Mines & Dunes
Bikepacking expedition from Tangier across the Rif and Atlas to the Sahara with piste or road routes over ~1,200–1,520 km
Mines & Dunes is the successor of the Morocco-BikeAdventure Tangier to Sidi Ifni, originally finishing in Essaouira. The new Mines & Dunes adventure starts in Tangier, Morocco, but the modern city quickly fades behind you as the route plunges into a world that feels frozen in time.
From the first climbs of the Rif Mountains, riders face remote paths far from civilization. The challenge intensifies in the Middle Atlas and High Atlas Mountains, where 2,600 meter high passes and isolated mining villages test both endurance and grit. One of the most striking landmarks is the abandoned Ahouli mines, a sprawling industrial relic that hints at Morocco’s rich – and harsh – history.
After the mountains, the trail drops into the Sahara Desert, where riders face scorching sun, endless sand, and dramatic landscapes. Art installations like La Cité d’Orion, The Golden Spiral, and Stairway to Heaven crafted by German artist Hannsjörg Voth provide brief moments of awe before the final push to the desert camp finish.
Choose your challenge – the piste route (gravel & dirt roads) or the fully paved course. The adventure is designed to take about a week, but as with all our bikepacking events, there’s no time limit.
Routes: - PISTE route: 1,190 km / 20,000 m elevation gain - ROAD route: 1,520 km / 21,000 m elevation gain