Moroccan adventurer Ayad El Mouftahi has completed a bicycle journey from Morocco to Mecca.
El Mouftahi told Morocco news agency MAP News he was inspired by the traditional pilgrimages of his Muslim ancestors.
The 28-year-old cyclist started his journey in August 2022 from his hometown of El Jadida and cycled through numerous African countries, including Mauritania, Senegal, Gabon, Guinea, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Namibia, and Egypt.
“Since childhood, I dreamed of performing the pilgrimage. After travelling by bicycle through many countries, I decided to fulfil this dream in the manner of our ancestors, who undertook the Hajj on the backs of camels.” El Mouftahi told reporters with Mount Arafat looming in his background.
El Mouftahi also recounts being overwhelmed with emotion when he arrived at Mecca, especially after wearing the traditional Ihram attire and finally seeing the Kaaba.
The adventurer documented his journey on social media, with pictures showing him travelling through dense jungle and climbing rugged hill slopes.
Describing the journey as gruelling, El Mouftahi credits his perseverance to the support from people he met along the way.
El Mouftahi says he hopes, through his journey, to show the deep connection Moroccans have with the holy sites of Islam and to highlight the generosity and kindness of Muslims he encountered in various countries.
“We are generally accustomed to staying within our comfort zone, but to develop, we must leave this zone and dare to embark on new adventures without any fear,” said El Mouftahi.
Looking ahead, El Mouftahi plans to continue his epic journey by biking to Al-Quds Asharif and then onto Europe, passing through Hungary, France, and Spain before returning to Morocco.
By the end of his journey, he will have travelled an astonishing 50,000 kilometres across 22 countries and three continents.
El Mouftahi is known for his inter-country travels, as the Moroccan embassy in Ghana organised a reception for him after he arrived there following months of travel.
El Mouftahi has cycled to many African countries already, including Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt.
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