MOUNTAIN BIKING MOROCCOChallenging Singletrack
in High Atlas Mountains
Difficulty
Medium
Min Age
14 +
Duration
6 Days
This is the Atlas MTB route we built specifically for the trails Berbers wouldn’t give up. Narrow, vertiginous mule paths, still used daily to move people and livestock, that happen to be some of the best singletrack in Morocco. Six days building toward what our guides call the “Mega Day”, a finale so technical and so much fun you’ll forget your legs are supposed to be tired.
On day three, your bike gets carried over the Tizi Mezzik pass by mule while you hike the same route on foot, then you’re back in the saddle for a rough, rewarding descent through the Azzaden Valley. Day four ends even better: a local Hammam, Dinner, and a rooftop where you can see Marrakech’s lights to the north and the snow-capped Atlas to the south, before your final special day on this Atlas MTB Route.
Starting Point / Ending Point: Marrakech
Includes & Excludes
✔️ Private Transportation From Marrakech and back to Marrakech
✔️ Assistance Transport Minivan to pick us some times from place to place ( for big group )
✔️ Accommodations in Guest houses in Atlas Mountains
✔️ All Meals during this Trip & Mineral Water
✔️ Full suspensions Mountain Bike with Helmet
❌ Travel Inssurance
❌ Drinks
❌ Accommodation in Marrakech
Essential Equipment
We recommend packing the following items:
– Normal daily clothes
– Padded cycling shorts and gloves
– Breathable top or cycling jersey
– Sunglasses/eye protection
– Stiff-soled shoes suitable for cycling
– Waterproofs and long cycling trousers
– For the earlier departures you may need some warmer layers
– Sun cream
– Energy cycling gels offer a quick form of carbs replenishment. Most contain the simple carb sugar, which is the fastest form of energy to replace glycogen. It’s suggested that people who cycle at a moderate intensity for more than 90 minutes, need to replace between 30g and 65g of carbohydrates per hour and we would thoroughly recommend bringing some of these with you, as well as some energy bars
PER PERSON
1300 €
Tour
Itinerary
Departure
Day 1
Airport – Transfer to Hotel or Riad in Marrakech
We meet you on your arrival in Morocco at Marrakech Airport and transfer you to your evening accommodation. If you have brought your bike with you, we take you to our shop to assemble it and keep your box until the end of the trip. We then travel through the millennia-old city wall into the Medina and the pulsating heart of Marrakech. The tranquillity we find inside the riad contrasts with the alarm outside; this really is an oasis of peace, and in general, Marrakech will surprise you with the lack of hustle and bustle (within the old town, at least). We have a short briefing before taking a short trip through the souks (market streets), cruising between the snake charmers and fortune-tellers in the unforgettable Jemaa el-Fna and eating dinner together at a restaurant that lets the atmosphere of North Africa sweep us away.
Day 2
Marrakech – 1-Hour Transfer to the Imlil Valley
In the morning, we drive towards the Atlas foothills and the small village of Imlil. Situated in the heart of the Toubkal National Park, Imlil is the principal trailhead village for treks up the highest peaks in North Africa. The village offers good infrastructure for people wanting a pleasant mountain base for a few days, but it is also an excellent place to start and/or finish longer, more linear hikes. Its accessibility from Marrakech (under an hour and a half by road) makes it an excellent choice to get a good feel for how rural Moroccans live their lives, and much of the surrounding area is home to a landscape of snow-capped mountains (in season), verdant valleys and earth-brick villages where life has changed little in centuries.
When everyone is ready and all our kit is loaded, we start the first climb of the day (optional but recommended). The support vehicle goes ahead to prepare lunch at the top of the Tamatert pass (2,300 m). This is an early lunch, as the climb is short but very useful for checking that everything on the bikes is working correctly, ready for the singletrack. After lunch, the fun really begins! We follow the singletrack above the Imnane River. The route takes us through a number of narrow villages, all linked by singletrack, as we descend (with a few short climbs) all the way into Imlil and the lodge for the night (1,720 m). Mountain biking: approx. 39 km.
Day 3
Imlil – Ouirgane Valley: Short Walk + Mountain Biking
Today’s journey takes us over the Tizi Mzik Pass, at an elevation of 2,280 metres. To reach the pass, our bikes are transported by mule while we embark on a scenic hike to the summit. Once at the top, we resume our adventure on two wheels.
The descent is a challenging yet rewarding singletrack trail, featuring rough terrain and steep slopes that wind through the stunning Azzaden Valley. The breathtaking views of the surrounding valleys along the route provide ample opportunities to pause and appreciate the natural beauty of the region.
Activity summary:
- Hiking: approximately 1.5 hours
- Mountain biking: approximately 35 km
Day 4
Ouirgane – Ait Zitoun (35 km / +850 m / −750 m)
Today we begin a two-day mission into the backcountry and overnight in a simple guesthouse in the village of Ait Zitoun (of course, we transport your overnight kit bag there for you). We roll down to the dam of Ouirgane and soon begin a trail that runs all the way above an impressive gorge. The first section is substantially exposed and soon heads steeply upward, so be prepared for a little hike-a-bike in the first half hour, and wear appropriate rubber-soled biking shoes. From the crest, an epic 10 km stretch awaits, mostly downhill, along the river gorge, with awesome views throughout. The path is reasonably wide and not too technical, but there are steep sides and some risk, so concentration must be at its best. At the bottom of the ravine, we turn west along the mountainside onto more undulating paths to the village of Imi n’Tala, where a hearty lunch is waiting for us. The rest of the day sees us tackle a mix of riverbeds, gravel roads and classic singletrack trails around the area of Ait Zitoun. Here we have some flexibility and can lengthen or shorten the route based on the group’s wishes. At our finishing point, a local hammam (steam room) awaits us, followed by dinner and, after darkness has fallen, a roof terrace from where we can see the city lights of Marrakech to the north, the snowy Atlas Mountains to the south and thousands of stars above. Paradise. Mountain biking: approx. 35 km.
Day 5
Ait Zitoun – Imi n’Tala
We start with a singletrack ridgeline ascent. The grip is good, but you need to pick a good line and save your energy for the tricky bits, which are thrown in just to spice it up! From the top of this challenge, we have a traverse and a singletrack descent back into a riverbed on the other side of the valley for another, very technical ascent. This one is rockier (but not loose), and good trials skills are an enormous advantage. It is a real lung-buster, but you will be amazed at the level of grip that drives you forward and makes it a really good section. From the top, there is a fantastic singletrack descent as your reward, before another, shorter, smooth, steady singletrack traverse that pops us onto a dirt road, which takes us to the head of another fast, smooth singletrack descent and the van for lunch, which is just 1 km down the road. After lunch, we have a short, steady traverse through several rustic villages to Ait Ahmad (1,483 m), where the gîte or guesthouse for the night is. An earlier finish, usually around 4:30 pm, helps you recover for the next singletrack “Mega Day” tomorrow. This is a great village to explore, with its incredible landscape, scenery and caves. Mountain biking: approx. 35 km.
Day 6
Imi n’Tala – Imidle – Marrakech
This is the last day on the bike, and the best. A real singletrack “Mega Day” that will challenge your fitness and technical ability, but only because the trails are so good that you just have to keep going! We start with a gentle traverse and climb to the top of the pass, which takes 45 minutes and includes a 20-minute hike-a-bike, but the rewards at the top are incredible! If you enjoy singletrack, this is your heaven! It is fast and flowing to start, and as it drops in height, the trail becomes more technical into the riverbed. All easy to ride. One of the sections of singletrack runs through a dry riverbed. It is smooth, with rocks lining the twisting route, so if you come off-line, you get punished. The twisting route makes you throw the bike around as you shift your weight from one pedal to the next to find the grip out of the slide and into the next bend. Almost like slalom. Big gear, flat out. Mountain biking: approx. 38 km. Then 1.5 hours by car to Marrakech.
TREKKING
BIKING
LOCATION & HOURS
Douar Aroumd, Imlil, Asni, Al Haouz, Marrakech
Biking in Morocco is a locally owned tour company offering authentic cycling and trekking adventures across Morocco. Led by experienced local guides Abderrahim and Lahcen Idmansour, we share our knowledge, culture, and passion for Morocco to create memorable experiences for travelers from around the world.
