Overall, a great week of cycling. There were two big unknowns for me going into this adventure:... Richard Klopfer, 2017 See more reviews
This was a fantastic, really very well organised trip. The roads in Morocco are amazing and in... Susan Evans, 2017 See more reviews
An excellent trip, demanding climbs followed by exhilerating descents coupled with stunning... Michael Hanrahan, 2017 See more reviews
Beautiful and varied trip with stunning landscapes, villages, mountains, sea and cities. Peter Moss, 2017 See more reviews
We started out with a great leader in the person of Reese who though only 25 we soon learned had... Wallace Ray Hanley, 2017 See more reviews
Leaving the frozen cars at Stansted on Nov 5th it was a delight to arrive in Marrakech where the... Vicki Nunn, 2017 See more reviews
This was the most exciting adventure which everyone enjoyed whether seriously fit cyclists or... Linda Bradshaw, 2016 See more reviews
A well run, well paced trip. Cycling was excellent but there are few flat roads in Morocco!... Michael Innes, 2015 See more reviews
What a fabulous trip, exactly what I was looking for. Cycling in the mountains and valley's... Julia Mason, 2015 See more reviews
Surprisingly diverse mountain landscapes and the two extremes of Morocco's coastal tourist... David Tompkins, 2014 See more reviews
Itinerary Expand all Day 1 Start Marrakech. We recommend walking or taking a taxi into the old city. Here there is plenty to explore like the old walled medina and its winding alleyways which are filled with souks selling everything from street food to pottery and jewellery. Day 2 Transfer to Tadmamt; cycle in the foothills of Mt Toubkal to Ijoukak. We transfer out of Marrakech this morning to Tadmamt and begin our cycling journey into the foothills of Mt Toubkal. After a nice warm up on a wonderful undulating road, we enjoy a long descent into the Asni Valley with beautiful views. We then follow the river and cross over a number of bridges before arriving in Tigmmi n'Tmazrite and our hotel for the evening. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 3 Challenging climb followed by exhilarating descent from Tizi n'Test Pass (2100m) to Oulad Berhil; overnight in traditional riad. The day begins with a challenging climb to the dramatic Tizi n'Test Pass (2100m). We are rewarded with dramatic views to the south over the Sousse Valley towards the Anti Atlas Mountains. After lunch we have a truly dramatic and, in places, quite steep descent as the road winds down to the valley. Once in the valley our ride takes us past orange, lemon and grapefruit groves as we approach Oulad Berhil. Here we receive a warm welcome, wonderful food and a relaxing evening at our beautiful Riad. This converted palace is a wonderful addition to the end of our day with roaming peacocks and the chance to pick our own fruit straight off the trees. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 4 Cycle towards Tafraoute in Anti Atlas Mountains; optional transfer/ride to see the famous Blue Rocks. We have a morning transfer into the Anti Atlas Mountains and the real southern Morocco, much of it semi-desert and a complete contrast to the fertile Sousse Valley. We travel through argan country trying to spot the incredible tree climbing goats which are famously found here. From Irherm, we are surrounded by almond trees and our road has some wonderful ups and downs as we pass through many farms and little mud-walled Berber villages. The last section of the ride is another wonderful descent of about 12km through the most dramatic scenery to Tafraoute. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 5 Pass pink houses and kasbahs en route to Ait Baha Lake; transfer to Agadir. Today we transfer to the famous painted blue rocks where we spend some time to look around the impressive sight, take some pictures and take a short walk to the top of the rocks. From here we transfer to Tizi M’Lil and begin another varied ride, undulating through spectacular hills, past traditional villages and hill-top kasbahs, with some superb balcony sections with excellent views. There are a few climbs, but the ride ends with an exhilarating descent to Ait Baha Lake and then we transfer to the coastal resort of Agadir. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 6 Spectacular ride through the Paradise Valley; climb to Imouzzer. Today we enjoy a truly spectacular ride through the Paradise Valley, a narrow gorge lined with palm trees. Towards the head of the valley we have another challenging climb with excellent views, eventually reaching a high plateau and the little town of Imouzzer, the end point of one of the most dramatic rides on our route. Originally the home of the Ida Outanane Berber tribe, Imouzzer retains a strong cultural identity.Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 7 Cycle through traditional villages and palmaris to Essouira. We start cycling from the front door and begin with another excellent winding descent on a good road to a valley dotted with palm trees and traditional villages. There are a couple of moderate climbs over rocky hills and descents back into the fertile valleys before we reach the main coast road and the end of the ride. After a picnic lunch we transfer (1.5 hours) to our destination for the evening, Essaouira. This charming old Portuguese fishing port dates back to the 15th Century, but the present town was constructed around 1760 by Sidi Mohammed ben Abdullah, who needed a base from which to suppress a revolt from Agadir. Today, Essaouira is extremely relaxed and its whitewashed houses with painted shutters, artisan's workshops, boatyards and fishermen provide a marked contrast to Marrakech. There's plenty of interest in the narrow traffic-free streets of the old town and we stay overnight in a traditional Riad hotel. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 8 Free morning in Essaouira; transfer to Marrakech; free time. After a free morning to explore lovely Essaouira, we transfer to the vibrant city of Marrakech. Simply enjoy a freshly squeezed orange juice in one of the many rooftop cafés overlooking the Djemma El Fna Square, or perhaps take a calèche (a bright green horse drawn carriage) ride to the peaceful Majorelle Gardens. These small but tranquil gardens are decorated throughout in indigo blue and house the small Museum of Islamic Art in the grounds. A final treat would be to go for a hammam, a traditional Moroccan steam bath. A visit to Djemma el Fna Square this evening is the ultimate reward for our week's cycling - with snake charmers, story tellers, smoky food stalls and souks, there is no other way to experience the exciting atmosphere of Marrakech. Meals included: Breakfast Day 9 End Marrakech. The trip ends after breakfast. Those on the group flights will be taken to the airport in time for their flight home. Meals included: Breakfast
Hotels & Riad We stay in a mixture of hotels and small privately owned riads throughout the trip. A riad is a large Moroccan house or palace with an interior courtyard or garden normally containing a swimming pool; they are usually very well decorated in a traditional Moroccan style. One of the raids has a fantastic fruit garden surrounding the property; we can pick our own fruit directly from the trees and enjoy a swim in the pool.
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Reviewed May 2017 Richard Klopfer Trip: Cycle Morocco's Great South Morocco's Great South Overall, a great week of cycling. There were two big unknowns for me going into this adventure: 1) How difficult would the cycling be, and 2) How safe would I feel cycling through rural Morocco. The cycling was breathtakingly beautiful but not hard if you consider yourself a cyclist. Most of the people in our group weren't avid cyclists just relatively fit people looking for some adventure. If you do consider yourself a cyclist and rack up 100-200km or more per week, then look for something higher than "4" on the Exodus challenge meeter. That said, the rides were amazing with some good climbs and even better 'white knuckle' descents. The part about safety in Morocco? Don't sweat it. I never felt any concern for safety and the whole trip was supported by an experienced Exodus leader and two local chaps riding vans in front and in the back. All good on that front. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? On the second day there was a 30km long descent. It was mind boggling and just kept going on and on. I've never seen anything like that before and likely never will again. Truly amazing. Dinner with the group each night getting to know others from around the world was very fulfilling as well. What did you think of your group leader? Our group leader was an English chap named Jon H. He was simply amazing. He tended to everyone's needs with patience and a kind heart. A remarkable person that kept us all alive during one of the hottest weeks ever. I can't say enough about Jon's ability to guide such a diverse group of people through an amazing adventure. Kudo's to Exodus for finding talent like this. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Bring water bottles, cycling shorts and some travellers laundry soap. Your will need to wash your kit on your own.
Reviewed March 2017 Susan Evans Trip: Cycle Morocco's Great South Cycling Moroccos Great South This was a fantastic, really very well organised trip. The roads in Morocco are amazing and in really good condition, not at all what I expected. Perfect for cycling. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Climbing the Tiz an Test Pass. What a fabulous ride up and down with all the switch back bends. What did you think of your group leader? John, was a great leader, he kept an eye on everybody and just let everybody go at there own speed, which was great. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Make sure you take some warm clothes as it can be cold up in the mountains. Morocco is mostly dry (no alcohol), but your leader will usually buy a small amount of booze for those who need it. Is there anything else you would like to add? If you like a challenge and the hills, this trip is perfect for you. I am quite a slow rider up and down so I just plod along and I love to stop and look at the scenery which was amazing.
Reviewed March 2017 Michael Hanrahan Trip: Cycle Morocco's Great South Trip of a lifetime. An excellent trip, demanding climbs followed by exhilerating descents coupled with stunning scenery all around. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Those long twisting descents just made you feel so alive. The personal acheivement of getting to the top of the climbs. What did you think of your group leader? Jon and Radu were just great, a super team. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Go for this trip if you like a challenge. The climbs are long but not too intense and the end rewards are many. Worth every ounce of effort. The scenery is stunning and Morocco is just fabulous. Is there anything else you would like to add? If you are thinking of this trip then go do it. The memories will last for ever.
Reviewed March 2017 Peter Moss Trip: Cycle Morocco's Great South Cycle Morocco's Great South Beautiful and varied trip with stunning landscapes, villages, mountains, sea and cities. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Climbing 1200 metres up to Immouzer and finding stunning views from the hotel at the end. What did you think of your group leader? Our group leader, John Hobson - with Radu, abling assisting, and sometimes taking lead - was great. He was always polite, professional, enthusiastic, organised, knowledgable and patient. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? This trip is moderate to challenging, and the challenging parts can be quite tough, so be prepared. The weather can change considerably from the cities and valleys to the mountains, so you may need warm clothing as well as summer clothing (and lots of sun cream). The hotels were all adequate, and some were very good, but you'll need your own shampoo and shower gel in most of them. Is there anything else you would like to add? Be careful taking photos of locals. Many don't like it and can become quite aggressive (even if you only look like you're taking them, but actually aren't, or if they just happen to be in a shot when you're taking a picture of a street or building). Speaking French is a bonus. It's spoken more widely and better than English.
Reviewed February 2017 Wallace Ray Hanley Trip: Cycle Morocco's Great South Great way to see Morocco We started out with a great leader in the person of Reese who though only 25 we soon learned had literally biked around the world once. Service was great, two terrific van drivers, great snacks laid out at breaks and lunch everyone with a folding stool before a table spread with good food. Throughly enjoyed the group as the only American in a group of 14 from the UK, Denmark and Canada. Though we were delayed and rerouted on day one by flash floods and landslides our leader Reese adapted and soon had us back on course. Fantastic scenery, rural villages, friendly people even when we didn't speak the same language. I've tried several bike tour companies over the past few years but find Exodus beats them all. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Starting the ride one morning atop a cold mountain in a small village surrounded by local women and children in an area where people make their living like centuries back, herding sheep and goats, tending orchards...and sharing some chocolate with the delighted ladies. What did you think of your group leader? Reese, our leader, could not have been better, was seemingly everywhere, circling back on the road on his bike checking on all of us, coordinating the two vans, meals, hotels and full of knowledge. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Plan to dress in layers as days begin cold often but warm up a lot by mid day. Bring a gel pad for you bike seat. Plan to have a great time. Is there anything else you would like to add? I'm looking for my next Exodus trip
Reviewed February 2017 Vicki Nunn Trip: Cycle Morocco's Great South Hard cycling - stunning landscapes!! Leaving the frozen cars at Stansted on Nov 5th it was a delight to arrive in Marrakech where the sun shone and the temperature was a delicious 28 degrees!!!! Apart from one day in Marrakech (which is probably enough!) this really was a full on cycling trip. We were either going up (for many miles) or down (often cold). The snack stops and picnic lunches were warmly welcomed and usually somewhere lovely. Every day the landscape was different - I expected lots of scrubby desert so was pleasantly surprised. Essaouira was particularly lovely - walk through the streets after dinner and enjoy the local hustle and bustle. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Feeling like the tiniest speck cycling through the most enormous stunning landscape. Some of the most amazing picnic/snack spots ever!!! What did you think of your group leader? Our two cycling guides were enthusiastic and always happy to help with any problems-cycle or otherwise. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Do not underestimate the hills - they are big!!! And plentiful!! Have warm clothes ready for the pass lunch stop and descent! Take soap/shower gel. Is there anything else you would like to add? November was a lovely time to visit but prepare for some cold in the shade in the early morning and up high. You will eat lots of white bread and bread products!!!
Reviewed December 2016 Grahame Austin Trip: Cycle Morocco's Great South Morocco - The Great South This was my third trip to Morocco with Exodus and I found it the toughest, after the other two mountain bike trips. Whilst the trip notes do mention challenging climbs and there were, I felt that we were going either up hill or downhill. Downhill is great but does nothing for your cycling. The last afternoon of cycling was the best, ten miles of great undulating road in from the reservoir. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Getting to the top of the pass in the rain - not exactly inspirational but a big challenge. What did you think of your group leader? They were a couple of good guys, defiantly cyclist turned into leaders, one perhaps a bit to intense on the cycling, but overall good. The local crew were excellent, and the whole trip went virtually like `clockwork` Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Make sure you take shower gel, or similar, nothing in the hotels, (one night extremely basic) make sure you have basic medications with you.Also take a variety of clothing..Two nights out in tee shirts and shorts, other nights in multi layers to keep warm up in the mountains. Is there anything else you would like to add? A good trip, bikes good, but I would like to have seen front suspension, some of tarmac is hard going. I think a trip for the keener cyclist.
Reviewed September 2016 Linda Bradshaw Trip: Cycle Morocco's Great South Morocco's Great South This was the most exciting adventure which everyone enjoyed whether seriously fit cyclists or more leisurely cruisers like myself. We experienced the beauty & drama of the countryside with the everyday life of Morocco in towns & villages. It was truly an exceptional experience, educational & fun. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The most moving sights and sounds of the villagers praying on top of the hills on the day of Eid to celebrate the end of Ramadan. It was like the Sermon on the Mount - quite surreal. What did you think of your group leader? Said was the most perfect guide. He was so patient and kind, he seemed pleased & proud to be able to answer all our questions about the history, geography customs and culture of Morocco which enriched our experience. He worked hard always with a smile. Hussein was a good calm driver and also very kind. We were all sad to say goodbye. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? The challenges are to be taken seriously or get back on the bus. Is there anything else you would like to add? Sights sounds & smells to stir the soul!
Reviewed March 2015 Michael Innes Trip: Cycle Morocco's Great South CYCLE MOROCCO'S GREAT SOUTH A well run, well paced trip. Cycling was excellent but there are few flat roads in Morocco! Weather perfect. Accommodation is adequate but one cannot expect more in remote parts of the country. Some places had character. Food generally not great in accommodation but adequate. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Cycling in the Atlas and Anti Atlas Mountains - scenery superb. What did you think of your group leader? Radu was very good - enthusiastic, helpful, knowledgeable etc. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Be aware there are few flat roads on this trip. On several days you climb 700 / 900 / 1100m. Longest descent is 1400m, all in one section, which is superb - if you like that sort of thing. Some sections of road have been washed out so there are issues of poor surfaces and loose gravel but generally you are warned in advance and with careful riding we had no problems. Roads are generally very quiet. Is there anything else you would like to add? This is a cycling trip so there is little time for sight-seeing. If you have not been to Marrakesh before then an extra day there, including the services of a tour guide for part of the day, would be worth it.
Reviewed February 2015 Julia Mason Trip: Cycle Morocco's Great South Cycling in glorious landscapes in this amazing country... What a fabulous trip, exactly what I was looking for. Cycling in the mountains and valley's of Morocco to the coastal towns of Agadir and Essaouira. A great way to see such a variety of landscapes and towns. Radu our guide and our two drivers were superb, professional throughout and could not have been more helpful. Just make sure you take enough warm clothes if you go early February! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Achieving some of the climbs was a personal challenge. However the local people throughout the country were beautiful and welcoming. Seemed so happy to see these crazy people on bikes! What did you think of your group leader? Radu was superb. Informative, professional, sociable and with a sense of humour and such patience! He managed the whole group so well and we were all looked after. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? This trip was at the beginning of Feb and it was a lot colder than aniticipated, even in the accommodation so do ensure you take enough warm layers. I would also suggest £100 is not enough for the week and £200 is a more accurate figure. Is there anything else you would like to add? I absolutely loved this trip and cannot recommend it highly enough. Challenging cycling in stunning landscapes but achieveable due to breaks and pacing. To finish cycling in Essaouira was the perfect end to this trip - a beautiful coastal town.