Gravel Bike Morocco price
£1195 / €1350 / $1450 per person.

Price includes

Price excludes

• *Flights
• *Lunch and dinner in Marrakech at the end of the week
• *Bike rental - This can be arranged at a cost of £280 / €320 / $340 for the entire trip
• Alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks including water
• *Additional transfers outside the specified time
• *Meals and drinks in Marrakech other than breakfast

Skill Level

You will need to be able to corner and use your brakes instictively. Confidence on asphalt and dirt tracks is essential. This adventure does not have sections where there is a level of exposure. However, you should expect to be challenged on some sections. If you're not comfortable riding anything, don't! It's a holiday, not a training camp!

Fitness

The fitter you are the more fun you'll have. But that does not mean you need to be a pro/elite rider. There are some large climbs of and we are usually out on the bikes for 5-7 hours each day. Whilst there is a support vehicle we try not to use it except when really needed. You should be comfortable with riding 60-70km in a day.

Arrival

The airport to fly into and out from is Marrakech Menara (RAK).

The transfer to Imlil upon arrival is when the majority of the guests arrive. For example, if 8 guests arrive in the morning then the transfer will be an AM transfer. However, if most of the guests arrive in the evening then the transfer will be a PM transfer when the last guest has arrived. If you arrive in the morning you can either wait for the evening transfer to Imlil with the rest of the guests or we can arrange an additional transfer for you. This costs 1200dh and should be paid for in advance. If there is more than one person wanting an additional transfer the cost is split/shared between you, so the TOTAL cost is 1200dh. If you arrive in the evening and there has been a morning transfer because that is when the majority of the group has arrived, we will usually include the transfer for free, but this is NOT guaranteed so please check.

Departure

The transfer from Marrakech at the end of the week is in the morning of the Saturday to coincide with the first departing flight. If your flight is an evening one then you are welcome to leave your bags at the Hotel until you want to leave Marrakech and you can transfer by taxi to the airport yourself. We do not arrange or take responsibility for this and it up to you sort this out (but we will help). A transfer by taxi to the airport at a time of your choice is 150dh

Accommodation

The gites in the mountains are basic and comprise of a main court yard or terrace where we have dinner and breakfast, with accommodation to the side, cooking facilities for our chef, (usually) hot showers or hammam (steam room), French style toilet and electricity to charge phones etc.' Please don't expect luxury accommodation - You're in the mountains in a remote location so fluffy pillows, power showers and room service have been sacrificed for stunning views, rich culture, adventure and incredible singletrack!

When in Imlil the accommodation is comfortable with wifi, ensuite bathroom/shower and good facilities. On the third to last night the hotel is very nice with wifi, bar, swimming pool and ensuite faciities, in Marrakech the Riad is also comfortable and has ensuite with wifi etc.'

The Food

The food is quite simply exceptional! Breakfast is a selection of bread, pancakes, omelette, cheeses, jams, chocolate spread, tea, coffee and juice. Lunch is a very good `picnic` which consists of mint tea, pasta, a stew of some kind (usually pulses), chopped salads, tinned fish, bread and fruit desert. Dinner consists of three courses: Soup starter, main course (Tajine, Cuscus or similar traditional Berber food) and fruit desert. Camomile tea is also served after dinner.

We can cater for vegetarians for a small supplement of £45 per person. We charge a supplement because this involves preparing and cooking a separate dish/tajine to the rest of the group.

First Aid

Each rider must have their own basic first aid kit. This should have items like: plasters, wipes, bandages, iodine and tape. We carry a complete first aid kit which contains items from syringes to sutra kits. Our kits do not contain any drugs or creams (pain killers, aspirin, antiseptic cream etc.') so we recommend you bring your own if you use them.

Inoculations

You do not need any inoculations to travel to Morocco

Insurance

You must have your own insurance which should include helicopter evacuation and repatriation. A search on the internet will reveal a host of insurers to choose from, but please ensure that it includes extreme sports. We do not go above 3000m. In the past we have used companies like Sports Cover Direct who are expensive but seem to have a good reputation. Other recommended companies are Ski Card and the Austrian Alpine club although they may not include baggage insurance. If you're not sure, please check.

Is the trip safe for women?

Yes, 100%. We have NEVER experienced any form of hostility towards any member of any group. When we ride in the high Atlas Mountains the locals are amazed to see mountain bikes, let alone pay any attention to the gender of the biker. The positive encouragement from the local women in the high mountains is astounding and they have a lot of respect for the women who have been seen on their bikes riding through the villages. As for the local men? Well, they just think you’re probably crazy! But then don’t most of your friends back home!?

Where to get it

It can be very challenging getting Moroccan Dirhams outside of Morocco. When you land in Marrakech there are several locations in the arrivals lounge where you can exchange your currency for Dirhams (DHS). There are also cashpoints/ATMs just outside the arrivals lounge near the exit

How much will I need?

You will need in the region of 1500dh (£110 / 125€ / $135) for the week plus whatever you chose to buy in Marrakech when we finish. This is for tips, water and other snack type treats along the way.

What do I need money for?

This is an all inclusive trip while you're out in the mountains. However, we do not include the purchase of water, drinks or any tips you choose to leave during the week. The average water bill, per pserson is usually in the region of 30€ and we recommend a tip of 300-400Dh for the guides and chef who are with you throughout the week.

You will also need money on your return to Marrakech for your lunch and evening meal. Breakfast on the final day is included at the hotel.

We are in the process of finding an insurance partner to offer the best coverage for our guests. As soon as we have these details we will update the website.

You'll definately need this!

Bike

We recommend a 140mm+ full suspension bike (All Mountain Bike) for the most fun. However, that does not mean if you don't have one you should rush out and buy one. Yeti, Santa Cruz, Trek and other 'enduro' style bikes are very popular but lots of guests also ride bikes with much less travel and some even use hardtails. Please, don't bring a DH rig! You can do these trails with a single front ring but do make sure you've got a large cassette on the rear, otherwise it'll be a struggle in some places!

Tyres

We've used a selection of tyres over the years from semi-slick 1.8 to DH 2.4 The best, in our opinion is without a doubt the Maxxis High Roller II 2.35 or High Roller LUST 2.35 or something similair. The terrain is very rocky and technical in areas and the chance of a pinch flat is quite high. Thorns are not usually an issue but you do need to watch out for cactus! I'm a big fan of tubeless tyres in Spain where it seems to be ok to just fit, inflate and leave them alone.

Pads

These are not compulsory but are most definitely recommended. If you have them you might as well bring them!

Bars and Nightlife

The bars and nightlife outside Marrakech is very limited. However, Marrakech is a vibrant cosmopilitan city despite its magical and mysterious charm. The nightclubs and bars are incredible and there is type of club/bar to suit every style and taste in Marrakech!

Alcohol

We try and use hotels and lodges that are more tollerant to alcohol consumption. Buying beer and wine outside Marrakech is almost impossible except in a few hotels. As a result of this we often buy a 'stash' and bring it long in the support vehicle.

Bike parts

Bike parts in Morocco are VERY expenisve compared to Northern Europe or the USA. They can also be very challenging to get hold of so despite cycling undergoing an enourmous boom in Morocco

Spares

We have a good selection of spares in the support vehicle but the items we carry are usually fairly generic to enable us to keep most guests on the trail until they get home. Therefore, if you have anything specific to your bike, for example a rear mech hanger, bring a spare!

If all else fails we can ALWAYS get you a spare bike...

If you need to change something in your order, please contact us immediately. We usually process orders within 30 minutes, and after that, we will be unable to make any changes.

MTB, Road or eBike?

We always recommend bringing your own bike unless you're coming on one of our eBike adventures.

If you do need to hire a bike please let us know well in advance and we can arrange bike hire for you.

For the trail

When out on the trail there are some items you should always take with you as you would if you were going out for the day on your bike at home. Please see the list below

For evenings

A good book, favourite chocolate or any other creature comforts you can't live without!

We have NEVER cancelled a ride although there have been times when we have changed the route. Your safety is our prime concern and your guide will always have the final say. The mountains here go to 3500m and we know them well and as Mountain Biking is a dynamic sport and influenced by many factors such as fitness, ability, weather and other potentially unforseable events there may be a need at some point to amend or change a route or the itinarary.

Unless you're coming as part of a group or on a private tour/adventure the maximum group size is 10. We need a minimum of four to run a tour.