Agafay Gravel Cycling
The Agafay is a compact stone desert 30 minutes south-west of Marrakech — arid, golden, scattered with low scrub and dry riverbeds, and almost traffic-free. It is the closest real desert to Marrakech and the easiest introduction to Moroccan gravel. Ride it as a half-day sunset loop, a full day, or the first leg of an overnight toward Lalla Takerkoust.
What the surface is like
Fast, compacted gravel across an open plateau — a gravel bike with 38–40c tyres rolls over it easily. There is no shade and no water on the plateau itself, so carry what you need and start early in the warmer months.
The half-day sunset ride
A short transfer puts you on the plateau in the late afternoon for a 30 km sunset loop — the light goes golden quickly, with the Atlas silhouetted to the south. Ideal for an arrival day.
Linking to Lalla Takerkoust
The Agafay connects naturally to the lakeside pistes of Lalla Takerkoust — ride the full link as an epic day, or split it with a night at an Agafay desert camp or a lakeside lodge.