Snow capped peaks and lunar landscapes are criss crossed by broken roads and remote colonial pistes, setting the stage for an epic adventure through the Atlas Mountains. The route is a 1,300km network of lines that weave their way over high passes, scorched plains, and remote oases, along some of the most gruelling terrain in Morocco. The Atlas Mountain Race is a fixed route, unsupported, single-stage cycling race that starts in Marrakesh, crosses the Moroccan Atlas before taking riders through the Anti-Atlas and on to Essaouira.

The clock does not stop and there are no prizes. The route follows gravel, single and double track and old colonial pistes that have long been forgotten and fallen into disrepair. There is very little tarmac. There is some walking, and at times there is great distances between resupply points. The exact distance and elevation vary from year to year, but riders can expect approximately 1300km in distance, 20,000m of climbing and 7 days to complete the route.