Desert Tour: Classic Morocco
When you think of a bike tour in Morocco, this is the tour you would envision. Rugged mountain passes, sand dunes, Dakar rally tracks, dry lake beds, stunning oases, clusters of palm trees set against desert backdrops, breathtaking canyons, gorges and cliffs. If you only came to Morocco one time in your life, this is the trip you would want to take.
Our desert tours run as 4 or 6-day options, and we're happy to make them longer should you wish. Below is our 6-day route, from the Dades Gorges to the dunes of Merzouga and along old Dakar pistes to M'Hamid. The 4-day tour takes a shorter loop through N'Kob, finishing the same way across the dunes of Chegaga and the dry lake of Lac Iriki. Every tour can be shaped around your group, so just ask us for the exact plan for your dates.
Day by Day
The Itinerary.
Arrival in Ouarzazate
Transfer to Wilderness Wheels HQ in Ouarzazate, a 3-star hotel and your base for the first night. That afternoon, try on and choose your riding equipment.
Ouarzazate to the Dades Gorges
A first day to settle in on the bike. We head east along the foot of the High Atlas, mixing fast gravel tracks with rocky riverbeds, with plenty of stops and riding tips along the way. The afternoon brings us into the Dades Gorges, with towering red cliffs and some of the strangest rock formations in Morocco. Tonight, a comfortable hotel in the gorge.
Dades to Merzouga
A long and varied day riding east. Mountain tracks give way to wide, stony desert plains, until the dunes of Erg Chebbi, the tallest in Morocco, rise on the horizon. We arrive in Merzouga at the edge of the sand in time to watch the sun go down over the dunes, then spend the night at a desert camp under the stars.
Merzouga to Ouzina
Into the real desert. We follow sections of the old Paris–Dakar route, riding between dunes, black rock plateaus and sandy river beds to the small oasis of Ouzina, and a hotel for the night.
Ouzina to M'Hamid
One of the most remote days of the tour: long, open desert pistes with nothing but sand, scrub and the odd nomad camp, before we reach M’Hamid el Ghizlane, the village at the end of the road where the Draa Valley meets the Sahara, and a hotel for the night.
M'Hamid to Foum Zguid
We head west past the dunes of Chegaga and out across the (usually) dry lake bed of Lac Iriki. Find out how fast a KTM will really go. We pick up an old Dakar piste into Foum Zguid, arriving at our hotel for a well-earned lunch, and the option of a loop in the afternoon or an afternoon by the pool; you choose.
Foum Zguid to Ouarzazate
Today, we will cross the Anti-Atlas mountains, and after a short tarmac liaison, we arrive at an incredible gorge, where the local Berber villagers grow dates on an intensive scale. One more village, and our last opportunity for shade until lunchtime, before we climb, climb, climb up dramatic tracks clinging to the side of this ancient mountain range. “The most impressive mountains I have ever visited.” (Jeremy, London)
A short descent and a quick blast across agricultural plains brings us to Tazenakht for our lunch. The tour is nearly over, but the smooth and sweeping gravel track that brings us back to Ouarzazate is a delight.
After leaving the bikes at our shop, enjoy the pool at the hotel, before we pick you up at 8pm for dinner. Last chance for a team photo, to make a speech or to buy the guide a beer.
Depart from Ouarzazate
Included
- Accommodation (double occupancy) in hotels and auberges
- Full board — all meals included
- Enduro or trail bike hire
- Back-up vehicle and support team
- Local third-party insurance cover
- Escorted off-road routes with bilingual guides
- GPS tracks + route briefings each morning
- Airport transfers (Marrakech RAK)
Not Included
- Flights to Ouarzazate or Marrakech
- Personal travel insurance — medical, repatriation and legal fees (required)
- Riding equipment — helmet, jacket, boots, gloves (available for rental at €30/day)
- Personal items from packing list — Camelbak, clothing, toiletries, medical
- Alcohol, souvenirs and personal purchases
Packing List
- Camelbak hydration pack
- Small backpack
- Sweat-wicking T-shirts
- Cycling shorts
- Thermal underlayer (winter months)
- Waterproof rain gear (Dec–May tours)
- Medical tape for hands
- High SPF sun lotion
- Lip balm
- Head-torch (Petzl or similar)
- Bath towel + personal toiletries
- Diarrhoea medicine + painkillers
- Ear plugs
The Machines
Our Fleet.
Desert-prepped and maintained to spec. See the full range of enduro, adventure and rally machines we ride.
Departures
Pick Your Date.
Set 6-day departures run through the season, and the 4-day tour runs on dates to suit you. See what's on in the Tour Calendar, or tell us your dates and we'll put something together.
Testimonials