Day 1 London to Marrakech
We fly to Marrakech and are transferred to our Riad within the walls of this ancient and beautiful city.
Marrakech is a vibrant and busy place, at its heart is the UNESCO world heritage market square, Djemaa al- Fna. Here we can watch as Southern tribesmen and Berber villagers bring their goods to buy and sell.
Just off the main square you find the famous Marrakech souks; a maze of alleyways with stalls piled high with all kinds of goods from dates and figs to leather slippers and handcrafted Berber jewellery. There may be time to explore before our first tasty Moroccan dinner.
Day 2 Demnat – Bike familiarisation
Today we make our way into the mountains to collect our bikes and begin our mountain biking journey. Our journey begins in Demnat, where we’ll meet our team of cycle guides who’ll brief us on our bikes, routes, and safety.
Once we’ve prepared and have everything we need for our adventure, we’ll set off to Imi n’Ouaqqa, for our first afternoon of mountain biking in Morocco. This will allow us to get to grips with the bikes and the new terrain, and become acclimatised to our mountain surroundings.
Starting at Imi n’Ifri Caves, we wind our way through the vineyards, before beginning our first climb into more mountainous terrain, through tiny Berber villages, which we’ll find scattered along our route through the mountains. We’ll also keep an eye out for some ancient dinosaur footprints on our journey, certainly a highlight of today’s ride!
Tonight, we’ll stay overnight in a local Berber village, nestled in the mountains. We’ll stay in traditional mountain gites throughout our biking journey, giving us an opportunity to meet the welcoming Berber people and learn more about these fascinating communities.
Days 3-6 High Atlas Mountain Bike Journey
We begin our biking journey by cycling from Imi n’Ouaqqa via Abachkou to Ait Bougamez. We’ll ride along a small road, first climbing the pass of Tizi n T’Ghist at 2500m, and onwards to the village of Abachkou. We’ll ride through the bas of the valley this afternoon and then climb once more, this time to the valley of Ait Bougamez at about 1800m. We’ll overnight here and make the most of our time in what is one of the most picturesque regions in the High Atlas.
The following day we head out of Ait Bougamez to Zaouia Ahancal on a mixture of roads and stony tracks, testing our technical ability and fitness. This is a longer days’ riding, taking in several passes including Tizi n Tirghuist at 2900m as well as apple & almond orchards and high mountainsides. Perhaps we’ll come across shepherd nomads from local tribes known as Ait Atta Tafoukt, traditionally of the Sahara, another of the fascinating communities who call the mountains home.
Today takes us along the valley of the river Assif N’ou Ahancal, using river crossings as well as roads and dirt tracks, before a short climb and then downhill to Cathedral Rocks. The spectacular Cathedral Rocks tower above us and the valley below, with a 600m sheer vertical face that can be seen more miles around.
Our final day of mountain biking in the High Atlas is our flattest day, following a small road, with a few climbs before our final descent to finish our journey at the picturesque Bin El Ouidan Reservoir. We’ll overnight in a local gite and celebrate our achievement with a delicious team dinner, recounting our adventures over the past few days.
Day 7 Marrakech
This morning we transfer back to Marrakech, after which we should have the afternoon to explore. On the way, we stop off at the Ouzoud Waterfalls, a beautiful oasis in the middle of the desert, boasting cascades of water tumbling from heights of 110m!
Once back in Marrakech, we may have the opportunity to explore this famous old Medina (walled city), which for hundreds of years has been the stage for lively entertainment, including acrobats, drummers, pipe musicians, dancers, storytellers and comedians, all entertaining the crowds. The team might also see snake charmers!
There may be a chance to visit the amazing souks (markets) selling beautiful Moroccan, African and Asian crafts and clothes. We can try our bartering skills for family presents and souvenirs as we wander around the souks.
Day 8 Return to London
This morning we are transferred to the airport for our flight to London, finally arriving back in the UK with memories to last us a lifetime!