8 days from:
£999 to £1,099
including flightsCheck Availability

Atlas Descent

Tripcode: MMA

Countries visited: Morocco

Adult Group Holidays Challenging Serious Adventure Cycling
Review your Exodus adventure now

Our Clients’ Reviews


Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you're interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers. Any feedback collected (Good or bad) from Exodus clients is posted straight onto our website - totally unedited. Read more...

Average Review Rating: 4.3 from 43 reviews.

First pageBack one page1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7Forward one pageLast page

  • ATLAS DESCENT CYCLING HOLIDAY

    Very goodVery goodVery goodVery goodVery good

    Written

    Warning:  Atlas Descents may go up as well as down.  Great holiday! 

    Read full review

    What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

    The holiday was made by the people who were there.  Great bunch and would ride with them again.  Come to think of it, I already have...

    What did you think of your group leader?

    Good bloke - was able to keep the group going and make sure everyone was enjoying the holiday.  Would have liked to see him mixing around the group a bit more on the rides, rather than trying to set a "good time" up some of the climbs.

    Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

    This holiday is titled "Atlas Descent" and, technically, most days do finish at a lower altitude than the start.  Having said that, the title does lead people to think this is related in some way to a more "freeridey" kind of trip - it isn't.

    I would say that the downhill sections are rather forgettable; just rolling down wide landrover tracks.  For me, the climbs were worthwhile from a training point of view and probably the most memorable part of the holiday.  Please, Exodus, the holiday is good but change the name - it is misleading!

     
  • ATLAS DESCENT

    Very goodVery goodVery goodVery goodVery good

    Written

    I thoroughly enjoyed my holiday and would recommend it, Exodus and Morocco. I accept that although some aspects did not suit me personally, they exist for the overall benefit of the group, which at 16, seemed large for one leader. 

    Read full review

    What did you think of your group leader?

    He was excellent.

    Spoke French, good bike rider and mechanic, addressed unexpected weather adversity well, generally addressed all matters well for a group which seemed very large for one guide (16).

    Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

    Be prepared to be constantly on the move. You need to be organised with your gear. You can leave items for the week at the hotel in Agadir, to which you return at the end of the holiday. Be clear what you need with you for the week out of Agadir, but cannot access by day, as opposed to what you carry with you when you ride and what you keep in the vehicles. In summary, you have gear in 4 places as you ride.

    Royal Air Maroc flights seem to run late, which is something those with connecting travel arrangements may wish to consider.

    The evenings were colder than I expected.

    We rode in rain on 2 days, so waterproofs were very helpful.

    Is there anything else you would like to add?

    I would question, based on my group of 16, the place of Heathrow as the starting point for those taking the full package. Of the 16, the origins were as follows-London x 2, West Country x 1, South Wales x 1, North Wales x 2, Manchester x 1, Scotland x 7, France x 1, Australia x 1.

    Would Paris not have been a better starting point, with a direct flight option to Agadir? This would enable everyone to get to Agadir in 2 flights from their local airports (Glasgow/Edinburgh/Manchester/Bristol). I accept a trip across Paris may be needed, but since the budget airlines don't fly to Heathrow, I had to travel by bus from Luton to Heathrow and take 3 flights.

    I am unclear why morning is the preferred time for the inevitable mechanicals. Presumably the problems with the bikes are known on getting off the previous evening. Why are they addressed when everyone is ready to ride the following morning? This contributes to a delayed start, which, in conjunction with frequent and long food stops, during essentially untaxing, downhill riding, meant that we tended to arrive at our overnight destinations quite late. After registering, showering and eating, there was little time to see much of the places we were staying in. The large group, with associated large number of punctures and chain breakages also contributed to making a day with only a modest amount of riding a long one.

    In short, start riding sooner, finish riding sooner (in daylight). Only those with mechanicals can address them on arrival. Those without mechanicals don't stand about and watch-they can have a look at the towns and villages they are staying in before the evening meal.

     
  • ATLAS DESCENT

    Very goodVery goodVery goodVery goodVery good

    Written

    A good intro to offroad riding with some very challenging sections 

    Read full review

    What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
    This was my first mountan biking holiday. I was quite anxious as to whether i would be able to manage it. it was enjoyable and challenging both physically and mentally. I discovered that down hill can be really hard work!!
    What did you think of your group leader?
    Our tour guide was excellent, he encouraged team work which proved to go down very well and bonded the group even more. He was tactful, sensative to people needs, took part in group antics and at the same time was diplomatic and authorative when necessary. H e also had a great sense of humour, an essential part of being an Exodus leader particularly when his rucksack was filled with rocks to slow his ascents!
    Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
    The trip notes say cool in the evening. Take more clothes generally it wasn't that warm and if you start the day with a climb in the landrover the top of the descent could be really cold. Arm warmers and leg warmers are a must, they don't take that much room and are good for the chilly morning descents.
    Is there anything else you would like to add?
    If you end up with a boozy group like i did, you'll need to detox after your holiday - not my normal cycle holiday experience - but over xmas and new year a perfect way to get a bit of exercise and enjoy a little festivity! Amazingly no hangovers!!
     
  • ATLAS DESCENT CYCLING HOLIDAY

    Very goodVery goodVery goodVery goodVery good

    Written

    This was a hugely enjoyable holiday that mixed absolutely stunning mountain scenery with friendly locals, good food, great company and, of course, mountain biking on a mix of terrains, including some massive fast descents!  

    Read full review

    What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

    Several highlights for me: the main highlights were the thrill of the very long and fast descents on tarmac and rough tracks with almost no other road-users. The best descents were on the last day (which was all tarmac due to heavy rain making the normal off-road route impassable), and at the end of day 2 (which unfortunately was cut short due to darkness - we had run out of time due to some bike maintenance in the morning).

    More generally: smiling waving children everywhere, and donkeys!; and un-European landscapes - steep, rocky, arid mountains, stunning gorges with massive vertical cliffs, palmeries and adobe houses teetering on hillsides.

    What did you think of your group leader?
    The leader was really very good indeed. He was always cheerful and positive, extremely supportive in a range of circumstances (e.g. me being slow at the back, people making it up the big climbs etc), and great company in the evenings. He was good at making painful decisions swiftly and decisively (e.g. whether to go off-road or on tarmic under certain weather conditions). His mechanical skills seemed excellent, and there was never a rest-stop without him mending punctures, fixing chains or worse. He was also extremely fit which is actually quite important, especially to the fittest members of the group who could otherwise either find themselves at the front (daunting/may get lost), or have to hang back and not realise their full potential on the big climbs.
    Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

    You do need a decent level of fitness to enjoy this holiday and not hold others back, although if something goes wrong (e.g. a bad cold coinciding with the duration of the trip!) there is Landrover support - you can get a lift up the climbs and put the bike on top, ready for the descent!

    At the beginning of January in the hills, it got very cold at night. We wore our down jackets every evening and every morning while waiting for bike maintenance. It was never too hot.

    I would advise learning a few words of Arabic (e.g. "peace be with you", hello, goodbye, thank you) - one of the highlights of the trip was seeing the excited and delighted response of little boys or other locals when I spoke these simple words to them instead of the French equivalent!

    Is there anything else you would like to add?

    I would agree with everything written by Chris Ellis.

    For vegetarians the food is pretty bland - I am 99% veggie at home, and tried to be in Morocco, but after the 3rd day of really bland, dry veggie cous-cous, I resigned myself to eating the chicken tagines with everyone else - very delicious!

     
  • ATLAS DESCENT CYCLING HOLIDAY

    ExcellentExcellentExcellentExcellentExcellent

    Written

    Quite possibly the best holiday I have ever been on!! 

    Read full review

    What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

    There were too many, but the descent on the last day took some beating.  It was a perfect blue sky day, the downhill was totally exhilarating and then the sea came into view and it just blew me away.

    Visiting the Berber villages also made me appreciate how much of life we take for granted.  The smiling faces of children as we high fived them was priceless.   

    I'm still smiling from the experience a month later.  And the trip inspired me to get back into mountain biking again... this time properly 

    What did you think of your group leader?
    RICHIE ROCKS!!!!  What can I say...he was great.. he had the right balance of humour and discipline to keep us grown up kids in order.
    Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
    I went on this trip with very little experience of proper mountain biking, but a high level of fitness.  It isn't for the faint hearted... by the third day even my eyelashes hurt.  But if you like challenges and you are reasonably fit... I really would recommend it.  The scenery is amazing, the rides are adrenaline fuelled, and so long as you like chicken tajine and couscous you'll have a great time.
    Is there anything else you would like to add?

    On the whole the hotels were basic but fine, except for the one on the Wednesday night... it wasn't particularly clean.. especially the bathroom ...  unfortunately I can't remember the name of the town.  That said, I wasn't expecting 5 star luxury and I was that tired by the end of the day I could have slept on a bed of nails (and I'm an insomniac!!!)

    It has to be said that along with Richie the other people in the group really made the trip, and that is something you have no control over.. it's a lottery.

     
  • Chicken tajine Anyone !!

    Very goodVery goodVery goodVery goodVery good

    Written

    What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

    The last day is awesome, I'll never forget rounding a bend and seeing the sea for the first time on the trip.

    Read full review

    What did you think of your group leader?

    As always with Exodus, fantastic.

    A great local support team aswell.

    Do you have any advice for potential travellers?

    The trip is mostly on rough vehicle tracks which means the Landrover is always on call however single track options are limited.  There are also several long road descents which given the effort to reach the top is a shame.

    Don't expect too much form the hotels.  Except for One very noticable exception they are very average.

    You will get several punctures, a spare inner tube / repair kit is essential.

    Gloves, helmet and several pairs of extra padded shorts go without saying.

    For the long transfers having an i-trip or similar will make you very popular.

    Unless you bike endless hours every weekend your gona need a few pain killers !

    Is there anything else you would like to add?

    The hire bike's are just about good enough but a full suspension bike would have been really nice.  Even given the hassle of flying I'd recommend bringing one along, failing that take your own SPD's and shoes. 

    What ever level of biking your currently at, during the trip you will surprise youself so go and have fun. :o)

     
  • Bumpy and brilliant!

    ExcellentExcellentExcellentExcellentExcellent

    Written

    What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?

    Being told in the brochure to concentrate on the road and not wave to the locals too much and laughing at it....THEN waving and saying hello to ALL the children and locals that can to see us whosh by!  The scenery and the thrill of challenging descents and ascents.

    Read full review

    What did you think of your group leader?
    Cool!  GO LIZ!  Great knowledge of the area, good technical knowledge and a sense of humour to boot!  The local drivers and lunch makers were great too.  Nothing beats a good jeep on jeep water fight!
    Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
    PADDING (for your bottom and hands), sunscreen, helmet and a huge happy exhausted smile ready to throw on at the end of each day.
    Is there anything else you would like to add?

    Amazing trip that scores points on all the important stuff; scenery, adventure, culture, people and challenges!

     
First pageBack one page1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7Forward one pageLast page

 
 
 
Your Next Steps Check Availability Download trip notes
Need some help?
Speak to one of our travel consultants:
0845 863 9600
Please note: calls may be recorded for training.

We are open:
Tue to Thu: 9am - 8pm
Fri: 9am - 7pm
Sat: 9am - 4pm
Mon, 27 May: 10am - 4pm
Change settings to UK

Privacy & Cookie Statement
Booking Terms & Conditions
Which?
Recommended Provider Click here for further information
RELEVANT TRIP INFORMATION
 
LATEST BLOG

Be the first to blog about this trip...

 

Get your own group together

 

Private Group - If you've got the group, we've got the tripGet your own group of friends, family or colleagues together and book a Private Group Departure.


Wish list
 

This is your wishlist, a place to store trips you are interested in to help you navigate around the site.

LoginLogin above to retrieve a previously saved list or

Add to wishlistClick on 'Add to wishlist' to pin trips here.

 
Looking for inspiration? Click to watch our new video now!
EXODUS BROCHURE
 
 Brochure

This trip is featured in the Cycling Holidays brochure.


Your Financial Security: Bonds and Licences; ATOL 2582; ABTA Y 0751; IATA 91239702 and FTO - Non-ATOL holiday financial protection is administered by the Federation of Tour Operators (FTO Trust Fund Limited).

All holidays and flights are subject to availability - conditions apply. Please see our booking conditions for details.

Feedback Form