy trails. Loads of Acacia trees and for those who know East Africa you could be there – just missing the giraffes and elephants! A large river crossing towards the end and then fast hard packed tracks to our next hotel, a small Auberge located at the foot of the Cathedral Dunes.

Lunch taken in the hotel, time to relax round the pool if the weather is too hot and then in the later afternoon the assault on Morocco’s highest dune – 124m! More time in the big dunes and then back for supper. Totally new tracks for us in the morning.

Day 6 Merzouga - Todra (240 km). Early start after breakfast to go and refuel the bikes from a local village shop! The first 45 km to Erfoud are mainly hard stony “Hamada” desert interspersed with sandy sections. Refuel and then off-road onto a pleasant winding sandy trail which hugs the southern foothills of the High Atlas and leads to the “Stairway to the Stars” – an unusual abode built by an eccentric German architect in the middle of the desert. We also visit the “Orion’s stars” and the “Amonite” which are two further creations made by the same architect. Having visited these we carry on a further 65kms across the desert to our next refuelling point. Picnic lunch somewhere before we leave the desert. After lunch it’s 98kms across a fast plateau, with rocky trails and riverbeds and winding hard packed tracks to our next night’s accommodation in a hotel set right in the Todra Gorge below the towering 400m high walls. Some new tracks for us in the morning.

Day 7 Todra – Ouarzazate (220 km). leaving the Todra Gorge the first 20kms are on road down to Tineghir where we refuel. Then it’s off into another area of the Jebel Saghro mountain range for about 100 km on winding trails and over two high passes. Again major drop offs and wonderful scenery. Arriving in Dades we refuel and then 6 km up the Dades Gorge we take off eastwards following the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Undulating, fast sections interspersed with rocky trails through major washouts and gullies, bringing us out onto a plateau. Picnic lunch somewhere up on the plateau. A sandy, twisting riverbed and a further 20 km of fast trails across a flat plateau bring us back to Ouarzazarte and our first night’s hotel.

Day 8 Depart Ouarzazate.

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Price includes: Experienced guide with full medical kit, VHF radio and GSM phone; GPS kits so group can split when desired (additional security deposit of €200 required); KTM 450EXC motorcycle with large fuel tanks, 2008/9 models; fuel; 3rd party insurance (min. age 25 yrs, although younger is not usually a problem); support/luggage vehicle with spares; half-board accommodation in 3-4* hotels, shared (no camping except where stated!); Clothing - Dainese jacket and jeans, knee and elbow protectors, Scott 25 l backpack, Fox chest protector (if you have your own clothing you are welcome to bring it, see also below); daily coffee stop; picnic lunches; airport transfers; luggage storage; biker’s rucsac.

Price excludes: Axo MX helmet, Axo gloves, Scott goggles and Alpinestar MX boots (see pricing panel to book if required); damage deposit €500 payable locally (refundable on safe return); Bar bills, lunches and personal expenses (beer c. £1.50/25 cl) and bottled water (c. £0.80/1.5 l); travel insurance (compulsory) and flights available through H-C Travel.

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| Morocco | Desert | Dune Offroad | Chegaga Adventure Tour | FAQ |

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