East Project Enduro Circuit – 5 Days from Marrakech

Atlas Enduro Adventure calls this the East Project, and the name is literal: the circuit works the eastern sector out of Marrakech rather than heading for the standard southern corridor to Ouarzazate and the dunes. The operator's own case for it is that the area is little explored, that the landscapes swing between vast desert plain and rugged mountain, and that the roads it uses see very little traffic. For riders who have done Morocco once already on the well-worn route, that is a genuinely different proposition. The shape of the trip is five days and four nights, of which three are riding days. That leaves the first and last days to absorb the flights and the airport transfers, which the company includes both ways. Where this differs from a touring holiday is the surface: Atlas Enduro is a raid organiser, its guides ride enduro, and the routes are chosen for the trail rather than the view from the tarmac. The company says its tours are graded for everyone from beginners to experts, so the honest reading is that the guide will pitch the day to the group in front of him rather than that the terrain is undemanding. Accommodation is four nights in hotels or traditional inns, double rooms, on a half-board basis, with lunches taken on the road as well. The bike comes with insurance, the guide works in French and English, and an assistance vehicle follows the group carrying luggage and dealing with any repairs, which on an off-road week is the difference between a mechanical being an inconvenience and being the end of the trip. Excluded are flights, all drinks, extras, rider protective equipment and compulsory repatriation insurance. Riders are expected to bring their own helmet, gloves, boots and off-road clothing, though the company can supply some items on request if asked in advance. Minimum group size is four. Atlas Enduro also builds custom versions of its circuits around a group's level and preferred mix of surfaces, which is worth knowing if four of you want the East Project route but with more sand in it.

Five days and four nights with three of them spent on the bike, working the country east of Marrakech, an area Atlas Enduro describes as little explored and which shifts between wide desert plain and rough mountain. This is the operator's entry-level multi-day raid: enough riding to feel like a real trip, short enough that the arrival and departure days absorb the flights. The route sticks to little-travelled roads and passes through traditional Berber villages, and the emphasis is squarely on off-road riding rather than sightseeing from the saddle. Departures need a minimum of four riders. Return transfers from Marrakech airport, half-board accommodation, motorbike hire with insurance, a bilingual guide and an assistance vehicle for luggage and repairs are all included in the 1,300 euro starting price.