Morocco - The route is coming together
 

Right people. I would be more than happy for anyone to comment on any aspect off this route. Any areas close by that are a must see or if part of it should be avoided.

With experience of the roads I am liable to be travelling you may well feel the legs are too ambitious.

It looks all in that we will have everything packed into around 6 days in Morocco.

This is the rough route

Calais - Tours
Tours - San Sebastian
San Sebastian - Toledo - I hear people often say good things about Toledo
Toledo - Malaga
Malaga - Algeciras

Morocco

1) Tanger - Cefchaouen going via Tetouan

2) Chefchaouen - Fes N13 heading south through Ouezzane and onto Fes or maybe Meknes.

3) Fes onto the N8 south througgh Azrou and staying on the N8 down to Beni Mella. Possibly staying at what wat appears to be a lake due south of Beni Mellal at Bin-El-Ouidane off the R301

4) Taking either a winding route of the R301 or heading back to the N8 and west towards Marrakech

5) Marrakech taking the N7 to El Jadida following the Coastal R320 into Casablanca

6) Casablanca - Tanger


Then heading back north

Algeciras - Malaga
Malaga - Benidorm (Need a few pints) :Beach:
Benidorm - Barcelona
Barcelona - Cannes (Maybe so we can take the Route Napoleon (N85))

Not sure how bad the weather will be round there though. Any experience?

Cannes - Grenoble via the N85 and onto Dijon
The last push Dijon - Home

Comments - Places to stay, things to see, or importantly where to avoid.

All appreciated. Thanks

Depends when you go??

Morocco is a big country and it's easy to get suckered into long tarmac rides. If that's what you want (i.e. it's mainly a biking experience), then fine. But if it's a cultural experience it's better to aim for lower mileages. Just remember you will have ridden all the way through France and Spain!

Stop a lot in small towns, chill and watch the world go by. If you are a coffee drinker ask for 'nus nus' which is milky coffee (literally half-half), 'atay b-nana' is mint tea, 'assir de banane' is a banana milk shake.

Only go into big cities (Fez, Marrakech) if you are going to spend at least a full afternoon and evening there looking at the sights. If all you want is an overnight stop it really isn't worth all the hassle involved.

Consider more side roads. For example, instead of going via Ouezzane, take the road via Mokrisset, Zoumi and Teroual, join the R408, then come into Fez on the R501. These roads are well surfaced (the Michelin 742 map is out-of-date) and a great ride, with ample fuel and coffee stops.

Azrou is my favourite Moroccan town and the Cedars Hotel in the main square is inexpensive (showers/loo in corridor) and ideally located.

From Azrou consider riding south for a couple of km on the N13 then turning south west towards Ain Leuh and riding through the limestone and Cedar/Holm Oak forests of the Middle Atlas, eventually coming out at Khenifra.

The ascent from the N8 to the reservoir at Bin-El-Ouidane is spectacular and there's a hotel in Azilal. From there you could stop off to see the Cascades d'Ouzoud, then head west on the R210.

I suppose you really want to be able to say you rode to Marrakech, but if you're not bothered then consider junking it and spending more time elsewhere.

Unless you are running short of time and need to use the motorways, I wouldn't bother with the coast, it's industrial and crowded.

Instead I would head north east on the N8, much of which you avoided on the way down, then after Kasbah Tadla cut east towards Boumia, then north over the spectacular Col du Zad to Timahdite.

If you have time you then have the eastern part of the Middle Atlas to explore. You could head through Boulemane to Immouzer-des-Marmouche, then take the R504 (short dirt section at the start of this) towards Fez--really beautiful scenery.

A gem of a road for the ride back (first take the N8 from Fez to Ain Aicha) is the R419 from Ourtzarh to Bab Taza.

Tim

Excellent.

Thanks for you time. Going to look at the map now.

Sharing Thoughts and Plans
 

Fascinated to read through your route plan and the advice from Tim seems to be of very high quality.

Opportunity (redundancy!) is starting to present itself for a possible 3 week trip for me around late April/early May and first thought is Morroco, hence I came across your thread on the HUBB.

Not sure when you are planning your trip but do you fancy a meet beforehand to share ideas and routes. I haven't even picked up a map yet so would be more on the taking rather than giving when it comes to advice at this stage.

Let me know and I will PM you my mobile number. Am based in Leicester, working in Loughborough and frequently travel to Derby so there must be somewhere close by that we could hook up.

Adi

hi UKTomo,

When are you planning to hit the road? I am also planning Morocco trip on end of april/beginning of may. we can meet up there and do some riding togather for couple of hundered km's..

I have already prepared my route. visit:
Google Maps

I am not strickt on that route and open to any change.

Enjoy

Not sure what/when UK Tomo is planning by way of dates but having looked at your route and message about timing I am pretty sure I will be in the same part of the world and country as you on this trip. As I get closer to confirming dates (ie when I persuade work to release me for definite) then lets plan to hook up for part of the trip.

Adi

morocco route
 

hello,
if algeciras is not a must-see place for you, i would strongly recommend to take the nightferry from almeria/spain to nador/morocco.
it will save you at least 2 days and you can do most of your paperwork for entering morocco on the ferry already.
border crossing from ceuta or melilla to morocco really is a pita.