ADVENTURE CYCLING TRIPS
ADVENTURE CYCLING
The Souss-Massa region of Morocco is in the heart of the Anti-Atlas Mountains. From our base in the Ameln Valley we have access to 100's of km of mixed surface roads. During the winter months our local guides will lead daily rides through this amazing landscape.
We expect there may be travel restrictions in place to travel to Morocco and we advise everyone who is coming on a trip with us to have been vaccinated, we may all need vaccination cards by then to travel anywhere. The Covid-19 situation has been taken very seriously in Morocco and there are currently strict lockdown rules across the country. The greatest worry is that we as visitors re-introduce the virus and we will do everything that we can as a travel company to ensure everyone is safe. During your stay you may be asked to take a thermal test in the hotel or at shops and cafes and follow any local rules on face masks and social distancing in or out of the hotels we use. Any person showing symptoms will be taken immediately to a local centre or hospital for further testing and evaluation. It is especially important that you read the small print on your travel insurance so that you know what is and isn't covered by your insurance.
THE PERFECT BLEND OF ROADS AND TRACKS
GUIDED RIDES
November 2021 .
Our week long adventure trips take you into some of the most stunning scenery in Morocco.
100's of km of paved and off-road tracks criss-cross the area and our daily rides are a testing mix of both. Usually around 50-100km with plenty of climbing and traditional cafe stops for sweet tea and patisseries. Our hotel will provide tasty picnic lunches for us to take and eat under shady trees.
Everyday is different, with routes and GPX files ready the evening before the ride.
SELF GUIDED RIDES
Lots of people like to explore by themselves and we will need to know before you arrive. Our team will talk through your route options, maps, GPX downloads if available, provide lunch and drinks. Currently no wild camping is permitted in the area although we are working to make that possible.
Cycle Morocco
will not take any responsible for your actions or any incidents that may occur while you are away from our supervision (see full terms and conditions).
REST DAYS
Our hotel is situated in the Amiln Valley, a lush oasis full of palm trees and small villages. There are many places to explore close to the hotel and it is a beautiful area to hike through. We will be able to inform you of where to find the local crafts people, community projects and where to discover the numerous historical sites that are dotted throughout the area.
Rest days can also be spent visiting Tafroute with its vibrant market, covered souk, many cafes and restaurants. It is just a short ride from our hotel.
Our hotel is an easy place to sit by the pool, read and snooze all day.
Challenge
Daily rides of 50-100km on mixed roads and tracks.
Support
Experienced team of Moroccan and UK leaders with back up vehicle if required.
Transport
Transfers to and from Agadir Airport with back up vehicle if required.
ITINERARY & INFORMATION
BOOK NOWItinerary
Our adventure cycling trips currently run Saturday to Saturday.
Day 1: Arrive and be picked up at Agadir Airport, a quick hour's transit to Ait Baha for our first night.
Day 2:
Ride one of the of many stunning routes to Tizourgane Kasbar for lunch. Then ride over the Tizi Aferni Pass with an 18km run down the other side to our hotel in the Ameln Valley.
Day 3 to 6: Daily guided rides (rest day Wednesday) starting around 9am.
Day 7: Back over the Pass, lunch on the way and ride an alternative route back to Ait Baha.
Day 8:
Transit back to the airport.
Price
£975 per person for the 8 days (flights not included)
Bookings for groups of 4+
All group bookings of 4 or more riders (16 maximum) have a 10% discount.
Trip includes:
- 7 nights (total) hotel accommodation
- 2 nights (start and finish) at Hotel Al Adarissa in Ait Baha
- 5 nights at the wonderful Auberge Kasbar Chez Amailya.
- Half board, sharing rooms. Some single rooms are available on request for a single supplement.
- Chez Amailya's impressive pool has waiter service, its bar serves alcohol, soft drinks, tea and coffee all day (Cost not included).
- Moroccan breakfast of eggs, cheese, crepes, bread, jams, fruit salad, fresh juice and lots of tea & coffee.
- Superb group evening meals of 3 course traditional dinners catering for all tastes.
- Local wines, beers and water with dinner (not before or after).
- Daily room cleaning, fresh towels and complimentary toiletries.
- Picnic lunch and refreshments at morning and afternoon stops on ride days.
- Organising of rest day trips if required (Cost not included).
- Complimentary musette bag
- Complimentary water bottle
- Wifi at both hotels
- Simple bike service area and storage with 24 hr manned security at Chez Amailya
- Moroccan and UK ride Leaders.
- Services of backup vehicle for transporting luggage and rider support if required.
- Transfers to and from Agadir Airport to our start/final hotel in Ait Baha.
Price does not include:
- Flights to and from Morocco. (We will inform you of the best flight times for your trip).
-Travel to and from any airport in the UK or any accommodation needed in the UK before or after your flight.
- Any extra food and drink stops that you personally take during rides or lunch on the rest day.
- Entry fees at any attractions.
- Any other personal expenses, fees, taxes or gratuities.
- Travel Insurance.
- Single room supplement (£140 per person, subject to availability).
Please note: other airport collection times on the arrival date will be made available. Participants arriving outside of these times or days must make their own arrangements to join us. We will give full information and help on how to do this.
Extended stay
If one week is simply not enough for you, stay on and we will make sure we ride some routes that you have not been on before and we will give you a second week discount. However, you do have to stay a full second week to coincide with our ride back to Ait Baha and the transfer to the airport.
Travel
Participants will be expected to make their way to and from all UK airports. We will arrange pick ups and drop offs from Agadir Airport.
Group information
The maximum group size per week will be 14 + leaders and support staff.
The area covered
The Souss-Massa area is gravel bike heaven with deserted roads and tracks running in all directions. It is a truly stunning geological area which provides an amazing place to ride. The roads are almost traffic free and the local drivers tend to be respectful and enjoy watching us explore their roads. It is the Atlas Mountains so there are lots of hills to climb but the higher we go the better the view! The area is dotted with traditional villages with goat herders grazing their flocks. Our rides pass through historical sites, gorges and oases and every few minutes there will be another stunning view.
Rides and road conditions
The roads are a blend of tarmac and gravel with the majority in good condition. We will advise you if any unsurfaced sections are extreme. The climbs are long, you should ensure that you have low enough gears to manage these. The roads' gradients are typically 4-6% however there are steeper sections that are challenging.
The rides will be led by Moroccan and UK guides at a moderate pace of approximately 15-25kph on the flat and 6-12km on the hills. We ride inclusively and adjust our speed and timings so that everyone will feel part of the group.
We do not send out fixed route itineraries in advance, we prefer to choose our routes during the week that we are there. The ride details, kilometres, climbing and conditions are then shared with the group in the evening and morning briefings. You will be able to download a GPX file if available (our local Guides do surprise us with new routes). Be prepared for 50-100km and up to 1000mtr+ of climbing most days.
Everyday (apart from Wednesday) we will head out around 9am. Cafe stops, picnic lunches and photo stops are an important feature of our rides and we aim to be back mid afternoon so you can enjoy a beer and relax before dinner.
Wednesdays are Ride Leaders days-off but you are still very welcome to take a self guided ride or go hiking and exploring the local area. Our hotel is situated in the Amiln Valley, a lush oasis full of palm trees and small villages. There are many places to explore close to the hotel and it is a beautiful area to hike through. We will be able to inform you of where to find the local crafts people, community projects and where to discover the numerous historical sites dotted throughout the area.
Rest days can also be spent visiting the town of Tafroute with its vibrant market and small souk. The town has many cafes and restaurants and it is just a short ride from our hotel.
Our hotel is also perfect if you wish to just sit in the sun by the pool, read and snooze all day.
What bike do I bring?
This is an adventure cycling week and we will be out exploring on dusty roads and tracks. The off-road surface will vary from sand to graded gravel to donkey tracks with the road tarmac mostly good but a course texture. A gravel bike, cross bike or hardtail MTB are perfect. You do not need mud tyres and there are long distances on tarmac so choose your tyres carefully or bring a couple of options to try out. 700C, 650b or 26" will all be fine out here. We won't be riding at an great pace and your trip really is about having a great time exploring a wonderful country, so lets just take our time.
Currently we are unable to offer hire bikes and there are no local outlets to hire from.
Accommodation / Meals
We stay at the wonderful Auberge Kasbar Chez Amaliya. It has a terrific staff team who will make your stay relaxing and enjoyable. There is a central pool, a bar and lounge area and the food and service is excellent. It is perfectly placed for our rides, there is 24 hour security and we have the use of a secure basement area for bike storage, cleaning and our simple workshop.
It is not a large hotel, there are double rooms for couples, shared twin rooms and some singles available for a supplement payment. If you know you are a noisy or restless sleeper, we ask you to request and pay the supplement for a single room.
All breakfasts and evening meals are included, either at the hotel or in a restaurant nearby. One of the key areas where Morocco is different to any other country is the food, with Tagine, a hot spicy meal cooked in a conical pot, being the national dish. Moroccan food is generally very good with lots of salad and bread added to each meal. Our Moroccan hosts will always see that their guests eat well and vegetarian and vegan diets will be well catered for. Please let us know if you have any special food requirements.
It is anticipated that the group will picnic where possible at mid-day with lunches; drinks and snacks provided by our Hotel. Please bring a suitable day pack to carry your food and drinks. We also love to stop at cafes or road side stalls during our rides.
Weather and Clothing
Morocco's winter temperatures are very moderate with November-March temperatures likely to be 15C-25C with many blue sky days but cooler evenings. There is a small chance of a rainy day and very occasionally it snows.
Please note : It is important that we are sensitive to local cultural traditions. Dress code is relaxed in the main towns, but in the remoter rural areas where we are riding, we would recommend having cargo/running type shorts over the top of lycra. Short-sleeved cycle jersey's and T-shirts are fine but not singlets or vests. For women it is best practice to cover your legs and top when not on your bike.
FULL DETAILS AND INFORMATION WILL BE SENT FOLLOWING YOUR ENQUIRY AND BOOKING