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Morocco Maidens (MCT190A)

Sunday, May 5, 2019 | Manuel Marabese / Tom Friden | Africa / Europe

Day 1: Welcome to Malaga!

A new special edition of our Morocco tour is about to start... This time female only! 

A group from US organised by Anne Lee is about to start our Spain-Gibraltar-Morocco tour: Pamela, Kelly, Dawn, Halsey, Kera, Melanie, Annette, Chrstine and of course Anne Lee as well. Tom and Manuel will be their guides... Let's go to the briefing! 

Day 2: Malaga - Ceuta

Today it's time to let the engines roar!

After a sunrise-breakfast (here in Andalusia we are at the very end of the European time zone, so sunsets are late and sunrises early - compared to Austria for example) we jump on our bikes: direction Gibraltar!

Arriving from the "autopista" - the Spanish highway - the sight of the Rock is quite impressive. After a few more km we formally leave Spain and enter "UK" in Gibraltar. A funny local guide and minivan driver takes us for a tour to the cave and the top of the rock, where we befriends the local monkeys (macaques).

Our ferry is already waiting for us, so we continue our ride towards Algerias. Just a short ferry crosisng and we land in Africa! So close to Europe, yet so different.

Tomorrow our adventures enters Morocco!

Good morning ladies! Ready to ride?
This little fellow is already looking for some stuff to steal.
Those monkeys are posers! Never seen so quite and friendly ones.
On the ferry to Africa!
The famous columns of Hercules...
Loop around Ceuta, so peaceful here today
Hotel with a view
I love Spanish sobriety when it comes to church architecture
Dessert time and have a good rest!

Day 3: Ceuta - Chefchaouen

Here we are. We made it to Morocco!

On our way to Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen the blue city
50 shades of blue in Chefchaouen
Getting lost in the streets of Chefchaouen

Day 3: Chefchaouen - Mohammedia

Today we cross entirely the Rif mountains riding a spectacular road to Ksar El Kebir, reaching in the evening the Atlantic coast in Mohammedia. 

Mountains...and mountains...
Great jump!
Melanie in reverse gravity
And the ocean!

Day 4: Mohammedia - Marrakech

Casablanca is our highlight today. The mosque Hassan II is a majestic piece of art. After our visit we enjoy our lunch at a beach club before continuing our ride to Marrakech. 

Tom and the ladies doing a group picture in front of the Hassan II mosque.
Really lucky today, as they opened the roof of the Hassan II mosque.
Quite an impressive piece of architecture the Hassan II mosque is. Room for 25.000 worshippers inside and 80.000 outside, this is just mind blowing.
The actual highest minaret in the world with 210m.
After dinner we went to Jemaa El Fna, probably the liveliest of entire Africa.
Marrakech by night at the Jemaa el Fna square
When we had enough of the night market on the square we moved to a much quieter place, to relax and soak in all the fascinating things we saw today.
Enjoying the evening together with a drink or two.

Day 5: Restday Marrakech

After the last long rides of the previous days it's time to enjoy some rest from our bikes. Marrakech has so much to offer, with its intense scents, saturated colours and frenetic souks...

So many colours and scents in the souks.
Lunch time!
For the evening Tom has reserved for us a fantastic table in a wonderful restaurant.
What an evening, a truly oriental experience. Amazing!

Day 6: Marrakech - Aït Benadou

Leaving Marrakech today leads us into the Atlas mountain range. After crossing some of the lush gardens of this city we start to climb the Tizi-n-Ticka pass. Afterwards, the route of the Kasbah brings us to Telouet for a lunch in a berber tent. The hotel of our overnight is a highlight ad well, allowing us to unwind after such an intense ride. 

On the pass!
A portrait for everyone! Here we have Halsey...
Christine
Kelly
Melanie
Kera
Pamela
Dawn
Anna Lee
Annette
Berber lunch and then visiting Telouet kasbah
This hotel is really a berber palace...
A well deserved pool-time after a long ride with a lot of curves.

Day 7: Aït Benadou Boulmane Dades

On the way to our first Stop, the Kasbah of Aït Benadou
The Kasbah of Aït Benadou
Ali our local guide gives us some explanations about the lift in the Kasbah, here he's showing us different door locks and how they work.
Tom are you trying to become a camel whisperer....
Our second stop of the day is Moroccos Hollywood the Atlas Studios, aka Mollywood
Girls watch out not to break those kids toys.
The girls are calling Manuel to check if he is already done with the picnic preparations
Cleopatras palace from the movie: Asterix and Obelix mission Cleopatra
The ride continues to the next highlight into the dades valley where Manuel awaits us with a delicious picnic.
Thanks Manuel for this fabulous picnic.
Kira the moroccan beauty of our picnic spot, she helps her mother with the management of the camping.
Group picture in front of the rock formation in the Dades valley, aka the Dades brain.

Day 8: Boulmane Dades - Merzouga Dunes

We are continuing our ride towards east, approaching the Dunes of Merzouga in the desert. We will take a sidetrip into the very narrow Gorge du Todra on the way there, refilling then our stomach with a great picnic prepared by Tom in the desert. 

Ready to take off for our next destination!

Day 9: Merzouga Dunes - Erfoud

After the night spent in the desert we ride our camles back to the edge of the desert and take a short ride to the next hotel. A day of relax in this palace is surely well deserved.

Day 10: Erfoud - Fes

We start riding north, leaving the desert behind us - and so all those beautiful memories. It's a long and tough ride today, across a mountain pass with cold temperature, rain and fog. Everyone made it, congrats! Tomorrow we have another rest day, exploring the maze of the Medina in Fes.

Oasis in the desert
Across the altiplano, towards the valley with Fes
Arrived in Fes... Hotel with a view

Day 11: Rest day Fes

Today we explore the maze of the Medina of Fes. It's really like a giant labyrinth. After visiting the potteries and the tannery we can enjoy lunch in a riad, leaving enough shopping and free time in the afternoon.

The Blue Gate, door of the Medina
Some pretty lamps here
Many hidden spots in Fes
A humble lunch place...

Day 12: Fes - Chefchaouen

An incredible morning ride is putting big smiles on our faces. The mountains and hills north of Fes are the perfect playground for a motorcyclist! Later in the day we climb the Rif mountains again (we left them at the beginning of the tour, when we went from Chefchaouen to the Atlantic coast). Hello Blue City, here we are once again!

Every alley of Chefchaouen is magical
Happy Easter!

Day 13 Chefchaouen - Malaga

Every fairy tale comes to an end, sooner or later. And so this is the day where we all ride back to Malaga, crossing again the border in Ceuta and then taking the ferry ride to Algeciras, followed by the 140km highway ride to Malaga.

Thank you everyone for being part of this intense journey across 3 countries and 2 continents, filled with countless photos, smiles, laughs, tajines, olives and orange juices. It's been a pleasure accompanying you through this adventure!

See you soon!

Manuel & Tom

The Mediterranean: Europe we are coming back!
On the ferry to the continent
Arrived, with a few more shopping bags than when we left.
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Add a comment Rate this post
Melody Huang
Tuesday, May 7, 2019 at 17:47

Such an amazing trip,how i wanted i was there,Have Fun!!
Peter Alderson
Thursday, April 18, 2019 at 07:44

Hi Morocco Maidens.
Looks like you are having plenty of fun. You are lucky to have a pair of great guides in Manuel and Tom. Have more fun and ride safe for the rest of your trip - Peter
Tom Friden
Thursday, April 18, 2019 at 20:28

Thanks Peter! We'll do our best to enjoy the rest of this amazing trip.
Kera Drake
Wednesday, April 17, 2019 at 22:42

I’m having the best time!! I loved the markets, riding camels, and now we’re at an amazing hotel in the desert! Manu and Tom, you are he best!!
Tom Friden
Wednesday, April 17, 2019 at 22:46

Thank you very much Kera for those kind words you girls made this trip so terrific!
Michaela Achatzi
Wednesday, April 10, 2019 at 09:04

Hi Manuel und Tom


Dann mal viel Spaß
Is bestimmt lustig

Lg Michaela aus kalt Deutschland
Tom Friden
Thursday, April 11, 2019 at 16:22

Danke Michaela, ja in der Tat ist sehr lustig bisher und das Wetter passt auch ganz gut.

LG
Tom
Markus Albert
Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 23:46

Hola Manuel,

saludos del Alto Adige - parece que tienes mejor tiempo que nosotros aqui.
Hoy he preparado mi primer picnic bajo una lluavia espantosa ...
Que te la pases bien y hasta pronto !
Manuel Marabese
Wednesday, April 10, 2019 at 01:11

Hola Markus!!! Noooo que lastima! Espero que los próximos días sean mejores. Buen modul tour!
Claudia - Nicole Wenhart
Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 23:04

Hey Manu and Tom,
have fun on your tour.
Greetings from Antequera.
Claudia
Manuel Marabese
Wednesday, April 10, 2019 at 01:12

Thank you Claudia! Have a good tour in Andalusia as well!!
Tom Friden
Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 23:11

Servus Claudia, danke dir, wünsche dir ebenfalls viel Spaß und eine schöne Tour.
von Waldburg Gabriele
Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 22:59

Hey Manuel
Sage nur: Manuel im Paradies
Ganz liebe Grüsse
Gaby

Manuel Marabese
Wednesday, April 10, 2019 at 01:13

ahah witzig!!!!

Liebe Grüße

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