MOROCCO – MUR AKUSH, THE LAND OF GOD

Departure from Italy by scheduled flight. Arrival in Fez in the evening and transfer to the hotel where we will find our motorcycles transported from Italy by the Go Biker Staff. Accommodation in the hotel rooms and overnight stay.

We will leave the rich city quite early, but we will return to it at the of our trip. As soon as we leave the town, we will begin to climb through the beautiful valleys of the Middle Atlas. The view will be almost unbelievable, it will seem to be in some land of northern Europe, rather than Africa. The mileage is consistent but the beauty of the views does not allow you to notice the road. Leaving the mountains, the magnificent Ziz gorges await us. Following the flow of the river, the Ziz valley, a miracle of luxuriant vegetation at the foot of a brick red canyon. The final arrival in the presence of his majesty the Sahara is spectacular. A famous Tuareg proverb says: "God created the desert so that men can know their soul."

The morning on the edge of the Sahara will be dedicated to a contact with the majestic dunes of Erg Chebbi and then in the nearby Rissani (ancient Sigilmassa) a visit to two very important and characteristic sites to understand the ancient history of the region.
The morning will end with a tour of the 100 Kasbahs inside the cultivated oasis of Tafilalt, the largest in Morocco. We will then return to the base and for those who want it there will be the possibility (optional) to make a dromedary trek on the desert dunes to watch the sunset. Alternatively, there is the opportunity to try your hand at driving quads up and down the incredible desert dunes. Return to the hotel-ryad for dinner and overnight.

Today we will head towards Roses Valley. Our first goal will be the famous Todra gorges, yet another and never the same spectacle of nature. The narrow passage is preceded by a real explosion of palms and vegetation that the same sunlight cannot cross.
Later, zalong the Dades River and its cultivation and production of damskine roses, you will encounter true tributes to the ingenuity of man with the kasbahs built of clay and straw, decorated with the simplicity and austerity of the Berber style. Final arrival in Ouarzazate to visit the Taourirt kasbah, home of the last sultan until the last century and now a UNESCO heritage site.

From Ouarzazate we will climb along a road halfway up the coast. The last stretch is unpaved and by following it we will reach Ait Benhaddou fortified city, or Ksar, along the caravan route between the Sahara desert and the current city of Marrakech. It is located on the side of a hill along the Ouarzazate River. The Ksar is protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The place has been used as a studio for several films.
After the visit of the Ksar we will continue towards Marrakech, overcoming the Tizi 'n Tichka pass, the highest in Morocco (2260 m) and always very windy, from which the view extends to Mount Toubkal, which connects Marrakech and the valleys of the south, to the gates of the desert.
Before starting the descent to Marrakech, we will make a stop to admire the richest fossil market in Morocco.
Lastly, we will arrive in Marrakech at dusk. It is the best time to see the Djema El Fna Square, populated with all those characters who enrich the stories of the books of all the writers who have passed through here. Snake charmers, singers, jugglers, potion sellers and hundreds of stalls where we will be able to buy something to eat. Here we will experience a unique, unrepeatable atmosphere. When night falls, Jemaa el Fna puts on her show clothes. Many artists and impetuous live concerts give life to the famous square.

Breakfast at the hotel. A well-deserved day of rest to allow some fair relax to us riders and to our vehicles and to give space to any maintenance. Today will be dedicated to visit the city of Marrakech. It's nice to get around the city and, if you get lost, just ask some kid who will show you the way for some dirhams. It has always been one of the most fascinating cities in North Africa, where two apparently irreconcilable faces coexist: the tradition that sinks its uses and customs in ancient times and a more Western lifestyle that is found in the many boutiques, restaurants and in a certain worldliness that reigns in many neighborhoods of Marrakech. In the morning a motorbike ride to visit the city, the most important monuments such as the exterior of the Royal Palace, the city walls, the famous square in daytime version with the continuous swarm of people, the Menara huge water basin designed for the enjoyment of the sultans of the time. Afternoon in the medina between colors and scents and evening out to experience the exotic and mysterious atmospheres of the night of Marrakech.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we will head towards the seaside! After cultivated plains, our wheels will almost touch the shore of the Atlantic Ocean and reach the elegant and ancient fortress on the sea of Essaouira. Founded by the Arabs in the phase of the Islamic conquest, it has seen its structure and architecture transform and develop due to the successive peoples who have conquered it, including the Spanish and Portuguese. After the accommodation at the hotel, our group will be able to take a nice excursion into the heart of the city made famous by thousands of images and, above all, for being the repository of the Gnawa music culture.

Breakfast at the hotel. We will head north between beaches and banana plantations along the Atlantic Ocean to El Jadida. On the way, we will be able to visit the town of Safi, famous for the craftsmanship of terracotta tools of various sizes, all hand decorated. We will arrive in El Jadida just before sunset, so that we can find the best place to admire the sun disappear into the ocean. The Portuguese fortified city of El Jadida was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2004, as an exceptional example of cultural interchange between European and Moroccan cultures. We will visit the Portuguese cistern and the Manueline-style Church of the Assumption. Very well preserved, El Jadida offers a historical and romantic setting perfect for lounging and enjoying the sea. We will then reach Casablanca where we will spend the night.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we will have to wake up early for the short transfer to Fes. Arriving early will allow us to visit its "medina" where all the complexity of an ancient Muslim city manifests itself with its winding and narrow streets, which can only be traveled on foot where transport takes place with donkeys loaded up to the unbelievable that they clutter the narrowest alleys to the point of forcing passers-by to crush against the walls. Every now and then open spaces or small squares with markets of all kinds. The shops display even the most unpredictable goods in their shop windows, including dentures, but alongside Western products there are products of wood, metal and leather crafts, and even artisan shops of the most different trades. The Royal Palace with its entrance door will leave us breathless. The medersa of the Attārīn (perfumers) and the al-Qarawiyyīn Mosque are just some of the enchanting places that you can visit in this unforgettable city. We will leave the motorcycles at the hotel to be loaded by our staff for the return to Italy. Dinner and overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for our flight back to Italy. End of services.