MCT2403 - Riding Morocco

On the first day of our Moroccan adventure, we welcome our guests to Málaga, a vibrant coastal city known for its rich history and beautiful beaches. As the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, Málaga boasts a lively cultural scene, with charming streets, historic sites, and delicious tapas that invite exploration. The city's Moorish influences are evident in its architecture and cuisine, offering a glimpse of the cultural ties between Spain and Morocco, making it a fitting starting point for our journey. After settling in, we gather for the essential welcome briefing where our expert guides share important information about the route, riding conditions, and safety tips, ensuring everyone is ready for the adventure ahead. This gathering also offers a chance for riders to connect and share stories before we enjoy a delightful welcome dinner, savoring local cuisine and toasting to the exciting journey that awaits us through the stunning landscapes of the Rif Mountains, vibrant Marrakech, and the vast Sahara Desert.
The journey from Málaga to Chefchaouen was long and exhausting, but filled with anticipation and excitement. After crossing the Moroccan border at Ceuta, we made our way to M'diq for a well-deserved late lunch stop. The delicious Moroccan flavors revitalized us as we prepared for the next leg of our journey. As we headed south, we encountered some incredible sweeping curves along the coast. However, some fog and some raindrops obscured the stunning ocean views, preventing us from fully savoring the breathtaking scenery. Despite the weather, the winding roads offered thrilling riding experiences that kept our spirits high and our exhausts humming. Finally, as the day wore on, we arrived at our riad in Chefchaouen, the enchanting blue city nestled in the Rif Mountains. Although it was late, we were treated to a delicious Moroccan meal that warmed our hearts and filled our bellies. The flavors of the region and the inviting atmosphere of the riad made us feel right at home, setting the stage for our exploration of Chefchaouen and beyond.
We start our day's drive in beautiful weather from Chefchaouen to Azrou. 289 beautiful and winding kilometers will we drive today. One of the highlights of Morocco awaits us very quickly - Volubilis, the place with the best preserved monuments from Roman antiquity in Morocco, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, over 2000 years old. Very impressive. We leave the Rif Mountains with great photo stops and drive past fields where agriculture is practiced. We reach our destination Azrou via Ifrane with its spectacular mountain landscapes. The evening ended with an excellent dinner and we’re looking forward to day 4.
Our journey from Azrou to Bin el Ouidane was filled with unforgettable moments. In the morning, we visited the famous cedar forests, where we encountered playful Berber monkeys in their natural habitat. As we continued riding, the landscape shifted dramatically as we crossed into a new province—mountains giving way to open plains, with winding roads offering both excitement and challenge. By late afternoon, we arrived at our stunning hotel in Bin el Ouidane, perched above the serene reservoir, just in time to witness the sun setting over the water of the swimming pool—a perfect ending to a remarkable day.
Today we're going to Marrakech. Immediately after leaving our hotel we drive through lonely landscapes to Ouzoud. The Ouzoud waterfalls await us. The waterfalls fall 110 m down over several cascades. They are the highest and most water-rich waterfalls in Morocco. A bit of shopping before we quickly continue towards Marrakech. The second half of the day's drive is not very demanding in terms of driving technique. We can enjoy the landscape during the drive until we reach Marrakech after 248 kilometers. We master the hustle and bustle of the streets of Marrakech calmly and safely (big praise to our guests) and reach our hotel. Then time to relax.
Our rest day in Marrakech was a vibrant immersion into the heart of the city, guided by the ever-knowledgeable Achmed. He led us through the bustling Medina, where we explored artisan shops filled with handcrafted treasures. We also had a fascinating clinic about traditional medicines, herbs, and other natural remedies used by locals for centuries... ...And while Mark and his group explore Marrakesh, Arie and Heiko drive to the mountains around Marrakesh. We climb up on adventurous roads. At 2700 meters we finally reach a high plateau and enjoy our well-earned tea. The way back takes us through deserted mountain landscapes with small villages and winding roads. A wonderful day trip as an alternative to sightseeing comes to an end after 170 kilometers. As the day wound down, we made our way to Djema el Fna square for an authentic Moroccan dinner, seated on plastic chairs around foldable tables, surrounded by the energy and aromas of the lively night market. A true Marrakech experience!
We left the vibrant city behind and headed towards the majestic High Atlas Mountains, where some of Morocco’s most breathtaking switchbacks awaited us. This was the highest point of our tour, and as we descended south of the High Atlas, the landscape transformed into a desert-like expanse. While Star Wars wasn’t filmed here, with the nearby Atlas Studios, it certainly could have been. It’s a location we’ll visit tomorrow. Today’s second highlight was Ait Ben Haddou, which we reached after stopping at the historic Kasbah of Telouet. Unfortunately, due to earthquake damage from two years ago, the kasbah wasn’t open for visits, but the lunch we had was absolutely delicious!
After a hearty breakfast, we kicked off the day with a visit to the renowned Atlas Studios, one of the world's largest film studios. Famous for its desert landscapes and historical sets, the studios have been the backdrop for epic films like Gladiator and The Mummy and even hosted popular TV series such as Game of Thrones. It’s a must-see for anyone fascinated by how ancient and exotic worlds come to life on screen. With new knowledge of set designs and camera tricks in hand, we continued our ride towards Boulmane Dades. Our journey took us through the breathtaking Dades Gorge, where sweeping curves and stunning landscapes made for a perfect ride. Halfway through, Heiko organized a delightful Moroccan picnic, featuring a variety of appetizers, salads, and local bites. After refueling, some adventurous bikers pushed on to the end of the pass, chasing that extra thrill. When we finally arrived at our hotel, the warm sounds of Berber musicians welcomed us, rounding off another incredible day on this unforgettable journey.
he day we finally arrived in the Sahara! But first, after yesterday’s adventure in the Dades Valley, we set off on a ride through the breathtaking Todra Valley. This stunning valley offered us a variety of beautiful sweepers and deep gorges. After a coffee stop and lunch break in Alnif, we finally reached the Sahara! The towering sand dunes, some as tall as tens of meters, could be seen from miles away. Once we arrived at the hotel, we quickly packed our things for the desert overnight stay. A thrilling 4x4 ride took us to the camp, which was an adventure in itself. From there, we mounted camels to trek deeper into the desert and watch the sunset. As night fell, after a delicious dinner, we were treated to the mesmerizing sounds of talented musicians playing traditional Berber music. The night ended with dancing around the campfire, lasting well into the late hours—a truly magical experience under the stars!
And instead of sitting by the pool after the desert camp, Mami, Crawford, Diana and Arie decided to really go full throttle. What an adventure to drive through the desert in a 4x4 buggy. The evening sun made the desert shine in beautiful warm colors.
Today we have mastered the longest day of driving. We drove 475 kilometers/295 miles from Erg Chebbi in the desert to the city of Fez. We left Erg Chebbi (Erg means stone desert) and headed north. After driving past Erfoud, the oasis city of dates, we drove through the Ziz Valley with its impressive gorge. Photo stops are a must here! Our journey takes us past the Al Hassan reservoir to the Legionnaires' Tunnel, a tunnel almost 100 meters long that was built in 1928 at an altitude of 2000m. A spectacular landscape. We continue through the Middle Atlas and varied roads. The landscape has changed a lot today. We started in the desert, drove past green oases, drove through endless gorges, drove through mountainous landscapes and finally arrived in the lively city of Fez - wow! What a varied day of driving that didn't seem that long to us. Our hotel is above Fez. We relax in the evening by the pool and enjoy the view. We are looking forward to our rest day tomorrow and will explore Fez.
Rest day in Fez with a city tour. Fez is a host city for the 2030 FIFA World Cup. Together with Portugal and Spain, Morocco is hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup. We start in the morning and learn about the different religions and the history of the city. The largest royal palace in Morocco is in Fez and is our first stop. We continue to a lookout point from which we have a wonderful view of the city. The old town lies at our feet and we get an impression of what awaits us in the medina. Thousands of small alleys make up the medina of Fez. Small shops for souvenirs, handicrafts and everyday goods can be found in the medina. It is very busy and we walk through part of the medina. After a short visit to the carpet dealer, we visit parts of the university. Fez is also known for leather processing. From a terrace we get an impression of how the leather hides are processed in various basins and finally dyed. We rest for a moment with coffee and sweets before finding out how the famous mosaic tables are made. We end an interesting day by the pool in the hotel.
We enjoyed our rest day in Fez and today we set off for Chefchaouen for the second time, the blue city with 43,000 inhabitants in the Rif Mountains. The Rif Mountains are a mountain range that belongs to the Atlas Mountains and is 350 kilometers long. And off we go into the hinterland. After a few minutes we left Fez and winding roads accompanied us all morning through a landscape dominated by agriculture. The smell of freshly harvested onions stacked up to dry was in the air. After our lunch break, today's route took us to the Rif Mountains for the second time. The landscape reminded us a bit of Andalusia, and our journey was very varied. Free driving, each of us on our own, is ideal today and so today - if you want - we can have individual fun in great weather and on a very scenic route. The curves of the Rif Mountains finally accompanied us all the way to Chefchaouen. We reach Chefchaouen in the early afternoon and still have time to buy all kinds of souvenirs and explore the small streets of the city. It is worth staying here and strolling through the streets. A beautiful place.
Sadly, our last day has arrived. We made our way from Chefchaouen back to the Moroccan-Spanish border before boarding the ferry to mainland Spain. The border crossing was quick and smooth, but lunch took longer than expected, and we almost missed our ferry... oops! Fortunately, everything worked out in the end. Upon our arrival in Malaga, Heiko greeted us with a pleasant surprise: Boot beer! Cheers to an unforgettable adventure!