25 km 400 m 1'200 m Guesthouse

From the moment you wake up, you leave Marrakech and its relentless activity to head deep into the remote reaches of the Central High Atlas. A few hours of road transfer, time enough to grasp the immensity of this range with its changing colours and scents: olive trees, ochre earth, first pisé villages clinging to the slopes.

Not far from Demnate and its famous natural bridge of Imi n'Ifri, a rock arch carved by the river, we start the riding with a first descending singletrack, short but technically rich: 1'200 m of downhill to get into the swing, with the High Atlas already rising in front of you.

First night in a local guesthouse, which takes you a little further from yesterday's bustle and the cosy comfort of your Marrakech hotel. The rhythm of the trip is set: mint tea, tagine, and the sleep of the just.

 34 km 1'400 m 1'900 m Guesthouse

You've already settled into the cruising rhythm of the trip and you're polishing the pronunciation of your « Salam Aleykoum » at every encounter, when a surprise awaits you in the early morning: our usual 4x4 has vanished, replaced by mules. Thanks to them and their unsuspected abilities, we're going to leave every trace of civilisation behind and push deeper towards the goal of the week, the M'goun.

This is the whole originality of the Hike & Ride: long walks in single file through splendid valleys, behind our Berber muleteer friends who take particular care to relieve you of your bike for the climbs and hand it back at the top of each ascent. Today, 1'400 m on foot, about three hours, then a first trail ridden by the book, far from everything, on paths used only by the herds.

In the evening, at the guesthouse, we share dinner with a family from the village of Ait Bouli: bread baked in the clay oven, tagine and tea poured from on high. The Berber mountains begin to tell you about their daily life.

 31 km 1'500 m 1'800 m Mountain refuge

The convoy sets off again first thing in the morning, along a small valley leading to our next pass, just under 3'000 m. Breathless from the altitude as much as from the beauty of the contrasting landscapes of the Tassaout valley, you pause for a last burst of photos of these colourful reliefs, where you can read the whole geological diversity of the region.

After these four hours of walking, about 1'500 m on foot, you grasp the absolute isolation in which the rare inhabitants of the place live, and the ingenuity of their irrigated terraces and stone granaries. Then comes the reward: a long descending stretch, 1'800 m of downhill, through a setting of typical earthen villages and terraced fields.

For the night, the convoy reaches a remote mountain refuge, the last possible stop before the summit: spartan comfort, a roaring stove, a sky riddled with stars and the M'goun close by. Sleeping bag required, and an evening spent talking about tomorrow.

 48 km 1'250 m 2'200 m Guesthouse

Early wake-up at the refuge: a long ascent, about four hours of walking, still relieved of your bike by our faithful mules, takes us to the summit of the M'goun, at 4'071 m, the roof of the Central High Atlas. On the way, the high plateaus where the Ait Atta nomads bring their herds up in the fine season; up there, a view embracing the High Atlas from one horizon to the other, and the feeling of being at the end of the world.

The long walk is rewarded as it should be: from the summit, a lunar-looking trail snakes along the vast slopes of the massif. Amazed by the splendour of the high plateaus and the surrounding valleys as much as by the quality of the path, you link a first exhilarating section, a second more technical part that holds all your attention, then a last long rolling section: 2'200 m of descent to close in style the fullest day of the trip.

A good traditional meal washed down with a swig of mint tea and a night with a local family round off this fifth day of your Moroccan adventure as they should.

 30 km 800 m 1'200 m Guesthouse

We climb back to around 3'000 m with an ascent near the Tizi n'Ait Hamd pass, and a privileged view of the sumptuous Saghro mountains on the other side of the Dades: the desert is not far away now, and the colours say so.

Then comes a new descending section towards the Ouzighimt valley. This route of some thirty kilometres of mountain biking delights you as much for the landscapes crossed as for the beauty of the trails ridden, between rolling flats and small switchbacks.

At the end of the day, we're once again welcomed into an authentic family guesthouse, with whom you have the pleasure of sharing a few moments of daily life: the bread baking, the children coming home from the fields, the tea frothing. Tomorrow, it'll be time to say goodbye to the mules.

 35 km 800 m 1'300 m Guesthouse

A last two-hour hike opens the day, as every day amid landscapes full of colours and contrasts, with a very special isolation and serenity thrown in. This last ascent also marks the parting from our friendly team of Berber muleteers, who spared you long hike-a-bike sections throughout the raid while bringing their authenticity and their knowledge of Berber culture.

With a tear in your eye and a lump in your throat, you leave the one who took care of your bike all week, your faithful friend the mule. Despite these heart-wrenching farewells, you stay strong and gather your last strength to get back on your bike and attack as it deserves the endless single that leads you into the Ait Bouguemez valley: small winding switchbacks interspersed with rolling sections of totally indecent flow, close to depressurisation.

The evening at the guesthouse lets you enjoy the splendour of the place, its earthen villages, its terraced fields and its granaries, and you quickly understand why it's nicknamed the Happy Valley.

 13 km 100 m 200 m Hotel

Before hitting the road back to Marrakech, you make the most of the morning for a last little ride, to soak up one last time the authentic flavours of the Happy Valley. After about fifteen kilometres, we meet up with the 4x4 and the Azilal region to return to Marrakech over the passes of the High Atlas.

In town, we pack the bikes, then it's time for a last night in a comfortable riad and a last evening in the medina: souk, spices, snake charmers and the story of your week to tell those who won't believe you.

 Airport transfer according to your flight times

Depending on your flight time, we accompany you with your luggage and your bike to Marrakech airport. In your head: the high plateaus of the M'goun, the lunar trail, the mules and their muleteers, the meals shared with local families, the Happy Valley. Bslama, goodbye in Darija, and Tanmirt in Tamazight, thank you: the Berber mountains haven't left you unscathed.

Ready to live the Mgoun Hike & Ride? Places are limited: book yours and come hike and ride up to the gates of the Moroccan sky.

Yes, and it's a commitment: every date we open is a guaranteed departure. No « minimum number of participants » clause: if the date is published, the trip runs. Book your flights and your holidays with peace of mind.

A professional Swiss MTB guide, Swiss Cycling certified and a High Atlas specialist, who opened this route and has led it with the same team of Berber muleteers for years. You're in good hands!

On average 30 to 55 years old: regular riders with good fitness, a taste for mountain hiking and the desire to live a real adventure.

Of course: our groups are regularly mixed, and plenty of women riders have enjoyed this destination.

Mule trails that are mostly rolling, with moderate gradients, dry, often smooth, sometimes rockier or more technical, but easy to get the hang of. Be comfortable with mountain hiking too: on mule days, you climb on foot for three to four hours while your bike travels on a mule's back, and the altitude rises to 4'071 m.

No: during the day you only carry your riding gear. Luggage travels by 4x4 with our drivers, or on a mule's back on hiking days.

Most nights are spent in comfortable guesthouses, with a hotel in Marrakech at the start and the end. And one unforgettable night in a remote mountain refuge, the last stop before the M'goun summit.

Yes, all meals are included except the last day in Marrakech, where you pick your own table in town. The rest of the trip, we take you to the best local spots for Morocco's most traditional dishes, often with local families. Brace yourself: Moroccan food is a delight!

A well-prepared enduro MTB, a sleeping bag for the night in the refuge and, if you wish, trekking poles for the climbs: the full list is under « Your bike » and « Your gear ».

Yes, e-bikes are very welcome. If you plan to fly in with yours, be aware that flying with an electric bike and its battery is very complicated: some airlines accept the bike, but the battery has to travel separately by road transport. In that case, we can safely receive it in Marrakech. Other options: rent an e-bike in Morocco for the week, or take advantage of the times we drive down to Morocco to transport your e-bike directly. Get in touch to find out more.

No: Morocco strictly forbids the use of drones on its territory, and the authorities carry out very strict checks, starting at customs. Leave it at home.

The programme was built with safety first and progresses in stages to get you used to the altitude. On 4x4 days, you can rejoin our support vehicles or skip a run at any time; on mule days, the pace is the group's and the guide adapts the route if necessary.

No, it isn't possible during the week: plan clothes for the 9 days.

Swiss and EU citizens don't need a visa for stays under 90 days: a valid passport is enough. Check the requirements for your nationality before departure.

Very little! The last day's meal is easily paid by card in Marrakech. For the rest, plan the equivalent of about a hundred Swiss francs in dirhams for drinks, souvenirs and crafts along the way: in the mountains, cash is king.

No insurance is required to enter Morocco, but we strongly recommend full cover: health and accident abroad, cancellation and repatriation. Check with your insurer that you're covered for mountain biking and high-altitude hiking in Morocco, for accidents as well as cancellation due to force majeure.

If in doubt, talk to your insurer before signing up.