Le Marrakesh Traverse

The Marrakesh Traverse is a short but steep 260 km loop that will take you to some of the High-Atlas' most breathtaking spots, and yet, is extremely accessible from Marrakesh. I recommend gravel bikes with at least 45, preferably 50mm tires, but those on rigid hardtails will be more comfortable and enjoy the descents even more. The route starts in Marrakesh, but you can get a taxi/bus to Imlil (even with your bikes) for around 15eu. The ride from Marrakesh to Imlil isn't particularly beautiful and follows a big road, so if you can skip it and use the extra time to take it easy on the route to enjoy the views, or take an extra day in Marrakesh, definitely do so.Imlil is a small mountain town well known for its mountaineering culture. Many hikers start their hike of Toubkal - the tallest mountain in North Africa - from Imlil, so there's a plethora of hostels and hotels. I recommend Ibrahim's Abode (see highlight). It's a little further out from Imlil but you'll be able to enjoy much better views of Toubkal and the valley, and Ibrahim will be an amazing host. Use the Imlil Shakedown Ride tour for a short 15km spin to get the legs moving before the first big climb of the tour.After the first big climb, you'll reach some stunning switchbacks that will more than makeup for the big effort. Have fun, but be careful because some short sections are quite unrideable and you'll have to carry your bike. Once at the bottom, you'll follow an oscillating mixed-surface road that will eventually get you down to Asni. From there, you start the biggest climb of the route which will take you past Gliz (resupply) and the ski town of Oukaimeden where you can enjoy a delicious Tayín (resupply). After Oukaimeden, the climb gets a lot tougher, taking you up to 3,200 meters above sea level. The BIG effort will be more than worth it, as you'll reach an incredible set of switchbacks that will make you scream like a toddler. Enjoy the way down, but be cautious as you're now entering one of the most remote sections of the route, with few resupply options. Once you reach the bottom of the switchbacks, you'll keep descending a little more gradually down this beautiful valley. This is followed by a short (but punchy) climb that will get you to one of the most stunning gravel roads that gradually descend for a while until you reach another set of wild switchbacks.After this, you will have finished the remote section of the route. From here you have two options, you can either follow the road straight to Ourika (which is mostly downhill and filled with cafes and riverside joints to eat/drink) or, you can follow the route until you see the designated highlight where you can either climb or hitch a ride which will take you to one final stunning section of dreamy singletrack descending. Not to be missed in my opinion!The route in Ourika takes you to a nice hostel that accepts bikes and where you can rest and recover from the route. As with the start, you can choose to ride back to Marrakesh, or my recommendation would be to get one of the green (public) buses/vans to Marrakesh.Et voila! Ça c'est Le Marrakesh Traverse! Bon Chance!