Ride Coordinator Comments

I will be speaking with each rider before accepting them on the tour to ensure they are fully informed and are comfortable with the ride.

Ride Description

OVERVIEW: Morocco – The name alone evokes visions of medinas, desert oasis, dunes, date palms, and ancient civilization. Our multi-faceted journey will take us from the lively markets of Marrakech, across desert landscapes, and traditional territories of nomadic peoples over mountain passes as well as the breathtaking Dades Gorges.  On the way we will stay in ancient Riads, visit with a Berber family, and explore perfectly preserved cave dwellings. A trip to Morocco wouldn’t be complete without living out the Lawrence of Arabia fantasy through an iconic camel excursion taking our dromedaries deep into the dunes.  We will sleep under the stars for one gorgeous night in the sea of sand.

 

We will cover approximately 343 miles and climb around 22,600 ft in total. We ride at a pace which allows for real interactions and full enjoyment of local living.  We will be supported by SpiceRoads Cycling and will hop into the vans for transfers during the journey.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

We will invite participants to a Zoom meeting about 6 weeks prior to the tour start date to discuss health and safety rules.  Participants must be vaccinated and have the most current boosters for Covid.  Participants will be asked to provide verification.  Participants are expected to come to the tour in good health and ready to ride.  In short if you are ill on the tour, be it a cold or test positive for Covid but can ride your bike, then you can stay on the tour with precautions in place.  In this case protocols for isolation, masking, and social distancing are required.  If you are ill and you cannot ride your bike, then you must isolate in place. That may mean departing the tour or arranging your own transportation to subsequent hotels on the tour.  Protocols for isolation will be required.  We will all need to be flexible as safety comes first.

RIDE RATING:

The tour has 11 required riding days with an average mileage of 31 and 2,054 feet of climbing.  Due to the off-road nature of the ride as well as 2 days rated at 4B and 1 at 4A, the overall ride rating is 3B!

We ride on paved roads approximately 20% of the time.  The remainder of cycling takes place mainly on unpaved roads, which means you should be confident riding on rougher terrain. While the ride is generally not too demanding, some parts of the route consist of loose gravel and sandy patches that require some off-road biking skills.

We will have a mechanic and support vehicles available during the day as well as cold drinks and fresh fruit accessible for energy.  Detailed maps, cue sheets, and GPX files will be made available to all riders before the ride.

While SpiceRoads Cycling will transfer luggage and be available for emergency support due to injury, illness or mechanical problems, it is expected that riders will cycle the entire ride.

Ride Day by Day Summary

Day 1      Arrival

Day 2      29 miles (+1,143 ft /-2,881 ft). Transfer 3 hours

Day 3      23 miles (+372 ft / -1,132 ft). Transfer 1 hour 20 minutes

Day 4      28 miles (+2,544 ft / -2,166 ft). Transfer 1 hour

Day 5      39 miles (+3,592 ft /-5,398 ft).  Transfer 1 hour 10 minutes

Day 6      39 miles (+2,522 ft /-4,577 ft) Transfer 1 hour 20 minutes

Day 7      26 miles (+1,257 ft /-1,643 ft). Transfer 1 hour 20 minutes

Day 8      20 miles (+521 ft /-349 ft). Transfer 1 hour 15 minutes

Day 9      38 miles (+2,219 ft /-2,606 ft). Transfer 2 hours 30 minutes over 2 trips

Day 10    22 miles (+3,533 ft /-1,712 ft). Transfer 1 hour

Day 11    42 miles (+2,635 ft/-6,030 ft).  No Transfer

Day 12    37 miles (+2,261 ft/-3,186 ft). Transfer 1 hour 30 minutes over 2 trips

Day 13    Rest/exploration day

Day 14   No ride day. Transfer 3 hours

Day 15    Departure

A detailed day-to-day itinerary will be posted on the ride web site.

SHUTTLING
Due to the large distance and geographic diversity in this tour, the amount of time spent in transfers is greater than a typical BAC tour in order to appreciate all the variety that Morocco has to offer.  The first and last day have a 3 hour transfer out of and back to Marrakech.  Excluding those two days and rest day the average daily transfer is an hour and 15 minutes.

WEATHER:

In October, riders can expect comfortable and pleasant weather across most regions of Morocco.  Coastal areas, including cities like Essaouira, have moderate temperatures ranging from 68 to 77F degrees.  Inland cities like Marrakech can be warmer, with temperatures reaching 82F degrees. The Atlas Mountains, on the other hand, experience cooler temperatures, especially at higher elevations where during the daytime it usually hovers between 50 to 68F degrees.  At night temperatures in the Atlas Mountains can drop significantly so make sure to bring warm clothing.  Across the country, rainfall is generally low, but occasional showers can occur so come prepared with some light rain cover.  For the most part, across the country the days are sunny followed by mild evenings.

HOTELS: Our hotels have been chosen for their character, location, bike-friendliness, and are typically 3-4 star quality. We will stay for several nights at traditional ‘riads’, homes or guesthouses which have been converted with modern amenities but retain the flavor and sense of Moroccan hospitality. We will stay for one night with a Berber family and gain more insight into local culture as well as a night in tents on the dunes.  The starting and ending hotel is Riad Luzia & Spa.

LOGISTICS: On this journey through Morocco on two wheels, we will start and end in Marrakech (RAK). You should fly into and out of Marrakesh Menara Airport, Morocco. Transfers are included to and from the airport on arrival and departure days only, but can be arranged separately if needed.  The outfitter will shuttle you to our first hotel at no extra charge on October 18, 2025, and to the airport on November 1, 2025. Please provide your flight arrival and departure times to SpiceRoads. If you wish to come in earlier than October 18th or leave later, you will need to pay approximately $35 US Dollars extra per way for a SpiceRoads transfer or arrange your own transportation.

The ideal bike for this journey is a hard-tail mountain bike with wide tires and semi-slick or knobby tread.  Fifteen e-bikes can be accommodated and rented from Spiceroads. Two tandems can be accommodated on this tour (if you are able to bring your own suitable tandem).  Please contact the Ride Leader to discuss use of an electric bike or tandems in advance of signing up for the ride. Bike box storage is available if you wish to bring your own bike. The box will be kept in storage until the return of the group in Marrakesh. SpiceRoads does have rental mountain bikes and e-bikes available for a cost of $390 and $695 respectively. Participants should contact SpiceRoads directly to arrange for bike rentals and additional hotel nights. The contact at SpiceRoads is Suwalee, and her e-mail is paveena@spiceroads.com.  Bike fittings will take place in the afternoon on October 18, 2025.

The initial meeting will take place on October 18, 2025 at 6:00 PM. The city tour on Day 1 starts at 3:00 PM with pick up at the hotel followed by dinner and a meeting at Jemaa El Fena Square. In case you arrive later than 3:00 PM we will transfer you directly to the restaurant. 

COST, MEALS & ADMINISTRATION: The tour cost is $4,300 US Dollars (in addition to the $100 BAC registration fee) per person with double occupancy in rooms. The price includes 14 nights lodging with 14 breakfasts, 11 lunches, 13 dinners, 13 happy hours, storage of bike boxes, contingency, gratuity, and administrative costs. The final payment $2,000 by credit card will be due by July 18th, 2025.  Note that there is no happy hour on the rest day in Essaouira. The price does not include airfare, fees for optional activities, alcoholic drinks outside of happy hour, and other beverages during meals.

SINGLES AND SOLOS: It is recommended that singles wanting to share a room try to find their own roommate.  The Ride Leader will assist singles to find a roommate.  When a single rider applies to the ride, you will be placed on the wait list and a room will be reserved for a limited amount of time.  Once a roommate is found, both riders are added to the tour.  If a single rider cannot find a roommate, they are added to the ride on a “space available” basis.

The solo supplement payment of $750, is due by May 17, 2025 and can be paid by Zelle or Check.  To pay using Zelle:

·        In your bank’s website, add Bicycle Adventure Club as a new recipient, with email address  treasurer@bicycleadventureclub.org

o   Initiate a payment

o   In the Message block, enter the name of your ride

If you have any questions, contact Nancy Bohnett nbohnett@bicycleadventureclub.org or Ernie Coose erniecoose.bac@gmail.com.  Checks should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check mailed to:  Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego CA 92193.

CANCELLATION POLICY: The BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fees are not refundable unless the entire tour is canceled because the number of participants registered is less than the minimum established for the tour. Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant can't be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed. If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the canceling roommate may also be liable for the solo supplement fee of the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance.

In addition to the BAC Cancellation Policy those, who cancel, may be subject to the SpiceRoads’ cancellation policy if a substitute rider is not secured.  The following penalties will apply.

61-days or more: full cash refund (less bank charges and any tour costs incurred by the company as a result of the cancellation).

40-60 days full credit (with no deduction for admin or any other small-print item) to use on any SpiceRoads tour with no time limit.

15-39 days 30% of SpiceRoad fees in cash (less bank charges and any fees*) or credit (no fees).

0-14 days no refund is possible.

RIDE PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITY:

Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from the Ride Leader. While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and cleanup. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you might have and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions.

INSURANCE STATEMENT

Before participating in any BAC tour, you should assess whether your medical and travel insurance coverage is sufficient. BAC maintains insurance that covers expenses related to accidents, medical emergencies such as sudden and unexpected sickness, and repatriation. This coverage applies when touring outside the US and your home country, regardless of your nationality. It will cover you door-to-door for a maximum of 90 days but will expire if you make a side trip not related to the BAC tour for more than 7 days before or after. There is limited coverage for a family member to join a covered person in an emergency. The policy covers the cost of treatment for Covid and other unexpected illnesses, but not quarantine. You should ensure that your vaccinations are up to date. Coverage is subject to a $1000 deductible.

MONEY: Moroccan currency is Dirhams (Dhs) which is only exchangeable in-country. Converting USD to euros is not necessary. Major cards (Amex not as common) are accepted at hotels and large restaurants but subject to a small fee. ATM’s dispense large bills which can be difficult to change when buying smaller items.  Try to carry smaller change for day-to-day transactions and tipping.  Alert your bank for international credit card use.  Moroccan currency can be converted back into U.S. dollars prior to departure only if the traveler has a bank or money transfer receipt indicating he or she exchanged dollars for Dirhams while in Morocco.

SIGN-UP:

To register for this ride, use the sign-up links just above the Ride Description. After preliminary acceptance, you will be moved to the pending list and receive an email requesting you to go back to the BAC site to digitally accept the terms of the Release of Liability (ROL),and pay the Tour Deposit and the non-refundable BAC Ride Registration Fee by credit card.  As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. BAC members with questions may contact the Ride Director by "clicking" the name at the top of this Ride Description.