Reviews

Cycling Morocco's Great South

An excellent tour, well supported and well managed, but spoiled by Exodus’s failure to warn us adequately about the very cold cycling conditions high in the mountains.

Most Inspirational Moment

Cycling on quiet, well surfaced mountain roads in spectacular country

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very good

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be aware that the information that Exodus produces on the climate in Morocco applies to low altitude cities like Marrakech, but not to the high mountain villages and towns where we stay. You need to be prepared for the equivalent of UK winter cycling in February.

Suggestions

We were upset to find that our original tour in March was cancelled and we were forced to switch to February, which was colder. We discovered that the original March tour was going ahead after all.

Reply from Exodus

We would like to thank Tony for his feedback, although we are very sorry that the tour he had planned to join was cancelled. Whilst we can confirm that this departure did not go ahead, we are sorry if he would have preferred to join a later tour. Our trip notes advise that there is the possibility of much colder weather in February, but we nonetheless regret that Tony felt inadequately advised. We were pleased, however that he had an excellent tour and that he found the group leader to be very good.

Tom Harari – Product Manager

Quiet roads among beautiful rugged scenery

This was my first cycling trip and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Morocco is a super winter holiday destination and I will definitely be booking more trips in the saddle! Beautiful rugged landscapes.

Wonderful autumn cycling trip

Just returned from really great cycling trip. Lovely route – we chose this trip over ones with other companies because of the route, mix of the mountains and time on coast in Essaouria. This was our first trip with Exodus and my husband Graham and I were very impressed. Fantastic tour leader in Liz, she managed every aspect of the tour superbly – logistics with the support vehicles – during rides never more than 10k away from drinks etc and sweeper support at rear in case of incidents. On the route there are lots of long ascents and Liz described what to expect extremely well in terms of the uphills and downhills, no-one got into the van on any of the rides and I believe this was due in large part to Everyone having confidence in Liz’s descriptions and timing of stops etc. Coming over the high pass on day 3 we encountered very heavy mist, Liz managed the descent extremely well with everyone feeling safe and comfortable with the ride down. Fantastic fun group of people to ride with, everyone gelled and mixed in together really quickly and whilst there was of course a range of fitness and technical cycling ability, it was relatively modest and at stops it was on average 15mins between first and last of the group arriving. Due to nature of the trip, lunches are roadside picnics every day, these were simple but fresh and filling. Accommodation is also simple but clean, in the first couple of places in the mountains there was some issues with lack of hot water, but to be honest whilst this isn’t ideal I think you need to accept that this type of issue can happen when travelling in a large group in the mountains in Morocco. We were fortunate that weather was kind to us every day, if we’d arrived cold and wet lack of hot water would have been more of an issue. Support team with Liz were v friendly and helpful as well. Really recommend trip

Helpful Information

My husband and I just returned from our first Exodus cycling experience and it will be our last time using Exodus.
Firstly, There were 2 bright spots of this cycle our Guide Marouan was great and the areas that we cycled were spectacular. If you are a cyclist and enjoy climbing this is a great trip. However, don’t listen to the comments on the Exodus site specifically for this trip. You need to know how to cycle, be in good physical shape and have trained for this trip. It is not the Tour De France, but as an avid, athletic cyclist, I found some of the mountains challenging and long.
Secondly, Exodus failed in so many ways on the delivery of this trip.
a) Accommodations: Some of our accommodations were awful, less than 1 star! They were dirty and at some places, we did not have hot water. This to me after a long day of cycling is not a nice thing to have but a necessity. Interesting that on our way home, we met other people who had cycled the same route with different companies and their accommodations were superior to our accommodations. This tells me that better accommodations are possible!
b) Food: The food did not provide the nutrients that were needed for the challenges of the day. There were some mornings where all we received were an assortment of Moroccan breads and jams. Days when we did get a boiled egg for breakfast we were allotted 1 per person. This trip required proper nutrients, especially protein. The meals at dinner were more plentiful and most were tasty.
c) Lunches and Snacks: While cycling, lunches, and snacks were provided. We had the same lunch every single day with the only variation being, rice or pasta. There were a series of cut-up vegetables, rice/pasta, bread, and some cheese. By the end of the trip, we had run out of condiments to accompany the lunches. The lunches were all on the side of the road set up by the drivers and we had stools to sit on that were filthy and lacked any sort of comfort. My husband and I cycle every year with a tour and this is the first time, we have ever not had a pleasant destination for our “lunch break.” To make matters worse, the lunches were prepared by the same people who were driving the support vans and fixing our bikes. Their hands were not clean and one day I saw one of the people preparing my lunch, cutting his toenails! Yes, I took pictures as I was in disbelief! Needless to say, I did not eat any other lunches for the rest of the trip. Exodus..come on, at some of our lunch stops there were restaurants with beautiful vistas of the surroundings 100 meters away from where we stopped. Spend some money and give us the proper rest and nutrition that we need to cycle for the rest of the day.
c) Van Support: On our 2nd day of cycling, we had a really hard and long ascent. Everyone ran out of water on the ascent and when we got to the top of the mountain, 2 of the support vans were there. I could not understand why one of the vans could not have been providing us with water along the way. In addition to this, none of the van support workers knew the dynamics of the ride. When we would ask what to expect for the next phase of the ride most often, their descriptions were totally incorrect.
My husband I met some wonderful cyclists on this trip and certainly the camaraderie made the experience better. As mentioned this was our first experience cycling with Exodus and they failed to meet even our basic expectations.

Review of Cycling Morocco's Great South

Itinerary: This trip leads through the Atlas Mountains, a geographically striking region formed with crumbling sedimentary rock (frequent rocks on the road). It has relatively few people, with homes nestled on mountain hillsides and very limited architectural diversity (and confusing abandonment of homes never explained by guide though asked several times). There are very limited crops (confined to irrigated areas).

Traffic was generally limited but roads were very narrow with crumbling edges leaving limited space for bikes and vehicles and many potholes (especially down from peak on Day 3). Vehicles were consistently courteous and safe in passing. Inclines were long and steep, especially Day 3 (elevation gain 1009m to Tizi n’Test Pass) and Day 6 when ½ the group quit cycling. Wind was a major factor on Day 3. Some rain but not a factor. Day 6 included a long muddy road (under construction) no one was prepared for so everyone got muddy (why not load up the bikes to get around?). The bikes were fine: hybrids with triple cranks and disk brakes. Almost no facilities while enroute; no complaints including from ladies in group. No maps provided.

Accommodation: This was diverse from rustic to exquisite. The group appeared satisfied with this mix. Service was generally very good.

Food: Again some range with generally very good food and service. Most meals were included making overall costs for this trip very reasonable and a number of very good meals were had in our hotel (easy access after a long day cycling).

Communication: This was the weakest element of the trip. Our guide, Marouane Bagaz, provided vague and sometimes misleading cycling information (how far; how steep) and provided little or no cultural or historic information. He routinely put off questions asked or gave mumbled responses. There was a mike in the bus but never used. This frustrated everyone. I left Morocco with no added understanding besides what I read or observed. This was, without question, the weakest cultural experience on any Exodus trip I have taken.

Overall: I would not recommend this trip. The terrain is dry, hot and almost barren with limited interest among flora and fauna (besides goats). The roads are narrow, rough and hard on bodies especially wrists. The climbs are long and steep raising questions about whether this is a “4” or “5” trip. It is suitable only for very-trained intermediate and advanced rides. And, unless the guide situation is improved, I will recommend a number of other Exodus cycling trips with none of these caveats.

Most Inspirational Moment

Surviving.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Not competent

Advice for Potential Travellers

Find another Exodus trip. This one does not currently meet the Exodus standard of excellence for tour guide.

Reply from Exodus

We would like to thank Terry for his feedback, although we are sorry that he was disappointed by aspects of the tour’s leadership. Whilst Marouane is a relatively new Exodus tour leader, the feedback we normally receive about his leadership is positive. We have, however, followed up with Marouane regarding the importance of providing clear and concise briefings on the day ahead and of ensuring that his groups are well informed with local knowledge; we trust he has taken this feedback on board, but we remain sorry that Terry was left disappointed.

Frances Spowart – Product Manager

 

A tough but exciting adventure

I have hesitated about writing a review this time as I was one of the slower riders but as someone who reads them I think it can help sometimes. So here goes.
This was a very tough cycling trip for me. Having said that…..I’m glad I did it.
It was certainly a case of either cycling up a mountain or down one. Only a few miles was flat. The climbs went up and up and up and up and up. Hours at a time. In most cases the gradient wasn’t too bad most of the time but it was a long slog to get to the top……with many false summits on the way which really take some doing to overcome and carry on. The descents of the other side were fantastic. I loved them. Down and down and down and down forever. Great speed. Great thrill.
I am relatively fit and active for my age and do many sports but this cycling was hard. I am not a club cyclist. Obviously those who do ride more seriously climbed the hills better and got to the top a good 20/30 minutes before me………but I did manage to cycle the whole trip and am very proud of my achievement. The mini bus was always available for those who did not always want to cycle.
We were well looked after and I never felt at risk at all.
I wasn’t too keen on my bike !! Not as good as my last Exodus Cycling Holiday. Trouble was none of them had any front suspension and we did go over some very rough terrain and some very long descents. Very surprising not to have this feature in this day and age.
Personally I felt it appropriate to dress modestly but not necessary to the extreme. Shorts seemed fine with many of the ladies wearing their lycra shorts. T.shirts with sleeves (long or short) were the most common tops. In the evening I found a long dress very comfy but a very casual one, nothing fancy. Or leggings or loose trousers. I wore a jacket one morning when we started off with a long downhill otherwise I was never cold.
The hotels varied quite a bit from concrete beds in one mountain auberge to a suite with huge comfy beds and loads of hot water in others………….with everything in between including some very nice traditional old rhiads. I loved it all being different and enjoyed all the experiences.
Some of the hotels had swimming pools and we did manage some swims but often the long cycling days meant we didn’t always have much time in the evenings……..plus in my case I was very tired (ha ha).
Alcohol was not always available. We were delighted on the few occasions it was and the guides did their best to find us some at other times. It’s just nice at the end of a long hard day !!
Food was good. There wasn’t anything I didn’t like. However, I have “suggested” to Exodus that at least eggs are needed for breakfast with such huge rides to cope with. We did have eggs every morning except for two when it was just bread and jams. Very nice but just not substantial enough.
Being on the move means that washing clothes through is pretty much impossible although some people did manage. Getting them dry is the difficulty.
Take toiletries as they are not always provided.
Make sure you fill your water bottle again at the end of the day so you have drinking water for the night and for cleaning teeth etc. Most hotels do not provide water in your rooms and it cannot always be bought.
Nobody got ill that I know of but it’s only sensible to be careful. No ice, ice cream, salad washed in suspect water etc. Usual stuff.
The mountains catch the sunlight beautifully. They ouse power. The landscape is rock and sand but it still has great appeal.
We had a super group of people from various countries. It worked well.
I recommend the trip if you want a challenge because it is certainly that.
If you are prepared you will be fine. Enjoy !!

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.

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.

Trip of a lifetime.

An excellent trip, demanding climbs followed by exhilerating descents coupled with stunning scenery all around.

Cycle Morocco's Great South

Beautiful and varied trip with stunning landscapes, villages, mountains, sea and cities.