Cycle Morocco's Great South

Pedal through remote villages and the rugged Atlas Mountains

Encompassing the best of Morocco, this trip will take us past the foothills of Mount Toubkal, golden kasbahs, impressive gorges and the long sandy beach of Essaouira. This spectacular route follows smooth paved roads and climbs over high mountain passes that reward you with spectacular vistas of the High Atlas Mountains. A real highlight is riding through Paradise Valley, close to Imouzzer, where a palm-filled valley leads to a high pass with views down to the ocean below.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that have a positive impact on the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Learn more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible.
• We buy supplies from small shops in the villages we pass through which supports the local economy.
• If guests have time in Marrakech at the end of the tour we suggest they have lunch at the Amal Women’s training centre which helps women improve their livelihood.
• Read more about our other initiatives here.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for re-usable bottles.
• We rewild 100 square metres per passenger to compensate for all trip and flight emissions.
• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• Cycling trips like this have very little detrimental impact on the environment and the locals, as it is a quiet, low impact activity requiring comparatively few resources to support.
• Our local partners have reached B Corp Certification which requires that they demonstrate high levels of social and environmental performance.
• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: we do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: please bring a re-usable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.

Visa

Morocco

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Morocco. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/africa/morocco
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/morocco
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/morocco/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Morocco.html

Vaccination

Morocco

Eating and Drinking

All breakfasts, six lunches and six dinners are included.

Moroccan food is excellent, though not particularly varied. Breakfasts usually consist of bread, and jam with tea or coffee. Lunches are a mixture of packed lunches or eating in a local restaurant. They are generally a mixture of bread, pasta, rice, vegetables, cheese, fish, ham and fruit.

Where meals are not included budget for the following approximate prices.

Lunches: 60 to 100 Dirham (US$6-10) Dinners: In cities 80 to 200 Dirham (US$8-19) and in small towns villages 60 – 100 Dirham (US$6-10)

Soft drinks in restaurants : 10 to 20 Dirham (US$1-1.90) Alcohol: Beer 30 to 50 Dirham (US$2.85-5)– Wine 150 Dirham (US$14) and more

Vegetarians can be catered for but there is a fairly limited choice of vegetarian couscous, tajine or omelettes. This is particularly the case during the more rural sections of the trip. Please note that if you have any special dietary requirements you should inform the Exodus Office prior to the trip. If you have a specific medical/dietary need (e.g. coeliac or vegan) you may find it helpful to bring some food with you from home.

Weather

Mountains can make their own weather, so we may occasionally be forced to amend the itinerary for part of the trip. On the plains, the days are usually warm to hot (above 25C/77F) but the nights are cooler. In the higher areas and the mountains, days should be warm or even hot in October and April, with clear skies, but the nights are often cold (sometimes around 7C/45F). On the high ridges of the High Atlas there can be snow, but not normally enough to affect the areas in which we cycle; if a road is closed, we will arrange a suitable alternative ride. Rainfall in the areas we visit is relatively low though there is a chance of rain, particularly on trips in December, January and February. Although unusual, there is also the possibility of much colder weather during these months and into the beginning of March.

Is this trip for you?

This tour is classified Road and Activity Level 4 (Moderate/Challenging).

• Terrain and route: 90 percent paved, 10 percent unsurfaced road with an average daily distance of 42mi (68km).
• Fitness: A good level of fitness is required for this trip as there are some climbs, with 13mi (21km) as the longest.
• Rides: Mostly undulating with several optional long climbs and fast descents. There is ongoing road development in Morocco and the quality of the surface improves every year. However, there may be some sections on rough or dirt tracks and for that reason we don’t currently recommend the use of drop bar road bikes on this trip.
• Temperature: Southern Morocco enjoys a warm climate from October through to March and although there is always the chance of rain, this is unlikely during this period. It can be very hot during late April and September.

Please note, Ramadan is expected to run from 10 March 2024 to 10 April 2024. Ramadan is a special time to visit Morocco as it is one of the most important periods in the Muslim calendar. Each evening the streets empty while people return home to break the fast and then there is an air of festivity every evening. Our leaders and drivers choose to work at this time so we continue to run trips however please be aware their energy levels may be slightly lower. Tourist sites are still open although closing times may be earlier than usual. Your leader will know how the timings for each day need to be adapted in order to still experience all the inclusions on this trip. Restaurants may close during the day and this is also accounted for in planning meal arrangements for your group. Shops are usually open though their hours may vary and they will definitely be closed during the breaking of the fast. To fully enjoy your holiday experience at this unique time of year we suggest patience and flexibility (in fact these are useful at any time of year on any overseas holiday).

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.