Morocco Day 7 - 17

🇲🇦 Morocco: Where Myth Meets Momentum

Straddling the edge of Africa and brushing shoulders with Europe, Morocco is a land where ancient pulse meets present-day edge. It’s not just a destination — it’s a shift in tempo. A country best felt on two wheels, where every horizon hides contrast: desert and mountain, silence and noise, past and future.

🏍️ A Landscape Built to Challenge

From the switchbacks of the High Atlas to the endless flats of the Sahara, Morocco throws every kind of terrain at you. Tight gravel tracks, dune-cutting sand trails, winding tarmac through cedar forests — this is riding that demands focus and rewards flow. You don’t just cruise here — you commit.

🕌 Culture at Full Immersion

Every town, every turn, delivers sensory overload. Snake charmers in Marrakesh, storytellers in Fes, Amazigh shepherds in the Rif — this isn’t performance, it’s life in motion. The country’s heritage isn’t curated — it’s alive, unfolding in souks, kasbahs, and roadside tea stops where time slows down.

🍲 Flavors Forged in Fire and Spice

Tagines simmered over coals. Couscous shared from one bowl. Bread still hot from the village oven. In Morocco, food isn’t just nourishment — it’s ritual. Sweet mint tea fuels conversations. Dates and olives greet you at every table. And somewhere out there, a stranger will offer you the best meal of your trip.

🏜️ Time Travel on Two Wheels

Ride through mud-brick villages older than empires. Cross gorges where caravans once moved salt and silk. Camp under Saharan stars where silence hums like an engine cooling down. Morocco doesn’t just show you history — it puts you in it.

📊 Practical Overview

Languages: Arabic, Berber (Tamazight), French widely spoken
Weather in May:

Marrakesh: 18°C–30°C (64°F–86°F)
Sahara: 35°C+ (hot days, cool nights)
Notable Events: 🌹 Rose Festival, Dades Valley – late May (music, parades, markets)

Morocco is not a passive ride.
It demands presence, adaptation, and curiosity.
You’ll sweat. You’ll get lost. You’ll find magic.

It’s not just a route.
It’s a rite of passage.

🏍️ Day 7 – May 23: Tarifa → Chefchaouen (via ferry to Tangier)

the real shift.
You’re crossing continents, rolling off the European map and onto African soil. This ain’t just a border day — it’s a cultural punch in the face (in the best way), ending in one of Morocco’s most iconic towns: the Blue City itself.

🗺️ Route Overview

📏 Distance: ~120 km (in Morocco)
⏱️ Total Time: ~4–5 hours (1h ferry + 3h ride + 0.5–1h border & port chaos)
🧭 Route: Tarifa → 🚢 Ferry → Tangier Med → Tétouan (bypass) → Chefchaouen
🌍 Map Link: Tarifa to Chefchaouen

🌉 Border Crossing Game Plan

🚢 Ferry Options: FRS or Intershipping. Buy in advance or at the terminal — first boat leaves ~9:00 AM.
⏱️ Border Timing: Give yourself 30–60 minutes for customs (can be longer). Stay cool, smile, and be patient.
📄 Docs You’ll Need:
- Passport
- Bike registration (original)
- Green Card insurance (or buy Moroccan coverage at port)
- Entry form (available onboard or at port)

Tip: Use “importation temporaire du véhicule” signs. They'll stamp your bike in and give you a paper — DON’T lose it.

🌄 Highlights of the Ride

🛣️ N16 Coastal Highway: From Tangier, roll along the Atlantic coast before turning inland. Wide curves, rolling hills, and the first whiff of Moroccan grit.
🏞️ Rif Mountains: As you climb, the road tightens — switchbacks, drop-offs, goats, and Berber shepherds.
🟦 Arrival in Chefchaouen: The Blue City. One of the most photogenic towns in North Africa, nestled in the mountains, painted like a dream.

🏡 Destination: Chefchaouen (Population ~45,000)

Founded in 1471 as a Moorish fortress, Chefchaouen blends Andalusian flair with Berber roots. It's calm, cool, and full of cats, color, and quiet. The medina is compact, walkable, and magical — especially at dusk.

🔍 Fun Fact

The town was closed to non-Muslims until 1920. Its signature blue walls? Theories say it keeps mosquitoes away… or reminds residents of heaven.

🍽️ Local Flavor

🍛 Tagine (Chicken, Lamb, or Veg): Slow-cooked Moroccan stew served in the namesake clay pot.
🫖 Mint Tea (“Whiskey Berbère”): Sweet, strong, poured from a height with showmanship.
🥖 Khubz + Olives: Bread is sacred here — eat it with everything.

🛏️ Where to Sleep

🛌 Riad Hicham: Central, classic Moroccan architecture, safe bike parking nearby.
🏞️ Casa Perleta: Cozy rooftop views over the blue maze.

🌙 Evening Moves

🚶 Get lost in the medina: Blue alleys, tiled walls, warm lights.
🧿 Visit Ras el-Maa springs: Locals wash clothes here at sunset. It’s peaceful and unreal.
📷 Photo ops: Every. Single. Corner.

🔧 Next-Day Prep

🧽 Clean your visor — bugs + dusk = blind curves tomorrow
⛽ Fuel up before leaving town — next leg is longer, and you don’t want to search for gas in the Rif
💰 Get Dirhams — ATMs are everywhere, but carry small cash for roadside stops

🏍️ Day 8 – May 24: Chefchaouen → Fez

The dream continues — but today, the road gets wild.
You're deep in the Rif Mountains now, riding through Berber territory, across forgotten passes, and into the beating, chaotic heart of Morocco: Fez.

🗺️ Route Overview

📏 Distance: ~230 km
⏱️ Riding Time: ~5.5–6 hours
🧭 Route: Chefchaouen → Bab Taza → Bab Berred → Taounate → Fez
🌍 Map Link: Chefchaouen to Fez (Scenic Route)

🌄 Highlights of the Ride

🏞️ Rif Mountain Roads: You're leaving the tourist routes now. These roads are narrow, cracked, and twisty — with barely any traffic and constant elevation shifts.
🌿 Berber Villages: Bab Taza and Bab Berred are small, sleepy, and stunning — get fuel if you see it, and grab a mint tea with the locals.
🌾 Taounate Region: Opens into wide agricultural valleys — olive trees, wheat, and wide-open stretches perfect for throttling up.
🕌 Arrival in Fez: Say goodbye to quiet. Fez hits you like a wall — people, smells, horns, heat, life. You’ll feel it the moment you roll in.

🏡 Destination: Fez (Population ~1.1 million)

Founded in the 8th century, Fez is Morocco’s oldest imperial city and its cultural and spiritual capital. The medina (Fez el-Bali) is a UNESCO World Heritage site — a labyrinth of over 9,000 alleys and dead-ends, filled with artisans, donkeys, spice merchants, and centuries-old madrasas.

🔍 Fun Fact

The world’s oldest operating university, Al Quaraouiyine, is in Fez — founded in 859 CE by a woman named Fatima al-Fihri.

🍽️ Local Flavor

🐐 Khlea: Preserved spiced beef, often served with eggs — ancient, salty, and rich.
🥣 Harira: Tomato-lentil soup with chickpeas, often eaten during Ramadan.
🧠 Camel or Lamb Head (optional!) — If you're bold, find the stall in the medina. Respect if you try.

🛏️ Where to Sleep

🏨 Riad Laaroussa: Luxurious and tranquil — hidden inside the medina.
🛏️ Dar Hafsa: Simple, authentic, and super welcoming.
🛵 Pro tip: Park outside the medina walls. Many riads offer porters and guarded lots.

🌙 Evening Moves

🏰 Medina Wander: Let yourself get lost. That’s the point.
🧴 Visit a Tannerie: Smell of death, color of dreams — bring a mint leaf for your nose.
🕯️ Rooftop Dinner: Catch the call to prayer echo across the city from above. It’ll shake something loose inside.

🔧 Next-Day Prep

🧭 Double-check GPS setup — Fez exit routes are tricky and full of one-ways
⛽ Fuel before leaving the city — the Middle Atlas doesn’t play
💤 Sleep deep — tomorrow you ride into the cedar forests, past monkeys, and over 2,000m mountain passes

🏍️ Day 9 – May 25: Fez → Midelt

time to shift gears.
After the madness of Fez, you're heading back to the mountains. Today’s ride is a short, stunning one — a breath of clean, crisp air as you climb into the Middle Atlas. Less distance, more altitude. This is the calm before the desert.

🗺️ Route Overview

📏 Distance: ~210 km
⏱️ Riding Time: ~4.5–5 hours
🧭 Route: Fez → Imouzzer Kandar → Ifrane → Azrou → Col du Zad → Midelt
🌍 Map Link: Fez to Midelt

🌄 Highlights of the Ride

🧭 Imouzzer Kandar: A chilled mountain town — first sign you're climbing out of the lowlands.
🏡 Ifrane: Nicknamed the "Switzerland of Morocco" — clean streets, alpine houses, and cedar trees. Surreal after Fez.
🐒 Azrou’s Cedar Forest: Watch for Barbary macaques along the road — they're wild, curious, and cheeky as hell.
🏔️ Col du Zad (2,178m): A beautiful high-altitude pass with long sweeping bends, cool mountain air, and open skies.
🛤️ Arrival in Midelt: A quiet, windswept town at the foot of the High Atlas — halfway between the mountains and the Sahara.

🏡 Destination: Midelt (Population ~45,000)

Midelt is a dusty outpost town with one foot in the mountains and one in the desert. It’s a logistics town for travelers, not a cultural gem — but the landscapes make up for it. Surrounded by peaks and plateaus, it’s the ideal staging point for your descent into the Sahara.

🔍 Fun Fact

Midelt is known for apple orchards — a weirdly alpine crop for this part of Morocco. They even have an annual Apple Festival in September.

🍽️ Local Flavor

🍲 Berber Couscous: Light, fluffy, and earthy — try it with lamb and vegetables.
🥘 Vegetable Tagine: Simple, warming, and served with flatbread in almost every riad.
🍏 Fresh Apples: If you’re offered one, take it — they’re grown right here.

🛏️ Where to Sleep

🏨 Hotel Kasbah Asmaa: Classic stop for moto travelers — garden oasis feel, good food, secure parking.
🏕️ Camping Jurassique: A bit outside town, but wild, quiet, and star-heavy.

🌙 Evening Moves

🌄 Walk outside town for wide desert views and mountain silhouettes.
📷 Sunset light here is no joke — golden and dramatic. Perfect photo stop.
🔥 Fireplace Riad Vibes: Midelt nights are cold — enjoy that tagine by the hearth.

🔧 Next-Day Prep

🛠️ Bike Check: You’re going into harsher terrain. Air filter, chain tension, tire pressure.
🛢️ Fuel Up: No joke — next day is a remote stretch, top off before leaving.
🧤 Layer Up: You’ll start cold and climb — then descend fast into desert heat.

🏍️ Day 10 – May 26: Midelt → Merzouga

You ride into the fire.
This is the transition. You’re leaving the green highlands behind and carving your way down into the red, dry lungs of the Sahara. It’s a day of descent — in altitude, temperature, and terrain. Welcome to the edge of the void: Merzouga.

🗺️ Route Overview

📏 Distance: ~330 km
⏱️ Riding Time: ~5.5–6 hours
🧭 Route: Midelt → Er Rich → Ziz Valley → Tunnel du Légionnaire → Source Bleue de Meski → Errachidia → Erfoud → Merzouga
🌍 Map Link: Midelt to Merzouga

🌄 Highlights of the Ride

🏔️ Tizi n’Talghaumt Pass (1,907 m): Smooth tarmac, open mountain views, and gentle sweepers through high desert terrain.
🌴 Ziz Valley: Suddenly — palms. The road winds along cliffs above an endless string of oases, kasbahs, and mudbrick villages.
⛏️ Tunnel du Légionnaire: A rough military-carved tunnel with a dramatic overlook — pull over for a panoramic view of the Ziz Gorge.
🏞️ Source Bleue de Meski: Natural spring and old Legion outpost — a cool, shady oasis perfect for a mid-ride pause.
🌬️ Erfoud to Merzouga: The final stretch. Flat, hot, and straight. You’ll start seeing dunes on the horizon. They get closer. And bigger. And then suddenly, boom — Sahara.

🏜️ Destination: Merzouga (Population ~5,000)

Merzouga is a sandy outpost at the foot of the Erg Chebbi dunes — massive golden waves that rise up to 150 meters high. It’s the classic Sahara image burned into your childhood brain, but now it’s real. The village itself is chill and touristy, but small. The silence and starlight out in the dunes? That’s where the magic is.

🔍 Fun Fact

Erg Chebbi dunes are said to have been formed by divine punishment — legend says a rich family turned away a poor woman, and a sandstorm buried them.

🍽️ Local Flavor

🍳 Berber Omelette: Cooked in a clay dish, filled with tomatoes, onions, and spices — perfect recovery food.
🫓 Medfouna (Berber Pizza): Flatbread stuffed with meat, onions, eggs, and herbs — hearty as hell.
🌰 Dattes (Dates): Sweet, rich, and grown locally — grab a handful at any stop.

🛏️ Where to Sleep

🏕️ Camp Nomad: Luxury or basic desert bivouacs — includes dinner, drums, and stars.
🛌 Auberge Les Roches: Great moto spot with a pool, secure parking, and dune views.
🐫 Camel Camps: Book ahead for a sunset camel ride to your tent under the stars.

🌙 Evening Moves

🐪 Camel Trek at Dusk: Ride out into the dunes. Sand turns gold. The wind whispers. The silence hits hard.
🔥 Desert Drum Circle: Most camps offer music, fire, and mint tea — sit back and breathe it in.
✨ Stars. All of Them. No light pollution. Just sky.

🔧 Next-Day Prep

🏍️ Optional Sand Play: Air down your tires if you want to ride the dunes — or stick to packed earth tracks.
🛠️ Dust Check: Blow out filters, lube that chain, shake out your boots. Sand gets everywhere.
☀️ Hydrate: You’re gonna be parched, even at rest. Start drinking water early.

Chango — saddle up for one of the most epic rides of the entire route.
Today is long, twisty, and legendary. You're carving west out of the Sahara, climbing into the gorges, conquering the serpentine switchbacks of the Dadès Gorge, and ending in a cinematic desert fortress: Aït Benhaddou. This is why you ride.

🏍️ Day 11 – May 27: Merzouga → Aït Benhaddou (via Dadès Gorge)

🗺️ Route Overview

📏 Distance: ~380 km
⏱️ Riding Time: ~7.5–8 hours
🧭 Route: Merzouga → Erfoud → Tinghir → Dadès Gorge (up and down) → Boumalne Dadès → Skoura → Aït Benhaddou
🌍 Map Link: Merzouga to Aït Benhaddou via Dadès Gorge

🌄 Highlights of the Ride

🛤️ Desert Highway to Tinghir: Flat, hot, fast. Enjoy the horizon before the terrain folds.
🏞️ Tinghir & Todra Gorge (optional detour): Massive vertical canyon walls — worth a quick side ride if time allows.
🌀 Dadès Gorge Switchbacks: THIS IS THE ONE. The famous zigzag climb into the canyon — Insta-famous, but 100% earned. Twist, climb, breathe.
🌴 Skoura Oasis: Back to green. A palm-filled valley dotted with old kasbahs, like time forgot this place.
🏰 Aït Benhaddou Arrival: The road rolls in toward this ancient fortress village. Dirt, mudbrick, silence. It hits you like a mirage.

🏯 Destination: Aït Benhaddou (Population ~1,000)

Aït Benhaddou is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a ksar (fortified village) that’s been used in everything from Gladiator to Game of Thrones. Built from red mudbrick, it rises from the desert like a memory of a world long gone. At sunset, it glows.

🔍 Fun Fact

Some families still live inside the ksar with no electricity or running water. You can walk across the riverbed and step 1,000 years back in time.

🍽️ Local Flavor

🍢 Kefta Brochettes: Grilled spiced meat skewers, eaten roadside or in the riad.
🍵 Mint Tea with Desert Herbs: Slightly different flavor in this region — more sage, more desert.
🫓 Homemade Flatbread: Still baked in mudbrick ovens around the village.

🛏️ Where to Sleep

🏨 Kasbah Valentine: Gorgeous views of the old ksar, moto-friendly, great terrace.
🏜️ Riad Maktoub: Old-school Moroccan hospitality with a pool and charm.
🏕️ Wild Camp Option: Ask locals where to roll your mat near the dunes — stars here don’t quit.

🌙 Evening Moves

🚶‍♂️ Walk the Ksar: Cross the dry river and wander the narrow alleyways. Touch the past.
🎬 Sunset Photo Op: You’re standing in a real movie set — but better, because it’s real.
🔥 Dinner on the Rooftop: Let the wind cool your sunburn while you eat tagine under the stars.

🔧 Next-Day Prep

🧭 Early Start Alert: Tomorrow’s route winds through the south Atlas and ends at the Atlantic. It’s a full ride day.
🛠️ Coolant & Oil Check: You’ve done heat and altitude. Give the bike a once-over.
🧽 Chain Clean: Dusty day today. Don’t let it eat your sprockets.
⛽ Fuel Early: Skoura has stations. Don’t wait ‘til the mountains.

🏍️ Day 12 – May 28: Aït Benhaddou → Agadir

🗺️ Route Overview

📏 Distance: ~360 km
⏱️ Riding Time: ~6.5–7 hours
🧭 Route: Aït Benhaddou → Tazenakht → Taliouine → Taroudant → Agadir
🌍 Map Link: Aït Benhaddou to Agadir

🌄 Highlights of the Ride

🏜️ Tazenakht Plains: Open desert roads — big sky, full throttle.
🌺 Taliouine: Saffron capital of Morocco. Stop for tea and local spice.
🧱 Taroudant: Walled city known as “Little Marrakech” — worth a quick loop.
🌊 Agadir Arrival: The ocean hits your nose before your eyes. First coastal breeze in over a week.

🏖️ Destination: Agadir (Population ~420,000)

Agadir’s a modern beach city — rebuilt after a 1960 earthquake. It’s not ancient, but it’s got vibe: wide boulevards, beach cafés, and cold beer. Good place to rest and recharge.

🍽️ Local Bites

🐟 Grilled Sardines — Beachfront, fresh, simple.
🍋 Seafood Pastilla — Sweet & savory filo pie, coastal twist.
🍦 Moroccan Gelato — Yes, it’s a thing.

🛏️ Where to Crash

🏨 Hotel Sindibad – Moto-friendly and central.
🏝️ Anezi Tower Hotel – Pool, sea views, parking.

🌙 Night Moves

🏖️ Walk the promenade, breathe the ocean.
🍻 Rooftop drink — you’ve earned it.
💤 Sleep well — tomorrow, Essaouira and Marrakech.

🔧 Quick Check

⛽ Fuel early — coast roads can surprise you.
🔩 Chain + fluids — yesterday was long and hot.
🕶️ Clean visor — salt air ahead.

🏍️ Day 13 – May 29: Agadir → Marrakech (via Essaouira)

🗺️ Route Overview

📏 Distance: ~360 km
⏱️ Riding Time: ~6.5–7 hours (with stops)
🧭 Route: Agadir → Essaouira → Chichaoua → Marrakech
🌍 Map Link: Agadir to Marrakech

🌄 Highlights of the Ride

🌬️ Coastal Run to Essaouira: Windy cliffs, sea spray, goats in trees.
🏖️ Essaouira Stop: Old Portuguese port, chill medina, killer seafood.
🏜️ Inland Curve-Up: Twistier, hotter, drier — the rhythm changes fast.
🕌 Marrakech Arrival: Loud, chaotic, legendary. A city like no other.

🏙️ Destination: Marrakech (Population ~1 million)

Red walls, snake charmers, riads, rooftop calls to prayer. You’ve arrived at the heartbeat of Morocco. Dive into the medina — or hide in a hammam. Both work.

🍽️ Local Bites

🍗 Djaj M’hammar — Slow-roasted chicken, saffron-heavy.
🍢 Kebabs off Jemaa el-Fnaa — Eat standing up, nap later.
🍮 Sellou or Chebakia — Sweet street snacks with sesame and honey.

🛏️ Where to Sleep

🛌 Riad Nesma – Calm oasis near the medina.
🧘 Equity Point Hostel – Great rooftop, traveler crowd.
🚪 Park outside the medina and walk in.

🌙 Night Moves

🧭 Get lost in the souks — that’s the point.
🔥 Watch performers in Jemaa el-Fnaa square.
🍊 Fresh orange juice or hot snail soup — your call.

🔧 Quick Check

⛽ Fuel up before tomorrow’s long northbound push.
🏁 Mid-trip chain and oil check — you’re at the halfway point.
🎒 Secure your gear — pickpockets are quick in crowds.

💤 Day 14 – May 30: Marrakech (Rest Day)

time to breathe.
After over 3,000 km across mountains, deserts, and madness, today you don’t ride. You soak it in. Marrakech will seduce, overwhelm, exhaust, and inspire — all before lunch.

🗺️ Ride Overview

📏 Distance: 0 km
⏱️ Riding Time: 0 hours
🧭 Route: From your bed to the souk and back (maybe)

🕌 What to Do

🧭 Get Lost in the Medina: Over 9,000 alleyways. No GPS. Just instincts and bartering skills.
🌴 Jardins Majorelle: Yves Saint Laurent’s garden escape — cool, quiet, blue as Chefchaouen.
🕌 Bahia Palace or Ben Youssef Madrasa: Stunning Islamic architecture. Tiles for days.
🧼 Hit a Hammam: Steam, scrub, rinse, repeat. Your body will thank you.

🍽️ What to Eat

🐑 Mechoui: Slow-roasted lamb from a pit oven — melt-in-your-mouth.
🥘 Beef & Prune Tagine: Sweet and savory. Old school.
🫖 Mint Tea: You’ve earned your place on a rooftop with a pot and a breeze.

🛏️ Where to Chill

🏨 Stay Put or Upgrade: If your riad has a rooftop or plunge pool, today’s the day to enjoy it.
🧘 Hammam Ziani or Les Bains de Marrakech for a full reset.

🛍️ Bonus Missions

🧤 Buy gear or gifts: Leather, lamps, spices — haggle or be hustled.
🧳 Ship stuff home: You’ve got 10+ days left. Drop weight if needed.

🔧 Light Bike Check

🔩 Chain tension, lube, tire pressure — give her love after that desert work.
🔋 Battery top-off and GPS/charging gear check.
🗺️ Tomorrow’s a long ride north — Casablanca is calling.

🏍️ Day 15 – May 31: Marrakech → Casablanca

time to roll north.
You’ve soaked in the chaos of Marrakech, now it's throttle-on. Today’s ride is fast and direct — built to cover ground, not break records. The goal: Casablanca, the port city of myth, film, and modern Moroccan hustle.

🗺️ Route Overview

📏 Distance: ~240 km
⏱️ Riding Time: ~3.5–4 hours
🧭 Route: Marrakech → Settat (optional break) → Casablanca
🌍 Map Link: Marrakech to Casablanca

🛣️ Ride Highlights

🛤️ Fast, Flat, Functional: This is a national highway ride — straight shot, not scenic. Good asphalt, decent signage.
🛑 Optional Stop in Settat: Refuel (you and the bike). Small town, big plates.
🏙️ Casablanca Arrival: Suddenly, you're in a different Morocco — glass towers, port cranes, Atlantic breeze.

🌆 Destination: Casablanca (Population ~3.7 million)

Morocco’s biggest city and business capital. It ain’t romantic like the movie, but it’s got muscle. Modern, loud, and alive. It’s where Morocco works — and where you get your last big city fix before crossing back into Europe.

🔍 Fun Fact

The Hassan II Mosque has the tallest minaret in the world — 210 meters. Built over the sea. Open to non-Muslim visitors.

🍽️ Local Bites

🐟 Grilled Fish at the Port – Fresh and fiery, served fast.
🥪 Moroccan Sandwiches – Lamb, sardines, kefta, or omelette — grab it and go.
🍮 Avocado Juice or Almond Milk Smoothies – Classic Casawi fuel.

🛏️ Where to Sleep

🏨 Hotel Moroccan House: Colorful and central. Moto parking inside.
🌃 Ibis Casa Voyageurs: Near the train station. Clean, quiet, easy.

🌙 Night Moves

🌊 Hassan II Mosque at sunset — golden hour magic.
🥂 Rick’s Café (touristy, yes — but iconic) if you're feeling nostalgic.
🚶 Corniche Walk — feel the Atlantic air before crossing it tomorrow.

🔧 Quick Check

⛽ Fuel up — you’re heading for the border tomorrow.
🛂 Get documents in order — ferry crossing the next day.
🧳 Time to sort what you’re taking home and what’s just road dust.

🏍️ Day 16 – June 1: Casablanca → Tarifa (via Tangier Med Ferry)

back across the water.
Today you leave Morocco. Ferry lines, border agents, and a bittersweet throttle twist as you ride back into Europe. You’re not done yet — but you’re closing the loop.

🗺️ Route Overview

📏 Distance: ~320 km (plus ferry crossing)
⏱️ Time: ~7–8 hours total (ride + border + ferry)
🧭 Route: Casablanca → Asilah (optional stop) → Tangier Med → 🚢 Ferry → Algeciras → Tarifa
🌍 Map Link: Casablanca to Tarifa

🛣️ Ride Notes

🚀 Autopista All Day: Fast, wide, and not much to see — this is a transit stage.
🌅 Asilah Stop (optional): Chill coastal town for lunch and one last Moroccan breath.
🚢 Tangier Med Port: Get there 2 hours before departure. Paperwork, customs, inspection. Be cool, be ready.

🛂 Border Crossing Tips

📄 Have your temporary import form (D16) ready for your bike
🛠️ Expect inspection of panniers and VIN
🧾 Stamp out passport, and keep a smile. Moroccans are helpful if you stay chill
🧘 Patience is your best tool — lines are slow but steady

🌊 Ferry Crossing

⏱️ ~1–1.5 hours
🛳️ FRS and Intershipping are the go-tos
🚢 Some ferries include customs onboard, others at port — ask ahead
🏁 Land in Algeciras, and roll ~45 min west to Tarifa

🏖️ Destination: Tarifa (again — pop. 18,000)

You’re back where the African leg began. The wind still howls, the surfers still dance, and now you’re different. You’ve crossed a continent.

🍽️ What to Eat

🐙 Pulpo a la Gallega: Galicia on a plate, on the coast of Cádiz.
🐟 Pescado Frito: Simple, golden fried fish with lemon.
🍻 Cold beer, no helmet: You’ve earned it.

🛏️ Where to Sleep

🛌 La Cocotera Hostel – Back where you started. Rooftop, relaxed.
🏨 Hotel Hurricane – Just outside town, right on the beach. Quiet finish.

🔧 Quick Check

🧽 Clean the bike — salt spray and ferry grime are no joke
⛽ Fill up — tomorrow’s route winds deep into Portugal
📸 Reflect — the Africa chapter is closed. Let it settle in

🏍️ Day 17 – June 2: Tarifa → Moura → Portalegre

welcome to the backroads.
Today you leave the coast, cross the hills of western Andalucía, and ride into the Alentejo — Portugal’s most overlooked gem. Olive trees, slow curves, sleepy towns. No rush. Just road.

🗺️ Route Overview

📏 Distance: ~440 km
⏱️ Riding Time: ~6.5 hours
🧭 Route: Tarifa → Aracena → Serpa → Moura → Portalegre
🌍 Map Link: Tarifa to Portalegre

🌄 Highlights of the Ride

🏞️ Sierra de Aracena: Rolling hills, tight corners, cork oak forests. Stop in Aracena for café and fuel.
🇵🇹 Cross into Portugal near Serpa: The vibe shifts — less traffic, more calm.
🌳 Alentejo Landscapes: Open plains, stone walls, dry fields, slow curves.
🕊️ Moura & Alqueva: A glimmering reservoir and one of the quietest roads in Europe.

🏡 Destination: Portalegre (Population ~15,000)

Set against the Serra de São Mamede, Portalegre is a historic hill town with cobbled streets, old convents, and a laid-back pace. Perfect spot to cool your boots, sip wine, and watch the shadows crawl over the red-tiled rooftops.

🔍 Fun Fact

The region is famous for tapestry weaving and some of Portugal’s best olive oil.

🍽️ Local Flavor

🐖 Porco Preto (Black Iberian Pig): Grilled or cured — rich, smoky, unforgettable.
🍷 Alentejo Wine: Bold, earthy reds. Ask for the house bottle — you won’t go wrong.
🥚 Sericaia: A cinnamon egg pudding typical of the region.

🛏️ Where to Sleep

🛌 Hotel José Régio: Central, comfy, good bike parking.
🏡 Convento da Provença: Outside town in the hills — rustic, peaceful, stunning.

🌙 Evening Vibes

🍇 Grab a glass and sit in the square — watch life move slowly.
🌅 Sunset from the castle ruins if you’ve still got leg strength.
🧘 This night’s about recharging. Tomorrow you ride home.

🔧 Quick Check

⛽ Fuel up — tomorrow is your last push
🧽 Wipe down the bike — start the return clean
🎧 Put on your best playlist — next ride is the grand finale

Next - Portugal

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