Paris to Dakar: Motorcycle-Expedition in the footsteps of the rallye:
France, Spain, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal by motorbike
| $6,427 | 22 days | from 6 to 12 participants | for true adventurers |
tour description
The start of the journey is of course in Paris. From there we always head south. In just a few days we will drive to Gibraltar and then cross over to Africa. Through the northern green Morocco we drive to the Atlas mountains. After the crossing of the Atlas it goes into the desert and we will move on large route sections Off Road into the Western Sahara. Along the wild Atlantic coast we go to Mauritania. In Mauritania it will really get down to business and we will rarely see asphalt - and if only to make kilometres.
The goal is to reach Dakar, the capital of Senegal, which is a thriving metropolis in West Africa.
If you still feel like more adventure, you can join us on the following tour through Senegal and Gambia.
Itinerary of the motorcycle tour: Paris - Dakar
Motorcycle tour day 1: Meeting at the Place Jacques Rueff in front of the Eiffel Tower
On the first travel day we meet with our motorcycles in the morning in front of the Eifel Tower in Paris. The official start will be there. Of course you have the possibility to join the guide from Germany and already arrive as a group in Paris. After a short introduction and a few instructions we will start. The day's destination is the highest dune in Europe, the Dune du Pilat near Bordeaux in Arcachon.
Motorcycle tour in Morocco with Overcross
Motorcycle trip day 2: On the motorcycles and off to Spain
After having seen the Atlantic Ocean for the first time on our journey, we will encounter it again being much warmer thousands of kilometres further south. Crossing the foothills of the Pyrenees we enter Spain. After a short pass drive we cross the Ibirian Meseta plateau to Burgos, our destination of the day.
Motorcycle trip day 3 & 4: Across the Siera de Gredos to Sevilla
You wouldn't recognize that you are in spain if you wouldn't know it. The north of Spain is sparsely populated and the vastness of the landscape and the surroundings are reminiscent of pictures that are known from motorcycle tours in America. It is necessary to make kilometres in order to reach the goal of the 4th day early and have a few hours left for the beautiful town of Sevilla.
City in northern Morocco
Motorcycle trip day 5: The first kilometres in Morocco
In the morning we leave and cover the last kilometres to the ferry port in Gibraltar. After we have crossed over we have to declare our motorcycles before we can move on to African soil for the first time. As it usually takes a while, we will set up camp for the night shortly behind the port of Tangier Med.
Motorcycle Tour Day 6: Moroccan Roads and the Cascad de Ouzoud
Along the coast we continue to Rabat and then over small roads to the Atlas mountains. The traffic needs getting used to and motorcycling costs a lot of concentration. We will comfortably work our way through the foothills of the Atlas towards Ouzoud. The first pass roads are already waiting for us.
Motorcycle trip day 7: Rest, fix the motorcycles and enjoy Morocco
On the seventh day though shall rest and that is exactly what we do. It is time to hike in the beautiful landscape around Ouzoud, visiting the 120 m high waterfalls. Or if you need the energy for the rides coming you can take care of your motorbike. After all, we already have about 2500 km behind us.
River in the mountains of Morocco
Motorcycle trip day 8: Meeting in Assni and crossing the Tizi n´Test
In Assni at the foot of the Jebel Toubkal the highest mountain in North Africa, we will drive together to the pass summit of the Tizi n´Test. Even if it is not too many kilometres, it takes almost a day until we are on the other side with our motorcycles in Taroudant. On the single-lane road everything from donkeys to 40 ton trucks could come towards us.
On motorcycle trip at the Tizi n`Test
Motorcycle trip day 9: African culture and wonderful riding fun with the motorcycle
Driving onwards through a beautiful valley full of almond trees towards Tafraoute. The road meanders along the valley wall and makes the motorcyclist's heart beat faster. The first dromedaries will be visible and slowly the desert begins. Arrived in Tafraoute we can stock up with provisions for the next days and admire the gigantic monoliths which look as if they were built by human hands.
Motorcycle trip day 10 & 11: Through the Sahara to Smara
The first major off-road stage is ahead of us. Through the western foothills of the big Sahara we will drive for 2 days in the direction of the desert city Smara. On the way there is the controversial border between Morocco and the former Spanish Sahara. This is obvious to ones eye until today in the mentality of the inhabitants and the language. While in Morocco French is very common, you can now suddenly get on with Spanish.
.JPG "Motorcycle tour in Africa with Overcross")
Motorcycle tour in Africa with Overcross
Motorcycle Tour Day 12: To the Metropolis of the West Sahara
Continuing on a dusty track always along the Seguiet el Hamra, which also carries water most of the time of the year. Todays destination El Aaiún is not far away and there is time to rest your bike a bit, stretch your legs or take a dip in the sea.
Motorcycle trip day 13 & 14: Sahara, Sahara and Sahara
For two days we continue on the N1 for approx. 500 km to Dakhla. To our right is the blue Atlantic and to our left the endless expanse of the Sahara. We will have time to stop again and again at the beautiful coast or to drive parts of the beach along Off Road. Optionally we could drive faster on tarmac and have a rest day in the surfer city Dakhla.
Motorcycle trip day 15: Off to the unknown
While Morocco is known to everyone, Mauritania is rather unknown despite its size. From Dakhla we drive to the border and cross the no man's land. Then we will spend the rest of the day entering Mauritania. Here they remind you of the fact that the Europeans have perhaps invented the clock but Africans the time. After the border we make camp for the night in the idyll of the dunes.
.JPG "Enduro fun in the Sahara")
Enduro fun in the Sahara
Motorcycle trip day 16 & 17: The oasis Atar as destination
We follow the route of the iron ore train Off Road to Atar. The route is very difficult and it will take us two days to reach the oasis. Atar was once an important city in the high culture of the Moors who are the original name givers of the country.
Motorcycle trip day 18: Out of the desert to Dakar
We drive back to the sea and will be half on and half off road in the Sahara for the last time before the Sahel Zone begins. We will spend the night at the beach and even if you only have one thread to fish you should be succesfull. The sea off Mauritania is considered to be one of the richest in fish in the world.
Motorcycle Tour Day 19: On the Beach
Before the road was built in 2006, the official way to Nuakchott was along the beach. Due to the tides, the sand is smooth and you can still make better progress than on the actual road. We take advantage of this and continue our motorcycle trip on this route. Our destination for the day is the capital Nuakchott where half of the Mauritanian population lives.
Motorcycle Tour Day 20: Across the Senegal River
Whoever does not know "Fech Fech yet will get to know today. On covered pistes we drive to the border of Senegal at the Senegal river. There are trees again along the road and more animals. Our road leads us through a bird protected national park in which our European birds spend the winter. The destination of the day is Saint-Louis. The city is located on an island in the delta of the Senegal River and has a very beautiful colonial core.
Boats coloured in multiple colours on the senegal river
Motorcycle trip day 21: Finish in Dakar
From Saint-Louis we leave in the morning and will reach Dakar at noon. Like the Paris Dakar our journey ends at the shore of Lac Rose, the pink salt lake on the outskirts of Dakar. The last evening we will spend together and celebrate our arrival with good food. The next day is the official end after we have delivered the motorcycles at the customs for shipment.
Fancy more adventure and still have more time?
This is the 7-day tour through Senegal and Gambia:
Vom Atlantik in den Dschungel (GERMAN)
Itinerary may change without further notice due to weather-, road- or any other condition that OVERCROSS or its guides feel will jeopardize the safety of the group or material.
What benefits can you expect?
Services included in the tour price:
- English speaking tour guide from OVERCROSS
- All accommodation (hotel and camping) as advertised
- Accompanying / support vehicle for the motorbike tour
- Flights for participants from Dakar to Frankfurt
- Technical assistance and support for vehicle repairs
- Driving and off-road instruction
- Provision of tools and equipment
- Securing the logistics of spare parts
- Expedition kitchen and crockery during the expedition trip
- All ferry passages for persons and motorbikes to Africa
- All entrance fees for sightseeing are covered by Overcross
- Motorbike transport from Tübingen to Paris
- Motorbike transport from Dakar to Tübingen
- Tolls
- Breakfast and dinner
- GPS tracking for relatives
Services not included in the tour price:
- Bar and restaurant visits
- Visas
- Foreign health insurance (compulsory!)
- Other travel insurances
- Rental motorcycle and deposit
- Motorcycle insurances
- Customs documents
- Everything that is not included
FAQ:
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What is meant by desert and what kinds are there?
Dry deserts do prevent due to their lack of water, the plant growth. At the
Tropics at about 23, 5 degrees, there are so-called tropic deserts like the Sahara.
The high-pressure areas there let the clouds dissolve and there is therefore no precipitate.
These high-pressure areas are established by the intertropical convergence zone. Due to the strong sunlight warms the equatorial region particularly hard, so much water evaporates which prevents the precipitation.
Descending air masses lead to the degradation of the clouds.
The different types of desert we travelare: stone, gravel, salt and the sand desert.
Stone or rock desert:
Also known as Hammada is covered with dense nature of the blocky, angular fine rock or coarser rock material. These Hamada is the result of the physical
Weathering.Often, this rocky desert are coverde with boulders.Plateaus crossed that even with a well-developed havy duty off roaders barely passable. On our safari jeep, we usually travel on the old caravan routes, which is usually like in other forms of the desert
Alamat acknowledges. Almat are small stone pyramids were usually placed on increases as route of the nomads and caravan leaders. Along the sandy desert, they are usually blown away, and man recognizes the old and new routes in camel carcasses, old tires and the car frame or other veralssenen those who "runs" line. A typical picture is dark colored and the smooth surface of the rocks of a desert rock, due to the smooth shiny surface it is also called desert varnish, results of flexibility accorded by the sun and the creeping permanent audit by the fine desert sand.
Gravel desert:
In the Western Sahara, they are called Reg, in the central Sahara, they are called Serir. Gravel deserts caused by erosion of stone or rock desert or by the
Deposition of gravel where millions of years ago were still glacial. Another cause is a
physical effect on the surface to collect more and more rocks, since the smaller pebbles or sand grains move down much easier. This process was developed in the desert for thousands of years, because provide moisture, wind and temperature differences for the movement of sand grains. When crossing through this gravel deserts you can still see the tracks after weeks of the knobby tires of motorcycles or the lanes of the SUVs and trucks Expeditions:
Salt desert
Chott el Jerid is probably the biggest and most famous salt lake Chott Tunesien.Der term is also used in Algeria and in the Eastern Sahara, the central salt desert, also known as Sebkha. Salt flats occur mostly in arid endorheic
Sedimentary basins due to strong evaporation. In the Maghreb region of the layer is under-shaped ground conducive to formation of a dei Chotts which Duch promotes its consistency clay to seal the bottom surface. Very many of the deserts lie in the type
Iran and Central Asia. Salt flats and salt-containing damp voallem deserts such as the Chott el Jerid, they are difficult if not impossible to impassable. Depending on the depth of the drying Sonneneinstarahlung the salt crust / upper class bedinkt passable. Often arise in wells of only a few Zentiumeter "swamp fields and ponds," weren which should in any case not drive through or walk through. The salt is formed mostly by down
washed up debris from adjacent elevations / mountains, which often contain plenty of salt in endorheic depressions such as the Qattara Depression accumulates naturally as salt-enriched clay and Lehmflächen. This surface is called Salt Flat and Alkali Flats. After precipitation, which are mostly in the winter months, walked these salt lakes.
The sandy deserts:
The erg in the Western Sahara and in the Libyan Sahara is a desert is called the surface mainly consists of quartz sand. This is caused by soil erosion, sand a gravel desert. Due to the absolute dry conditions in the sandy deserts due to the lack of vegitation are much harder than stone or gravel deserts. Because of the fine grading of the sand deserts in the lower part of the carrying capacity is solidified, the surface is rather finely and due to the strong sunlight and fine dust-like sand of Einwehung less viable.
In the northern Sahara dunes are found frequently occurring as longitudinal dunes or sickle.
In libischen part of the Sahara will find the most beautiful crescent dunes below Seba and the longest sand dunes in Algeria with up to six hundred miles long.
With the motorcycle and 4x4 suv in the solidified dunes levels passable, but difficult or impossible in up to three hundred feet high Mamutdünen how she finds in Algeria and Libya.
The world's largest sand desert in Arabia, where we conduct the tours in Oman and the Rub al Khali Dubai. الربع الخالي ar-Rub ʿ al-Khali is the paradise for every off roader. The turning circle running through the desert of Oman, Yemen, and UAE.
Dates
| start | finish | Price | |||||||
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| Oct 8, 2023 | Oct 29, 2023 |
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inquiry book | ||||||
| Oct 6, 2024 | Oct 27, 2024 |
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inquiry book | ||||||
| Oct 5, 2025 | Oct 26, 2025 |
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inquiry book | ||||||
| Grouptour |
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| There are no fix dates for this tour. We are happy to set up dates to your liking. | |||||||||
Optional additional services
$3,155 Rental bike Yamaha XTZ 700 Ténéré