Bikepacking Morocco’s Anti-Atlas: From Atlantic Coast to Desert Oasis
Morocco’s Anti-Atlas region offers a perfect blend of wild Atlantic coastline, desert mountains and quiet market towns — ideal terrain for a bikepacking adventure.
Starting on the Atlantic coast and heading inland through the foothills of the Anti-Atlas Mountains, Alex and his wife spent a week slowly exploring rocky beaches, oasis valleys and sun-baked mountain roads before looping back to the surf city of Agadir.
Day 1: After a three hour taxi journey south, we made it to Sidi Ifni – a small fishing town on the Atlantic coast – and the starting point of our ride. 
A few miles along the coast we came to Legzira – a wide windswept beach, battered by Atlantic waves. Stretching for over 5km, its compacted sand is a joy to ride along. 
Dotted along the beach are rocky outcrops of ochre sandstone. 
A natural arch formed through erosion frames this stunning location. 
The Atlantic was never far away — a salty breeze gave us a gentle push as we pedalled north along the coastal road. 
A few hours’ ride along this coast brought us to a modern-day troglodyte settlement. Fishermen have carved homes directly into the soft sandstone cliff, their doorways facing the Atlantic. 
Weathered sandstone. 
For just a few pounds, we were able to stay in one of these rock-homes for the night. 
Few mod cons, but plenty of comfort.
Day 2: We left the coast, and headed inland towards the Anti-Atlas mountains. In these first few days of the trip, we stopped at almost every shop we passed, worried about running out of food or water. 
We grabbed lunch in the 19th century fortified town of Tiznit. 
Tiznit sits at the western end of the 770 mile ‘Route of the Caravans – South’ bikepacking route, and is the eastern gateway to the Anti-Atlas mountains. 
Foothills of the Anti-Atlas loom in the distance, on the gravel route out of Tiznit. 
With no obvious place to stay the night, we searched for a spot to wild-camp, that was hidden from the road and free of thorny desert scrub like this Lotus tree. 
A concrete wellhead near an olive grove made for a flat, stone-free place to spend the night. 
Day 3: With no cooking equipment, that first coffee of the day didn’t arrive until we’d cycled to the next town – Anzi. 
As the road out of Anzi climbed, so too did the temperature. By mid-afternoon it hit 42°C on my Wahoo. Our water bottles were warm to the touch, and every patch of shade beside the road offered only patchy shelter. Our rest stops grew more frequent and longer, and we both started to feel dizzy and slightly disoriented. 
Nowhere was open, to escape the heat, so we took a siesta for an hour or so under a shady tree at the side of the road to reset our minds and bodies. 
Recharged, the hills that had earlier seemed impossible to climb, were soon behind us. A long downhill freewheel through the mountains was the reward. 
A welcome sight – an open shop on the road to Tafroute. 
In Tafroute we had the chance to get a decent night’s sleep and… 
…get some chores done. 
Day 4: Exploring Tafroute… 
…a busy market town… 
…where there’s an abundance of food on offer… 
…including goats’ heads used in traditional dishes such as mechoui or lahem ras. 
We planned to stay in Tafroute for a few days. Being able to leave our panniers at the hotel meant we could strip the bikes down and explore the surrounding area more easily. 
On the first evening we took a short half-hour ride out of town, into the surrounding desert to see… 
…’The Painted Rocks’, created in 1984 by the Belgian artist Jean Verame. 
It took Jean Verame 18 tons of paint… 
…to create this colourful installation in the desert… 
…perfectly in tune with the Moroccans’ love of vibrant paint schemes. 
Day 5: A longer excursion into… 
…and over the mountains again… 
…to Ait Mansour Gorge. 
Nestled in a steep-sided valley, Ait Mansour is a real-life desert… 
…oasis! 
A natural place to stop… 
…rest… 
..and shelter from the mid-afternoon sun. 
On the mountain road back to Tafroute we passed several villages… 
…but saw very few people… 
…and little sign of life. 
Day 6: A rest day from cycling. We bundled the bikes into a Taxi, and headed for Taroudant. 
Nicknamed “Little Marrakech” – Taroudant is famous for its well-preserved 16th-century city walls… 
…the medina… 
…and the ‘riads’ – traditional guest houses. 
The narrow streets and alleyways offer lots of shade, even at midday. 
But it wasn’t until early evening that the townsfolk came out in numbers… 
…whether for a bite to eat… 
…or to marvel at the ancient architecture… 
…or for a spot of shopping. 
After days of quiet mountain roads and desert valleys, the bustle of Taroudant felt almost overwhelming.
Day 7: Returning to Agadir, following the river Asif Tifnout and the flow of traffic towards the coast. 
On the outskirts of Agadir, we passed a wide range of murals. Some, like this one, calling for social justice… 
…whilst others were declarations of support for the local football team Hassania Agadir. 
Agadir already has a reputation as a paradise for beachgoers and windsurfers. But with empty Atlantic coastlines, dramatic Anti-Atlas mountain roads and desert oases all within riding distance, it might deserve a new reputation as one of North Africa’s best bases for a bikepacking break.
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