Morocco; Adventure biking in the Anti-Atlas mountians.

Hotel Al Adrissa will be our first and last nights accommodation. Set in the heart of busy Ait Baha it has large clean rooms and safe storage for all our bike boxes. Ait Baha is a typical Moroccan town full of hustle and bustle, cafes and old cars. Its many old shops are crammed with every item imaginable.

Chez Amailya is a wonderful hotel with a lovely pool and seating area round it. There is waiter service at the pool. The rooms are spacious and comfortable and the service throughout is exemplary. Good Wi Fi is freely available.

The hotels will provide typical Moroccan breakfasts and evening meals. On the riding days from Chez Amailya a picnic will be provided that you will need to carry.

Sharing

Fixed centre guided rides on mixed terrain most days. Two days supported cycling to and from the area.

There is one rest day mid tour. Free time to explore Tafroute

The roads are a blend of tarmac and gravel and sand with the majority in good condition. As the country is so dry, the tracks do not deteriorate in the same was as they do in Europe. If the route takes in some more difficult surfaces, we will advise you. There will be some steeper sections that could be challenging.

The rides will be led by Moroccan and UK guides at a moderate pace of approximately 15 to 25 kph on the flat and 6 to 12 kph on the climbs. We will ride inclusively and adjust our speed and timings so that everyone will feel part of the group.

There is a luggage support vehicle on days 2 and 7, but during the circular rides we will not have a support vehicle. However, if required we can quickly organise a lift back to the hotel.

The Atlas and Anti-Atlas Mountains are just over 3 hours flight from the UK and full of incredible on and off-road routes.

Bikexplore runs the only fixed centre adventure cycling holiday in the Anti-Atlas area. Join us and enjoy blue sky winter riding on road that you never knew existed.

The Souss-Massa region is in the south of the country and about 3 hours’ drive from Agadir and in the heart of the Anti-Atlas Mountains. From our base in the Ameln valley we have access to 100s of kms of mixed surface roads and tracks. During the winter months our local guides will lead daily rides through this amazing landscape.

The closest town, Tafroute is a busy crossroads town and the main hub of activity in the area. It has a busy central Souk, café’s, taxis and lots of donkeys. It is surrounded by a barren landscape in every direction with villages and oases dotted throughout. Life has remained largely unchanged there for a 1000 years.

Just south of Tafroute are the famous (perhaps infamous) Blue Rocks. An art project by a Belgian artist, Jean Verame. We will definitely visit them. (Is it art? You decide).

Our base is 4 kms north of Tafroute in the Ameln Valley. Here there is an atmosphere of calm and many foreigners are attracted to the area because of the astonishing landscape, mild winters and the numerous outdoor activities that are available all year round.

Route sheets will be provided.

The Soossa-Massa area is an adventure bike heaven with deserted roads and tracks running in all directions. It is a truly stunning geological area which provides amazing scenery. The roads are almost completely traffic free and the local drivers tend to be very respectful and they enjoy watching us on their roads.

It is the Anti-Atlas Mountains, so there are plenty of hills to climb but the higher we go the better the view.

The area is dotted with traditional villages with goat herders grazing their flocks. Our rides pass through historical sites, gorges and oases. Every few minutes there will be yet another stunning view.

GPX routes and route notes will be provided and the tour leaders will not leave you behind. The local guides know the area well and will happily talk about its history and features. Depending on route conditions, last minute changes might be made, but there is a huge variety of routes to choose from.

Three maps that cover our area with different levels of detail and often different spellings of places are:

The Oxford Alpine Club Anti-Atlas map (best)

National Geographic Morocco Adventure map

Marco Polo Morocco

You can also download the Morocco offline App onto your phone which gives accurate GPS tracking while riding without needing to go online.

The maximum group size will be 15, plus the Tour Managers and leaders.

The weather is usually warm and sunny in Morocco in November. Temperatures of up to 25˚ are possible. It rarely rains there too. Loose clothing is appropriate although it can be cool in the evenings. Think about cultural sensitivities too. It is better to wear shorts and shirts over your cycling gear.

Gravel bikes, hard tail Mountain bikes or touring bikes that can fit large diameter tyres and have low gears would be suitable.

Low gears are important, the largest rear sprocket should be larger than the smallest front sprocket. This will enable you to climb the steeper off road sections.

Bikes should be serviced prior to leaving your home in order to minimise any mechanical problems, on holiday. You will need to carry your own spares, tubes, tools and any extra clothing required. You will also need to carry the picnic provided by Chez Amailya and we recommend a spare water bottle so a rack top or bar bag is recommended. Please note modern bike spares are very difficult to find in the area.

Travel to Morocco is not included in this tour, thus it is very important that you note that neither your Tour Manager nor Bikexplore are responsible for you in any way until the appointed time at the designated meeting point. Should you fail to arrive at the appointed time for whatever reason, we will not be responsible for any additional expenses you may incur in order to meet up with the tour group.

Before finalising travel arrangements to meet the tour, you should ensure that the tour is going ahead, this is especially important this year due to the pandemic. Should this tour not attract sufficient bookings to reach the minimum operating size or pandemic travel restrictions are imposed, we may cancel the tour at any time. It is therefore recommended that you book fully flexible and refundable transport and accommodation or wait until you have been told the tour will go ahead, as in the event of the tour being cancelled, we will not be responsible for any losses incurred.

Easyjet flies from Gatwick to Agadir airport. We will be meeting that flight. However, if you use another flight please let us know as soon as possible so we can arrange an alternative pick up for you.

GPX routes and route notes will be provided and the tour leaders will not leave you behind. The local guides know the area well and will happily talk about its history and features. Depending on route conditions, last minute changes might be made, but there is a huge variety of routes to choose from.

Three maps that cover our area with different levels of detail and often different spellings of places are:

The Oxford Alpine Club Anti-Atlas map (best)

National Geographic Morocco Adventure map

Marco Polo Morocco

You can also download the Morocco offline App onto your phone which gives accurate GPS tracking while riding without needing to go online.

Currency and exchange rate: Moroccan dirham, about 13 MAD to the UK pound. Time: one hour ahead of UK time (some years they use daylight saving hours and some years not!!)

Morocco is often considered to be part of Europe with some travel insurances. However, we do not have a reciprocal health agreement with Morocco. It is vital, and part of the tour conditions, that you have suitable travel insurance. Please be aware that we do have a pandemic emergency procedure in place.

David Goodworth. I am experienced tour leader and lover of all things Moroccan. I have led tours in Morocco already amongst other tours. My previous life was a bushcraft instructor and I led many guided canoe and trekking tours. I am an experienced cycle instructor and mountain bike ride leader.