High Atlas · Dadès Valley · Erg Chigaga
Bikes in the Atlas & Sahara
Road and gravel from 2,260 metres to the edge of the desert.
The Atlas on two wheels
This retreat starts in Marrakech at the foot of the Atlas Mountains and ends at Erg Chigaga, one of Morocco's most remote dune fields. Between them lie five days of riding through high passes, valley routes, and ancient caravan roads. The movement is real cycling: sustained effort, elevation change, and the specific reward of arriving at a place under your own power.
The route follows the Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 metres, the highest paved road in North Africa, then descends into the Draa Valley and continues south through the Dadès Gorge and the Casbah Route toward M'hamid el Ghizlane. The final stage exchanges tarmac for piste, and the ride ends where the road ends. From there, a support vehicle carries the group the last 60 kilometres to the private camp at Erg Chigaga.
A support vehicle travels alongside the group throughout, carrying water, kit, and the day's supplies. A cycling coach and local guides manage route and rhythm. Recovery sessions, cold plunge, breathwork, and stretching, are built into each evening. The two desert days at Erg Chigaga are rest and restoration, designed to let the body absorb what the riding asked of it.
Enquire about this retreatWhat this retreat includes
8-day itinerary
Arrival & bike fit
Groups arrive in Marrakech and transfer to the riad. Afternoon: bike fitting, kit check, and briefing with the cycling coach. The evening brings a longevity-focused welcome dinner, a first breathwork session, and early rest. The Atlas begins at the door.
Tizi n'Tichka, the summit day
The defining climbing day of the retreat. 90 kilometres from the medina to Ouarzazate, with the Tizi n'Tichka pass at 2,260 metres as the centrepiece. The first hour is the approach through olive groves and Atlas foothills. The climb opens gradually, wide switchbacks and a view that deepens with every metre of altitude. The summit is flat, cold, and very quiet. The descent into the pre-Saharan plateau is long and fast. Camp in Ouarzazate.
The Casbah Route
100 kilometres along the Route des Kasbahs, a broad river valley flanked by mud-brick fortresses, palm gardens, and rose terraces. The gradient is gentle and the rhythm recovers naturally from yesterday's summit effort. The Dadès Gorge narrows in the final section, walls rising close on both sides. Camp deep in the gorge.
Deep south, the Draa Valley
95 kilometres through the lower Draa Valley toward Tamegroute, home of one of the oldest libraries in southern Morocco. The route flattens into long straight roads through palmeries and scattered kasbahs. Headwind is possible; the support vehicle runs in parallel. The light shifts in the afternoon and the air carries the first trace of desert. Recovery session and hammam in Tamegroute.
The last road south
35 kilometres from Tamegroute to M'hamid el Ghizlane, the end of the paved road. The descent is gradual. Vegetation thins kilometre by kilometre until there is none. M'hamid is a transition town, arriving here on a bicycle marks a specific passage. The road ends here. Bikes are loaded onto the support vehicle for the crossing to Erg Chigaga.
Desert recovery
Two days at a private luxury camp in Erg Chigaga, 60 kilometres beyond the last road. No cycling. The programme centres on rest and restoration: morning breathwork, guided walks into the dunes at sunrise, cold plunge, deep stretching, and two nights under the Saharan sky. These days exist to let the body absorb what five days of riding asked of it, and to encounter the desert on its own terms.
Return to Marrakech
Transfer by support vehicle from Erg Chigaga to M'hamid, then by road to Marrakech or Ouarzazate airport. The return takes most of the day. Most international flights connect through Casablanca. Departures are organised around the group's schedules.
Practical information
Start at the summit
Eight days of riding from the Atlas peaks to the Sahara. Private group, small size, support vehicle and mechanic throughout.