Morocco is a rustic which accurately has all of it, it provides towering mountain levels coated in snow, rivers flowing via deep canyons, paradise white sand seashores, the vastness of the Sahara Desolate tract, and most significantly of all, it’s all attached in combination via one of the most maximum wonderful roads on the earth. The very best mixture for an journey bike commute in Morocco!
4 Day Journey Motorcycle Commute in Morocco
That is so essential as a result of Morocco is the place we selected to re-light our love of bike go back and forth. Once we first met in Laos again in Would possibly 2013, over 3 years in the past, I used to be on a bike commute with my highest good friend from house, so I invited Kach to head out for the day with me into the mountains round Luang Prabang. That day of boating across the mountains, preventing at view issues alongside the way in which was our first date and the primary of many bike adventures we had in combination in all places Laos and northerly Vietnam.
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4 Day Journey Motorcycle Commute in Morocco
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We persevered travelling via bike in India with an outdated Royal Enfield, exploring the seashores and nation-state of south India. After this regardless that, we moved to South The usa the place the laws of proudly owning and driving a bike are so much stricter, so we fell clear of bike go back and forth for reasonably some time – 2 entire years in truth! Once we had the chance to return to Morocco, we knew that this used to be the very best second to get again onto a bike on one of the most highest environments and roads for bike go back and forth on the earth!
The next move in our plans used to be to determine one of the simplest ways to do bike go back and forth in Morocco. As we didn’t have our personal motorcycle and we knew not anything of the routes and roads in Morocco both. We had a glance on-line and whilst there have been reasonably a couple of bike apartment firms in Morocco, however there used to be just one Legitimate BMW Motorrad Spouse – Palm Street. To be an Legitimate spouse of BMW Motorrad approach complying with an excessively strict set of operational pointers, protection and naturally high quality and upkeep. This promises the best possible ranges of high quality and protection within the bikes and gear. As effectively being an professional spouse, the landlord of Palm Street, Reda Jabri, may be a BMW Motorrad Qualified Excursion Information, which means that he has finished a chain of knowledgeable coaching classes on the BMW Motorrad coaching heart in Germany. Reda has been driving and providing excursions in Morocco for a few years and you’ll be able to learn extra about him right here – Reda Jabri – Motorbikes and Mountains in Morocco!
For our first time driving in over two years, our first time driving the rest just like the BMW and our first time driving in Morocco, Palm Street gave the impression of the very best selection for our bike journey in Morocco!
Even though I had by no means ridden a BMW bike prior to, bike journey movies like ‘The Motorbike Diaries’ and Ewan Mcgregor’s ‘Lengthy Approach Spherical’ and ‘Lengthy Approach Down’ gave me the trojan horse for journey bike driving lengthy prior to I ever had my license.
Reda had a collection of BMW’s on be offering at Palm Street; the enduring BMW journey bike, the BMW 1200 GS; the harsh heart weight BMW F800 GS – and the agile BMW F700 GS. Those are all wonderful journey bikes in their very own ceremony, however after two years of no longer driving I made my selection consistent with which motorcycle allowed me to place my ft flat at the flooring – the smaller BMW F700 GS! The F700 GS felt like the very best motorcycle right away, sufficient dimension and tool to care for itself at the open roads, but mild and agile sufficient to simply manoeuvre over any tough terrain.
4 Day Journey Motorcycle Commute in Morocco
Subsequent up used to be to make a decision on our course, I met up with Reda in a Marrakech café to talk about the most productive path to take, in order that lets enjoy the most productive that Morocco has to supply. Palm Street provides 3 usual guided excursion routes, all of which mix other sides of Morocco’s contrasting landscapes and intriguing cultures. Because the time we had used to be a bit shorter than the 7 days of his shortest course, Reda got here up with a custom designed excursion.
Day 1 – Marrakech – Tichka – Ouarzazate – Agdez (270 Km) – Crossing the Atlas Mountains
Day 2 – Agdez – Zagora – M’hamid (200 Km) – Throughout the Draa Valley
Day 3 – M’hamid – Zagora – Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou (280 Km) – Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou
Day 4 – Ait Ben Haddou – Telouet – Tichka – Marrakech (200km) – The superb journey house
Without a distances more than 280 km in any sooner or later, we’d by no means be driving for greater than 4 hours and with quite a lot of breaks and viewpoints an-route.
4 Day Journey Motorcycle Commute in Morocco – One of the unbelievable perspectives
DAY 1 – Marrakech – Tichka – Ouarzazate – Agdez (270 Km)
At the first day, we began from Marrakesh, navigating the busy roads of town till the site visitors step by step pale away and the flat directly highway began morphing right into a serpentine black ribbon wrapped round mountain slopes. Those winding roads took us prime into the Atlas Mountains the place the wind grew more potent and chillier and driving the bike began to grow to be extra of a problem.
4 Day Journey Motorcycle Commute in Morocco – Ultimate forestall prior to the toughest a part of the course
We stopped for espresso at a cafe with a breathtaking mountain view to leisure and get ready for the hardest a part of the day’s driving – the Tichka Cross. There used to be already a smattering of snow around the terraced slopes and there used to be extra to return as we headed upper against the snow-covered peaks lets see within the distance.
What got here subsequent used to be truthfully the most-challenging journey of my existence to this point – the under freezing temperatures, gale-force gusts of wind, snow and icy dust – all growing stipulations that have been an enormous step up from the rest I had ridden via prior to. It used to be a worrying journey, however achieving the highest of the go made all of it profitable, regardless of being a nearly general whiteout.
As we descended backtrack the opposite facet of the Atlas Mountain vary, I spotted how a lot I had taken clean, dry, grippy tarmac roads without any consideration as we were given again to swinging the motorcycles easily throughout the corners whilst the snow melted away once more to show the rocks and sand of the barren region lowlands.
4 Day Journey Motorcycle Commute in Morocco – Restoration forestall after the tough Tichka Cross
After lunch in Ouarzazate we persevered to the traditional the city of Agdez, the place we spent the night time at DAR QAMAR STE ASLIM MOBILIER, a ravishing boutique resort situated within the center of the outdated village.
Take a look at our complete assessment of Dar Qamar Ste Aslim Mobilier, a real hidden gem of a resort in Agdez.
4 Day Journey Motorcycle Commute in Morocco – Dar Qamar Ste Aslim Mobilier
DAY 2 – Agdez – Zagora – M’hamid (200 Km)
Day 2 – Agdez – Zagora – M’hamid (200 Km)
Tomorrow we rode any other 200 km’s on twisting, curving roads, via Zagora and onwards to M’hamid, often referred to as the tip of the arena, the place the street ends and the barren region starts. From right here we travelled via 4×4 into the barren region with Sahara Enjoy, to spend the night time in a luxurious barren region camp or even journey camels throughout the surprising sand dunes at sundown.
4 Day Journey Motorcycle Commute in Morocco
This journey can be one of the vital impressive, as we entered Draa Valley with its carpet of Palm Bushes, driving throughout the twisting roads of the valley with a renewed self assurance after two years with none driving in any respect. The BMW F700GS used to be the very best bike for those roads; sufficiently big to be well-balanced and succesful with rider and pillion, tough sufficient to go a number of cars safely between corners, but nimble and agile sufficient to carve up the turns with not more than slight shift within the hips. The F700GS will have to no longer be lost sight of in favour of its larger, extra in style brothers, it’s a really perfect traveling bike in its personal proper.
At the ultimate stretch of the journey to M’Hamid, we handed throughout the the city of Zagora after which out into the dusty, dry warmth of the barren region. The distinction to yesterday’s driving may no longer were larger; the recent air blasting up throughout the helmet, which changed the icy air and drifting snow of the day prior to grew to become to spirals of sand whipped up via the barren region wind. The closer we were given to our vacation spot, the extra the superbly clean Moroccan tarmac began to disintegrate and slender on the edges, till we reached M’Hamid, known as the tip of the arena, the place the street merely stopped altogether and the barren region took its position.
4 Day Journey Motorcycle Commute in Morocco
As the street ended and the barren region started we rode into the towered front of Resort Kasbah of Sahara Enjoy, the place we’d leisure for lunch and get ready for the adventure into the barren region, swapping two wheels for 4 with an skilled native Berber to navigate us safely throughout the continuously transferring sand dunes. With our heads coated with conventional Berber blue barren region head put on, we drove for just about two hours throughout the barren region, preventing alongside how to consult with a nomadic circle of relatives residing in a barren region tent, surrounded handiest via rocks, sand and the few animals they stored.
4 Day Journey Motorcycle Commute in Morocco
Our ultimate forestall for the night time used to be a barren region camp in a big hole between sand dunes. To search out it there in any respect used to be an entire wonder, totally hidden via the towering sand on each side. The posh barren region camp used to be made up of ten or extra white tents, about ten ft tall via ten ft large. Inside of we have been amazed to discover a relaxed double mattress, electric issues and lighting, even a completely functioning toilet with operating sizzling water!
4 Day Journey Motorcycle Commute in Morocco
Because the solar began to set, a person arrived with 3 camels to take us on a sundown camel trek throughout the barren region. The camels groaned in noisy protest as they kneeled for us to clamber onto their backs. As we rode a brief distance from the camp, it was obtrusive how simply other folks may get misplaced within the barren region, as inside of mins the camp used to be out of sight and each dune seemed the similar as the following. Most effective our native information truly knew the place we have been. As we headed again against the camp, the solar fell slowly into the sand.
That night we sat right down to a house cooked Moroccan dinner of lamb tagine and couscous, prior to transferring to the massive campfire outdoor, the place there used to be no noise to disturb the peace and stillness of the barren region and no mild however the hearth, permitting each superstar to polish obviously towards the black sky.
Learn all about our luxurious barren region tenting with Sahara Enjoy.
The barren region is such an integral a part of Moroccan existence, historical past and tradition. Actually, it could also be conceivable to mention that you’ll be able to be informed extra about Morocco from one night time within the barren region, than from per week in Marrakech.
DAY 3 – M’hamid – Zagora – Ouarzazate – Ait Ben Haddou (280 Km)
Early the following morning, we had a gentle breakfast and jumped again into the 4WD to move again to M’Hamid, again to our motorcycles and again to the street, to bathe and alter within the Resort Kasbah in a position for the primary leg of our go back adventure to Marrakech.
4 Day Journey Motorcycle Commute in Morocco
Leaving the barren region at the back of, we rode again via Zagora and Ouarzazate, to town of Ait Ben Haddou, the place we spent the night time within the sumptuous Riad Ksar Ighnda, a palatial luxurious resort constructed into the ruins of the outdated the city, or the Ksar. The Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou is a conventional pre-Saharan agreement, made up of earthen structures packed in combination inside of defensive partitions and strengthened via towers within the corners.
4 Day Journey Motorcycle Commute in Morocco
Driving as much as the gates of Ksar Ighnda felt like drawing near a citadel, with prime partitions, towers and tall picket doorways. Our rooms have been situated at the roof most sensible the place a community of interconnecting roof terraces gave unbelievable perspectives around the surrounding panorama, a carpet of lush inexperienced crops and palm bushes filling the small valley. Within the interior courtyard used to be a big, cooling pool shaded via foliage and local bushes. After exploring the more than a few overlapping ranges and shapes of the resort itself, we headed for the hamman to soak out the mud after the exhilarating journey again from the barren region.
Learn our complete assessment of the Riad Ksar Ighnda in Ait Ben Haddou.
4 Day Journey Motorcycle Commute in Morocco
DAY 4 – Ait Ben Haddou – Telouet – Tichka – Marrakech
The general day of our bike journey would take us the entire long ago from Ait Ben Haddhou, over the Atlas Mountains throughout the Tishka Cross and the entire as far back as Marrakech. The superb factor about this course is that even supposing we have been driving the similar method we had come from, each nook and each view is a wholly distinctive enjoy when driving in the wrong way!
As we climbed again as much as the highest of the Tishka Cross, a lot of the snow had melted away and the gale drive winds of the former days had disappeared making it a miles more straightforward and delightful journey.
4 Day Journey Motorcycle Commute in Morocco
This ultimate leg of the journey used to be an opportunity to replicate at the entire adventure of the previous few days; the way it used to be conceivable to enjoy a bustling town, a snow-covered mountain go, a palm-filled valley, rocky plains and the endless vastness of the Sahara Desolate tract, all in simply a number of days. To mention my driving had advanced can be a sarcasm. The problem of a larger motorcycle, snow and dirt, and a continuing circulation of tight mountain bends, all mixed with the watchful eye and knowledgeable recommendation from Reda, expanding my talents and self assurance at the motorcycle.
This used to be our first time again at the bike in combination in two years and it used to be a really unbelievable to enjoy first-hand what helps to keep luring journey bikers right here from in all places the arena, 12 months after 12 months.
We rode the entire method from Ait Ben Haddou again to Marrakesh, again over the Atlas Mountains throughout the Tichka Cross, preventing to absorb the superb surroundings alongside the way in which, finishing our day at Marrakech Riad Cinnamon.
4 Day Journey Motorcycle Commute in Morocco
It felt wonderful to be again on two wheels once more, particularly such a terrific motorcycle (the BMW F700GS) and being guided via the most productive routes via Reda. We have been formally again on two wheels, with many extra bike adventures but to return!
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