The Gateway to the Desert

This is our Morocco tour that heads west to the ocean: 7 days with 5 days of riding, on a loop from Marrakech over the Tizi n’Test pass to Taroudant, the Anti-Atlas villages around Tafraoute, Imouzzer and Essaouira, on roads that are almost entirely tarmac. The Wonders of the Atlas Mountains keeps the same format but stays in the High Atlas and the Dadès Gorges. The Argan Tree Route starts from Agadir and lasts 8 days, with a little more off-road.

No, the tour stops at the gateway: you ride through the dry, rocky landscapes of the Anti-Atlas, with their palm groves and fortified villages, but there are no dunes and no night in the desert. To ride to the erg and sleep at the foot of the dunes, choose From the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara Dunes, an 8-day tour rated Intermediate, with tracks and sand.

The tour is rated Accessible: a full motorcycle licence and regular riding are all you need, even if this is your very first motorcycle tour. The route is almost entirely on tarmac with nothing technical, but the Atlas and Anti-Atlas roads are a long string of bends. A few long stages run far from medical help, so the support vehicle travels with the group.

About 603 miles (970 km) over 5 riding days, with stages of 93 to 155 miles (150 to 250 km). The longest one opens the tour, from Marrakech to Taroudant over the Tizi n’Test pass, at more than 2,000 metres. The shortest crosses the Anti-Atlas to Tafraoute, where you arrive in the afternoon with time to explore the village.

A Royal Enfield, either a Classic 350 or a Himalayan 450 depending on the departure: your travel advisor tells you which when you book. Both are well suited to this road route, and the Classic 350 has the lower seat. If you are very tall or quite short, mention it before booking so we can check the motorcycle fits you.

Yes, it is one of our most comfortable tours for two: the route is nearly all tarmac, and your luggage rides in the support vehicle, not on the motorcycle. A pillion pays £1,490 (€1,640), against £1,790 (€1,990) for the rider.

An English-speaking motorcycle tour leader rides at the front on riding days. Behind, a mechanic and a driver follow in the support vehicle with your luggage and the spare parts. There are no more than 10 motorcycles, so 12 participants with pillions.

£1,790 (€1,990) per rider and £1,490 (€1,640) per pillion. The price covers the motorcycle, fuel and tolls, the team, accommodation, every meal from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 7 (with water, tea and coffee) and the transfers to and from Marrakech airport. On top, plan for your flights, drinks, entrance fees for visits, tips, a €600 deposit per motorcycle and, on your first trip with us, a £31 (€35) registration fee.

Everything happens in Marrakech, which has direct flights from the UK and many European cities: you book your flights to its airport, where our team welcomes you on day 1 and drives you to the hotel. That first day is free to wander the medina. On day 7 you still have a few hours in the city before the transfer, timed to your flight. To add nights before or after, speak to your travel advisor.

The season runs from March to April and from October to December; open dates are shown on this page, and other dates are possible on request through your travel advisor. Days are warm, mornings and evenings cold, especially in the mountains: pack a warm layer and rain gear.

You stay in standard to comfort hotels or guesthouses in Marrakech, Taroudant, Tafraoute, Imouzzer and Essaouira, facing the ocean. A soft bag packs into the support vehicle more easily than a hard suitcase.