Morocco is one of those places that seems both familiar and unfamiliar. We’ve heard of cities like Fez and Marrakesh, and most of us can imagine their crowded, maze-like bazaars full of merchants hawking rugs and spices. Perhaps we’ve eaten couscous or tagine in a Moroccan restaurant or watched “Casablanca” a few times. But, unless we’ve been there, what we know is just bits and pieces of a rich and varied country full of hidden delights.
Located along the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of northwest Africa — and separated from Spain by just nine miles at the Strait of Gibraltar — Morocco has incredibly diverse topography, scenery and culture, with a mix of Berber, Arab, African and European influences. Inhabited for tens of thousands of years, Morocco has been occupied by Phoenicians, Berbers, Romans, Muslims and, during the first half of the 20th century, the French and Spanish. Independent since 1956, the Kingdom of Morocco is a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament, Islam is its predominant religion and, by regional standards, it is politically stable and economically prosperous.
The Atlas and Rif mountain ranges dominate much of Morocco, with the Atlas forming an east-west barrier that separates the temperate Mediterranean climate to the north from the arid desert climate to the south. During Edelweiss Bike Travel’s 13-day Morocco Tour, we rode along craggy coastlines, up and over rugged mountains, through deep, narrow river gorges and across desolate desert valleys. We wandered the medinas (old quarters) of Fez and Marrakesh, explored the blue-painted alleys of Chefchaouen, visited the largest mosque in Africa and rode camels across sand dunes for a night of camping in the Sahara Desert, visiting several UNESCO World Heritage Sites along the way. I’ve been on a dozen overseas motorcycle tours on five continents, and Morocco offered the best variety of roads, scenery, food and experiences of them all.
First, we had to get there.
The tour starts and ends in Málaga, on Spain’s southern coast. After the first night’s welcome briefing, bike hand-over and dinner, we geared up and made our way southeast along the Costa Del Sol, scrubbing the sides of our tires on the winding road up to Ronda, one of Spain’s best motorcycling roads. We spent the afternoon in Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, enjoying views from its massive, 1,400-foot limestone promontory and snapping photos of its tourist-friendly population of monkeys. A ferry ride across the strait took us to Cueta, an autonomous Spanish city on the northeast tip of Morocco.
Our second day started with a hurry-up-and-wait crossing of the high-traffic border, a process handled with aplomb by our multilingual guide Angela, who has led more than 20 tours in Morocco. After several miles on a manicured boulevard lined with resorts and shopping malls, we hugged the coast on a dramatic road high above the Mediterranean. After a seafood lunch overlooking the sea, we turned inland, twisting through the Laou River canyon that forms a deep rift in the Rif Mountains.
The richness of Morocco was on full display in Chefchaouen, a 15th-century town perched on a mountainside with many of its buildings painted various shades of blue. As we explored the narrow, winding alleyways of the “souk” (marketplace) in the medina, artwork, rugs, clothing, spices and trinkets spilled onto the cobblestone walkways and steep stairs, some corridors barely wide enough for two people to pass. At dusk we heard “adhan,” the Islamic call to prayer recited five times a day by muezzins via loudspeakers atop mosque minarets. With mosques scattered throughout Chefchaouen, adhan creates a loud Arabic chorus that can be heard citywide. The next morning I was awoken by the call to prayer well before sunrise, followed by howls from dozens of dogs.
Our itinerary included two nights in Chefchaouen at two different hotels, one at the beginning of the tour and another 10 days later after making a counterclockwise loop around Morocco. From Chefchaouen we rode southwest, out of the Rif Mountains and across fertile plains to Mohammedia on the Atlantic coast. Our group was large, with 17 participants, three guides, 16 motorcycles and one support van. After each morning’s ride briefing, we split into two groups and left about 30 minutes apart, meeting up at coffee and lunch stops. From Mohammedia, one group rode into Casablanca to tour the massive Hassan II Mosque, which has a 690-foot minaret that looms over the city’s waterfront. The rest of us rode farther down the coast to El Jadida, a port city that includes the walled village of Mazagan, a fortified supply depot built by the Portuguese in the 16th century.
For our rest days in Marrakesh and Fez, Edelweiss hired a local guide who gave us a walking tour of each city’s medina. With its dark, narrow corridors full of stalls displaying produce and meat, leather goods, metalwork, ceramics, rugs, jewelry, artwork, clothing, you name it — each one with a vendor enticing you inside (“Hello my friend, you buy something?”) or haggling with a patron — the medina in Marrakesh is a high-calorie feast for the senses. Our guide Ahmed knew the complex warren like the back of his hand, leading us to a museum of carpet weaving and artisans’ workshops. We returned that night to find the medina’s wide-open plaza brightly lit and full of people, food vendors and performers.
The riding experience kicked into high gear as we left Marrakesh, climbing into the High Atlas, summiting a 7,415-foot pass called Tizi n’Tichka and barreling down the Ounila River valley, its corridor of green surrounded by multicolored canyon walls. We spent the night in a small village at Riad Ksar Ighnda, built in the traditional “riad” style with mud-brick walls surrounding a large inner courtyard, this one catering to tourists with lush gardens, a heated saltwater pool and a bar stocked with ice-cold Casablanca beer. Accommodations on this tour are comfortable, mid-to-high-end hotels catering to English-speaking tourists (the most common languages in Morocco are Arabic and French). Nearly all serve alcohol and have swimming pools, both welcome indulgences at the end of full riding days. The tour includes breakfast and dinner buffets at the hotels, while lunches are at local spots along the route that offer more interesting cuisine.
Throughout the 1,800-mile tour we traveled on paved roads, though in some rural or mountainous areas they were of poor quality or under construction. Outside of cities traffic was light, but sharing the road with horse-drawn carts, mopeds, tuk-tuks, dogs, donkeys or camels was common. Big motorcycles are rare in Morocco; whenever we rode through villages my left arm got tired from waving back to everyone, especially kids, who waved to us.
The most dramatic scenery was through the Dadès and Todras gorges that cut into the Atlas Mountains. After winding our way through villages along the edge of the Dadès River valley, we enjoyed a picnic lunch hosted by our guides. Then the real fun started. We burrowed deeper into the gorge, its walls closing in and looming higher until we climbed a famous set of switchbacks that took us to the upper gorge. Continuing on, the gorge squeezed down to a single-lane slot before opening up again. The best part was turning around and riding back out the way we came! After a night in a luxurious hotel perched on a hill above Boulmane Dadès, we rode farther east and into and back out of the Todras Gorge.
Although the area of Morocco south of the Atlas Mountains has a desert climate, only a narrow sliver of the country near the Algerian border is technically part of the Sahara. We rode into the world’s largest desert on our eighth day, with most of our group riding north to Erfoud for a rest day by the pool at the Hotel Kasbah, and eight of us going to Merzouga for a two-hour camel ride through Erg Chebbi dunes and night in a Berber-style camp.
During our late fall tour we enjoyed day after day of sunny skies and pleasantly warm temperatures. As our route turned north, we rode through the Ziz River canyon, up and over the High Atlas and across a wide plain. The cool, sunny morning turned into a cold, foggy, rainy day as we traversed the Middle Atlas, over 7,145-foot Col du Zad, through cedar forested national parks and past ski resorts.
We dried out during our final rest day in Fez, where Ahmed led us on a tour of a ceramics cooperative, the foul-smelling leather dying district and other parts of the medina. That night several of us had camel burgers for dinner! Our route back to Chefchaouen took us back into the Rif Mountains on a road that could easily be mistaken for one in the Alps, and before we knew it we were crossing the border, ferrying across the strait and putting our kickstands down back in Málaga, our hearts and minds overflowing with new experiences, memories and stories. If you’re the curious sort who’s ready for an exotic adventure, put Morocco on your list.
Edelweiss Bike Travel’s Morocco Tour normally runs March/April and October/November. Visit edelweissbike.com for details.
The Balkan region has had a hand in world history more often than you might think. Thanks to its geographical position, it’s always been a crossroads of culture, where farming first spread from the Middle East into Europe during the Neolithic era, and as the convergence point of Latin and Greek influence, Orthodox and Catholic Christianity, and Islam and Christianity. It’s been home to Goths, Huns, Slavs and Ottoman Turks, among many others.
For riders with an adventurous streak, the Balkans are also a fascinating place to explore, well off the beaten tourist track, where surprisingly entertaining roads with very little traffic will carry you through magical forests, along jade-colored rivers, over high mountain passes and past farm fields where workers still till the soil by hand. I first traveled to the Balkans with Adriatic Moto Tours (AMT) in 2017 (read about that here), visiting Slovenia, Bosnia and Croatia, and was smitten by the culture, history, friendly people and, most importantly, the amazing roads. So this time I opted for a longer, even more adventurous getaway that would complete my tour of the former Yugoslavia — Serbia, North Macedonia and Montenegro — as well as allow a visit to two “behind the Iron Curtain” countries, Bulgaria and Albania, and a unique opportunity to get a passport stamp from a rather controversial country, Kosovo.
The Intriguing Southeast Europe tour begins and ends in Belgrade, Serbia, a bustling city that sits at the confluence of two mighty rivers, the Danube and the Sava. I arrived a day early to acclimate and explore the city on my own, which I highly recommend. Belgrade, like most European cities, is very walkable and there are several interesting museums and points of interest, including an air museum that features pieces of a U.S. F-117 stealth fighter and an F-16 that were shot down during the 1999 campaigns, a monument to the Jewish and Roma victims of a Nazi concentration camp that once sat on the riverbank (Yugoslavia was occupied by the Nazis during WWII but its people resisted valiantly and were ultimately successful in driving them out) and the Museum of Yugoslav History, burial place of dictator Josip Tito. Most of the people I interacted with spoke English, and all were friendly.
The Serbs that I met tended to be very open and matter-of-fact, and it’s clear the events of 1999 are still quite fresh in their memories. At dinner the first night, only hours after I’d arrived, two young men at the next table overheard me speaking English and they turned and introduced themselves. “I am a riverboat captain,” said one proudly. “It’s good money, more than fifty thousand per month.” He meant 50,000 Serbian dinar, which is equivalent to approximately $475. He then went on to give me his opinions on why Serbia was struggling economically and how strong Yugoslavia once was. He thought the U.S.-led NATO bombing was unethical and misguided. At the end of our conversation, he and his companion warmly bid us good night and bought us a round of drinks. If only all discussions were so civilized.
The second night, after a long day of walking and exploring, I met our tour group and guides at the welcome dinner. We were mostly American and Canadian, with a lone Australian, and notably there were two other single women besides myself, a first for me on an overseas tour. We’d been warned that the roads on this tour could be unpredictable — all paved, but in various states of repair — so I’d opted for a BMW F 750 GS (see sidebar here) for its light weight, easy handling and generous suspension travel. In fact, everyone had chosen BMW GS models, with the exception of one guy on his own Honda ST1300 and a couple on a BMW R 1250 RT.
Our first day of riding brought us into Bulgaria, birthplace of the Cyrillic alphabet and, up until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, a member of the Eastern Bloc. Unlike the former Yugoslavian states, which never fully adhered to the Soviet idea of Communism and instead leaned further toward Socialism, Bulgaria went all-in with Marxism-Leninism and, as a result, has been slower to recover economically than its Yugoslav neighbors. Caution is a must when riding Bulgarian roads, as around any bend could be a horse-drawn wagon, a herd of goats, sheep or cows, an entire family clinging to a tractor or a trundling logging truck belching diesel soot. (I’m fairly certain Bulgaria does not have an Environmental Protection Agency.) As we crossed into North Macedonia, flirting briefly with the Greek border, the landscape started to look familiar to this SoCal resident: low mountains and the vineyards of the Vardar wine region — and in fact we stayed at a working winery that night. Road conditions improved (although, as would be the case for the next several days, we remained vigilant for any surprises) and, best of all, we got our first taste of some real curves. But the best was yet to come.
The best riding day of the tour, in my opinion, was from Ohrid, North Macedonia, to Gjirokaster, Albania. We crossed the dramatic Gramoz Range on pavement that ranged from smooth and fast to tight, bumpy and technical, eventually picking up a road that pretended to be two lanes wide but wasn’t. It clung resolutely to the side of steep emerald green mountains, at the bottom of which flowed a jade river. Flinging my lightweight GS through its twists and turns, often standing on the pegs due to the bumps, while simultaneously trying to take in the view was a challenge, so I hung at the back of the pack and stopped often for photos. Once nice thing about AMT is that it includes a GPS preloaded with each day’s route at no additional charge, so I wasn’t worried about losing the group.
I’m not sure what I expected Albania to be like, but it still surprised me. Abandoned bunkers built by the paranoid former dictator Enver Hoxha dot the landscape — about 173,000 of them to be exact — including in places you’d least expect, like right in the middle of town. Roma — gypsies — prowl the roads on small garden tractors with scary-looking buzz saws bolted to the front, cutting trees that they sell for firewood. Yet the Albanian Riviera — the Adriatic coast — is beautiful, with abundant and delicious fresh seafood and luxury hotels at a fraction of the cost of more developed countries. The roads continued to delight, especially alpine Llogara Pass and a brand new, very fast and curvaceous stretch leading into Kosovo.
Tell most Americans you’re visiting Kosovo and you’ll likely get at least one raised eyebrow. It’s true there are parts in the northeast that aren’t the safest place to visit, given continued tensions with Serbia, and our tour route’s detour into Montenegro exists solely because it’s not possible to enter Kosovo from Albania and leave directly into Serbia (war and its aftermath, unfortunately, is a continuous theme in the region). But Kosovars are very friendly toward Americans (we fought for them, after all) and our night in the town of Prizren was memorable at the least for the massive platters of grilled meats presented to us at dinner.
Speaking of meat, on this tour you will eat a lot of it. The cuisine in this part of the Balkans is…shall we say, challenging…for vegetarians, and nearly impossible for vegans. You should be comfortable with pork, lamb, fish, fresh bread and/or the ubiquitous salad of cucumber, tomato, onion and goat cheese. The upside is it’s delicious and can be washed down with local wine, all of it very inexpensive. In fact, one nice thing about traveling the Balkans is that your dollar goes a lot further than the more popular tourist destinations of Western Europe. Of course, as on all AMT tours your hotels, breakfasts and dinners are all included, plus a support van to carry your luggage. But because it’s so inexpensive, two weeks here doesn’t cost too much more than nine days in Western Europe. It’s a big riding vacation bang for the buck. So if you’ve got an adventurous streak and are curious to ride a part of Europe that many Americans have missed, put this tour on your list.
The Intriguing Southeast Europe tour runs June 13-27 or September 6-20, 2020. AMT has also just released its complete 2020 and 2021 tour schedule; visit adriaticmototours.com.
Check bucket list boxes with two new tours from Ayres Adventures: Berlin to Budapest or Georgia and Armenia. The 15-day Berlin to Budapest runs in September and covers the best of Eastern Europe, including Hungary, Poland and Romania, with prices starting at $9,500. Or choose the 14-day Georgia and Armenia tour in October, delving into the rich culture of two former Soviet republics, starting at $8,950. See website for complete details.
Collect some stamps in your passport and enjoy stunning scenery, delicious food and, of course, amazing roads, with Adriatic Moto Tours. This year it’s offering a new tour, Europe Royale, that takes you from the Austrian and Swiss Alps to the French wine-producing region of Alsace and into Germany’s famous Black Forest. Along the way you’ll explore medieval villages and fairytale castles. The Europe Royale tour runs from July 13-21, 2019, and pricing starts at 3,550 Euros.
Breathtaking vistas, brilliant roads and motorcycle-friendly amenities make the European Alps the top destination for many riders. Beach’s Motorcycle Adventures has been touring Europe since 1972, and crafts fine-tuned adventures for enthusiastic riders and passengers, such as the Classic Alpine Adventure, Swiss Splendor or Alpine Adventure East. See website for complete tour options including destinations, rental bikes, scheduling and pricing.
Have you ever read one of our international tour stories and thought, “Wow, I’d love to do that…but I don’t know where to start!” Well, we’ve got you covered! For our 2019 International Tour Company Guide, we’ve compiled this handy list of tour operators that will help you find your perfect two-wheeled trip abroad. All of the operators listed here offer multi-day, fully guided street and/or adventure bike tours on their own rental motorcycles, employ English-speaking guides, and include accommodations while on tour. What’s not included in this list? Single-day tours, self-guided tours, chartered group tours and tours that require you to use your own bike.
Keep in mind that prices may not be directly comparable. Some companies include things like the motorcycle rental, meals, tolls, fuel, excursions and even drinks with dinner, others don’t. There may be a surcharge for a single rider in his or her own hotel room (as opposed to sharing a room), and the charge for a passenger can vary from company to company. Also pay attention to the currency in which a tour is priced. Exchange rates can fluctuate, so your final cost can depend on when you pay for the tour.
Before you book, make sure you know how much insurance coverage you’re required to have or pay for. Some operators will put a multi-thousand dollar charge on your credit card to cover possible damage, which is refunded after the tour. Make sure your personal travel insurance covers motorcycle riding, and it’s a good idea to have supplemental insurance that covers repatriation, medical costs, trip cancellation and personal liability. Medjetassist.com, medexassist.com, travelguard.com and geobluetravelinsurance.com are great places to start.
Finally, make sure your passport has at least six months left on it–from the date of travel, not when you book! Check with the tour operator to see if you need a visa or an international driver’s license (available at your local AAA). Oh, one more thing–have fun!
Adriatic Moto Tours
Base: Slovenia
Tours Include: NEW Europe Royale, NEW Bonjour Provence, Romania to Istanbul Adventure, Greece Tour, Alps Adriatic Adventure, Czech Hungary Tour, and more
Accommodations: Comfortable hotels, usually 4-star
Length of Tours: 9-18 days
Rental Options: BMW, Ducati Multistrada, Suzuki V-Strom, Honda Africa Twin, Harley-Davidson Road King and Superlow
Adriatic Moto Tours has been in business for fifteen years in the heart of southeastern Europe, and from its base in Slovenia has tours that fan out over Europe and now Thailand and Laos, offering new experiences for even the most jaded moto-traveler.
Asia Bike Tours started in 1997, and has a team of locally based guides that provide plenty of local knowledge for its tours. Motorcycles available for rent vary based on location, and riding difficulty also varies with the tour.
Ayres Adventures
Base: Plano, Texas
Tours Include: NEW Cape Town to Victoria Falls, NEW Berlin to Budapest, Japan, Russia, Iceland Adventure, Dramatic Dolomites, Australia, Empire of the Incas and more
Accommodations: Comfortable middle-class hotels on Club Class tours, 4- and 5-star hotels on Premium Class tours
Length of Tours: 7-69 days
Rental Options: BMW motorcycles
Equipment: Support vehicle and trailer
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 15-day Berlin to Budapest, $9,500
Age/Experience Limits: Motorcycle license & touring experience required; for off-road adventures, off-road training or experience required
Tel: (877) 275-8238 or (972) 635-5210
Web: ayresadventures.com
Ayres Adventures offers tours on every continent, with something for every budget and imagination. From a weeklong Club tour to the 69-day, transcontinental Riga to Hong Kong Epic Journey, Ayres will take you on an unforgettable trip.
Age/Experience Limits: Motorcycle license required, minimum age on Alpine tours is 18.
Tel: (716) 773-4960
Web: bmca.com
The Beach team offers European, New Zealand and South African motorcycle and sports car tours. Beach’s slogan: We don’t go everywhere, but everywhere we go we travel in style.
The secret of enjoying yourself on tour, according to Compass Expeditions, is this: “A flexible attitude is required, as service may not be what you are accustomed to.” Stay flexible and have fun! Each tour is graded for degree of difficulty, from 1 to 5.
EagleRider
Base: Los Angeles, California
Tours Include: South Africa Tour, Canada to Yellowstone, Baja California, The Italian Job
Typical Cost: 13-day South Africa Tour starting at $3,850
Age/Experience Limits: Motorcycle license required, minimum age of 21.
Tel: (888) 900-9901 or (310) 536-6777
Web: eaglerider.com
EagleRider is one of the biggest names in the bike rental business, and the company expanded into tours years ago. Its international tour list is growing, with new tours in Africa and Europe.
Edelweiss Bike Travel
Base: Meiming, Austria
Tours Include: NEW Balkan Adventure, NEW Captivating Cuba, NEW Andalusia Unpaved, Mysterious Asia, Colorful Morocco and more
Accommodations: Varies by tour; usually carefully selected middle-class hotels
Length of Tours: 7-80 days
Rental Options: Varies with tour; may include BMW, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Triumph, Vespa or Honda
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 14-day Balkan Adventure, $5,300
Age/Experience Limits: Minimum of 5,000 miles of riding experience, minimum passenger age 12
Tel: 011 43 5264 5690
Web: edelweissbike.com
Thirty-eight years in business, 2,350 tours in over 180 destinations—no questioning those numbers. The most experienced motorcycle tour company on the planet offers tours all over the planet.
Tours Include: Off-Road Ecuador, Special Women’s Tour: Andean Roads, Inca Royal Roads, Cloudforest Coast and Craters and more
Accommodations: 3-4 star hotels, B&Bs, bungalows and cabins
Length of Tours: 4-12 days
Rental Options: A variety of modern ADV motorcycles
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 10-day Inca Royal Roads starting at $4,150
Age/Experience Limits: Riding experience required, varies with tour
Tel: (603) 617-2499
Web: freedombikerental.com
Ecuador Freedom would love to show you why some of the best riding is in Ecuador. From its base in Quito, at any time of year, Ecuador Freedom can show you newly paved roads, beautiful scenery and the diverse cultures and altitudes that make Ecuador a motorcyclists’ paradise.
Age/Experience Limits: Recommend experienced, “confident” riders with at 3,000 miles of riding experience.
Web: motorcycletoursitaly.com
Discover the lightly traveled roads of rural Italy or experience the rush of the racetrack, all in the company of Italian guides who know the best roads, the best places to stay and most important, the best places to eat!
Hispania Tours
Base: Málaga, Spain
Tours Include: Morocco, Andalusia Touring Center, Pyrenees, Culture and Curves, BMW Motorrad Days, Portugal: Castles and History and more
Accommodations: 3-5 star hotels
Length of Tours: 6-15 days
Rental Options: BMW motorcycles
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 15-day Morocco tour on BMW F 700 GS, 4,095 Euros
Age/Experience Limits: Varies based on tour
Tel: 011 34 952 172 172
Web: Hispania-tours.com
Experience the wonderful roads, scenery and weather of Portugal, Spain and Morocco with Hispania Tours. Tour on marvelous roads, watching history unfold under your wheels.
IMTBike
Base: Madrid, Spain
Tours Include: Southern Spain & Andalucia, Central Spain, Northern Spain & the Pyrenees, Best of Portugal, Morocco, Italy, France & Alps and more
Accommodations: Hotels, converted castles and paradors
Length of Tours: 8-17 days
Rental Options: BMW motorcycles
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: February-December
Typical Cost: 12-Day Best of Portugal, 4,100 Euros
Age/Experience Limits: 25 years old, 2 years and 3,000 miles of experience
Tel: (412) 468-2453
Web: imtbike.com
IMTBike was established in 1997, and now has more than 100 late-model BMW motorcycles in its fleet, including R 1200 GS and GS Adventure models, in eight separate locations. IMTBike boasts an 80-percent repeat rider rate.
Tours Include: Italian Dream to Mugello, Sachsenring & Italian Alps, Australia Curves to Phillip Island, Spanish Pyrenees to Aragon and more
Accommodations: 3-4 star hotels
Length of Tours: 9-10 days
Rental Options: BMW, Ducati and Moto-Guzzi
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: June-December
Typical Cost: 10-day Sachsenring & Italian Alps, $6,300
Age/Experience Limits: Tours include track time; contact Leod for experience recommendations
Tel: (866) 562-6126
Web: leodescapes.com
Leod Escapes offers getaways that combine a week of twisty road riding with track time on some of the world’s best racetracks. Not for the faint of heart, Leod’s tours will provide a unique and unforgettable experience.
MotoDiscovery offers motorcycle tours around the world, including such unexpected destinations as Cuba and Iran. Previously known as Pancho Villa Moto Tours, the company has been riding off the beaten path since 1981.
MotoGreece was founded in 2015 with one goal: to highlight Greece as a motorcycle destination and show riders what a fantastic time they’ll have while touring Greece. Come see what it’s all about!
MotoQuest
Base: Long Beach, California, and Anchorage, Alaska
Tours Include: Best of Baja, Peru Machu Picchu Adventure, Romaniacs Experience, India Touch the Sky, Japan Three Island and more
Accommodations: From rustic to elegant, depending on the tour
Length of Tours: 9-16 days
Rental Options: BMW, Suzuki, Royal Enfield, Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 12-day Japan Three Island, $8,450
Age/Experience Limits: Not specified, contact MotoQuest for details
Tel: (800) 756-1990 or (562) 997-7368
Web: motoquest.com
From its base in Long Beach, California, MotoQuest conducts tours around the globe, offering something for everyone on two wheels, from the bucolic roads of Wales to the top of the world in India—and many more!
Tours Include: Dolomites Riding Center, Sardinia, Tuscany, Italian Factories, Benelli Vintage Tour and more
Accommodations: Comfortable hotels
Length of Tours: 6-18 days
Rental Options: BMW, Honda, Ducati and Suzuki Bandits
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 9-day Dolomites Riding Center, 2,950 Euros
Age/Experience Limits: Motorcycle license required, average experience
Tel: 011 39 02 2720 1556
Web: mototouring.com
Mototouring has been organizing tours since 1990, and is located in Milan, in the heart of Italy’s motorcycle production area. Hence the factories tour, which visits factories and private museums dedicated to Italian machinery.
Peru Motors
Base: Aerequipa, Peru
Tours Include: Classic Inca Peru, Maya Adventure, South Pan-American, Touch the Equator, Trans Andes and more
Accommodations: Tourist-class hotels
Length of Tours: 9-38 days
Rental Options: BMW GS models, Suzuki DR650, Honda Africa Twin
You’ll find a great diversity of roads, scenery and culture in Peru, and how better to experience it than on two wheels?
Reuthers
Base: Germany, USA and New Zealand
Tours Include: New Zealand Paradise, Europe Berlin-Moscow, Europe Ireland, South Africa Wild Garden, South America Patagonia and more
Accommodations: Midrange to top-class hotels
Length of Tours: 7-22 days
Rental Options: Harley-Davidson, limited availability on BMW, Triumph, Indian and others
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 8-day Europe Ireland Tour, GBP 3,495
Age/Experience Limits: Minimum age 21, motorcycle license required
Tel: (800) 838-3162
Web: reuthers.com
Reuthers is a global entertainment, travel and leisure company, which began offering guided motorcycle tours in 1997. It partnered with Harley-Davidson in 2006, and now provides tours in North America, Africa and Europe.
RIDE Adventures
Base: Bend, Oregon
Tours Include: Patagonia Experience, Essential Colombia Adventure, Thai-Laos Experience, Top 7 Highlights of Bolivia and more
Accommodations: Hotels and cabanas
Length of Tours: 9-20 days
Rental Options: A variety of appropriate ADV models
RIDE Adventures wants to make motorcycle travel in South America as easy and accessible as possible. Tours range in difficulty from Level 1 (all paved) to Level 5 (single track, extreme terrain).
Ride High
Base: Kathmandu, Nepal; Chiang Mai, Thailand; and Vershire, Vermont
Tours Include: Nepal to Bhutan, Mustang Nepal, High Roads of the Himalaya, Thailand to Laos, Northern Thailand and more
Accommodations: Hotels, guesthouses, lodges
Length of Tours: 11-16 days
Rental Options: Modern and classic Royal Enfield models
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 14-day Mustang Nepal, $4,895
Age/Experience Limits: Internationalmotorcycle license required, comfortable on 500cc and larger bikes, under age 21 requires accompanying parent or guardian
Tel: (802) 738-6500
Web: ridehigh.com
Ride High says it was the first registered touring company in the Kingdom of Nepal, and for 30 years has provided travelers the chance to experience some of the highest roads in the world on classic British motorcycles.
Rental Options: BMW F 650 GS, F 700 GS and R 1200 GS
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: October-March
Typical Cost: 5-day Hub & Spoke, $2,297
Age/Experience Limits: Contact Riders of the Sierra Madre for details
Tel: 011 52 1 376 766 0160
Web: ridethesierra.com
This Mexican company was built and is run by Canadian and American riders who settled in Mexico (for the warm weather of course!). It will make riding in Mexico a friendly and approachable experience.
Ridden Earth Tours
Base: Tuscany, Italy
Tours Include: NEW 6-Country Alpine Tour, Turkey Sea to Sky, Rome to Prague and more
Accommodations: High quality, family or boutique 4-5 star hotels
Length of Tours: 9-21 days
Rental Options: Suzuki V-Strom, BMW, Ducati and KTM 1190 Adventure
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: Year-round
Typical Cost: 9-day Rome to Prague, 4,080 Euros
Age/Experience Limits: Minimum age 21, intermediate to advanced riding skills
Tel: 011 447973 315679
Web: riddenearth.com
Two legs move the body, two wheels move the soul. Tours cover much of Europe, Eastern Europe and Turkey; guides are qualified motorcycle safety instructors.
Age/Experience Limits: “Competent motorcyclist,” minimum age 21 with motorcycle license
Tel: 011 64 3 312 0066
Web: motorbiketours.co.nz
With a fleet of government-inspected rental bikes, and some of the best roads in the world to ride, South Pacific Motorcycle Tours prides itself on excellent customer service and professionalism.
Te Waipounamu Motorcycle Tours Ltd.
Base: Christchurch, New Zealand
Tours Include: Golden Week, Tour of the Mountain Kings, Streetmasters
Accommodations: Pleasant hotels and lodges
Length of Tours: 1-2 weeks
Rental Options: Various BMW, Honda, Harley-Davidson, Suzuki and Triumph models
Equipment: Support vehicle
Dates: February-May
Typical Cost: 2-week Tour of the Mountain Kings, NZD$11,035
Age/Experience Limits: Minimum age 21, ages 21-25 restricted to 650cc or less
Tel: 011 64 3 372 3537
Web: motorcycle-hire.co.nz
Te Waipounamu Motorcycle Tours started in 1987, making them one of the most experienced companies around with many hundreds of satisfied tourists.
The French Ride
Base: Aix-les-Bains, France
Tours Include: Alps & Jura: The Lakes, Northern Alps Wonders, French Riviera & Provence and more
Accommodations: Hand-picked hotels and B&Bs
Length of Tours: 6-16 days
Rental Options: Suzuki V-Strom 650 and 1000
Equipment: None
Dates: April-October
Typical Cost: 10-day French Riviera & Provence, 2,790 Euros
Age/Experience Limits: Motorcycle license required, minimum age 23
Tel: 011 33 6 77 77 54 28
Web: thefrenchride.com
Make your dream a reality by exploring the best scenic roads of France, Switzerland, Italy or Spain, all from Aix-les-Bains, located in the heart of the French Alps.
World on Wheels
Base: New South Wales, Australia
Tours Include: Royal Rajasthan, Inspiring Iceland, Spectacular South Africa, Tacos ’n’ Tequila, Dalmatian Delights and more
Accommodations: Midrange or better, cheerful hotels
Mike and Denise Ferris have been running their motorcycle tour business out of Australia for 24 years now, and are proud to say that they still lead each and every tour themselves. In fact, they’ve never hired a guide to take their place.
Booking your first overseas motorcycle trip can be stressful enough, but that first day in the saddle in an unfamiliar place, on an unfamiliar bike, on unfamiliar roads marked by unfamiliar and probably unintelligible signs, can be a little overwhelming. Fortunately everyone (with the exception of yours truly) on my recent Edelweiss Best of Europe tour was in the exact same boat, something Ursula, our lead tour guide, didn’t find at all surprising.
According to her, the Best of Europe tour is extremely popular with first-timers, and for good reason. It’s an ideal introduction to riding in Europe: smooth, not-too-technical roads that allow you to focus on enjoying the quaint villages, spectacular scenery, delicious food and castles everywhere you turn. I recognized it for what it was immediately. This was a gateway drug, what the savvy dealer gives you to get you hooked. (Given how many hands went up at our farewell dinner when Ursula asked who would return for another tour, I’d say the hook was firmly planted.)
As for me, the Best of Europe tour was my pick for a variety of reasons, but a large part of the decision might surprise you: genealogy. Genealogy is a hobby of mine and over the years I’ve traced back both sides of my family to some specific areas, including southwestern Germany, Alsace (now a part of France) and Switzerland–all of which we’d be visiting on the tour.
I’m probably preaching to the choir, but if you’re going to visit Europe, doing it on a motorcycle is the way to go–with the possible caveat that you choose the right tool for the job. European roads tend to be narrower than what we’re used to in the U.S. or Canada, especially in villages and cities where cobblestones and tight turns are common, and they’re rarely straight.
For these reasons, I opted for a BMW F 800 GS with its ready-for-anything suspension, lighter weight and nimble handling. My tour-mates also chose wisely: there were several R 1200 GS models, a couple of R 1200 RTs, and one-up riders on the Triumph Tiger 800, Honda NC700X and BMW R 1200 RS. Two couples traveling together from Pennsylvania opted for big Harley touring bikes–ideal for wide American roads, but as they learned as the week went on, a bit of a handful on our brief Alpine sections.
The Best of Europe route was thoughtfully designed to incorporate progressively more technical roads, allowing riders to get accustomed to their bikes and the foreign surroundings before hitting the serious twisties on the last few days. Our tour would loop us out of Erding, north of Munich, through undulating farmland and along river-carved valleys west and then south to the famous Black Forest, before ducking into France for a rest day. Refreshed, we’d then head back east into Germany, slip into Switzerland’s impossibly green hills studded with jagged gray peaks, then finish with a day of endless curves in Austria before returning to Erding.
The gently rolling farmland we encountered on our first two days, from Erding to Rothenburg and then on to Heidelberg, reminded me why German immigrants to the U.S. felt so at home in places like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin.
Well, apart from the castles. They’re everywhere it seems, from 11th century ruins to gilded 18th century monuments to excess. Our first night’s stop was in Rothenburg, a beautifully preserved medieval walled city where we followed a “night watchman” on a twilight tour of the old town. Day two brought a stop at the partially ruined Hirschhorn castle and a finish in famous Heidelberg, with its mammoth palace lording over the city below.
We usually had a couple of free hours each evening between arriving at the hotel and dinner, and by the second night in Heidelberg it was clear I’d need to devote mine to getting some exercise. German food is serious business, made even more so by the ubiquitous beer served with dinner (I opted for local wines, also very good and far less filling), and if I was going to have any hope of maintaining my girlish figure on this weeklong tour I’d need to do some walking.
When I announced my intention to walk the steep path up to Heidelberg’s palace rather than take the tram, one tour-mate teased me with a quote from “The Princess Bride”: “Have fun storming the castle!” The joke stuck, and from then on storming castles became a central theme of the trip. There was the trio of ruins guarding the medieval Alsatian town of Ribeauvillé; the circular 16th-century fortress called Munot surrounded by vineyards at the center of Schaffhausen; and King Ludwig II’s ostentatious tribute to his idol Louis XVI, Castle Linderhof, a lunch stop for the group on our last riding day.
Between castles, our Edelweiss guides let us sample just about every type of road found in the heart of Europe, from the limitless autobahn to meandering country roads to the sinuous switchbacks of the Austrian Alps. They led us through and to places we’d likely never have found on our own, like the hidden Hexenlochmühle (“mill of the witch place”), a cuckoo clock workshop and café where we enjoyed slices of Black Forest cake.
That said, riders are always encouraged to explore on their own if they so choose–Edelweiss furnishes a detailed map with the daily route highlighted, plus a guide book–so on the rest day in Ribeauvillé several of us decided not to go on the optional group ride into the Vosges Mountains, opting instead to head off on solo adventures. After breakfast with the group, I hopped on my GS and headed back toward the Rhine River and Germany, my destination a village where my great-great-great grandfather was born.
But first a visit to a piece of world history: the Maginot Line. This series of fortifications and tunnels was built to deter a repeat of Germany’s rapid invasion of France during WWI, and stretched along the French border all the way to Belgium. Today several Maginot Line structures still exist, and one happened to be just a few kilometers away from Ribeauvillé.
After a sobering walk through the bunker’s chambers and a stroll over the grounds where American vehicles from the liberation force were on display, I headed for my ancestor’s German village. Ichenheim sits only a couple of kilometers from the east bank of the Rhine, surrounded by flat fields of golden-tasseled corn and lush green woods; to the east rise the dark hills of the Black Forest. Agrarian but hilly Southern Indiana must’ve felt very familiar to him.
After our rest day, the riding difficulty was cranked up a notch as we traversed the Black Forest again and entered Switzerland. Rolling green hills and gentle curves gave way to our first Alpine pass and a lunch break at the mountain Säntis, at 8,200 feet the highest in eastern Switzerland. From there, the curves continued nonstop as we crossed into Austria and ascended the famous Hochtannberg Pass.
By the next morning, our last riding day, the entire group was salty and ready for anything–a far cry from the slightly nervous, curve-shy bunch that had begun the ride. We’d stormed castles, eaten our weight in spätzle, toasted our perfectly sunny riding days with liters of beer and wine each evening and scuffed the sides of our tires on roads so pretty it can be hard to keep your eyes on where you’re going. The Best of Europe tour really is a gateway drug to the joys of motorcycle travel in Europe, a dip of the toe, a sampling of the smorgasbord. Just be warned: you might get addicted.
The Edelweiss Best of Europe tour runs once a month from May to September. For more information visit edelweissbike.com.
A motorcycle trip in Europe’s Alps is likely on your bucket list, but such a trip is daunting. You’ll have to arrange for a bike, book hotels and, possibly, convince others to share the experience with you. Finally, if anything goes wrong during your trip, who would you call? Well, traveling with a motorcycle tour company solves all those problems at once.
Last July, I took a Beach’s Motorcycle Adventures tour of the western Alps that attracted 20 participants, 18 of whom were veterans of previous Beach tours; this percentage of repeat riders speaks volumes about these tours and the support that tour leaders Rob and Gretchen Beach provide for their customers. Most members of our tour group had flown into Zurich, Switzerland, and converged upon nearby Baden. All were from the United States except for a delightful couple from New Zealand.
When our bikes arrived, we were introduced to the BMW motorcycles we had reserved from Beach’s rental fleet. Besides saddlebags, each was equipped with a GPS unit programmed so that we could ride one of several recommended daily routes or explore on our own. Rob instructed us on how to use the GPS units, and we were on our way.
Our 12-day tour through Switzerland, France and Italy began with a Tuesday ride from Baden southwest to Ornans, France. We first passed through an industrialized area with a good deal of traffic, but the Europeans often utilize roundabouts rather than stop lights so we kept moving regardless. The tour book we were given was filled with all sorts of historical and practical information about our two or three daily suggested routes, along with a map, all loaded into the GPS. They were often on small, local roads we would not likely have found on our own.
For weeks prior to the tour we had been receiving correspondence from the Beaches enlightening us to such considerations as foreign currencies, tipping, overseas phone calls, use of ATMs, credit cards, dress codes, packing tips and more. Then a month prior, here came a beautiful luggage bag for each participant, embroidered with the Beach’s logo and our names! The strong suggestion was to pack no more (other than riding gear) than what could fit in this bag. On traveling days we would set this packed bag in the hotel lobby, then van driver Henri would transport it to our next hotel and the bag would be waiting in our rooms when we arrived.
Soon our trip settled into a pleasant rhythm. European hotel breakfasts usually consist of sliced meats and cheeses, with croissants and breads, plus tea or coffee. Breakfasts and our varied, delicious dinners were included with the tour price, except for two dinners when we stayed a second night at the same hotel. This allowed us to explore the local restaurants.
On our first Wednesday we rode to Talloires, France, where our hotel overlooked Lake Annecy and a distant castle across the water. This was followed by a free day on which most of the riders went off to explore the countryside, while our passengers stayed in town to explore the local shops.
As we gathered for breakfast Friday morning, we found Rob at a table surrounded by a stack of GPS units. We learned that the Tour de France bicycle race was passing near our intended route, roads were closed, and we would have to re-route if we hoped to reach our next hotel at a reasonable hour. Now Rob was hard at work programming a new route for our convenience.
Our route took us to Rencurel, France, passing through several tunnels and a stunning gorge in which the road actually undercut the mountain. When riding in the States, I spend most of my travel time in fifth and sixth gear. In the Alps, however, I spent most of my time in second and third gear. As a result, a 150-mile ride in the U.S. that takes three hours may take twice that long on the tight, twisty roads and first-gear hairpins of the Alps. Most of our riding days here were four to six hours, plus stops. Also, summers can be hot in the Alps and most hotels here–though delightful–do not have air conditioning.
The Alps involve very tight, technical roads that will test your slow-speed riding ability on multiple series of hairpin turns. Some were so tight that, on several occasions, I swear I could see my own taillight in front of me! For these tight mountain roads you don’t need a big bike, but something more agile. I had requested a BMW R 1200 RT for my passenger Frances’ comfort, but had I been solo would have preferred perhaps an F 700 GS.
That Sunday we came within sight of Moustiers-Saint-Marie, France, a town set high against the backdrop of a massive gray wall of rocks, the buildings painted a complementary shade. This was to be our stop for the next two nights, and we found our hotel situated next to a beautiful arched bridge, below which flowed a steep, narrow, powerful waterfall. Its pleasant whoosh would be the backdrop for our sleep those nights.
Our next travel day, Tuesday, we headed for Auron, France, and were soon immersed in the sweet fragrance of lavender fields and the sight of acres of sunflowers shaking their yellow heads in the light breeze. Now we began to enjoy the ultimate mountain experience as we rode over some of the Alps’ highest passes. All the way up Cime de la Bonette, the highest at 2,802 meters (9,193 feet), were cars, motorcycles and bicycles, then a plaque at the top. I was feeling quite a sense of accomplishment for having ridden here…until I met a bicyclist from Chicago who had pedaled his way to the top.
On the next Thursday, from Sauze d’Oulx to Courmayeur, my co-pilot Frances and I encountered Rob and Gretchen who asked, “Do you want to have a picnic?” When we enthusiastically agreed they led us to a small specialty shop where we bought bread, sliced meats and cheeses. Then at an ancient bridge on the Col de l’Iseran (9,088 feet) we hiked past an old block building where, on a rocky, flower-strewn hilltop, Gretchen produced our repast as the far-off mountains shone with a necklace of glacial snow.
In Italy we were also fully immersed in the Alps experience, riding through small villages with streets barely wide enough for a car…or a wagon when they were constructed centuries ago. We encountered people strolling, flower boxes on windows from which emanated the fragrance of cooking or pipe tobacco. There is usually a war monument or two, sad reminders of those lost. Permanent glacial snow fields slump in the mountains, sending waterfalls rushing beside the road, sun so brilliant it can make you cry, rain so hard the pavement looks like a shag rug.
These tours allow one to interact with the locals on pre-selected routes. Rob led us to a restaurant in Courmayeur, where over dinner the friendly owner sang and mingled with our group like the uncle I used to have.
I want to stress that the Alps with their narrow roads, hairpin turns and changeable weather can be daunting, but Rob, Gretchen and van driver Henri went out of their way to care for their tour participants. When one rider had a mishap four hours from the hotel, Rob and Henri drove out to retrieve him and his bike. When some had trouble understanding the GPS, Rob conducted a mini seminar in addition to the group seminar. When Frances needed a backrest, Henri rigged one up for her from a step stool and rear seat from the spare bike. Not confident finding your way around? You’re invited to follow Rob and Gretchen to the next hotel.
In short, during our Alps experience with Beach’s Motorcycle Adventures we were well informed and cared for, our bikes pre-arranged and we gained many new friends with whom to share the experience. With nearly 200 tours under his belt, Rob Beach has the details dialed in. And when we returned home, we found that Gretchen had posted a 23-minute video of our tour that we could show our friends via the Internet. In all, a thoroughly enjoyable time.
The Beach’s Alpine Adventure West will run August 25-September 8, 2019; for more info visit bmca.com.