Why this ride
A desert corridor with open geology, remoteness and strong visual character. It links naturally to Draa Valley kasbahs.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Ouarzazate to Zagora
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 159 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 3 h 04
- Journey
- Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
The recorded total and the leg detail need reconciliation. Inspect the leg notes before using this record for timing or navigation. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Editorial context
Coordinates are curated start-via-end route seeds. They are not a surveyed centreline or navigation geometry. Run road snapping, topology checks, access checks and a live-status review before publication.
Access context
Do not auto-publish. Snap to a routable road network, verify current closures, legal motorcycle access, surface, permits, border controls and local safety information.
Seasonal context
Oct-Apr
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Ouarzazate
Ouarzazate is a town built where the High Atlas gives way to the desert, and the light there is so strong and clear that the film industry came to rely on it. It sits on a high plateau at the southern foot of the mountains, with the pale red earth and flat-topped hills of southern Morocco spreading out in front, and it has been the location for films such as Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator and numerous others. Huge studio complexes on the edge of town offer visits, with sets of ancient Egypt and Tibet standing in the dust, but the real attraction lies in the kasbahs.
Read the complete Ouarzazate write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Ouarzazate sits at 0 km, early in the day. Next is Zagora.
2. Zagora
A painted sign on the edge of Zagora famously announces Tombouctou 52 jours, the number of days it takes to reach Timbuktu by camel. Whether or not the journey was ever quite so precise, the sign sums up the town's place in history: the last major stop on the Draa valley route before the Sahara, where caravans carrying salt, gold, and slaves once gathered for the long crossing. Today Zagora has about thirty-five thousand people, a long avenue of shops and cafés, and a steady flow of visitors heading into the dunes.
Read the complete Zagora write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Zagora comes up 159 km in.