Paris Dakar Motorcycle Trip to Senegal: 22 Day Expedition

On the second day of your Paris Dakar motorcycle trip you cover distance through France. On motorways and country roads you work your way south towards the Spanish border. This connecting stage is there to make good progress, so that more time is left for the riding highlights in Africa. In the evening you reach the border region with Spain and set up camp for the night.

The fourth day takes you through Andalusia to the southern coast of Spain. In Algeciras near Gibraltar, the European part of this Paris Dakar motorcycle tour comes to an end. You bring your motorcycle on board the ferry that carries you across the Strait of Gibraltar to Morocco. With the first sight of the African continent, the real expedition character of the journey begins.

Today the motorcycle trip through Morocco takes you into the Middle Atlas. Cedar forests, high plateaus and winding passes shape the stage while the altitude steadily increases. Between small mountain villages and wide views you challenge your machine on varied terrain. First easy offroad sections give a taste of what awaits you in the desert.

From Ouarzazate, the gateway to the desert, you continue your Sahara motorcycle trip. Kasbahs of clay and wide stone deserts shape the picture while the asphalt increasingly gives way to tracks. You gather your first experience on loose ground and learn to guide your motorcycle safely off the road. In the evening you set up camp under a clear starry sky.

The way leads deeper into the south of Morocco. On this Sahara motorcycle trip, gravel tracks, sand fields and stony passages alternate. Far from paved roads you move through wide, empty landscapes. The support vehicle stays close while you refine your riding technique further on open terrain. The night is spent in the mobile desert camp.

From Laayoune the motorcycle expedition through West Africa continues south. The coastal road runs dead straight through the desert, interrupted by offroad sections away from the route. Drifting sand and strong wind are part of daily life on this stage. You get used to the great distances and the barren beauty of the Sahara before you reach your next camp.

Today the border crossing into Mauritania is on the programme. After the formalities you cross the notorious no man's land, a field of sand and stones without a firm track. This is where the motorcycle trip through Mauritania begins, the wildest part of this expedition. You reach Nouadhibou and receive a first briefing on the particular conditions of this country before the night in camp follows.

Along the Banc d'Arguin national park this enduro journey through West Africa continues. Here desert and sea meet, and the tracks lead through one of the most remote regions of the route. Flocks of birds and empty beaches accompany you while the deep sand challenges you. In the evening you set up camp far from any civilisation under the open sky.

From Nouakchott the motorcycle trip through Mauritania leads south towards the border with Senegal. The landscape gradually turns greener, with the first acacias and shrubs lining the track. Sand and gravel challenge you one last time in Mauritania before the vegetation grows denser. In the evening you reach the border region and prepare for the last change of country on this journey.

This motorcycle trip to Senegal takes you to Saint Louis, the old colonial town on the Atlantic. Colourful facades, narrow lanes and the bustle at the harbour shape the place. You ride a calmer stage and dive into Senegalese culture. After the hard desert days you enjoy the milder climate and the relaxed atmosphere of the coastal town before continuing towards Dakar.

The great finishing day of your motorcycle trip to Senegal has come. You reach Lac Rose near Dakar, the legendary finish point of the rally, where the pink salt lake lies before you. Together with the group you celebrate the close of 22 days in the saddle. Anyone who likes can add the follow up tour through Senegal and Gambia. The motorcycles are then prepared for the return transport in the container.