Monkey Run Morocco
Monkey Run Morocco: Full Details
If a gigantic all-terrain dual-sport bike is a way of announcing to the world that you’ve got a tiny willy, a monkey bike serves to remind folk that you’re hung like a donkey or lady donkey.
This is the Monkey Run Morocco. A farcical battle between humankind, cheap engineering and humour.
The most unsuitable bike in the most unsuitable terrain. For most, idiotic, for Adventurists, bliss.
What Monkey Bikes lacks in size, they make up for in personality. Sit astride, gawp at the sand dunes of the Sahara and marvel at the Atlas mountains. These geographical features will astonish and annoy, because it’s your job to cross them.
With up to 50 riders on each adventure, meet with likeminded morons for the most ridiculous two-wheeled roadtrip out there. There is literally thousands of miles of off-road chaos between you and the finish line.
1. On your own
Our day to day lives are controlled so much we rarely get to put ourselves in danger. Which is a shame, because danger has so much opportunity for fun. Or if not fun, great stories to tell when you get home. To give you the greatest chance to seek out your chosen level of danger, you're on your own. That means no backup, no support, no friendly guides to tell you what to do. After all, you're not really in danger if there's a medic, a mechanic and a life coach with you at every turn. Right?
We give you a start line, a finish line, some training and more or less enough time to reach said finish line. The rest is up to you.
We give you a start line, a finish line, some training and more or less enough time to reach said finish line. The rest is up to you.
2. The vehicle
"These bikes are completely impractical. That’s why you don’t see thousands of them driving up and down the country. It’s because they’re useless."
What this diminutive bundle of joy lacks in size, it more than makes up for in unadulterated pleasure.
• It's close to the ground, so you don't have far to fall.
• It's about the size of a rollerskate, so will fit through tiny gaps in traffic.
• It's incredibly light, so when it inevitably breaks down it's easy to carry.
• It's mechanically basic so a chimp could fix it.
They also have a super handy luggage rack over the rear wheel which can easily hold your wallet and maybe your keys (probably best to stick to three of four keys).
Engine: 48cc of 4 stroke genius
Power: 2.1 BHP
Weight: 69kg
Brakes: Disc front, drum rear
• It's close to the ground, so you don't have far to fall.
• It's about the size of a rollerskate, so will fit through tiny gaps in traffic.
• It's incredibly light, so when it inevitably breaks down it's easy to carry.
• It's mechanically basic so a chimp could fix it.
They also have a super handy luggage rack over the rear wheel which can easily hold your wallet and maybe your keys (probably best to stick to three of four keys).
Engine: 48cc of 4 stroke genius
Power: 2.1 BHP
Weight: 69kg
Brakes: Disc front, drum rear
3. The Unroute
Depending on which edition you’re signed up for will determine where you start from and where you finish. We give you a start and finish, but outside of that, you're on your own. This way you get to choose how much desert and how much mountain you get, how many back-road and wrong roads you take and how far into Algeria you accidentally stray.
Point A - a secret desert oasis near Merzouga.
Point B - another secret location, this time not too far from Marrakech.
Transport from Marrakech to the start line and from the finishline back to Marrakech will be provided by us.
Bear in mind that the location near Merzouga is a full day journey from Marrakech, so factor this into your plans.
Point A - a secret desert oasis near Merzouga.
Point B - another secret location, this time not too far from Marrakech.
Transport from Marrakech to the start line and from the finishline back to Marrakech will be provided by us.
Bear in mind that the location near Merzouga is a full day journey from Marrakech, so factor this into your plans.
4. Dates
October 2021 - SOLD OUT
14th October: Beers in Marrakech
15th October: Bus to the start line in Merzouga
16th October: Test driving & launch party
17th October: Launch day
23rd October: Finish line & party
16th October: Test driving & launch party
17th October: Launch day
23rd October: Finish line & party
January 2022
29th December 2021: Beers in Marrakech
30th December 2021: Bus to the start line in Merzouga
31st December 2021: Test driving & launch party
1st January 2022: Launch day
7th January 2022: Finish line & party
31st December 2021: Test driving & launch party
1st January 2022: Launch day
7th January 2022: Finish line & party
October 2022
13th October 2022: Beers in Marrakech
14th October 2022: Bus to the start line in Merzouga
15th October 2022: Test driving & launch party
16th October 2022: Launch day
22nd October 2022: Finish line & party
15th October 2022: Test driving & launch party
16th October 2022: Launch day
22nd October 2022: Finish line & party
January 2023
29th December 2022: Beers in Marrakech
30th December 2022: Bus to the start line in Merzouga
31st December 2022: Test driving & launch party
1st January 2023: Launch day
7th January 2023: Finish line & party
31st December 2022: Test driving & launch party
1st January 2023: Launch day
7th January 2023: Finish line & party
October 2023
12th October 2023: Beers in Marrakech
13th October 2023: Bus to the start line in Merzouga
14th October 2023: Test driving & launch party
15th October 2023: Launch day
21st October 2023: Finish line & party
14th October 2023: Test driving & launch party
15th October 2023: Launch day
21st October 2023: Finish line & party
5. Paperwork
Driving licence
• If you have a UK driving licence from pre-2002 you can drive a 50cc bike without a licence
• In Morocco, you can drive a bike up to 50cc without a licence
• When describing the particulars of the event, it would be worth checking your insurers are aware of your driving qualifications. It might be legal for you to whizz around on a 50cc bike in Morocco on your license - but maybe not in your country of origin, this could be a factor in your insurance quest.
Bike insurance
• The bikes come with the legally required third party insurance
Travel Insurance
• You'll need travel insurance to cover you for the whole of the Run. You should make sure it specifically covers you for what you are doing and where.
Visa
• For many nationalities, you can get a visa-on-arrival - double check yours before you go. Head over to our pals at The Visa Machine to find out what you need.
Vehicle deposit
• We charge a £300 returnable vehicle deposit to make sure we get our bikes back at the end of the adventure, this is fully returnable and we won't charge you for general wear and tear. The deposit will be due around a month before the launch.
• If you have a UK driving licence from pre-2002 you can drive a 50cc bike without a licence
• In Morocco, you can drive a bike up to 50cc without a licence
• When describing the particulars of the event, it would be worth checking your insurers are aware of your driving qualifications. It might be legal for you to whizz around on a 50cc bike in Morocco on your license - but maybe not in your country of origin, this could be a factor in your insurance quest.
Bike insurance
• The bikes come with the legally required third party insurance
Travel Insurance
• You'll need travel insurance to cover you for the whole of the Run. You should make sure it specifically covers you for what you are doing and where.
Visa
• For many nationalities, you can get a visa-on-arrival - double check yours before you go. Head over to our pals at The Visa Machine to find out what you need.
Vehicle deposit
• We charge a £300 returnable vehicle deposit to make sure we get our bikes back at the end of the adventure, this is fully returnable and we won't charge you for general wear and tear. The deposit will be due around a month before the launch.
6. Fuel, food and lodgings
• Fuel is mostly available, but less so in the desert
• Likewise with food & water. You probably want to avoid tap-water in more rural areas, unless you enjoy defecating through the eye of a needle
• Camping is the most versatile plan for a place to lay your hat, but you'll find a fair few pensions in the towns & mountains
• Likewise with food & water. You probably want to avoid tap-water in more rural areas, unless you enjoy defecating through the eye of a needle
• Camping is the most versatile plan for a place to lay your hat, but you'll find a fair few pensions in the towns & mountains
7. Money stuff
The entry fee is £1,395.
What you get for your entry fee:
• A mighty if diminutive bike to fall in love with
• The bike transported to the start line
• Bike paperwork and 3rd party vehicle insurance ready to go
• A launch party to kill half your brain and a finish party to kill the other
• The most ridiculous week of adventuring chaos imaginable
Paying by instalments?
• If you have chosen to pay by instalments then you would have been charged for the first bit immediately. The next payment will come out of your bank automatically around 28 days later. Following payments will come out on the same day each month until the full amount is paid.
What you get for your entry fee:
• A mighty if diminutive bike to fall in love with
• The bike transported to the start line
• Bike paperwork and 3rd party vehicle insurance ready to go
• A launch party to kill half your brain and a finish party to kill the other
• The most ridiculous week of adventuring chaos imaginable
Paying by instalments?
• If you have chosen to pay by instalments then you would have been charged for the first bit immediately. The next payment will come out of your bank automatically around 28 days later. Following payments will come out on the same day each month until the full amount is paid.
8. Going solo?
Registration for the Monkey Run is per person.
The Monkey Run is perfect for those going solo because, well, you can only fit one person on these bikes. Some do sign up with friends but there are runners that tackle the Monkey Run solo every time. It's easy to meet others during the test driving to convoy for at least part of the trip if you don't fancy going alone.
9. Saving the world
Not only is the Monkey Run an
industrial dose of adventure, it’s also
about Saving the World. We ask every
rider to make their best efforts to raise a
minimum of £500 for the official charity
Cool Earth
Anything above this can be raised for
any other registered charity of your
choice.
If you raise £1000 or more for Cool Earth you’ll be entered into the raffle with all the teams on The Adventurists adventures for a chance to win a money can’t buy trip to the Peruvian rainforest to see the work they do first hand.
Cool Earth works alongside indigenous villages to halt rainforest destruction. Local people stand to lose the most from deforestation but the most to gain from its protection, that’s why they are the forest’s best possible custodians.
All Cool Earth partnerships are community-owned and led.
By developing local livelihoods, their mission is to end the cycle of deforestation entrenching villages into further poverty. Creating strong, self-determining communities.
If you raise £1000 or more for Cool Earth you’ll be entered into the raffle with all the teams on The Adventurists adventures for a chance to win a money can’t buy trip to the Peruvian rainforest to see the work they do first hand.
Cool Earth works alongside indigenous villages to halt rainforest destruction. Local people stand to lose the most from deforestation but the most to gain from its protection, that’s why they are the forest’s best possible custodians.
All Cool Earth partnerships are community-owned and led.
By developing local livelihoods, their mission is to end the cycle of deforestation entrenching villages into further poverty. Creating strong, self-determining communities.
10. Contacts
12. The Warning
These are genuinely dangerous things to do. The website is written in a light-hearted fashion but you cannot overestimate the risks involved in taking part in this adventure.
Your chances of being seriously injured or dying as a result of taking part are high. Individuals who have taken part in past Adventurists' adventures have been permanently disfigured, seriously disabled and even lost their life.
This is not a glorified holiday, it's an unsupported adventure and so by its very nature extremely risky. You really are on your own and you really are putting both your health and life at risk. This is what makes them adventures.
Your chances of being seriously injured or dying as a result of taking part are high. Individuals who have taken part in past Adventurists' adventures have been permanently disfigured, seriously disabled and even lost their life.
This is not a glorified holiday, it's an unsupported adventure and so by its very nature extremely risky. You really are on your own and you really are putting both your health and life at risk. This is what makes them adventures.