New Year's Eve Motorcycle Tour Morocco: Enduro Adventure in the Dunes

Your New Year's Eve motorcycle adventure starts in Málaga. You arrive at the hotel near the airport and meet the enduro group. In the evening, the tour guide gives a short briefing about the days ahead. Rest well — the real trip begins tomorrow.

The first riding day takes you from Málaga to the port. You cross the Strait of Gibraltar by ferry with your enduro. Once in Morocco, you ride north to Chefchaouen, the famous blue city in the Rif Mountains. A short and easy stage to warm up for the adventure.

Today you leave the blue city behind. The route follows small mountain roads and first off-road trails through the Rif. You ride past Berber villages and green valleys. In the late afternoon, the group reaches the area around Fes for the night.

Zagora is an oasis town of about 40,000 people. It is the gateway to the desert. Here, old caravans once carried goods from south to north. You follow the same historic trail and dive into the first dunes with your enduro. Sand and Hamada tracks bring the real adventure of the day. The round trip goes around the table mountain Jbel Wadi. Rocky and sandy sections switch back and forth until you reach your accommodation.

From Zagora, the route leaves the tarmac after a few kilometers. The off-road trail to Erg Chebbi runs for 28 km through the second largest dune area in Morocco. Some dunes reach up to 150 meters high. Nomads and caravans once rested here on the way across the Sahara. These days push both you and your motorcycle. Deep sand, wide plains, and hard rocky tracks wait on every kilometer — a full enduro experience.

Today is a free day. If you want more riding, join the guide on an enduro trip through the dunes of Erg Chebbi. You can also hike through the sand and visit old Bedouin camps. Another option is the oasis town of Merzouga. Or you simply rest at the hotel and enjoy the desert view.

Early in the morning, the group passes the military checkpoint. The route heads to the dry salt lake Lac Iriki. This region is full of stony deserts and small oases. You ride hard tracks and wide flat plains on the way. Small dune fields wait near Erg Chigaga, the largest dune area in Morocco. Nomads once hid here from the African sun. You sleep close to the dunes. Later, the trip continues to the Berber village of Mhamid, where you feel the real desert life.

A new trail leads you to Ouarzazate. The French founded this city in the colonial period. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a famous film location. Many Hollywood movies were shot here, such as Gladiator, The Mummy, and Kingdom of Heaven. If you arrive early, you can visit the film studios in town.

The enduro adventure is coming to an end, but one big highlight is still ahead. You visit Aït-Ben-Haddou, a fortified Berber village and UNESCO World Heritage site. Over 20 Hollywood films have used it as a set. After a short stop, you ride the Tizi n'Tichka pass through the High Atlas — the highest mountains in North Africa. In the afternoon, you reach the red city of Marrakech. The group toasts to the finished enduro trip at the hotel. In the evening, you can walk through Jema el Fna square in the Medina. This place is a living symbol of Moroccan culture.

You leave Marrakech early and ride the long stage to the north. This part runs along the Atlantic Ocean. It is not the most scenic day of the tour, but it is the warmest route at this time of year. You have already enjoyed many great riding days before, so this stage is a calm finish.

The last kilometers in Morocco are in the roadbook. After breakfast, you ride small on- and off-road sections toward Tangier and the ferry. In the late afternoon, you leave Morocco across the Strait of Gibraltar. Before sunset, you reach the airport or the hotel in Málaga. Your New Year's Eve enduro adventure ends here — with new memories for a lifetime.