Marrakesh & Beyond - A wine drinking bikers guide
- Alex Johnson
- Nov 18, 2024
- 14 min read
Updated: Dec 7, 2024
Morocco has been on my wish list for years so in October 2024 I finally flew out to Marrakesh for a week long motorcycle tour (the "Berber Raid") into the Atlas mountains with French tour operator Vintage Rides. I'll write an article about that trip shortly. I then spent another 4 nights taking it easy in Marrakesh with my parents. Morocco is all the rage at the moment and the release of Gladiator 2 (shot in Morocco) and the new Trans Morocco Trail recently will surely only increase its popularity. I loved my time there and I'll certainly be back soon.
There are countless excellent guides and books on Marrakesh and Morocco so this will be my brief guide with my notes from the trip.
Useful References
Morocco Overland Book
If you're motorcycling/overlanding in Morocco then Chris Scott's guide to the region is the definitive guide and is a must.
Trans Morocco Trail
The TMT has just been released, Chris Scott and Ed Gill’s 3000km overland adventure combining backroads and regular trails to explore Morocco’s vast and diverse landscapes. When I come back to Morocco it'll certainly be to do some of this.
Out in the wilds of the Atlas mountains
Before You Go
Other than checking if I needed a Visa and some basic info I had no time to do any research or read any of the guidebooks I had before I left (I was busy working and studying for a wine exam the day before I left).
Visas
I'm an EU/Irish citizen so I didn't need a visa or do anything special here. The same goes for UK and EU passport holders as far as I'm aware.
Vaccines
No vaccines are really required but I got a number of them in case as I hadn't had any in 20+ years. I knew I'd be on a motorcycle trail riding for days in remote places so anything that might prevent me getting ill was worth getting.
On trips earlier this year in Spain and Portugal I was chased by packs of aggressive dogs so I went for the Rabies vaccine as I knew I'd be remote places and the vaccine buys you time to get to a hospital for the required injections if you're bitten and I believe you need fewer injections (some may not always be available). On my trip I was expecting to see loads of dogs but in fact there were very few, there were huge numbers of cats however as they're are much loved here and considered somewhat sacred like cows might be in India.
I basically asked for everything that made sense and as most last for years they were worth doing as I'd no doubt be doing similar trips in the coming years. I got the following:
Tetanus / Diphtheria / Polio (Lasts 10 years)
Typhoid (Lasts 3 years)
Hepatitis A (Lasts 25 years)
Rabies (Lasts 3 Years)
Cholera (Lasts 1 year)
Too cute to have Rabies? Fleas might be another story?
Drones
Leave your drone at home as they are very much illegal in Morocco. They search for them entering and leaving the country. I believe if you do bring one it you can declare it at customs and pick it up on the way out. It also seems possible to apply for permission to use one in advance. Seems like hassle so just leave it home.
Insurance
I left with normal travel insurance and also I got multi trip worldwide motorcycle travel insurance from BeMoto which covered me for trail riding motorcycles overseas - https://www.bemoto.uk/motorbike-touring-travel-insurance
Packing
This was a bit complicated as I was motorcycling so I needed my full riding kit suitable for off roading including helmet. The weather forecast was for around 30 degrees in Marrakesh while up in the Atlas mountains where I was going had lows of 5 degrees. It had also been raining heavily before and some more was expected so I needed full waterproof gear. I also needed to bring clothes for after the bike trip. I didn't want to check in any luggage as it would have my helmet in there and I was worried I'd be totally screwed if I lost my bags. Having seen how the bags were treated in the airport I was glad I only took carry on which consisted of a large carry on sized duffel bag and a my Kriega Trail 18 motorcycle backpack with water bladder. I needed to wear all my riding gear and boots on the plane (except for the helmet in my duffel).
Getting There / Leaving
Flying
I flew from Bristol to Marrakesh with EasyJet which is just over a 3 hour flight. You should print off your boarding passes as they don't have any boarding pass scanning facilities. Don't throw away your boarding pass as you need to show it when you arrive at immigration.
The immigration queue for entry was horrific, it was backed up all the way up the stairs in the terminal and it took me 3 hours to get to the counter where I then got an official who looked like he wanted to be anywhere else and spend a lot of time chatting to his mates in between asking me a gruff question which he didn't care what the answer was. You seem to be able to book a fast track to avoid all this and there seems to be another queue were elderly, people with small children or randomers seem to get put into for reasons unknown. Some others I was on the trip with just blagged their way into that queue. It all depends on luck as my flight arrived just after a load of other so you may only need to wait an hour but keep this in mind if you've booked an airport transfer.
Leaving was very frustrating as it's almost like they've put on a show for the British who they think want to do a lot of queuing. Even if you only have carry on you must queue at the baggage desk to get a stamp on your paper boarding pass (this is why you need to print in advance although I saw numerous people with old school printed airline boarding passes from the counter). You then queue to show your stamped boarding pass before you queue to go through security (that had kittens running about the place). Then you queue for passport control. Then you need to queue to get into your specific gate, then queue again to show your boarding pass then queue again to get on the plane. You get the idea. Arrive at the airport in plenty of time!
Arriving By Motorcycle
A friend on the trip rode his bike over from the UK, getting the ferry from Spain. He said this was very straightforward, you don't ned a carnet just the ownership docs for your bike. You're supposed to buy insurance I believe which you can do just after you get through customs.
The Basics
Sim Cards
You'll need to buy a local SIM card when you arrive. Roaming rates for EE mobile here were outrageous (you could spending hundreds of £££ a day on data). There's 3 counters on the left at arrivals in the airport. I went to Inwi in the middle on a guides recommendation. A data only sim with 20GB data was £20 (or 20 of whatever currency you have) and is all you need. The grumpy girls here will "happily" setup everything for you if you handover you phone. I didn't have a spare sim slot on my phone but I did bring a spare phone which I used for this and then I hotspotted that phone to my main phone. The coverage was good even up in the Atlas mountains, certainly much better than in much of the UK.
Cash / ATMs
The local currency is Dirhams which £1 gets you about 12.5 Dirhams. There's an ATM to the right in arrivals but it charges about a 35 Dirham fee. I got out 2000 Dirhams (£160), which I was told should last me the week on the bike trip, but it barely lasted me my first day in Marrakesh but that was mainly due to going to a fancy wine bar.
When in Marrakesh, I found ATMs could be hard to find in Medina area, you're most likely to find them around the main market area of Jemaa el-Fnaa or around the more modern French quarter Gueliz (where The YSL museum is).
Safety
Marrakesh is a very safe place. We were told by our bike guide that unless you go around waving loads of cash then you'll be perfectly safe. I was amazed as we travelled around Morocco on the motorbikes that we were told to leave the keys in the ignition and leave all our gear on the bike, you'd never get away with this in Europe. Tourism is very important to the country so I suspect doing anything untoward to a tourist will have severe consequences.
I found wandering around Marrakesh you can end up going down some tiny little back streets looking for a Riad or a restaurant and you might be followed by a teenager or child but they're only looking to and show you were you're looking for and get a tip out of you.
You might get hassled by kids looking for money, sweets or pens but you shouldn't give them anything as it encourages begging.
If you're motorcycling in Morocco and coming into villages the kids many will run out and try to high five you as you ride through but you shouldn't (give them a wave instead) as I've heard some have been run over doing this and they might grab your hand and pull you off the bike.
Communication
While the main language is Arabic, most people speak French and many also speak English. I speak some basic French which was very useful.
Staying Well
Don't drink the tap water and avoid anything that might have been cleaned in tap water. Bottled water is readily available so leave one next to your sink for brushing your teeth.
Despite being careful (except one time eating some salad out of politeness) I got sick twice. The last full day on the motorcycle trip I'd really bad stomach cramps and I was ill for a week after I got back too. Both my parents were throwing up when the got home also.
The cholera vaccine I believe doesn't stop you getting sick but it's supposed to take the edge off. On the bike I took loads of Immodium in case just to get through the day as I knew I'd 5 nights in Marrakesh after to recover. I brought travellers diarrhoea antibiotics in case I got really sick but I didn't need to use them, better to have then have not especially if you need to travel every day.
Getting About
While in Marrakesh I walked everywhere except when I changed Riad or was coming from the airport.
Crossing the roads will be a bit unnerving at first, you basically need to commit and walk out into the mad traffic, drivers will just drive around you but they expect you to keep walking so if you dither you're more likely to get yourself in trouble. It helps to use someone else crossing as a human shield the first few times ;-)
Taxis
There are taxi ranks in various locations or you can hail them. They'll try to take the piss so always agree a price first. When you ask how much they'll usually say something like "Pay what you think". A taxi to the airport should be no more than 150 dirhams, probably less. Getting about Marrakesh should be 50-80 dirhams. My transfer to the airport failed to show up so I hailed a taxi and needed to pay in pounds as I'd used up all my dirhams.
Your Riad/hotel can arrange transfers for you but it will cost more but be less hassle. I arrange a transfer for my parents to/from the airport and it was 20 euro each way.
Hiring a Driver
If you're heading out of Marrakesh say to the Atlas or somewhere remote not covered by a bus then you could hire a driver for about 150 euro per day. My parents went to the fortified village of Aït Benhaddou south of Marrakesh over the Atlas mountains. The driver took them a scenic route there over the Atlas then came back to collect them a few days later and took them a different scenic route back.
Hiring a Car
Having ridden a motorbike through Marrakesh and around the Atlas there's absolutely no way I'd hire a car. If you're a very competent driver and used to driving in places in Italy then give it a go. The roads in and around Marrakesh are very intimidating, the drivers aren't nuts and are actually quite courteous but it'll be stressful. Heavy rains has destroyed many roads and when I was in the Atlas many roads could only fit one vehicle on steep hairpinned mountain roads where the tarmac has eroded at the kerb. Many places were unsurfaced roads and temporary roads while they rebuilt the washed away roads.
Hiring a Motorcycle
I'm obviously going to be biased but a motorbike is the best way to get about. Plenty of place's we went you'd only get through on a motorbike and in towns in the Atlas there was gridlock with vehicles and we could nip through on the bikes.
As part of the Vintage Rides tour we stayed in the Majorel Pearl hotel in Gueliz area and there was a motorcycle rental company called M2R across the road with a large selection of bikes to hire. There's a number of other rental companies or you could just join a tour like I did.
Where To Stay
In Marrakesh I stayed in two places, the Majorel Pearl as part of the bike tour which was fine (very good breakfast) but I loved the place I booked to stay with my parents Riad Chams. The medina is the walled old town where all the action is so I advise staying there unless you have a car or motorcycle as most of the riads (traditional town houses) won't be accessible and certainly won't have parking. Gueliz is the new town "French Quarter" which is better suited if you have a vehicle.
Riad Chams
Location: NE Medina, Marrakesh
How Much? Approx £90 per night
I'm not a huge fan of crowds so I booked this lovely Riad as it's just outside the mayhem of the markets so you can easily pop in and out of the action. It's also close enough to walk to the Gueliz with the YSL museum and many restaurants. It was a bit tricky to find as you need to walk down some tiny streets that were almost tunnels at times. It's very pretty with a rooftop terrace, lovely staff and a gorgeous cat who would jump up and drink out of the water fountain. It feels homely and relaxing rather than like a hotel. We had dinner in here the first night (book in advance) and the can arrange airport transfers and trips outside Marrakesh.
Riad Chams
If Riad Chams isn't available then have a look at the Riad Dar Justo Boutique Hotel & Spa which is quite a flash boutique hotel where I loved to go for lunch/dinner on their rooftop terrace.
Eating & Drinking
Well what can I say, you're going to be eating a lot of Tagines. For the most part I ate tagines for lunch and dinner everyday while I was there. These typically are either meat and vegetables served with bread or couscous with meat/vegetables. We went for a couple of pizzas for a change and I started the trip with a visit to a French wine bar for cheese/charcuterie and a Beef Bourguignon.
Your Moroccan Diet
If you want to eat in your hotel/riad you'll usually need to book in advance as they only made the food to order. We usually at what we were given so if you're vegetarian etc then tell them this in advance. If you travel into the countryside you need to order your food in advance - this was a big advantage to being on the bike tour as the food was all ready for us when we arrived and it would't have been available otherwise. An advantage of this system is that all the food is freshly made to order while in the Marrakesh restaurants where you can order anything then it may not be as fresh and I have heard that food poisoning is more common here than when you get out of the cities.
Sweet mint tea is the drink of choice here which you'll be given on arrival to wherever you're staying. Morocco is a muslim country but they produce both beer and wine mainly for tourist consumption and export. Alcohol is not widely available and can only be found in some restaurants and hotels. I found one off licence in Marrakesh near the YSL museum that sold beer, wine and spirits and was very expensive but did have some good local wines at acceptable prices. Alcohol is very hard (or impossible) to find outside of the cities so if you can't live without it then it you'll need to bring some. On the bike trip we had a support vehicle so I could put a couple of bottles of wine in and there was few crates of beer in it too. The locals don't mind you drinking but be respectful and don't wander about with a drink in your hand. I didn't touch anything with ice in it as I couldn't be sure where the ice came from so no cocktails for me.
Wines to Try
Morocco with its French influence has a number of wineries often growing a number of French grapes such as Carignan, Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre etc. They have a style of wine called Vin Gris which is essentially just a rosé with minimal skin contact.
Some producers I enjoyed which are worth keeping an eye out for:
Domaine Des Ouled Thaleb - their best known is the Tandem Syrah
Domaine de Baccari
Domaine de la Zouina - Volubilia Gris & Red
The wine lists in many of the restaurants I've listed were quite similar and I usually ended up drinking the Volubilia Gris rosé which was widely available and a bit more appealing in the heat.
The airport has a very good selection of Moroccan wine and I was able to bring home some wines I couldn't find in Marrakesh.
Recommended Bars & Restaurants
Myself and my parents found ourselves going back repeatedly to these places as they had stylish rooftop terraces and were great places to escape the crowded streets of the Medina. These are all fancier tourist places but they all sell wine etc which is partially why we went to them. In the evenings you're probably best to book these places in advance although I found Dar Justo relatively quiet most of the time as it's down a rabbit warren of back streets. The Gueliz area is full of restaurants which I explored while I spent a few nights in that area with the bike tour.
Dar Justo
Location: Medina
This restaurant is on the roof of a boutique hotel down a rabbit warren of tiny streets in the Medina became my go-to place in Marrakech. It was a great place escape the madness of the markets. Typical Moroccan food is served here.
Dar Justo
La Pergola
Location: Medina, just off Jemaa El Fna square
This is a rooftop jazz bar and restaurant which is part of very fancy hotel near the main market square. The food was particularly good here and they've a mix of traditional and interesting international dishes. I had an amazing orzo risotto. They do cocktails, beer on tap and plenty of wine. There's jazz in the evenings which looks fun but you'd definitely need to book a table as some guys from the trip were turned away when they tried to go.
Bazaar Cafe
Location: Medina
I went here with the tour group on our first night together and went back a few times with my parents. Lovely building with a nice rooftop terrace. Serves traditional food.
Le 68 Bar à Vin
Location: Gueliz
A French wine bar (according to them the only wine bar in Marrakesh) with nice interiors, a good wine list and a list of French food including frogs legs. I went the first night in Marrakesh and spent a small fortune on wine, charcuterie and Beef Bourguignon. Very friendly sommelier. A nice way to acclimatise to Morocco.
Petanque Social Club
Location: Gueliz
Stylish art deco cocktail bar and restaurant where I went with the tour group when we arrived back to Marrakesh. Lots of very well dress glamorous people were there when I went. We sat outside in the garden terrace which has tables under trees with ambient lighting and lounge Buddha Bar-esque music playing. The food is a mix of traditional and western food like burgers. If I was going back I'd just go for a drink as I wasn't overly impressed with the food (however I was ill at the time and left mid meal and everyone else was happy). From the outside there is no name on the building and it's hard to work out how to get in (it has a bit of a hidden bar kind of vibe).
Black Pan Pizzeria
Location: Gueliz
Right, I wouldn't normally recommend pizza when you're somewhere like Morocco but a point comes after your 20th Tagine when you want something the polar opposite of it. I give you pizza. We stayed around the corner from here on the bike tour, we ended up going twice in fact.
Final Thoughts
Marrakesh is a great place to go for a long weekend but if you're there for any longer you'll want to get out and explore somewhere like the Atlas mountains which were amazing or head to the coast (somewhere I'll visit in a future trip). There are so many amazing places to see in Morocco that it would be a shame to limit yourself to touristy Marrakesh.
I feel Marrakesh/Morocco would be a great place to go if you're thinking about visiting India but not sure if you'd like it as if you find this too much then India will be too much for you.
