Date
23 – 31 October
Duration
9 Days
Starting point
Marrakech
Price
from €1.800 per person
MAROC CHALLENGE FOOTSTEPS
Specially designed for those who want to experience the toughness and demands of an event like the Maroc Challenge. In this itinerary we experience some of the most severe, rough and demanding editions of our raids.
We will cross Morocco from south to north following its eastern border, some of the most arid, rugged and inhospitable terrain in the country. The driving days are long, and we will pass through large, sparsely inhabited areas of desert, rocks and sand. The terrain is rough, river beds and seas of sand, dunes, the desert in its purest form.
A perfect opportunity to follow in the footsteps of our participants, to feel, suffer and enjoy, to put oneself to the test, and a perfect excuse to take a well earned vacation… afterwards.
Program
GROUP SIZE
6 Vehicles
DRIVING
1.800 Km
CLIMATE
Máx 25º / Mín 7º
DIFFICULTY
Medium
Would you like to know what you are going to face each day? Type of terrain? Daily mileage? Find here detailed information about this adventure’s day to day program.
We recommend arriving in Marrakech with enough time to enjoy the city. Marrakech, is the city of a thousand and one nights, one of the most spectacular and impressive in Morocco, you should not miss the opportunity to visit the Djemaa el Fna Square, one of the busiest in Northern Africa, nor its labyrinthine souk, its gates and walls, the Koutoubia mosque, the Saadies Tombs or the tanners' quarter.
Briefing
08:00
Distance
310 Km
Driving time
8h
Accommodation
Hotel ****

30%
Dirt

0%
Sand

0%
Dunes

10%
Rocks

0%
Dry lake

60%
Asphalt
We start our itinerary crossing the High Atlas through the Tizi-n-Tichka pass (2260m) and continue on to Telouet by an impressive mountain road.
We traverse several Berber villages nestled peculiarly between the rocky mountainous walls and the Oued Ounila.
We arrive at Foum Zguid, a town created next to a Moroccan military post, crossroads, caravan crossing and stage of the old Paris Dakar rally.
Briefing
08:00
Distance
320 Km
Driving time
7h
Accommodation
Hotel ****

25%
Dirt

25%
Sand

20%
Dunes

5%
Rocks

15%
Dry lake

10%
Asphalt
We next head south, crossing the Jbel Tadrart mountain range. On the way, we pass through Tagounite towards M'hamid, very close to the Algerian border, then on by dirt track towards the Sacred Oasis and the dunes of Erg Cheggaga, where we will enjoy driving in an endless sea of sand.
We then continue along a fantastic sandy route to Lake Iriki, located in the Iriki National Park, covering over 123,000 hectares.
This environment offers protection to a multitude of desert species during the brief wet periods. Especially birds, but also gazelles, oryx and hyenas.
Next stop is Zagora, famous for being the city from which the old camel caravans left for Tombouctou (and which took 52 days to cross the desert) and for its immense green palm grove in the Drâa river basin.
Briefing
08:00
Distance
270 Km
Driving time
8h
Accommodation
Hotel ****

50%
Dirt

20%
Sand

15%
Dunes

5%
Rocks

5%
Dry lake

5%
Asphalt
We start the day taking what was once one of the most fantastic "Dakar Rally" routes in Morocco, it boasts about 250 km of varied terrain (sand, rocks ...) and very fun driving.
The desert here is omnipresent, just a few rivers and lakes (dry most of the year) and a few small towns, located next to oases, dot the predominantly sandy landscape.
It is one of the driest and most rugged areas of the country, located at the foot of the Erg Chebbi dunes.
Our destination: Merzouga. Just in time to enjoy a spectacular sunset and the stars coming out over the desert.
Briefing
08:00
Distance
150 Km
Driving time
5h
Accommodation
Hotel ****

35%
Dirt

30%
Sand

20%
Dunes

10%
Rocks

0%
Dry lake

5%
Asphalt
We will enjoy the sunrise in Merzouga, a small town located at the very edge of the desert.
We will pass the morning having fun in the dunes, and admiring the breathtaking landscapes of Erg Chebbi, with dunes over 150m. high.
After the sand fun, we will resume our route towards Erfoud, an oasis city located in the Ziz Valley in the Drâa Tafilalet region, famous for its spectacular palm grove, dates and fossils.
Briefing
08:00
Distance
340 Km
Driving time
6h
Accommodation
Hotel ****

60%
Dirt

10%
Sand

1%
Dunes

10%
Rocks

0%
Dry lake

19%
Asphalt
We will enjoy the sunrise in Merzouga, a small town located at the very edge of the desert, before resuming our route north.
We will again follow an old Dakar Rally dirt track which runs through a sandy valley bordering Algeria. The proximity of this country is the reason that we will come across several military posts.
The landscape here is extremely arid and harsh and very sparsely populated until we reach Bouarfa, capital of Figuig province and an old mining town.
Briefing
08:00
Distance
290 Km
Driving time
6h
Accommodation
Hotel ****

60%
Dirt

10%
Sand

1%
Dunes

10%
Rocks

0%
Dry lake

19%
Asphalt
We then leave Bouarfa to resume our way north, once again driving parallel to the Algerian border.
Like something out of a James Bond movie ( specifically in "Specter"), we could even have the rare opportunity of meeting the Oriental Desert Express, a tourist train which runs only two days a year, along an old abandoned track that recreates the ancestral Bouarfa-Oujda line, built to transport minerals and troops during the so-called French Protectorate in Morocco.
With or without a train, we will soon arrive in Oujda, a key city due to its location on the desert route to the Mediterranean.
Briefing
08:00
Distance
90 Km
Driving time
4h
Accommodation
Hotel *****

50%
Dirt

1%
Sand

0%
Dunes

0%
Rocks

0%
Dry lake

49%
Asphalt
We leave the city of Oujda to take an incredible mountain track from which we can enjoy spectacular views over the Mediterranean until we reach Saidia, (in Arabic Assaïdïa: the happy city), the final destination of our adventure.
We will follow the course of the Uadi Kiss River, which acts as a natural border with Algeria, its mouth and that of the Muluya River make up a beautiful, wild and semi-deserted bay.
Saidia is known as the Blue Pearl. It is a small town of seafaring tradition that has now become an attractive tourist destination. It has one of the longest beaches in Morocco, famous for its fine texture and golden color.
Day of rest before returning home.
Route map
Security
Because we like adventures, safety is important to us, our experiences are insured with the best coverage.
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
250.000 €
REPATRIATION
100%
LUGGAGE AND DOCUMENTATION
1.500€
PRIVATE CIVIL LIABILITY
60.000€
SEARCH AND RESCUE
15.000€
SATELLITE TRACKER
“Live” in each vehicle
Price
The base price of this adventure is calculated for a Nissan Patrol 260, sharing a double room and a minimum of two people per vehicle. If you wish to choose another SUV model or add someone else, you can check the price below. If you have any questions about the model to choose or information about the differences between them, click HERE.

Nissan Patrol 260
€1.800 per person *
€3.600
2 people
+ €1.400
3rd person
+ €1.300
4th person

Nissan Terrano II
€1.900 per person
€3.800
2 people
+ €1.450
3rd person
+ €1.350
4th person

Nissan Patrol GR Y60
€2.000 per person
€4.000
2 people
+ €1.500
3rd person
+ €1.400
4th person

Nissan Patrol GR Y61
€2.100 per person
€4.200
2 people
+ €1.550
3rd person
+ €1.450
4th person
* This is the base price calculated for two people, with more participants in the vehicle, the value per person will be cheaper.
Single room supplement
+ €240 p/person
For your information
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