THE ESSENTIALS

Before travelling, please make sure you have the following arranged:

• Travel to and from Morocco
• Return transfers to and from the Desert Rats tour starting point, where applicable
• Comprehensive travel and medical insurance, including emergency medical treatment and repatriation – OBLIGATORY
• €200 refundable bike damage deposit, payable in cash at the start of the tour. The equivalent amount in GBP, USD or Moroccan dirhams is also accepted.
• Spending money in Moroccan dirhams (MAD) for drinks, souvenirs and other personal expenses.

Travel Insurance
Travel and medical insurance with repatriation cover is mandatory for all Desert Rats participants. Please make sure your policy covers motorcycle riding in Morocco, including off-road riding, where applicable to your tour. We recommend carrying a copy of your insurance details and emergency assistance contact number with you during the trip.

RIDING GEAR

Although our Desert Rats bikes are small and easy to handle, they are proper motorcycles and our tours include a mixture of tarmac, gravel roads and off-road riding. Proper protective motorcycle gear is therefore required.

We consider the following to be the minimum riding gear required on our tours:

• Full-face or adventure motorcycle helmet with a visor that can be fully closed, offering good protection from dust, wind and flying gravel.
• Lightweight, well-ventilated motorcycle jacket with integrated protection at the shoulders and elbows, and preferably a back protector. Good ventilation is important in Morocco’s warmer climate.
• Motorcycle trousers or protective motorcycle jeans with integrated knee protection. Lightweight, breathable gear is preferable to heavy touring clothing.
• Motorcycle boots with good ankle protection and support. They should securely cover the ankle; trainers, low shoes and slip-on boots are not suitable for riding.
• Motorcycle gloves offering good protection while remaining lightweight and comfortable in warmer temperatures.
• CamelBak-type hydration system or hydration backpack. Staying hydrated while riding is extremely important, so you need to be able to drink easily throughout the day.
• Lightweight waterproof layer, just in case.

What type of riding gear is best?
You don’t need heavy motocross or enduro equipment for a Desert Rats tour. Lightweight adventure motorcycle gear is ideal: protective enough for riding on mixed terrain, while remaining breathable and comfortable in Morocco’s climate.

We particularly recommend an adventure-style full-face helmet with a closable visor. Sunglasses are useful when you’re off the bike, but a proper visor provides much better protection from dust while riding.

If your motorcycle jacket and trousers already have integrated shoulder, elbow, back and knee protection, there is no need to wear separate protectors over your clothing.

RECOMMENDED CLOTHING & ACCESSORIES

You don’t need to pack your entire wardrobe! Keep it comfortable, practical and relatively lightweight.

• T-shirts
• Underwear
• Socks
• Lightweight base layer / thermal underwear, particularly for the cooler months
• Comfortable trousers or jeans for the evenings
• Shorts
• Jumper, fleece or lightweight warm jacket
• Swimwear
• Trainers or comfortable shoes
• Sunglasses
• Sun hat or cap
• Head torch
• Earplugs – especially useful if you’re sharing a room with a snorer!
• High-factor sun cream
• Lip balm with SPF
• Personal toiletries
• Any personal medication
• A few plasters / blister plasters
• Painkillers you normally use
• Anti-diarrhoea medication – hopefully it stays in your bag!
• Rehydration / electrolyte sachets
• Energy or glucose tablets/snacks if you like to use them while riding.

You don’t need to bring a comprehensive first-aid kit. Desert Rats carries a well-stocked medical kit in the support vehicle throughout the tour. Please do bring any personal medication you may need.

MAKE A LASTING IMPACT

We are proud members of Pack for a Purpose, an initiative that allows travelers like you to make a lasting impact on the community at your travel destination. If you save just a few kilos of space in your suitcase and bring supplies for area schools or medical clinics in need, you’ll make a priceless impact on the lives of our local children and families. Please visit the Pack for a Purpose website to see what supplies are needed for our project/projects. Have a look at the local project you could help support.