Morocco
April 2023
In April 2023, we embarked on a wonderful adventure to Morocco. It was a perfect opportunity for us to combine our passion for traveling with motorcycling. Morocco proved to be the perfect country for exploring new roads by motorcycle. Thus, our new adventure began!
During this trip, Keith (KTM Adventure 1090) and Ronnie (Honda Rebel 500) joined Andre and Marleen, with especially Ronnie being a motorcycle that is quite rare in Morocco, receiving a lot of interest from the locals!
Friday, March 24 | Utrecht – Klundert
The day the first preparations for our trip started. Starting from April 6, we planed to start in Malaga, which is why we brought the motorcycles to the transport company two weeks in advance. We used a transport company to handle this for us, as it would save us from driving a total of 4600 kilometers back and forth to Malaga. This way, we would have more time to enjoy in Morocco.
Upon arriving at the transport company, the loaders were eagerly awaiting us. After placing the motorcycles on the pallets, they were ready for transport. All tools, motorcycle outfit and helmets were left behind. See you in 2 weeks!
Thursday, April 6th | Utrecht – Algeciras
After a flight from Amsterdam to Malaga, we were able to pick up our motorcycles at the depot of the transporter. Ronnie and Keith were already waiting for us with big smiles on their faces. It’s still surreal to be able to ride your own motorcycles so far from home. It’s already a dream come true!
We decided to take the AP-7 highway from Malaga to Algeciras, a harbor where the ferry to Tanger would be leaving from. Upon arriving, we checked into a hotel near the Algeciras port. We stayed there for the night to catch the boat the next morning. The wind was so strong, that the next morning our bikes would already be covered in sand. And we had yet to start the real adventure to the desert…
Friday, April 7th | Algeciras – Chefchaouen
On Friday morning at 10:30 AM our boat departed for Morocco. We chose to buy online tickets before our trip to avoid the hassle of searching for them on-site or encountering someone selling tickets illegally at the port. The price difference wasn’t significant, and it saved us a lot of time and stress. We had to provide a return date, but we could always adjust it later if needed.
On the boat, the crew helped us securing the motorcycles, which was necessary because we were crossing with wind force 8bft. Passport control was promptly conducted during the voyage, allowing us to arrange a stamp for Morocco. Upon arrival at Tanger Med, we went through various checkpoints. One was solely for stamping passports, while at another, a dog sniffed the luggage for illegal drugs. Finally, we had to show the papers for our motorcycles, and we were given a small document that apparently serves as proof of importing the motorcycles. It was an essential paper for leaving the country later on the way back, so make sure you DO NOT lose this paper.
After leaving the port, we made our first kilometers in Morocco, and it was exciting! It reminded us that we were riding our own motorcycles so far from home. We followed the P4701 and the N2 routes to Chefchaouen, where we had chosen a hotel with a rooftop, just outside the city center. After freshening up, we strolled through the ‘blue city’ and enjoyed the souk, the food, and the beautiful inner city, where everything is blue. Now our adventure really begun!
Saturday, April 8th | Chefchaouen – Fez
The morning began with a glance at the motorcycles, and fortunately, they were still there. We had parked them on the street in front of the hotel. It was a dead-end street and the hotel owner was keen to point out he had camera’s pointing at the motorcycles in case anything happened. After a delightful Moroccan breakfast, we prepared the motorcycles for the new day, with our final destination being Fez. Today, we covered the first kilometers on the N13, and for the last 100 kilometers, we opted for the R408/501 route. The R408 was manageable, but the R501 was quite bumpy with many potholes. Quite the challenge with a Honda Rebel…
Arriving in Fez, we chose to stay a bit closer to the city center this time. The hotel had mentioned parking availability. With that information, we entered the Medina of Fez, navigating through narrow streets. When we reached the Riad, we found out that we could only park there (for a fee) in a covered area near the entrance of the Medina. Fine for us since we preferred to have the motorcycles sheltered.
After freshening up, we explored Fez, witnessing the contrast between the new and old city. We also noticed the bustling street life, with exhaust fumes flying around everywhere. We bought delicious Moroccan snacks and couldn’t resist the alluring deals at the souk. Back at the hotel, we dined on our rooftop terrace, enjoying the splendid view and we got the try the typical Kefta. Another successful day!
Sunday, April 9th | Fez – Beni Mellal
This morning, we discovered that the speakers of the mosque were located next to our hotel. At 4 o’clock, we were awakened by the 45min long morning prayer. Welcome to Morocco. After breakfast and preparing the motorbike, we had a long journey ahead of us. We chose the N8 road, and despite it being an N road, it was hard work. It was a beautiful road with many delightful curves and charming, cozy villages for a short stop. Every now and then there were off-road sections that were not always pleasant for Ronnie, but we took it easy and paid close attention to potholes and flying stones.
After some busy days in different cities, we decided to have a night of rest just outside Beni Mellal. We stayed at a beautiful B&B where the hospitality was top-notch and decoration was made out of recycled materials! We could park the motorcycles on their premises, and there was even a possibility to rinse them off with a garden hose. Food and drinks were taken care of, and everything was truly delicious. We were able to relax and unwind comfortably.
Monday, April 10th | Beni Mellal – Marrakech
After a peaceful evening and night, and a delightful breakfast, we set off again, feeling fresh and energetic. We started on the N8 and took a detour via the R307 and R208 before returning to the N8. Another option would have been to visit the Ouzoud waterfalls through the R304 and P3105. Normally, we would definitely have made this visit, but due to time constraints and the long walk, we decided against it. After all, we are on an adventure with our motorcycles.
The last kilometers were on the N8, and that brought us to Marrakech. This time, we opted for a hotel outside the medina with its own parking garage. After freshening up and checking in, we explored Marrakech on foot. We enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the streets and watching people doing their shopping for dinner. In the early evening, we decided to walk back to the hotel and have dinner at a restaurant along the way. They had live music there, immersing us completely in the Moroccan atmosphere.
Tuesday, April 11th | Marrakech – Ait Ben Haddou
This morning, we woke up in our hotel in the bustling city of Marrakech. We strongly felt the need for some nature, so we decided to head towards the Atlas Mountains today. We took the beautiful route along the N9, also known as the Tizi n’Tichka pass. This road is considered one of the most stunning roads in the world! At the top, there’s a little shop where you can reward your motorcycle with a beautiful Morocco sticker! After the stop, we decided to continue our journey via the P1506, which turned out to be a great choice. In retrospect, it was the most beautiful route of the trip, with a gorgeous valley and views over the Grand Canyon of Morocco.
Eventually, we arrived in Ait Ben Haddou and decided to make it a stopover with an overnight stay. The hotel had a great view over the kasbah. In Ait Ben Haddou, being one of the famous tourist highlights, many tourist buses were coming and going. By staying overnight, we could visit the kasbah in the late afternoon when the tourists had left. After exploring the kasbah, we retreated for dinner and a relaxing evening at the riad.
Wednesday, April 12 | Ait Ben Haddou – Boumalne Dades
This morning, we woke up with fresh energy as we have more beautiful routes on the agenda for today. We continued our journey, and the first stop was the film studios in Ourzazate. We decided to visit one of the film studios and took a guided tour, which was a nice stop! The next point of interest took us to the enormous solar station. Unfortunately, we couldn’t visit it as reservations needed to be made well in advance. We then proceeded to our final destination, a homestay near Boumalne Dades. We parked our motorcycles and were shown our basic room, which was adequate for a night’s stay. The hosts warmly welcomed us and asked about our interest in hiking nearby. The host led us on an approximately 8-kilometer hike to the Monkey Fingers. It was a fantastic recommendation! After today’s ride, the hike, and a delicious dinner at the homestay, the day was complete.
Thursday, April 13 | Boumalne Dades – Todgha Gorge
As one of the highlights of our fantastic stay, we got to enjoy a Berber omelet on the rooftop this morning. Our plan was to drive around over the R704 road with Todgha Gorge as our final destination. After a beautiful start to the route, it became quite challenging to complete the loop via Agoudal. With Ronnie the Rebel, this wasn’t the best path to take due to the many potholes, loose rocks and sandy parts. To ensure we reached our final destination on time (and without damage), we decided to return the same way we came and continue along the southern route to Todgha Gorge. This allowed us enough time to visit Todgha Gorge. And riding through Boumalne de Dades and Todgha Gorge twice is definitely not a problem! The roads are incredibly beautiful, and it’s a joy to ride them on a motorcycle!
Friday, April 14th | Todgha Gorge – Merzouga
We began the day with a 1.5-hour hike through the Todgha Gorge. We got to admire the beautiful gorge once again, but this time on foot. Afterwards we picked up the motorcycles and headed towards Merzouga via the A12. This place is also known as the gateway to the desert. We parked the motorcycles at a hotel, and they took us in a 4×4 towards the tent camp we had booked, right in the heart of the Desert! We had the option to choose camels, but we decided to go tearing through the sand dunes in the 4×4. At this magical location, we were taken care of from head to toe, enjoying the sunset and a delicious dinner. In the evening, we were entertained with music and dance around the campfire.
Saturday, April 15 | Merzouga
Rest day! After waking up with a beautiful sunrise in the desert, we enjoyed a lovely bedouin breakfast. Additionally, we relished in the tranquility, hospitality, and enchanting surroundings of the desert. So peaceful. By the end of the morning, we returned with the 4×4 vehicle over the sand dunes to the spot where we had parked the motorcycles. We were happy to see our two wheeled friends again. Also we decided to stay another night in Merzouga to relax from the days of riding. After a short ride, we found a delightful riad with a swimming pool to relax for the day.
Sunday, April 16 | Merzouga – Meknes
From a rest day to a travel day. Today, we decided to drive from Merzouga to Meknes via the N13 route. The journey took us a total of 9 hours, with each passing hour presenting a different landscape. We crossed the Ziz Valley, where we found all the date palm trees, and passed through an area where monkeys were curious to observe our motorcycles. As we reached the end, it felt like we were riding in France. It’s easy to see why the N13 is renowned as one of the most popular roads in Morocco. What an absolute pleasure to ride this road!
Upon arriving in Meknes, we opted for a McDonald’s meal. After many days of Tajines we were happy to get some junk food. We took a walk through the souk of Meknes. On the way there, it was very calm as it was around 7:00 PM, and everyone was at home having their dinner. On the way back, suddenly, everyone came out, and the streets filled with people, men drinking coffee and tea and the women busy shopping on the night markets.
Monday, April 17th | Meknes – Kenitra
Since we stayed out a bit late yesterday, we decided to check out Meknes again this morning. We paid a visit to the mausoleum and strolled around the souk for the morning. After that, we got back on our bikes for a ride towards the coast. We cruised along roads through the Moroccan meadows. We opted for the final stretch of N13 and N4. Finally, we reached the Kenitra coast where we had rented an apartment. The supermarket was quite far, so we went for a restaurant. At this time of the year, there wasn’t much else going on here by the coast.
Tuesday, April 18th | Kenitra – Tanger Med
Today we are covering our last kilometers in Morocco, heading back to Tanger Med, where the boat departs for Spain tomorrow. After breakfast, we returned the keys to our apartment and continued our journey. This time we didn’t have nice weather; instead, it was cloudy and windy, with wind force 9. The temperature was now 20 degrees Celsius instead of 32, which after such high temperatures felt quite cold now. It was a good opportunity to enjoy the breeze, but as the day progressed, it became colder. Today, we decided to take a toll highway, as we hadn’t tried that during this trip yet. We covered approximately 50 kilometers on this road and were amazed to see 10 people crossing it amidst the fast-moving traffic! With the strong winds, this resulted in a few dangerous situations. Fortunately, we reached our destination without any problems right next to the harbor.
Wednesday, April 19 | Tanger Med – Spain
This morning we took the first boat heading towards Spain. After a thorough scan and securing the motorcycles with help of some locals, the boat trip began. The 2-hour crossing with a wind force of 9bft was quite exciting. Upon arrival we were happy to find the motorcycles still upright with all luggage intact. Now we were ready for several days of Andalucia, enjoying the tapas and wines and beautiful roads Spain has to offer. Our Moroccan adventure was over, but we will definitely come back! What an amazing country to visit by motorcycle.