Central Atlas mountains Bike discovery 6 days

If you are athletic, trained, and if you like effort, this route should call you. 

An exotic  itinerary in southern Morocco where you will discover the exceptional sites, the kasbahs and the palm groves which make it so charming. But also a day in the high mountains for the pleasure of beautiful descents. You will meet the locals on the slopes and trails, and share tea and highlights with them.

Central Atlas Mountains Bike

Day 1: Marrakech – Ticka Pass – Ait Benhaddou

By 4×4 to the Tizi n’Tichka (2260m) a road classified as the highest road In Morocco.

Telouèt (1880m) for our first pedal strokes in Berber region. A track parallel to the Ounila valley: red rocks, kasbahs (Telouèt, Imiter) adobe villages… First contact with the Sahara people.

Then Aït Benhaddou (1330m) and its Kasbahs classified as World Heritage by Unesco in 1987.

Night in Ksar El Janoub. Swimming pool.

45km : Uphill: + 660m, Down Hill -1160m Moderate terrain.

Day 2: Ait Benhaddou to Roses valley

Our 4×4 will take us  to reach the foothills of the Atlas after the palmeraie grove of Skoura. A beautiful day mountain biking, on the tracks and paths of the foothills traveled by nomads. Finally, as you approach the valley of Roses with red soil and arid Mountains with flat Top, narrow green valleys along Rivers in water. Terraced gardens, several villages with ocher-red mud houses. We arrive at Bou Taghrar (Night at the Gite). Night in a family House in Bou Taghrar.

80km : Uphill: + 1200m, Down Hill -860m Moderate terrain.

Day3:  Boutghrar – Roses Valley – Mgoun Valley – Roses  Valley

After breakfast prepare for a long and interested MTB day adventure.  Our  4×4 one goes up in altitude. We reach the foothills of the Ighil M’Goun at the Tizi N’Aït Ahmed. We are in the central high Atlas Mountains. Around us several 4000m peaks! We bike downhill with a Beautiful descent of 20km by mountain bike to the Ouzighimt valley with its beautiful villages.

We Lunch near the Mud House of Tighremt n’Ait Ahmed.  In the afternoon in 4×4 another pass and by mountain bike another great descent, 15km very steep, towards the gorges of Amejgag and the valley of Roses.

In this valley we are staying with Locals.

40km : Uphill: + 1200m, Down Hill -1060m Moderate terrain.

Day 4: Roses Valley – Dades Valley – Todra Gorges

In the morning trail of the desert of Aït Youl. In 4×4 we go up the valley of Dades (red lands, amazing terraces for farming – rocky of monkey’s feet, sunshine, gorges – old and large kasbahs).

In M’semrir we take our bikes to discover an impressive high altitude track with passage of a high pass, the tizi n’Zegzaoune (2639m), before the descent to the Todra gorges. The famous site for rock climbers!

Another nice little track and trails towards the Todra gorges, if there is no snow in the trail.

Night in Taboraht Kasbah in Todra Gorges

46Km : uphill: + 820m, Down Hill -1020m Moderate terrain.

roses valley

Day 5 : Todra Gorges – Tinghir – Dades Valley

By mountain bike in the morning palm grove of Tinerhir. Always a lot of activity, meets Berbers who cultivate their gardens there.

In the afternoon, after a small transfer to Boumalne Dades, we drive  along the Jebel Saghro, tracks and trails, many villages.

Family kasbah night in an oasis on the edge of the Dadès wadi. Swimming pool.

In the morning you follow the course of the valley, very little difference in level.

In the afternoon hilly terrain, not significant in height.

You can ride 75 km or more.

Day 6: Dades – Kalaat Mgouna – Ouarzazate city – Marrakech

Last day in south East Morocco. The morning for discover life in the palm grove of Skoura, its many villages, its agriculture in the shade of palm trees, its kasbahs. Visit of the Amerhidil Kasbah.

Marrakech is only 200km away. We plan to drive 4 hours without including a stop near the Tichka pass for lunch. The whole road is a delight, we can only say it again.

35km tracks and trails. Moderate ride.

roses valley