MOTORCYCLE-TOURS · AFRICA
Motorcycle Expedition from Marrakech to Dakar
Join a 16-day motorcycle tour from Marrakech to Dakar. Ride across Morocco, the Sahara and Mauritania. Follow the old Paris-Dakar rally route. Bring your own bike or rent one from us. The trip starts in Marrakech. You cross the Atlas Mountains on day two. Then you ride into the desert.
The Journey
Marrakech to Dakar Motorcycle Tour: 16-Day Expedition
Your tour starts in Marrakech. Your bike is ready on arrival. On day two you ride the Atlas Mountains. Then you head south into the desert. The route runs off-road into Western Sahara. You ride the wild Atlantic coast. Next stop: Mauritania. Here the asphalt ends. This is pure off-road riding. You reach Dakar on day 14. Dakar is the capital of Senegal. It is a big, lively city. Some old rally stages are skipped for safety. Fuel is leaded only. We run this Marrakech to Dakar tour since 2015. We change the route a bit each year. The trip suits bold enduro riders. The Sahara is fading fast. Book your tour now.
Key Highlights of the Trip
Key Highlights of the Trip
1: Marrakech: Motorcycle Tour Start
After landing in Marrakesh, you will be picked up at the airport and receive your motorcycles. You can spend the rest of the day exploring the streets of Marrakesh, packing your motorcycles, and preparing for the upcoming tour.
2: Atlas Mountains Motorcycle Ride
We meet the participants of the Legendary Paris 2 Dakar in Asni at the foot of Jbel Toubkal, the highest mountain in North Africa. Together we continue to the pass height of Tizi n'Test. Even though the kilometers are not too many, it takes almost a day to reach Taroudant on the other side. On the single-lane road, you can encounter everything from donkeys to 40-ton trucks.
3: African Culture and Great Riding Fun with Motorcycles
We go through a beautiful valley full of almond trees towards Tafraoute. The road winds continuously along the valley wall and makes the motorcyclist's heart beat faster. The first dromedaries will be seen, and slowly the desert begins. Upon arrival in Tafraoute, we can stock up on supplies for the next days and admire the gigantic monoliths that look as if they were created by human hands.
4 & 5: Morocco Sahara Trip to Smara
Your first big off-road stage starts here. You ride two days through the west Sahara. The goal is Smara. The border with old Spanish Sahara is on your way. Fuel stops are rare. You will hear Spanish, not French. It feels like a new land.
6: Western Sahara Motorcycle Route
You ride a dusty track by the Saguia el Hamra River. The river has water most of the year. Your stop is El Aaiún. It is close by. You get free time to walk or swim in the sea.
7 & 8: Sahara Coastal Motorcycle Ride
Two days on the N1 highway — 500 km to Dakhla. The Atlantic shines on your right; endless Sahara stretches left. Stop often, ride off-road on the beach, or chill in surf-town Dakhla. This is one of the most scenic stages of the Morocco motorcycle trip.
9: Morocco to Mauritania Border Crossing
Morocco is familiar — Mauritania is not. From Dakhla, the tour crosses no-man's-land into Mauritania. Border formalities take most of the day. "Europeans invented the clock; we invented time," locals say. Camp that night in the dunes.
Questions about the tour itinerary?
Our tour guide is happy to answer any questions about the day-by-day route, stops, and details.
10 & 11: Mauritania Expedition to Atar Oasis
The motorcycle route follows the iron-ore train tracks off-road to Atar. The terrain is tough — two riding days to reach the oasis. Atar was once the heart of Moorish high culture and gave Mauritania its name.
12: Sahara to Dakar: Final Desert Trip
Back to the Atlantic. The tour runs half on-road, half off-road through the last Sahara stretch before the Sahel. Camp on the beach. Mauritania's coast ranks among the world's richest fishing grounds — cast a line if you want.
13: Nouakchott Motorcycle Beach Ride
Before the 2006 road, the beach was the official route to Nouakchott. Low tide makes the sand fast and smooth. The motorcycle trip ends the day in Nouakchott, home to half of Mauritania's population.
14: Senegal River Tour to Saint-Louis
Today you meet Fech Fech — fine desert powder that swallows wheels. The route follows the Senegal River to the border. Trees and wildlife return. The tour crosses a bird sanctuary where European species winter. Saint-Louis — a beautiful colonial town on a river island — is your stop.
15: Dakar Arrival: End of the Rally Tour
Leave Saint-Louis in the morning; reach Dakar by noon. Like the original Paris-Dakar Rally, this motorcycle trip ends at Lac Rose — the pink salt lake outside Dakar. Celebrate the expedition with a group dinner.
16: Dakar: Motorcycle Trip Ends
The Morocco to Dakar motorcycle tour officially ends today. Hand over the bikes at customs for shipping and fly home sand-free. Riders with extra time can extend the trip through Senegal and Gambia.
Want a detailed description of all tour days?
Our expert will walk you through the full itinerary and answer all your questions.
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Trip includes
- English-speaking tour guide from OVERCROSS
- All accommodations (hotel and camping) as advertised
- Accompanying/support vehicle for the expedition trip
- 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 utensils during the expedition trip
- All ferry passages for people and motorcycles to Africa
- All entrance fees for visits
- Toll fees
- Breakfast and dinner
- GPS tracking for relatives
- Travel security certificate (insolvency protection according to BGB §651r) is mandatory for all OVERCROSS trips.
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All participants will receive several pieces of information about the motorcycle expedition after booking, which is organized by topics and "timeline" leading up to the start of the motorcycle tour.
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Terms and Conditions of OVERCROSS
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