Following on from the amazing response we received for our two tours scheduled for December this year – sold out in 24 hours of being announced - we will be partnering with Moto Aventures again and running two more Sideburn Sahara adventures in March 2022. If you're anything like us and now sure what day it is, nevermind what year, that's 11 months from now. As before one will be our well-loved Women Only (for the fourth year running) and the other our Open for all to join.
There are just ten places available on each trip.
Women-only Tour: 5-11 March 2022 Open to all Tour: 13-19 March 2022 With five riding days the tour enables the groups to get to the amazing dunes at Erg Chebbi, the highest in Morocco One of the tour highlights is the night in our desert bivouac, far from tarmac and light pollution. This is where you will get your first experience of riding sand and dunes, and in the late afternoon we will ride to the top of the highest dune (80m) to watch the sunset while having a well-earned drink.
The next day we have a half-day of riding that ends at a gorgeous auberge with a pool set in the shadow of the famous cathedral dunes. Have lunch, relax by the pool in the afternoon, then, if you want, back on the bikes to ride the many dunes that are Erg Chebbi including attempting to conquer the 'big one', before basking in another African sunset.
Sideburn partners with Moto Aventures, a specialist company who has been running Morocco trips for over 25 years. By joining the Sideburn trip you benefit from being in a group of likeminded individuals all on the same wavelength, so even if you sign up on your own, you’re going to be in a group of new friends from day one. How do we know? It’s just how it happens on the Sideburn collab trips. We’ve done eight in Morocco, three in the Himalayas and another in Nepal, and strong, global friendships have formed on every one of them. The trip is operated and run by Moto Aventures, but a Sideburn rep will be liaising with you to co-ordinate things and answer questions, and will then be on the tour with you all.
HOW IT WORKS You fly into Marrakech no later than 1pm on Saturday 5th March (Women's trip) or Sunday 13th March (Open trip). You can extend your trip at either end at your own expense and we can recommend gorgeous riads to stay in if you want more time away. Just let us know.
We organise a transfer from Marrakech to Ouarzazate by minibus. We’ll either pick you up at your hotel in Marrakech or at the airport. Once at the Karam Palace Hotel in Ouarzazate you’ll meet the Moto Aventures crew and guide team, get introduced to your KTM, have a group meal and get to know your fellow riders better. The next day you ride.
The accommodation is a mixture, ranging from a 200-year-old converted Kasbah, top tourist hotels built in a Kasbah style and the exclusive night in our traditional Berber camp in the shadow of another area of dunes (with proper showers and toilet blocks). After five days of riding, you will have one more night in Ouarzazate before transferring back to Marrakech to fly home in the evening of 11th March (19th for the open trip) or continue your holiday in Morocco if you wish. 5-11 March 2022 - Women Only 13-19 March 2022 - Open to all
You must arrive at Marrakech airport no later than 13.00 on 5th or 13th March (depending on the trip). In the past, really early arrivers have taken a cab into Marrakech for breakfast and a quick explore and transferred from there.
Return flights should be after 17:00 to allow for the transfer time from Ouarzazate to Marrakech on the 11th/19th of March.
THE PRICE €2150 based on two sharing a room. Single supplement is €150. We have ten spots only. We are able to offer three lowered KTM 450s, but they must be reserved in advance. This trip is marketed by Sideburn, but operated solely by Moto Aventures Europe SL. To book/reserve a place email us, giving us details of your off-road riding experience. Email: sideburnmag at gmail dot com
DEPOSIT
Morocco has been open to most foreign travellers since last October but due to various factors to do with Covid and its’ variants, Morocco recently introduced restrictions on certain nationalities entering the country. Until this has changed we prefer not to take any deposit payments. We anticipate this to be sometime around the end of May 2021, at which time we will request the 30% deposit payment.
To see our adventures from the perspective of the riders, click Instagram Sideburn Sahara
Photos: Jenny Linquist; Atwyld; Caylee Hankins