Snowy Morocco and Sahara sands in Alps. It’s not exactly what you’d expect, but that’s the reality we faced in late March 2024. Snow in Morocco is actually quite typical during the winter, Atlas Mountains are reaching over 4000m of elevation and they are an exotic destination for ski-touring during the early year time. However, having a heavy snowfall later in the year did not only surprise myself but also my guides and organizers of the epic Mountain Bike Trip.
| Table of contents |
|---|
| Overall Experience |
| Marrakech |
| Oukameiden |
| Imlil |
| Id Aissa |
| Amizmiz |
| Ouirgane |
| Tagadirt |
| GoPro Recordings |
| Gallery |
Overall Experience / Summary
Atlas Mountains are the highest mountains in the northern Africa reaching up to 4000m high. The Atlas is located just one or two hours from the heart of Marrakech. There are friendly Berber villages tucked away in the high valleys and up on the plateau, linked by a dense network of rugged mule paths.
The offer from Mountain Bike Morocco was too good to resist – an epic 6-day Freeride / Enduro Biking adventure, with an extra couple of days in Marrakech for arrival and departure. Taking place in late March 2024, this trip was truly one-of-a-kind for several reasons:
- First off, it was during Ramadan, which added an extra layer of magic to the days in those remote villages. We mingled with locals, enjoyed homemade traditional meals, and soaked in the unique atmosphere.
- The aftermath of Morocco’s biggest Earthquake was still visible, with villages in ruins and debris scattered all around. Many hostels were destroyed, and locals were living in makeshift tents in temporary settlements.
- Mother Nature had blessed the mountains with lots of snow, rain, hail, wind, making some days a real challenge. We had to dig deep and show serious dedication, especially when tackling those high mountain open passages.
- It was a “solo” ride together with the guide Rajesh and the driver/chef Ahmed giving the freedom to set the own pace each day.
The mountain biking was no walk in the park, it was tough. For sure it was due to the given circumstances, however I found even more enjoyment in it. We had to alter our itinerary on the fly due to the snowy conditions and damaged paths due to past earthquake. Some days, we faced lengthy cross-country sections (one can call it “connector sections”) that could’ve been avoided with the van transport that was part of the offering anyway.
I’m grateful for the trip as it was. It took me to remote corners I’d never have ventured to otherwise. I pushed my limits to conquer those snowy and rainy days and cherished the time spent in raw nature, far from the tourist crowds.
Marrakech
Arriving at the Morocco airport, I found myself stuck in long queues. Met Hussein for the first time ever, then hopped into a van for a quick transfer to the Medina area. There was this guy with a trolley who grabbed my luggage and dashed off, pushing it all the way to the hotel where cars couldn’t reach. Met up with a group doing a Sahara MTB trip and headed into Medina for a local dinner called Tajine. Everything happened at lightning speed, and I had this idea that Ramadan would be a laid-back time of the year. Guess Marrakech is a touristic hub all year round.
After sunset, the city starts buzzing. Prayers kick off at 7pm, marking the locals’ first meal of the day. Shops and restaurants are closed or turn away tourists for the next hour. Later, Jemma el-Fnaa square transforms into a packed party spot, with locals asking for coins if they catch you snapping pics or filming. Those dodgy juice drinks are all over the place, but it’s best to steer clear for your own safety. You can get easily sick from the water in the drinks or exposed fruits on the sun for long time.
Starting the day with sightseeing seemed like a solid plan. Badi Palace was practically deserted, but Bahia Palace had long queues forming, so I skipped it. Medina has its own charm, but I’ll be honest, few hours walking through those narrow streets with all sorts of smells was pretty tiring.
Oukaimeden
The day for riding had arrived. I was told I’d be driven to the ski resort at Oukaimeden. There, I’d assemble my bike and we’d hit the trails. In the morning, the same trolley guy from my first day in Marrakech showed up. “Alright,” I thought, “I know this guy.” He loaded my luggage and bike bag onto the trolley and sprinted away from the heart of Medina to the closest roundabout where cars passed through. I recognized the place from my sightseeing the day before.
A Renault Kangoo-like car pulled up, my luggage was loaded, and a new driver greeted me. “Who are you?” I asked. “What’s the problem?” he replied. “Where are we going? What’s my name?” I quizzed. He answered, “Oukaimeden and Vladko.” It sounded legit. How else would he know? So, I hopped into the car, and off to the start the day.
The sunny weather turned into a drizzle, the temperature dropped to the freezing point, it started snowing a bit. Soon, I realized I was under-dressed, who would’ve guessed? When we reached the ski resort, it was snowing heavily. The driver parked near an old Mercedes Benz van, where two guys were warming up covered by the sleeping bags. One could see the steam coming out of their mouths while there where introducing themselves. Rajesh, my guide and Ahmed, the driver. Finally, two names I recognized from the briefing the day before.
They loaded my bags into the car, I changed into warmer clothes, but I just wasn’t prepared for snow and zero-like temperatures. I assembled my bike inside the van, and we set off. It was a quick start, probably because it was freezing cold. Rajesh explained that due to Ramadan, he was conserving energy (no drinking and eating during the day), so the van would take him as high as possible on the road, and I should follow the track on my bike. It was easy to follow. The car left tire marks on the snowy road, and later, I only saw marks from the mountain bike. There was nobody else in sight, just me trying to catch with Rajesh and the Benz passing by with my luggage.
We cycled to the saddle at 3000m, with Oukmeiden sitting at 2600m. The ground was covered by white wet snow, and the sky was a dull grey, limiting visibility. Yet, the scenery was breathtaking. It felt like being on the moon or at the bottom of the ocean, with snowflakes flying around like plankton and I am the whale chasing them.
The lunch spot was located down in the settlement, hidden in one of the remote Berber houses – an absolute gem you’d only find with the help of locals. Tajine, salad, and mint tea became the golden tasty standard throughout the trip. Though I can’t say I was warm, having a roof over my head was a relief. As we descended, the snow turned to rain and hail, giving us another special rough treatment.
These weather conditions stuck with us also after lunch until we reached the next pass. We quickly stop at the top to get some warm and head to Imlil village – the starting point for many hikers aiming for the highest peaks in the Atlas Mountains.
Imlil
When we arrived, a driver with the support vehicle was already at the spot, he carried my luggage into the cute guesthouse. The lobby includes one bathroom and hot shower, it is really just what I needed to unfroze. From the lobby, you enter to the shared space with a fireplace and several sofas on the sides and entrances to the separate rooms. The guesthouse was already occupied by 6 wet hikers conquering the Toubkal (highest mountain in Atlas) in next days. Although they were not sure if it is doable due to the amount of snow that surprised probably every guide. At some point, it was so cold in the guesthouse, that the chimney was partly or fully closed to get the hot steam from fireplace into the room. Feeling warm and bit out of breath is better than cold and fresh air.
The weather predictions were optimistic, but it was still pouring next day. We needed to change the plan. There is too much snow on the high altitude pass, and the mules with the luggage would not do it. Or guests ? I think the guide was just kind to myself, but in the end, it was good decision. We cycled around the mountain pass on the off-road double-track that happen to be sometimes flooded, covered by the landslides looking like a single track. The colors were epic, white, black, gray and dark red from the mountains.
This ride was short and it was just enough, 3 hours of riding. There was not big difference between elapsed time and riding time. Basically I was not stopping, always keeping in motion to keep the warm under the goretex jacket. Average temperature was 0 degrees with strong wind, drizzle, hail, snow and all together. Rajesh switched to the e-bike in the morning, perhaps to keep the pace up with me, but he was kind enough to always stay close and not to rush to the another guesthouse. When we finally reached it, he vanished like only magician could do. Hot shower had a priority for sure.
Id Aissa
I woke up early to catch the first rays of sunlight, and finally, the sky was crystal clear, revealing the beauty surrounding our “gite,” as they call it – a French term for a cottage. The gite was simple, basic house with electricity and water. Both can have blackouts or be switched off at any point in the day, better to always charge any electronic devices when possible. Internet connection was either weak or non-existent. It’s best to grab a SIM card, I was recommended Maroc Telecom for the best coverage in the mountains, and it worked most of the times.
When I took a look around, I understood why Rajesh suggested we rest and leave a bit later. The high mountains around blocked the sunlight from reaching our side of the valley until around 9 am. Across the valley, I spotted kids playing in the sunshine. There was a field in front of their house made of mud and stones, kids were just running from one side of the field to another and back, pure happiness. Our clothes remained soaked, only drying out shortly before 10 am. Despite this, we ended up leaving even later, around 11 am, the access road was washed out from continuous heavy rain and littered with rocks and debris, making it impassable for my support vehicle. We needed to wait till someone will clear it out.
As we descended towards the entry of the first trail of the day, I began to understand what Rajesh meant by “the gites are not working,” though the full impact didn’t hit me until the next day. Many gites were destroyed, with half of the buildings collapsed into ruins.
At one point, we passed through the small town of Ouirgane, home to an artificial water reservoir that resembled quite a large lake. The trail began at the edge of the reservoir, an ancient hiking path leading to another valley. The scenery was breathtaking. The dam on the reservoir altered the natural flow of the river, creating beautiful curves in the landscape. With the core of the mountains composed of red mud, and the water barely flowing, one could see the vibrant red-colored river snaking its way around. Having a red snake in front of me, a backdrop of the blue lake bit behind and the snowy white mountains of the Oukaimeden ski resort in very far, the views were simply spectacular.
When we arrived to the agreed spot, Ahmed had just finished cooking lunch, and to my surprise, he wasn’t just a driver but also an incredible chef. The portions were delicious and incredibly generous, I felt like I was eating for three people! I slipped into a total food coma. But that wasn’t the end of the day, there was more adventure waiting just around the corner. The cross-country segment through the Berber villages was truly eye-opening.
Amizmiz
A long cross-country day with very few short single tracks. This would be a short summary of the riding. However, having an enduro downhill oriented bike with heavy daily backpack with camel bag, energy bars, protectors, bike tools and clothes is just not compatible with such day. But you need to carry it for own safety, what can you do. These places are so remote…
For me, this day was not about the sceneries, although you could see a large plateau with the snowy mountains on the horizon. It was about realizing the huge impact of past earthquake that was the strongest recorded in Morocco with magnitude of 6.9. Passing through once nice Berber villages now destroyed covered by debris still laying around. The skeletons of hostels and houses stick out of the debris, scary areas. On the edge of the roads, there are makeshift tents where Berber people live. It is not just one or two tents, It’s like a small camp, you can see maybe 50 tents, another village on the other side of the debris.
El Baraka
The itinerary changed due to lots of snow on the passes. And in lower altitudes of Amizmiz, it was raining again and the humidity was quite palpable. While the weather models suggested it was just a “local” cloud, the sight of dark clouds stretching as far as the eye could see made me skeptical. Luckily, the rain clouds disappeared around the noon just when we approached the single track.
The ground absorbed most of the moisture, so the single track wasn’t particularly slippery. However, I quickly understood why those Berber houses were constructed using mud and rocks. Wet mud managed to wedge itself between the tire and the fender, creating a super solid, sticky structure that seemed to cling to my bike forever. It was tough to remove, a bicycle isn’t much of use when one wheel isn’t moving.
This day offered a diverse range of terrain. We traversed through Berber villages via mule paths and dry riverbeds, where sand reminded the surfing on the bike and perfectly round and smooth stones showed the rugged nature of this place.
Tagadirt
The previous days were filled with a mix of exploration, single trails, cross-country paths, and mule tracks. However, the last day was solely dedicated to the riding experience. The weather was perfect, sunny and simply amazing for the final day. After pedaling to the mountain peak, I unleashed full throttle on the descent without much pause. It was a wild ride through dirt, mud, rocks with breathtaking views, zipping past Berber villages and even doing some freeride action towards the artificial lake at Ouirgane. It was a fantastic way to conclude the trip.
Upon reaching our agreed meeting point, I spotted the familiar Mercedes Benz van. What a surprise. There was a new kangoo-type car behind it I did not recognize. However at this point, I knew exactly what was about to happen. I quickly disassembled my bike, gave farewell to Rajesh and Ahmed, and headed back to Marrakech with the new guy.
GoPro
| Day | GoPro Recording |
|---|---|
| 1 | Oukaimeden to Imlil | URL |
| 2 | Imlil to Id Aissa | URL |
| 3 | Id Aissa to Amizmiz | URL |
| 4 | Around Amizmiz | URL |
| 5 | Amizmiz to El Baraka | URL |
| 6 | Tagadirt to Ouirgane | URL |
Gallery
