Cycling in Morocco

Clive · Post by **Clive** » 24 Mar 2013 13:03

The spring equinox has been and gone, clocks advance to BST next weekend, and here I am in Wythall looking out at 6 inches of snow and remembering 2012 as a terrible year for nice weather cycling, while at the same time finding pointless things to do to delay that 1 hour turbo trainer bash. Therefore, I've started looking for warmer climes and have stumbled across a weeks road cycling holiday in Morocco, 7 days with roughly 100km per day and between 350 and 1750 meters daily ascent. Looks like good fun, albeit a rather expensive way to do it.

http://www.keadventure.com/trip/msmb/ro ... ubkal.html

Has anyone else cycled over there? I've been there 5 times but not cycled, I know the main roads are fairly good (better than ours) and fairly quiet

Andy Terry · Post by **Andy Terry** » 24 Mar 2013 15:55

Yes - in 1998. It was a mountain biking holiday but we did a fair bit on road. I gather surfaces have improved a lot over the last few years hence the availability of holidays from the the likes of KE and Skedaddle. We stayed in 'basic but charming' gites - I think things have moved on in that department too.

Tim · Post by **Tim** » 24 Mar 2013 20:28

Mr father-in-law and brother-in-law have been to Morocco with KE adventure about 12 years ago and loved it. They also went to northwest Pakistan with ke cycling up to the keiber pass 3weeks before the September 11attacks. Also they've been trekking in Indian Himalayas with KE too 2yrs ago.

They highly rate the company and think all the trips theyve been on with them have been excellent value

diggers · Post by **diggers** » 24 Mar 2013 21:37

I know someone who has been to morocco with KE adventures recently and really rated it. I also know some folks who did the pyrenees raid with KE last september and thought they were very good.
Personally I really like morocco and would love to cycle there (or to there!) at some stage.

Clive · Post by **Clive** » 25 Mar 2013 14:37

diggers wrote:I know someone who has been to morocco with KE adventures recently and really rated it. I also know some folks who did the Pyrenees raid with KE last September and thought they were very good.
Personally I really like morocco and would love to cycle there (or to there!) at some stage.

I can vouch for KE too. I have done 3 high altitude treks and 2 climbing trips with them. All very good and no problems whatsoever. I'm currently looking at going to either Mongolia or Kamchatka with them, and they are very helpful when it comes to working around dates and finding flights etc.

I've been to Morocco several times, once with KE, but never cycling. Most of their roads are great for road bikes. Gets very hot though in the summer months.

Cycling there and back would be a great thing to do, never really given it any thought, but I will do.

Yes, the KE Pyrenees raid caught my eye too. If the weather is anything like last year, I may book on to their September trip and give it a bash. It goes over the well known Col de Tourmalet - I've waked there but not cycled over it, and it would certainly be a challenge.

Philip Whiteman · Post by **Philip Whiteman** » 25 Mar 2013 14:48

I don't know about Morocco but I had a chance of going to the Tunisian Desert this weekend. But the idea of cycling around an arid dust bowl occupied by dodgy individuals spilling over the borders from Libya, Algeria or Mali did not appeal. Turning up in lycra and wearing an AUK jersey would not have impressed the Tunisian Minister for Local Government.

rdleaper · Post by **rdleaper** » 25 Mar 2013 22:42

Philip Whiteman wrote:But the idea of cycling around an arid dust bowl occupied by dodgy individuals spilling over the borders from Libya, Algeria or Mali did not appeal.

Well Libya or Algeria maybe, but you're safe from Malian terrorists unless they cross about 1000 miles of Algerian desert first!

toby · Post by **toby** » 26 Mar 2013 13:04

The Mid Atlas mountains close to Fes are very lush, lots of agriculture, almost alpine with pine forests. I saw a roadie ascending up into the hills south towards Ifrane, when we were on an excursion on holiday in September 2011. It was very hot on the plains - I'm not sure how I'd acclimatise to those conditions! Once you're in the mountains, the temperatures are much more bearable and, what with the excellent road surfaces I have often wondered about returning with the intention of cycling.

I was planning to buy my road bike on return from this holiday so the guy we passed on his training ride that day is a memory that has stayed with me.