Unforgettable Morocco - MCT2601
Some participants arrived already yesterday to battle the jetleg and start refreshed into our trip. The rest followed throughout the day. We are a big group of 11 riders and 5 pillions from 5 different countries, which hopefully will bring some great dynamics and lots of fun! As always we started our tour with the official welcome briefing in the afternoon before we came to the enjoyable part handing over the bikes and starting to known each other. This continued in a more relaxed setting at the joined welcome diner in the hotel. All in all a great start and we are all looking forward to what the day tomorrow brings!
Our plan was excellent—really excellent! Morocco was our destination. We left the garage of our hotel in Málaga right on time at 9 a.m., were on the highway toward Algeciras shortly afterwards, and arrived at the ferry terminal there well ahead of schedule. However, the wind and the light rain that was just starting to fall already hinted that the crossing to Ceuta wouldn’t be a smooth one. But the fact that ferries were being canceled one after another due to rough seas naturally didn’t exactly fill us with joy. Still, we didn’t let it throw us off course and so we made arrangements to take a later ferry. Finally, we arrived at the Moroccan border at 8 p.m. Fortunately, Morocco was still on Ramadan time, which actually gave us an extra hour. With foresight, we had already rebooked our Moroccan hotel in Spain, so we were able to park our motorcycles in the hotel garage immediately after crossing the border. Mission completed!
After yesterday's unexpected events we had some extra miles ahead of us today. So, we hit the road early and did a short stretch on the motorway to make up some distance. In Tetouan we joined the original route again and took the scenic ride through the mountains. Morocco had seen a fair bit of rain this spring and the lush green colours of the hills and wide open flats in between were just breathtaking and a pure pleasure for the eyes. No wonder we were riding with a big smile on our faces. As we were at the end of the muslim fasting month of Ramadan people could be seen out with the families often picnicking in the fields or on mountain sides. After a first long section we had a well deserved stop and light lunch at a little roadside sanctuary before we tackled the next bit towards our highlight of the day Volubilis - the remains of an ancient roman trading post. Set on the bottom of the Rif mountains overlooking the plains below. It is mindblowing to thing that 2000 years ago people already lived here in a thriving society. After a quick coffee the group started the engine again for the last push of the day. Crossing through Meknes the weather gods weren't on our side and we had to deal with some heavy rains, but luckily it was only temporarily. It soon brightened up again and the riding wind could dry our gear. The ride took us gradually onto a high plateau before our final destination in Azrou and as it is not summer yet the evening temperatures can still drop a bit. After a long but scenic day we all arrived tired but filled with memories at the hotel, were Angela was already awaiting us. At dinner we enjoyed a well deserved beer and swapped individual stories of the day. Welcome to Morocco!
I wonder if they’re awake yet? Maybe they’re still sleeping high up in the trees? I’m talking about the Barbary macaques that live here in the cedar forests of the Atlas Mountains. Although they belong to the macaque family, the monkeys living here are found only in these mountains of Morocco. A few peanuts are enough to lure them out, and we get to take plenty of funny photos. After a refreshing coffee break in Mrirt, we enjoy a fantastic ride through lush, green, and blooming mountainous countryside via Khenifra and Beni Mellal. A pure feast for the eyes. Our lunch in Khenifra is exceptionally delicious—so delicious, in fact, that some of us ask for seconds. At our hotel in Bin El Ouidane, we’re greeted by a very special welcoming committee.
After a stunning day yesterday, we woke up to the splashin noise of rain water running down the roof onto the ground. The slowly arriving dawn revealed heavy rain clouds over the Barrage Bin El-Ouidane and a steady curtain of drops covering the view from our panoramic windows. For safety and comfort we decided to skip the early morning mountain section and rather sit out the worst. So, we had a leisurely start at around 10am under dry skies heading directly to our lunch stop at Demnate. The morning ride revealed some of the debris that had come down the hillside. However, once we entered the high plateau around Azilal the road conditions went back to great and the ride couldn't have been any more scenic. The wide open countryside was in full bloom with wild rapeseed, occasional poppies and other varieties. And the peaks in the distance were still wearing their snow caps. Demnate is a busy little market town with cars, scooters and minivans busing around. As our usual restaurant still didn't serve food due to the last days after Ramadan, we were in luck as two helpful police officers were able to make some calls for us to find a restaurant in town that would be able to serve us. The police escort to said place was included! Well the eatery had chicken or chicken but couldn't have been any more authentic with the chucks rotating on the pits. Angela joined us just in time to help parking the bikes on the sidewalk and the area next to the shop front. After a lively lunch experience we had to cover the last leg towards Marrakech. The road took us directly through the beautiful countryside, little towns and small villages into the bustling metropolis. A big compliment at the group we all sticked together looked out for each other and made it to the hotel without any problems! The beer at the hotel bar was more than deserved! And Happy Birthday Erik!
Today we swapped the motorcycle for our walking shoes and explored the Medina (the old part of town) with Jalal, who knows the city inside out. We started near the old Jewish Quarter, which is also known as the salt seller quarter as in the old days the quarters were named after the main occupation in the area. We visited it's beautiful synagogue and an old traveler's inn, that was only recently restorated. The little alleys and passageways build a real maze, where you can loose your orientation very quickly. Moroccan house are built for privacy, which means there are very little windows towards the street and you mainly walk with walls accompanying you left and right. Jalal stopped every so often to explain the little details that easily can be missed. For example why there are small doors within the big doors or why there are two different door knockers. From the Jewish Quarter he took us deeper into the network of the old town with many street vendors lining the way. We then visited a Herboristerie, which specialised on herbal remedies, beauty products and spice mixtures. It was an entertaining presentation and an overwhelming input for your senses. Next stop was the Jemaa el-Fnaa, historically known as the "Square of the Hanged". Here you meet your snake charmers, street vendors, fortune tellers and acrobats. Tom was more than excited to get his picture taken with a copra, while Alan rather prefered to watch the spectacle from afar. As our bellies slowly started to complain it was finally time to enjoy a lovely lunch in a rooftop restaurant, including some helpful head coverings! Well fed, most made their way back to the hotel to relax near the pool for the afternoon, while others went on their own exploration through town. In the evening we went back into the old town for dinner and originally we wanted to soak up the late atmosphere. Unfortunately, a thunderstorm hit the city hard and we had to give the second exploration a miss and rather enjoy some cocktails and food overlooking the city.
Rest days are made for recovering from the previous days of riding. But then our fingers start itching to hit the gas again, and we’re happy to hit the road direction Ouarzazate. This morning we’re amazed by the view of the majestic High Atlas mountain range as we ride out of Marrakech. The ride over the mountain pass is now a smooth and enjoyable experience. When I think back to what the road looked like just 10 years ago, I’m all the more delighted that I can now ride a motorcycle along this well-maintained mountain pass. A group photo at the summit is, of course, a must! Our sightseeing destination for the day is Telouet, a small town of historical significance. This is where the Glaoui family lived and worked in the grand Kasbah of Telouet (now in ruins). Tami Glaoui made history by sening the then-King Mohammed V into exile in 1953. The heavy rain of the previous days caused the rivers to carry significantly more water than they usually do. Unfortunately, this also affected our onward journey, so we had to turn back and take the main highway. But that didn’t bother us in the least. On the contrary, it gave us more time to explore the town of Aït Benhaddou shortly before our arrival at our hotel. Our evening came to a lovely close with a chat at the bar and dinner. What an awesome group!
After some excitement over a temporary misplaced helmet we managed to leave not to late and first stop were the Atlas Film Studios in Ouarzazate, which offered the film teams stunning backdrops, affordable productions, great light and fantastic weather. Some of our all time favourite historical movies have been filmed here at least partially. Nicklaus couldn't resist to let out his inner emperor and tried the royal throne. After the studios we all could test the bikes for their adv capabilities and push our limits a little further. We managed multiple flooded roads and muddy sections staying upride. And what would be a personal triumph without a little video capturing the challenge. ;) More than well done everyone! Luckily our coffee stop wasn't to far from the last challenging section and we all pilled into thier parking lot for a well deserved sugar hit and some coffee. From here we went into the Dadès Gorges and to our surprise Angela was waiting with a picnic for us. Accompanied by some furry friends quietly awaiting the leftovers. Food taste so much better when you are hungry and we truly deserved the extra calories today. We just managed to finish the feast before the rain slowly was moving in. The afternoon is normally free to use for exploring the gorge further in your own time, but with the weather closing in many went straight to the hotel or a few went for a coffee stop ride to the top of the formation. Back in the hotel we met some other motorcycle tour groups and plenty of tourists from across the world. An extended stop at the bar before dinner was due and did I mention the dessert section at dinner! We all loaded the plates up to the rim ;)
You can clearly sense everyone’s excitement about the desert this morning. The vast expanse of the rocky desert we rode through yesterday will continue throughout today’s ride, right up to just before Merzouga. It is only there that we will encounter the part of the Sahara that stretches from Algeria into Morocco—the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi. So far on this Morocco tour, we’ve had an unusually large amount of rain. And rain is forecasted in some areas today as well. But we’re lucky—all day long we “weave” our way through the thunderclouds. First, we ride into the Thodra Gorge with its towering cliffs. Unlike we had thought earlier, we’re even able to enjoy Franzi’s picnic in the dry. We actually manage to get to Merzouga almost completely dry. However, the effects of today’s heavy rains give us quite a hard time on the last 200 meters leading up to the hotel's entrance. What is normally a short and very easy to ride on solid ground has turned into a very muddy affair during the day. The hotel is so close, yet it seems so far away. As there is no alternative route, all the riders “battle” their way through the deep mud. Pretty muddy but very happy, we enjoy our well-deserved boot beer on the hotel terrace shortly afterward. Unfortunately, spending the night in a tent in the sand dunes is out of the question today. The camels for the trip to the dunes will have to wait until tomorrow.
After yesterday's excitements, we started today rather relaxed with a late breakfast and a late morning excursion into the desert. Our four legged "ships of the desert" waited patiently for our arrival and in no time each of us had their own camel allocated. The saddle was something to get used to and the first rise of the animal was a little wobbly. It was surprising how tall the camels are. However, we did settle into a rhythm very quickly and our desert guides took us into the the ombre colored dunes. Going up and down on the camel's back was at first a bit worrying but we all stayed up right. After a short ride we had a stop and could take some pictures or experience the peace of the desert. The way back went along similar trails but on a slightly different route. 2 hours was enough and some of us even had to battle sore muscles the next day. For lunch we went back to the hotel and enjoyed Moroccon salad and tajine goodness. While a few went into town to see how the daily life in an oasis is running its cause, a bigger part of the group decided to have some fun on 4 wheels in the sandy landscape. Especially, the ladies had a chance to take over the steering wheel and ripping it! ;) In the evening we all got back together, shared our experiences and enjoyed a wonderful sunset on the roof top of the hotel.
The sun rose over the desert this morning and we got ready for an early start. Today we had the longest riding day of the scheduled route - 480km or just short of 300mi. We left the red glowing dunes behind and gradually made our way towards the Atlas mountains in the north again. The landscape became rockier and bare, only interrupted be the occasional tree or bush. A wide open country fenced by the mountains in the distance. Our first stop of the day was at the Vallée de Ziz, the river has carved out a canyon and at its bottom the local people managed to sustain a lush oasis with palm tree groves and agricultural fields. We enjoyed the view with a warming coffee and latin dance tunes in the background. It was very convenient that the cafe also featured a well stocked souvenir shop and which some of us made good use off. A short ride from there we stopped once more to take a quick picture at the legionnaires tunnel that had been build through manual labour by the French army in the late 1920ies. From here we made some kilometers and went all the way to Midelt were we caught 2 birds with one stone, lunch and a petrol stop. Great pizzas and our waiter spoke to our surprise very good German. The best thing was we had ridden more than half of today's distance, because the full belly after lunch did slow us down a little. However, the roads were great, twisting in many places, but with long straight stretches to open up the throttle. Morocco is in many parts empty and open country, with farming stretches and plenty of livestock lining the narrow nomansland on both sides of the road. Continuously making our way towards Fes we did this interchanging pattern roll past us. We did one last stop an hour out of the historic city. to take a breather and following mother nature's call. After that the surroundings very quickly became more urban. Starting with Sefrou were many Moroccans enjoyed a Sunday picnic on the outskirts. Our ride into the big ancient city was exciting. We had cars left and right of us. Some passengers waving and taking photos of the motorcycles. At one point we thought we had lost our sweeper Alex, but luckily he just turned the corner in time. The group did an amazing job staying close together, weaving its way to traffic and negotiating it's entry through one of the cities gates. Finally arriving at the hotel after a long and beautiful day, Angela ushered us onto the terrace, where we enjoyed a well deserved cold drink and celebrated Pierres birthday with a huge cake!
Fes—what an incredible city! And we’re talking only about the medina here, the part of the city of Fes that’s over 1,200 years old and completely enclosed by a city wall. In 1981, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The world’s largest “car-free pedestrian zone” is enclosed by a 10-kilometer-long city wall, and you can enter it through eight main gates and several smaller side gates. Our city tour today, however, began with a short bus ride to the pottery district located outside the city. At the pottery school there, we were shown how the famous white clay of this region is transformed into beautiful, colorful tagine pots, plates, cups, tiles, and much more. In the medina itself, we toured the Royal Palace—or rather, its entrance area—visited the city’s oldest Koranic school, and explored various workshops, such as the brass workshop and the tannery for which Fes is so famous. Just strolling through the narrow alleys of the old town, past the countless small, colorful shops of the equally countless trades, captivated us. We ended this wonderful day of rest with a modern Moroccan dinner in the medina.
We left Fes under a blue sky this morning on a fairly direct route eastwards. Unfortunately, we lost Alexander our sweeper on one of the many roundabouts but could be recovered in time. The morning ride to the first coffee stop was absolutely beautiful through rolling green hills with growing wheat fields as far as you could see. After our coffee stop we joined the same road that we had used on the way south before. However, coming the other way felt like a different one. Near Quezzane we found a lovely little lunch spot with quick service and shady tables. Through out the tour the amount of fresh orange juice we have ordered has steadily increased and today the whole table was loaded with it. After we fed our body it was time to to give the soul some substance. We turned onto a little mountain section towards Zoumi and for the next hour and a half we were chasing one corner after the other. In Moqrisset we crashed the local market, with tents and stands all along the town square. Everything for the Moroccon home was up for sale, including livestock and clothing. We were glad to leave this bustling mess behind and continued our twisties out of town. We had a short stop with a view to have a little breather and then joined the national road up to Chefchaouen.
It’s time to say goodbye to Morocco. We set off early this morning from Chefchaouen to arrive at the ferry terminal in Ceuta in time. Of course, we still have to cross the border between Morocco and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. To our delight, unlike when we entered the country two weeks ago, the border crossing goes extremely smoothly and quickly. Since Europe has switched to daylight saving time in the meantime, the time difference of one hour, of course, was added immediately as soon as we entered Ceuta. Nevertheless, we still have enough time for a quick lunch with a cappuccino in front of the harbor. The ferry ride is also very relaxed this time, so after just under an hour, we’re cruising along the highway to Málaga in high spirits. An eventful but absolutely wonderful tour is coming to an end, but our time together has bonded us as friends. And so Franzi and Angela are already looking forward to seeing each other—and, of course, also to riding together again with you all. Thank you so much for a truly unique experience!!