Day 1: Arrival at Ouarzazate

Arrival at Ouarzazate airport, and transfer to the hotel.

Day 2: Ouarzazate – Phum Zgid (approx 203 km)

Breakfast at 08:10 and departure at 09:10. You will drive 18 km on asphalt before starting the first track of the day. It will be 82 km before you see asphalt again, so you’ll have plenty of time to get used to the bike and the terrain.

The track is winding and undulating, with a few sections of loose rock. You’ll stop on the tarmac to freshen up before setting off again on a 50 km section of hard, fast but winding sand. Beware of the unexpected.

After lunch, enjoy a pleasant desert walk over low hills before reaching a plateau leading to Fum Zgid and the hotel where you’ll spend the night. A large swimming pool and a beer await you at the hotel.

Day 3: Foum Zguid – Oualid Driss (approx 170 km)

It’s a long day in the dunes. You’ll leave the hotel and drive five kilometers on the road to the village of Foum Zguid, where you can refuel before heading into the desert. Initially rocky, you soon reach the fortunately dry bottom of Lake Iriki. Then a 40-kilometer fast crossing of the lake takes you to the western side of the Chegaga dunes.

For those who wish, there are another 40 km of medium-sized dunes to cover before reaching the bivouac where you’ll stop for lunch. As there are more dunes further on, those who don’t want to get into the dunes on this first part of the hike can take a 62 km.

However, before the lunch stop, there is an 18 km sandy riverbed to cross. After lunch, there’s a quick traverse of the plateau and a few small dunes to cross before returning to asphalt at M’Hamid. After that, a six-kilometer drive takes you to a three-star hotel where, as always, a pool and a beer await you.

Day 4: Oualid-Driss to bivouac in the Ouzina desert (approx. 221 km)

This is a day of fast travel across the Algerian border. We’ll leave at 9:00 a.m. and head for M’Hamid, where we’ll refuel. From there, you’ll return to the small dunes and sandy riverbeds and drive 40 km north towards the village of Tazzarin.

Refuel and set off again through palm groves along the banks of the Draa. Back in the desert, expect to be stopped by the Moroccan military on at least two occasions, as the border with Algeria is not far away and has once again become a sensitive area.

Ahead are the fast and beautiful desert tracks that once hosted the Paris-Dakar rally. You’ll stop to see the crash site of South African Elmer Simons, who died here in 2007 while taking part in the rally. The crash site is marked by a large stone cairn. A landmark on your GPS will remind you to take care on the fast desert roads.

We’ll have lunch at the Desert Lodge on Lake Mader, a large dry soda lake. Serving only Portuguese food, this foreign establishment will be a welcome change from couscous and tagine!

From here, 60 kilometers of sand and fesh-fesh separate you from Desert Camp, located next to medium-sized dunes. You’ll climb a 60-metre dune and toast the sunset, before enjoying a sumptuous dinner and listening to local drummers, seated around a blazing fire.

Day 5: Bivouac in the desert from Ouzina to Merzouga (approx. 97 km)

This fifth day will be a short one, as you make the most of your time in the great “cathedral” dunes of Erg Chebbi. After breakfast, you’ll leave the bivouac at 9.10 a.m. and head for Morocco’s highest dunes, Erg Chebbi. There are more than 20 cathedral dunes over 100 meters high, the highest of which is 152 meters above the plateau. Those who dare can climb them all.

The road leading from the bivouac to the dunes crosses an open plain with many acacia trees. The terrain is reminiscent of East Africa, the only thing missing being the giraffes grazing in the trees. There will be sandy and rocky sections throughout the few hours of fast driving.

On arrival at the hotel, you’ll have a coffee and settle into your room before heading out onto the sand. Return to the hotel for lunch. After lunch, relax by the hotel pool until 4:15 pm. You’ll then head back out into the dunes until sunset. Enjoy a beer and watch the sunset from one of the highest dunes.

Day 6: Merzouga – Dadès (approx 261 km)

This will be the longest day, with fast sections in the desert and slow sections in the mountains as you cross the Jbel Sagro mountain range. As usual, you’ll leave the hotel at 9.00 am. The first 50 km will be the same as the last 50 km of yesterday’s route.

From now until the lunch break, the itinerary will be very varied, taking you on trails that are totally new to you. There will be everything from a very challenging 11 km section attempting to cross the Geris River to long, fast sections on the many open plateaus of the region. In many places, the sand rises from the hills, giving rise to long and impressive dune climbs for you to explore.

We’ll have lunch at a small local inn in a desert village, where we’ll taste the best beef tagine in Morocco. After lunch, you’ll freshen up and set off on some of the region’s most popular itineraries: numerous hard sand paths, an unforgettable 14 km sandy riverbed, and the picturesque Djbel Sagro mountain range. In the evening, your hotel boasts a rooftop swimming pool with heated Jacuzzi. End the day with a sumptuous buffet dinner.

Day 7: Dadès – Ouarzazate (approx. 192 km)

After breakfast, freshen up and head west through the Dades Gorge, following the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Fast-moving sections interspersed with rocky paths through large gorges and ravines bring you to a plateau.

A picnic lunch awaits you on the plateau. A sandy, winding riverbed and another 20 km of fast tracks on a flat plateau bring you back to Ouarzazate and the hotel where you spend your first night.

Day 8: Ouarzazate airport

On the eighth day, you will be transferred to Ouarzazate airport.