Mountains and Valleys Tour – Intinerary
70% of this tour is offroad and all the tracks we have chosen are ideal for the Docker Apollo motorbikes. Nothing too technical and no deep sand or ‘feshfesh’. The 30% asphalt sections are 99% country roads with little traffic.
DAY TO DAY
Arrival Day
Upon your arrival at Ouarzazate airport, we will be there to pick you up and provide a quick 20-minute transfer to a charming hotel. From there, you can enjoy stunning views of the palmeraie and the river of Ouarzazate or a cold beer at the pool. At 20.00 hrs, we will gather for a delightful dinner and a general briefing at the hotel.
If you are flying into Marrakesh, we would be happy to arrange a taxi transfer for you. This transfer will take you across the magnificent High Atlas Mountains and bring you to the beautiful Ouarzazate hotel. The journey typically lasts around 3.5 hours.
Day 1 – Ouarzazate to Skoura (98 KM)
Today is our first day of riding! We start off with a quick introduction to the Docker Apollo bikes and then set off towards Skoura. Our journey takes us across a dusty military firing range on bumpy paths, with the majestic High Atlas Mountains in sight. As we ride our little Docker Apollo bikes, we quickly discovered their amazing capabilities, maneuvering through sandy riverbeds and winding desolated pistes up the mountains. Once we reached the High Atlas Mountains, we continued our adventure on a curvy asphalt road to finish for a delicious late lunch at the Eco Lodge where we’re staying.
Now, it’s time to relax and unwind – would you like to take a refreshing dip in the pool or indulge in a soothing hammam session?
Day 2 – Skoura to Kelaat M’Gouna (118 KM)
Start your day with a refreshing breakfast at 08.00 hrs, right by the pool. At 09.00 hrs, we’ll venture into the village to fuel up our bikes. Once our bikes are ready to go, we’ll continue our journey. This morning, we’ll head towards the breathtaking Jbel Saghro Mountains. As we move further away from Skoura, you’ll notice fewer people around. For lunch, we’ll enjoy a traditional meal at Mohamed’s cozy little hotel.
After lunch, we’ll make our way to the famous Kelaat M’Gouna, known for its beautiful roses and well-cultivated fields. This road section tends to be quite busy, so keep an eye out for the local children and animals. While it may be tempting to give them a high-five, be cautious as their hands are as tough as boot soles. Our final stop for today is a hotel located at the edge of the palmeraie, another old converted kasbah with panoramic views over the town and surrounding palmeraie, offering a stunning view of an old falling-down kasbah.
Day 3 – Kelaat M’Gouna to Boumalne Dades (67 KM)
On our third day, we leave the bikes parked for the morning. We follow our local guide, Brahim, on a walk through the valley, ending up at the village Kelaat M’Gouna. It’s a lively small town where many local people from the surrounding mountain villages do their shopping at the fresh ‘vegetables and meat’ market and many other colourful shops. After the walk, Brahim will serve a traditional lunch at his family house.
After lunch, only about 30% off-road. We head up into the Southern foothills of the Atlas Mountains. The asphalt road is narrow here (be prepared to ride on the hard shoulder if a truck is coming toward you). Very busy, lots of villages lining the M’Goun river which has year-round water in it.
We will stop in the village of Boutaghra for a break before starting on a 40km track. Rocky in places with big drop-offs. We will have to cross the M’Goun river where there is no bridge, so hopefully, the river will not be so deep. More than 40cm deep and we may have to load the bikes on the 4×4 to cross.
The last 800m before the asphalt on the Dades Valley road is in a rocky riverbed funneling through a narrow gorge (the 4×4 may have to go around). Once on the road, we turn South to a beautiful small hotel in the middle of the green valley.
Cool off in the pool and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
Day 4 – Boumalne Dades to N’Kob (81 KM)
Breakfast around the pool again, leave at 09:00 hrs. After breakfast, we take a short loop up the Dades Gorge to experience riding the famous hairpin bends and Dades Gorge before returning down the beautiful Dades Valley where we have lunch back at the hotel.
After lunch, we head off south to N’Kob, where we spend the night in a converted 200-year-old traditional Kasbah. We are still in the Jbel Saghro Mountains so the scenery is austere and beautiful. Because of the aridity of this region (between 100/300 mm a year), we will not find any villages of any size, just small hamlets generally next to a dried-up river.
Day 5 – N’Kob to Ouarzazate (147 KM)
Breakfast at 08:00 hrs. Leave at 09:00 as usual. We set out for the village to refuel our bikes. After topping up, we continued for our last day.
The winding tracks lead us through an area we refer to as ‘Monument Valley’ because of the imposing rocky formations found there. We make frequent photo stops at every turn. There are fewer Berber villages in the initial part of today’s journey, but we have the opportunity to witness the authentic daily life of the Berber people. It’s a slower, more relaxed pace of life. Surviving up here at 2000+ meters must be quite challenging in the winter.
The Jbel Saghro Mountain range is the driest mountain area of the whole Atlas Mountain system. It’s a desolate place with many areas of bare rock and the austere, lunar landscape will leave you impressed. The area is popular with mountain bikers and walkers. Though we don’t expect to meet any other tourists on our wanderings.
The last 35km is on-road. Drinks are waiting at the pool at our hotel back in Ouarzazate.
Day of goodbye
Today, you have the luxury of sleeping in, unless you have an early flight to catch. As we bid farewell on this day, perhaps we can also begin discussing your next exciting adventure? Have you had the opportunity to experience our captivating High Atlas Mountains Tour? Before you embark on your journey to the airport or your next holiday destination, be sure not to overlook anything important. We sincerely appreciate your participation in our tour and hope that you had an absolutely fantastic time.
