Tour des Tajines: A bikepacking route in the Moroccan Atlas
Earlier this week I got back from a week long winter escape from the cold and ice here in the UK to the warmer climes of northern Africa. Megan, Edward and I had a fantastic time and I have had a lot of interest from people wanting top know our route so instead of giving you a blow by blow account of our holiday I thought that I would write it up more as a route guide.
I did quite a lot of research in the build up to the trip and struggled to find a route that suited what we were looking for. I wanted it to be doable in a week including travel, a good mix of surfaces but next to no hike-a-bike (apparently not everyone in our party enjoys this), doable on a gravel bike, and finally see some nice places. So after plenty of research I put something together on Komoot.
This is what I came up with:
This is the route that we ended up riding, with the odd bit of tidying up. Its worth noting that there is lots of new infrastructure being built including some roads which don’t exist on OSM so if you are downloading it via Komoot make sure you select the “stick to original route” option.
This route has been fully recce’d and rides well on both gravel and mtbs. There are however a couple of off road alternatives that are not recced, these were left out on the original scouting mission for a variety of reasons but mostly to save time. They would cut out some of the longer paved climbing sections. I have added these all into a second route but as I haven’t ridden these sections I can’t confirm their rideability.
If anyone is able to get out there and ride these sections then I will update everything accordingly.
Overview of the route.
The route starts in Marrakesh, after taking in the sights, smells and sounds of the souk it exits the town via a reasonably busy road with a bike lane. Before too long it turns into a quiet road for the next 30km or so. The main focus at this point is to “get to the mountains” you will see them rise higher and higher as you approach the foothills. At the 35km mark your tyres touch gravel for the first time as you follow a valley up into the hills. Its undulating but there are a few steep pinches that may require a push for 10m or so. The route continues like this as you gradually gain altitude and follow the valley south. There is plenty of opportunity for resupply but Arba Tighedouine is the first sizeable town and likely the only place to find accommodation in the local area. stock up well because its probably the only place to get food for the next 3-4 hours.
From here the first major climb begins, we took the road pass which is 10km at 8%; a beautiful climb with plenty of camping spots. Alternatively, there is a gravel track that runs vaguely parallel which looks like it would be nice. They both come out into a village at the around 1800m, from here we had to follow our noses a little bit until we cam to the pass. Crossing the pass was a proper “wow” moment, we were met by a wide open valley filled with lush green vegetation clinging onto the orange rock.
The descent is fun and fast, a rough gravel track with a few rocks to avoid but a proper hoot. The surfaces will gradually improve and eventually become paved as you descent into the Ourika valley. Here you will find plenty of opportunities for resupply and accommodation before the big push up to the high point of the route.
The road up to Oukaimeden is long but not terribly steep 37km at 5% sounds tough but its gentle enough that you can tap away at it and settle into a rhythm. It did drag a little and we spotted a gravel track on the other side of the valley that would make the first half a little more enjoyable. (this is found on the alt route). On the way up there is plenty of resupply but camping options are limited until your reach the last 10km or so.
Enjoy a well earned Tajine at 2700m before crossing the other side and finding the gravel track off the other side. The descent is long and twisty and extra care is needed on a gravel bike but still plenty rideable enough. The paths marked on the map bare little resemblance to reality so there was the odd nav error. If you follow gpx track you should be fine though. Half way down there were some serious roads being built which might mean that in future it will be much faster.
As soon as you reach the valley floor you are straight back into climbing mode as you begin another long climb, this time up to 2400m. This climb is steeper than the previous one but the views are even more spectacular as you are greeted with your first sight of the Toubkal range. We mostly followed the road round to the Tamatert pass but we spotted a wonderful gravel track that snaked like spaghetti down from the pass that would cut out a lot of up and down as well as overall distance.
After you reach the pass you have the option to follow either the Road or trail down to Imlil they criss cross each other so there is plenty of opportunity to bail out if desired. It was raining and beginning to get dark so we took the road down into Imlil. Imlil is a bit of a hub for climbing and trekking in the Atlas, here is probably your only opportunity to get any outdoor specific equipment that you may need. Plenty of great accommodation, we stayed at “Riad Atlas Toubkal” at it was fantastic. Imlil was also the first time we saw any other tourists since we left Marrakech.
The next pass is one of the highlights of the trip, a gravel track that goes up and over the valley with stunning views of snowcapped peaks and expansive landscapes that show little sign of human impact. There is chance of resupply here so make sure that you pack snacks, Equally the descent is just as fun as it is cut into a very steep valley wall but is plenty wide enough (4-5m) so not to feel too scary.
Once you reach the valley floor and follow the road you get the sense that you are now leaving the Atlas as you fly down the hills with Toubkal behind you. A mix of fast road and gravel takes you to Oued Nfiss resevoir where you can refuel and stock up. From here we tried to take a gravel track up and over the next and final large hill but were greeted by a locked gate. We made the call to take the road round via Asni which meant 40km or so of road. Upon my return I spotted an alternative way over that could work well. This is one bit that it would be great if someone recce’d.
After the town of Ouazguita you start to get the feeling that you are well and truly in the desert now, the tracks are amazing and landscape more rolling. One notable section is the section past Lalla Takahoust reservoir, the trails are designed for quadbikes/buggies/motorcross so are very twisty and turny, great fun on an mtb but Edward was having to nurse his gravel bike around. It also goes through several river beds so maybe best avoided in heavy rain. once you have Reached Lalla Takahoust you are on the final stretch, a mixture of road and gravel takes you back north and into the city. Our route ended up with 20km on a main road, it did have a bike lane and I was comfortable but I have also planned an alternative way into town.
Once you arrive Marrakesh treat yourself to the fanciest tajine you can find and savour the experiance that you have had.
Top tips for the route
Resupply is plentiful so no need to carry a huge amount of food or water with you. Its mostly in the form of local shops or markets, also restaurants and cafes are relatively cheap.
Wild camping spots are plentiful but its sometimes are to find a flat spot especially for a tent.
MTB or Gravel bike would be fine but make sure that you have at least 40mm tyres. I used my steel Mason RAW with a 120mm fork and a dropper post which was fab.
Don’t be intimidated by the long climbs, they are all relatively steady and you can settle into a rhythm.
Hotels are cheap especially and many can be booked in advance in booking.com
Very few people outside of the tourist hotspots speak English but most speak French however the more rural you get the less French is spoken.
It can be very warm in the day but sub-zero at hight so pack up warm.
Take your time to explore, there are a few options to cut out sections later in the route (e.g Imlil to Asni) if you are running low on time. We took 5 days to do the full route.
We were originally fairly concerned about wearing tight fitting clothing but after a day or so Meg was just in normal bibs and jersey an no-one seemed to mind or give her any hassle.
If you are planning on riding the route do let me know and if you need any extra information dont be afraid to reach out.