Day out from Ouarzazate
 

Hi All -
could you recommend any day trips from Ouarzazate both for April and July (i.e. hot and very hot weather)? We'd have a 4x4 and possibly a bike. I fancy the idea of going up into the mountains on an unpaved road into a quiet, scenic area. I don't mind driving on a sealed road for a couple of hours in order to reach the unpaved road.

thanks,
Richard

One suggestion:

Road or dirt (MS9, possibly mostly sealed?) to Anezal, then MH7 in reverse up over the passes and at Askaoun either take the bendy road down to Taliouine, or carry on to Aquim (2+ more hrs) and back east to OZT.

"L13 Ouarzazate – Anezal – Askaoun – Aguim – Ouarzazate (MS9, MH7r, MH8) 321km (incl 144km tar)
Could be a bit much in a day on a big machine so not a good idea in mid-winter’s short days and possibly freezing conditions as much of it’s over 1500m. The last 100km or so are on tarmac and on the way back there’s fuel from Aguim onwards. You’ll get back to Ouarzazate dazed but satisfied."

http://www.morocco-overland.com/routes/MH/mh6-7-8g.jpg

At one point you could even try walking up Jebel Sirwa (3304m) though most guided treks come up from the south. You will see Sirwa massif as you come over MS9.
New roads there but plenty more tracks to explore north of MH7 and right of MH9 (see map link).

I recall it was alpine Julie Andrews country up there one May, while 2 days earlier and just 100km away down by the Algie border at Mrimina (MS8) the sand was too hot to walk on.

Ch

Many thanks Chris - I know at least part of the route you recommend and it is the sort of thing I was looking for. Can anyone recommend a day out in the High Atlas to the north(west) of Ouarza?
BTW, in case you think I've lost my sense of adventure, I'm working in Ouarza later in the summer and will have the chance for the odd day out.

you have quite near a very nice track (not sandy) from tinerir to nkob, you can folow on the oposite way but it´s is much nicer from north to south. you also visit the gorges near tinerir.

If you're into "hardcore" off roading, Peter at Bikershome is dying to have someone to play with at his local rock crawling area! He was also talking about creating a "Rubicon Trail" route last time we spoke - maybe he's come up with something?