Morocco in springtime / MCT2502
How exciting! The tour is about to start and we're meeting new friends with whom we will be experiencing great adventures. To kick off the tour we first have the traditional welcome brieving followed be our first dinner together
The sun isn't even up when we get out off bed, but man, are we anxious to get on our bikes! First stretch is to Algeciras, than on the ferry, boarder crossing and arriving in Chefchaouen
Today we started off in Morocco exactly like we expected: a sandy desert with high temperatures and sunshine all around! Oh wait… we didn’t. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a great day! We kicked things off with a lovely breakfast, served right to our table, which made sure we had the energy to start the day. Afterwards, the luggage was loaded into the massive white truck to be driven down to our van so it could be packed up. While that was happening, we were busy manoeuvring our bikes out of the parking lot again—which went a bit more smoothly than getting them in. So, safe to say, we all got out without any issues, and we didn’t have to leave anyone behind, stuck between cars. I’d call that a good start. The roads were wet, and so were we—on and off throughout the day. It started out dry, so when we stopped to fill up the bikes at the gas station, some of us (mainly me...) decided to take off our rain jackets. Of course, that jinxed it, and we got hit with pouring rain a few minutes later. So we stopped, I put my raincoat back on—and, you guessed it—sunshine. This system didn’t work flawlessly, but I’m pretty sure we’d have had more rain if I’d taken the jacket off again. One of today’s highlights was visiting the Roman ruins of Volubilis. We walked around for a while and checked out the impressively well-preserved remains of the ancient city. It wasn’t super easy, but we even managed to find the mosaics—although that doesn’t necessarily mean your spouse thinks it’s picture-worthy... After a lovely lunch, we continued on to the hotel. It’s at a slightly higher altitude, so the temperature dropped a little, but nothing too dramatic. Now we’re at the hotel, ready to relax, warm up, and get ready for another delicious dinner.
Leaving the hotel to visit the monkeys it's almost freezing! But it soon warms up and we meet many locals at the coffee stop. Lunch is better than a michelin star restaurant! Grilled chicken and the best tachin! Riding-wise it was a great day as well. Already some nice turns in the morning, when it was still wet and cold—but still beautiful sights and a pleasure to ride. The last 40 km of the ride were an absolute blast: great roads with a view, little traffic, and a good chance to listen to the engines roar up the mountain.
Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to this sensationally great hotel in the mountains. We set off in beautiful weather and after a 40-minute drive we reached our first highlight of the day: “Le Cascades d'Ouzoud” / the Ouzoud waterfalls - the most beautiful and water-rich waterfalls in Morocco, where the water falls in several cascades and in several stages 110 meters over red rocks. Incidentally, Ouzoud is the Berber word for “olive”. There, everyone had enough time to photograph the waterfall from all sides without any stress, while the more athletic participants climbed the around 660 steps all the way to the bottom. Some of them probably regretted this - because they had to get back up again with their heavy motorcycle gear ;-) After a good hour, we continued on beautiful and winding roads via Tanant, Ait Majden and Oulad Khallouf to our lunch stop in Demnate. Freshly fortified, we had then our second highlight of the day: we drove on a highly adventurous road with some incredibly deep holes in the middle of the road, narrow and with gravel and stones lying around in many places. The houses and housing estates in the area we were driving through looked like they did 100 years ago. Despite the constant, highly concentrated scanning of the road surface, it was great fun for everyone. We then drove past Sidi Yacoub for a while along the banks of the beautiful Ait Aadel reservoir until our last coffee stop in Sidi Rahal. From here it was only 60 km to Marrakesh, which we covered on the unspectacular main road 210 at a monotonous 100 km/h almost all the way. After the usual refueling at the end of a day trip, we got down to business again: The closer we got to the city, the heavier and more hectic the traffic became and in the center we rode our big motorcycles shoulder to shoulder with cars, small trucks, scooters, horse-drawn carriages, donkey carriages and bicycles. And as if that wasn't enough, there are also pedestrians criss-crossing the streets in between. And yet there are almost no accidents - hard to believe, but it works. In this country they call it: "organized chaos". We were delighted to have survived this traffic confusion unscathed and after a good 260 km we arrived at our next wonderful tour hotel, the Adam Park Hotel in Marrakesh, where we will now stay for two nights.
A tough decision: diving into the exotic city off Marrakesch or driving to the mysterious mountains of Oukaimeden. Max and Jan went for the ride and man was that a good choice! Spectacular views off an area hardly visited by tourists. And the road was a lot off fun!
After leaving our beloved Marrakesch behind we ride thrue thick mist. But after the coffee stop the sky is opening and there we have it: a tremendous view on the Atlas mountains! The "Tzaztiki" pass has spectacular brand new tarmac and great corners. After a tasty lunch we drive 100 years back in time and see women washing their clothes in the river. The Kasbah of Aïd Benhadou breathes ancient eras. Upon arrival at the hotel we have a well deserved dipp in the pool and cold drinks.
Today we rode from Aït Ben Haddou to Boumalne Dades – a route that offered a bit of everything: open stretches, winding roads, dramatic views, and a good dose of adventure. We kicked things off with a visit to Atlas Studios. This legendary film complex has been the backdrop for countless movies, including Prince of Persia, Ben Hur, Hercules, and many more. We got to walk through some of the sets, see where the magic happens, and even play around with a few camera angles ourselves. Our guide had an endless supply of gloriously cheesy jokes, which kept the mood light and made the stop even more entertaining. After the studios, we cruised along some long, straight stretches of road – nothing too technical, but with plenty of beautiful scenery to keep us engaged. From rugged hills to wide, open plains, Morocco really knows how to mix things up. Then came a lovely surprise: Jan had prepared a fantastic picnic for us, set at a picturesque spot that couldn’t have been better chosen. It was the perfect place to relax, refuel, and soak in the surroundings before heading toward the Dades Gorge. The ride into the gorge was a there-and-back mission, but absolutely worth it. Tight curves, towering cliffs, trickling rivers, and traditional houses built right into the rock – it all felt like something out of a movie (maybe one that was actually filmed nearby). The scenery was stunning, and the ride itself a real treat. All in all, it was a brilliant day in the saddle – varied, scenic, and just the right amount of challenging. We're wrapping things up now by the pool, with an incredible view overlooking the town. Honestly, it doesn’t get much better than this.
It's truly a spring day when we head for the Gorge du Todra. A green gorge due to the river that runs through it. Dades and olive trees, and great coffee! For lunch we indulge in a picknick buffet made by Kurt. Thank you Kurt! In de afternoon the scenery is changing into the Sahara dessert when the first sand dunes and camel show up. Upon arrival at the hotel we're getting ready for our next adventure: the camels ride and sleeping un the dessert!