Why You Should Explore Morrocco By Bike, A Great Active Travel Vacation
Leisure travel and tourism have been booming in recent years, and ever since the pandemic, travelers have been seeking new, more exotic destinations, some of which have become red hot. Morocco is one of these, with a record 17.4 million international tourists last year, the most in all of Africa and a staggering 20% one-year increase over 2023. Several notable new hotels have opened or are under construction, and United Airlines recently launched the first ever non-stop from the U.S. to Marrakech, from Newark, which I wrote about here at Forbes (also, Royal Air Maroc flies nonstop to Casablanca). But while there are many ways to experience this colorful country with amazing cuisine and dramatic landscapes, here's why you should explore Morrocco by bike, a great active travel vacation.
There is a long laundry list of things to do and see, but the top must-see and must-experience attractions are the incomparable Sahara Desert, camels and its luxury desert camps; the wildly exotic, bewitching and art-crazed city of Marrakech; stunning luxury hotels like Sir Richard Branson's legendary Kasbah Tamadot; the unique Moroccan form of lodging know as riads, luxury homes of the rich and powerful turned into high-end takes on the bed and breakfast; the stunning landscapes at every turn; and the food, delicious local signatures like tajines of lamb or chicken, the dates, figs and olives, the couscous, ample seafood offerings, and the surprisingly good home grown wines.
The scenery in Morocco is very varied, but the one luxurious constant for cycling was miles of empty ... More roads.
One exceptional but lesser-known way to experience all of these in a deep, hands-on, experiential dive, while getting some exercise, but in luxury fashion with expert guides, is a bike trip, specifically a trip with the world's white glove active travel leader, Butterfield & Robinson, the company that literally invented the guided luxury cycling trip category way back in 1975. For the 50 years since, they have remained family-owned and customer-focused, with an exceptionally high repeat rate and some of the best guides in the travel industry. Morocco was one of the very first countries outside of France B&R began running its luxury guided trips to, back in 1994. That's more than 30 years of experience and personal relationships. There are other high-quality cycling tour operators I love, and have written about here, but I chose B&R for Morrocco specifically for their insider connections, long local track record, guides, and because they include all the things I had on my to-do list: top hotels, great food and a unique desert experience in a place where these are often overly packaged.
After all, the company's longtime motto, 'Slow Down to See The World,' is especially apt in Morocco.
Not only is traffic virtually non-existent, but guides also drive in back and front of cyclists to ... More keep them in a protected zone—see the lone rider in the distance?
I love active travel, have written on this niche for decades, and have done great cycling trips all over the world, including the sport's 'Bucket List' spots such as Tuscany and Burgundy. But one thing about Morrocco shocked me, one thing that makes a cycling trip much better, and something I have never seen to his extent anyplace else: empty roads. Miles and miles of empty roads. Empty, as in well paved two-lane highways through gorgeous landscapes where we might be passed—cautiously and in a friendly manner—by one car every 30 or 45 minutes. Empty where you could ride four abreast and chat the whole way. If you road ride, you know that is very unusual, and a true luxury, and one of the main reasons people do not road ride is fear of cars. Not a worry in Morrocco.
It seems like overkill, but to make it even safer and better, Butterfield & Robinson takes a unique strategy on its trips here, accompanying each group with not just the usual support van full of cold drinks, snacks, mechanical support and the omnipresent option of stopping exercise altogether, but also a second guide car. One goes in front and one behind, just about all the time, at cycling pace, sandwiching the riders into an even more protected zone of comfort. Ironically, if there was more traffic this wouldn't be possible, and with the limited vehicular action here it probably is not necessary at all, but it makes some travelers feel better, and that is what the high-touch B&R experience is all about.
Exercise makes the country's amazing food even more enjoyable.
That was the big surprise takeaway of Morrocco, just how car free the carefully chosen routes were, but in addition, Morrocco is great for all the reasons why almost any cycling trip is great. You cover more ground than you could walking, but at a pace much more intimate than by car or train, where you can stop anytime you see something of interest, anytime you want to take a picture, and you just get more connected to the place you are. You also feel less guilty about eating all the great food and drinking all the great wine when you exercise. But it is not overly challenging or difficult, as the terrain here is mostly flat or rolling, no huge climbs, with the option for choosing electric motor assisted e-bikes over traditional bikes on every trip, so even the most inexperienced cyclist can enjoy the splendors of Morrocco.
I've written many other stories for Forbes on active travel and cycling trips and why they are awesome, so take a look at this one which explains more about all the reasons why these are fantastic vacations.
B&R has multiple Morocco itineraries, but the trip I did was called Morrocco Multi-Active, though unlike most multisport trips it was cycling-centric, with one day of hiking and the desert camp as the only non-cycling activities. In some places avid cyclists just want to ride, every day, but here you would really be missing something if you skipped these two experiences.
The landscapes are huge but the traffic is tiny—other than the occasional cyclists.
It begins in Ouarazate, the 'Hollywood' of Morrocco, home to its high-profile film industry, where classics like Lawrence of Arabia, modern classics like Gladiator and the wildly popular Game of Thrones were shot. If you arrive a day early you can do a really fun studio tour. From here the riding starts in what is known as the Almond Valley, the foothills of the country's famous high Atlas Mountains, with a stay at a wonderful historic luxury property in a literal oasis. Dar Ahlam is a 19th century kasbah converted to boutique hotel, set amidst palm groves, and its name translates fittingly to 'House of Dreams.'
This is followed by a 4x4 trip into the desert, with the last leg on the backs of camels to a luxury camp. It is important to understand that overnight desert excursions have become such a big tourism business in Morrocco that many are very low end, even scams, with a churn and burn approach. Butterfield goes to a different area than almost all other tour operators, and the camp is an extension of the Dar Ahlam hotel you just stayed at, operated by the same management and staff with the same excellent food in a very small-scale style, akin to top luxury African safari camps. We never saw another camp and our group were the only guests.
Arriving at a luxury desert camp by camel is pretty special.
Then it's back to the same hotel for another night, another bike ride and a guided walking tour of the oasis gardens.
The next day is a longer ride on an empty rolling road that moves into the Atlas Mountains, with frequent stops to take pictures of the stunning scenery before reaching Kasbah Tamadot, one of Morrocco's standout luxury resorts, part of Richard Branson's highest end Virgin Limited collection. This area was greatly impacted by the destructive 2023 earthquakes and sadly the resort had to be temporarily closed. The silver lining is that much of it has been rebuilt and in many ways it is even better than ever. This is home base for two nights, with stunning grounds, huge luxury villa-style suites, an amazing pool and spa complex, and wonderful bars and restaurants, complete with strolling tableside magicians that set the mystical mood. The next day is a real highlight, a hike guided by an expert local mountaineer passing through several traditional Berber villages, with a classic feast-style lunch at the highest one. A donkey handler accompanies the group, carrying all the water and supplies for the unique trek.
This showcases another special advantage Butterfield enjoys, that will come up again and again. They have been doing this for so long that they have relationships with the best hiking guides, the best hotels, the best city guides, even the best 4x4 drivers—which in Morrocco is a big deal—and you constantly benefit from this insider knowledge. There is a reason why this hike, and many other experiences, feels really special, and really special is what we want from travel.
The main pool at Kasbah Tamadot.
Another day of riding from Kasbah Tamadot takes the group close to vibrant Marrakech, where they load into vehicles for the final leg. The last lodging is a boutique riad perfectly positioned to explore the city's old walled center, its famous souks, and the signature main square, Jemaa el-Fnaa. This is a world-famous highlight, a massive open space full of an incredible variety of restaurant food stalls, snake charmers, fortune tellers, musicians, just the beating heart of Northern Africa, and an absolute must-experience. There is a guided evening tour of the action, and the next day, a final special treat.
Butterfield & Robinson has a longstanding personal relationship with the city's most famous guide, who has led royalty, celebrities and U.S Presidents, and is now largely retired but still comes out for their groups, making you an instant VIP at key Marrakech attractions such as the Yves Saint Laurent Museum, Majorelle Gardens, Bahia Palace, and in the narrow passageways of the souk and old city, culminating with a final, amazing festive multi-course lunch of tajines, local specialties and wine.
Djemma el Fna, the famous square and market place at dusk in Marrakech,Morocco
Many guests opt to stay on a day or two or more n Marrakech, and so did we. By the end of this trip, my first to Morrocco, we had experienced so many different things, including the big highlights, in a luxurious insider fashion that would have been virtually impossible to manage on our own. Plus, we got to experience the fantastic roads, scenery, dining and exercising along the way. That's why you should explore Morrocco by bike, a great active travel vacation.
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