Day 1: Arrive Marrakech Airport, where we’ll greet you and escort you to our nearby hotel.
Day 2: After a relaxing morning and amazing breakfast, we’ll take you for a guided tour of Marrakech’s famous markets. The souks are the heart of the Marrakech medina and have been the centre for trade in the city a thousand years. Today they’re as much a tourist attraction as anything but still have that exotic, chaotic feel. Over 3000 stalls sell everything from taginepots and glassware to scarves and spices.
Day 3: After breakfast, we load up and shuttle out of Marrakech and up to the 2300m Col du Tichka, where our 2-wheeled adventure begins. The 1400m, 24km descent from the Col will have a grin pasted across your face that will remain for the week. We’ll stop for lunch in Telouet, home to the stunning Kasbah Telouet, built in 1860 for the Pasha of Marrakech or ‘Lord of the Atlas.’ After a tour of the Kasbah, we continue our journey down the dramatic Ouinila Valley, passing numerous kasbahs and ruins before arriving at the beautiful and luxurious Riad Ksar Ighnda. 76km
Day 4: Departing the Riad, we ride south, stopping at Aït Benhaddou, the most famous ofall Moroccan kasbahs. Think ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ and you’ll likely picture Ben Haddou. The short walk through the ancient walled city to the summit lookout is truly an experience you’ll always remember. From Ben Haddou, we continue south into the broad Draa Valley and on to Ouarzazate, a bustling trade hub and home to the world’s largest solar plant, providing power to over 1 million people. We’ll spend the night experiencing the memorable hospitality and cuisine of Le Petit Riad. 35km
Day 5: Today’s 75km ride sees us departing Ourzazate for the oasis village of Agdz, but not before we climb up to the dramatic Tizi’n-Tinififft col, with its sweeping views of the Draa Valley. After another swooping descent, we ride into Agdz, winding through lush date palm groves to our river-side destination, Lodge Hara Oasis. Enjoy the afternoon wandering the river, exploring the groves, or enjoying refreshments atop the rooftop patio.
Day 6: Our longest ride of the tour is characterized by ‘oasis hopping’ as we ride through numerous oases and the ancient walled villages that depend upon them for survival. With ochre- coloured mountains lining both sides of the valley, you’ll think you’re riding on the surface of Mars, only to turn a corner to have a verdant green grove of palms stretch out before you. After a captivating 90 km ride, sweet mint tea and snacks will be waiting as we arrive at Azalai Desert Lodge in Zagora. Beautiful courtyard gardens and unique aviation-themed rooms celebrating Antoine de St- Exupery’s pioneering aviation in Morocco characterize this lovely hotel.
Day 7: Today’s adventure takes us into the heart of the mighty Sahara desert. After a leisurely breakfast, we take a short shuttle through the town Temergroute, a village famous for its unique green pottery, before hopping on our bikes for the 70km ride along the Route de la Ktawa, a remote and beautiful road through bordering a sandstone massif that separates Morocco from neighbouring Algeria. Arriving at M’Hamid, the final outpost of civilization on the edge of the Sahara, we leave the bikes behind and load into 4wd vehicles for the overland journey to the mighty Erg Chigaga sand dunes, and our luxury tent camp. Our destination is the Azalai Desert Camp, a collection of beautifully appointed berber tents nestled amid the towering dunes. After a peaceful sunset camel trek, we’ll dine under the vast blanket of stars, enjoying a traditional Moroccan feast – a fitting end to an incredible journey!
Day 8: “Listen to silence. It has much to say” -Rumi
It’s not often that we have the opportunity to spend time in a place as isolated and peaceful as Erg Chicaga, so we finish with an additional day at Azalai Desert Camp to enjoy this absolutely unique part of the world. Take meals at your leisure, explore the dunes, read, sleep. Relax and recharge in peaceful silence.
Day 9: Today we shuttle you back to Marrakech for our final night of the tour at the Jaal Riad, a luxurious 5* resort that makes the perfect finish to the trip of a lifetime.
Day 10: After breakfast, we’ll shuttle to the Marrakech airport for departures.
