Mountain biking
Mountain Biking in Morocco
Written for Morocco Gateway b
With a staggering network of dirt-roads connecting isolated settlements, and thousands of miles of sinuous mule tracks, across four major mountain ranges, Morocco is a country ideally suited to exploration by mountain bike. Combine these mountain biking prerequisites with a predominantly dry and sunny climate, a rural culture as enthralling as any in the world, and an emerging network of off-the-beaten-track accommodation and you have the perfect destination for the keen mountain biker.
Since early mountain bike explorations in the late 1980s (see “Atlas Biker” by Nick Crane), in many regions little has changed on the ground, and with some forward planning the rewards of adventure and discovery are still there to be enjoyed. Although increasing in popularity, most mountain bikers see few others in the mountains of Morocco – in stark contrast to more popular biking regions across much of Europe.
A detailed guide to all of the (virtually limitless) possibilities is beyond the scope of this short article, but in general much of the biking activity is focused on the High Atlas Mountains. The High Atlas present a tough challenge to novices, given the rocky nature of trails and fire roads (or pistes, as they are locally known) and, above all, sharp rises and falls in altitude. There are few “easy” routes for multi-day itineraries in the High Atlas, making the region more appropriate for more experienced riders with a good level of physical fitness. However, the south of the mountain range, towards the pre-Saharan dunes of the desert, is flatter and more easy going in nature, and is a land characterised by palm oases, crumbling kasbahs and big, inspiring backdrops. Despite the remoteness of much of this area, some hotels and guest houses have bikes to borrow or rent in order to explore their surroundings. Given that Morocco boasts so many magical mountain regions, excellent mountain biking can also be found in the Middle Atlas, Anti-Atlas and Rif Mountain ranges.
Despite Morocco being one of the world’s premier mountain-biking destinations, people can then struggle at the planning stage of their trip. A dearth of good, up-to-date, detailed maps, together with the perennial mountain-biking problem of transporting one’s own gear along rough tracks, together with a general unfamiliarity of country, terrain and climatic conditions, lead many to book organised tours through reputable biking operators. However, for the really adventurous (and fit!) 1:100 000 ex-military maps are sporadically available at the Hotel Ali in Marrakech, and cover the more visited mountain regions of the country (mainly around the Toubkal National Park). Be warned that a widespread surfacing programme is well under way and you may find fire roads have become recently paved. Also prepare to get lost at times, so it’s useful to have a laidback attitude and schedule to match.
Setting aside trips of longer duration, it is possible, from Marrakech in particular, to visit the mountains for a casual day’s biking. You’ll need a bike (although note that hire facilities in Marrakech are poor to non-existent at time of writing), transport to the mountains 40 km away (most hotels can easily arrange this) and preferably a map of the Toubkal National Park. There, around the Ourika Valley and Imlil (Mizane Valley) there is good, easy-to-navigate riding to be found, and for those looking for some downhill thrills head up to Oukaimeden, North Africa’s highest ski resort (2600m above sea level) and bike down to the plains around Asni or the Ourika Valley.
About Charlie Shepherd
With a love of mountain biking, trekking and adventure sports Charlie Shepherd is owner of established adventure tour company Epic Morocco and lives year round in Marrakech. You can view mountain biking, trekking and other excursions by Epic Morocco here.