Sahara Adventure

We set off. We ride along the famous Costa del Sol, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, southward, toward Tarifa. The African continent can be easily reached from here, through the Gibraltar Strait. We will board a ferry that will take us to Africa, at Tangier.
Right, we’ve reached Northern Morocco. It’s still a place where green is the predominant color and the vegetation still seems familiar. We will ride on winding roads, go across forests and fields and ride toward the Rif Mountains. The evening will find us in Chefchaouen, “The Blue City”, where we will spend our first night on African land.

A first full day in Africa! We start with some rides in the hilly areas, which are perfect for our type of bike. In other words, we’ll turn our riding pleasure to the maximum. Before reaching the Rif Mountains, we stop in Volubilis and visit the Roman Ruins, the westernmost Roman outpost. From here we ride on carefully selected routes to Fez. Also called “Mecca of the West” or “The African Athens”, Fez is a vibrant city, with the largest “medina” in the world, one that has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Even if it will be a long day, the variety that we will experience will make it all worth it. We will get to the high plains, on mountain plateaus in the centre of Morocco. We will experience a completely different African country as we make our way toward the Atlas Mountains. We don’t stop in Merzouga, in the Sahara Desert, until we cross the mountain passes of Atlas, where we’ll stop to see the monkeys that live in the cedar forests.

In perfect silence, with a view toward the wind modelled dunes, we’ll relax and use the light of day to explore the Sahara Desert.

With fully charged batteries, we can start to climb again toward the high areas of Morocco. Away from the boring main roads, we’ll discover the fertile valleys in the Atlas Mountains area, some of which will show us the simple way of life of the Berber people. It’s a pure and authentic experience of what Morocco means. This is also the day that we go up to more than 2.000 metres for an amazing experience in the Todra Gorge, to wonder at the Dades Gorge and see how the Berber people take advantage of the little fertile land there is on the banks of the Dades river.

No day goes by without a mountain pass to cross. One at least as spectacular this time. Because today is when we cross Tizi n’Tichka pass. We’ll feast our eyes on a different Atlas, a drier area, with another vibe from what we’ve seen so far. A natural and spectacular transition toward the desert.

Due to the high number of buildings with an important historic and architectural significance, like the Kotoubia Mosque built in 1162, the Kasbah Mosque from the twelfth century or the Ben Youssef Madrassa from the fourteenth century, the historic area of the city has been declared a Unesco Cultural Site in 1985. The main attraction of Marrakech is probably Jamaa el Fna, the famous medieval market, nowadays a bustling place, with people ready to show their spectacular abilities. A walk through Marrakech can be the best solution for what we call rest day, starting from landmarks that shouldn’t be missed and going to breaks in various coffeeshops and restaurants in the city.

Today we visit Essaouira, an example of a fortified city from the eighteenth century. It was built according to the European military architecture principles, adapted to the North-African context. The favorite city of Bob Marley awaits us, with a medina, walks on sandy beaches and a gastronomic offer that includes fresh seafood in delicious traditional dishes.

It’s time to start our trip back toward the Old Continent. The road will be along the coast and will take us to Casablanca.

We will head to Tangier, following the spectacular coast of the Atlantic Ocean. After Tangier the ferry will take us back to Europe. We will spend the night in Tarifa.

Ronda, a fairytale town where the buildings on the edge of the rocks play a spectacular game between the skill of people and the power of nature. In the afternoon we arrive in Mijas, where we will have a quiet evening, perfect to remember the strenghts of the day just ended.

Time to say our goodbyes, your saddlebags now filled not just with belongings, but with stories that will last a lifetime. As you make your way to the airport, remember – the road is endless, and new adventures await until we meet again on another epic ride!