Best Routes through Morocco ??

[BikerT]

Hi all
I am travelling with my buddy through France,Spain, MOROCCO, back up to Italy,Switzerland and home (uk)in May 2004.Any help on best routes as I have about a 10-14 day window in Morocco. Any help on cheap safe places to stay would also be well recieved

Biker T

[Holger]

Morocco has really many safe places Do you want to go off or Onroad?

How want you get from Morocco to Italy?

You want to get in/out Morocco via Tanger/Sebta from Algericas or Nador/Mellilia from Almeria?

[This message has been edited by Holger (edited 14 January 2004).]

[BikerT]

Thanks Holgar
Going from Algeciras to Ceuta crossing border there. will take tracks minor roads and main roads. Back up to Ceuta and back through spain. Is Algeria safe ? Have you any info on Home stays ie.. web site. Fuel how easy is it to get fuel I have a range of about 330 miles to a tank.
Biker T

[ScottWylie]

The route south from Marrakech over the tizi'n'test to Tazenakt is great. There are some pics here:

http://www.angelfire.com/film/bot

Also, the area around M'hmid in the south is good, although quite barren. The tafialt (near Rissani for example) is good but i havn't been there myself.

[This message has been edited by ScottWylie (edited 15 January 2004).]

[BikerT]

Great pics thanks Scott did you camp or hotel on trip. Do have any info on home stays?
BikerT

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[Holger]

Biker T you mean Algericas or Algerica?
Algericas (Spain) is no good place to stay, to Algeria (? sorry ive no good english) is no way from Marocco and its very difficult -

really many Places in Morocco are realy nice, its in my opinion a cheap Paradise for Moto travalling. As I Understood you want to stay Onroad, so Mhamid is no good Target for so a short time. If you have no Experience in North Africa, DONT go to:
Tanger, The Riff (Ketama) , and Casablanca
Dont get a Shock if you leave Ceuta, the next 20 km to Tetuan are dirty....

There is nearly no risk of crime in Morocco, but in Cities with many Tourist allways many people want to sell you something... smaller towns smaller problems -

essence will not become a problem -

Use A Michelin Morocco map from 2003 and have a look to the green roads - i you need a hotel in the evening or you want to camp?

Its difficult to write down a *roadbook* here in, perhaps i can put a map with ideas online - you have a michelin Morocco? If yes its easyser
for about 14 days:
sebta-tetouan-(ant the begin of tetouan left)along meditarean sea to qued lou,than direction mountains to chefchauen (nice City, many hotels and tourists, many hash but no problems in this town) - leave direction Meknes, on the Michelin you see a nice Road left from the main road (not nice) throw the mountains to oezzane - its nice!

Fes and Meknes are not good for first exerience, too many poeple want that you follow them
Perhaps now you drive to Rabat ( its the most *easy* big city, nobody wants something from you, very kindly people) ) way to rabat is not interresting but from Rabat to Khenifra is a very nice road. In Khenifra Hotel de la france is cheap and good. If you came there have a look to the shop on the other side of the road!

Ok, this for the first days

from khenifra throw middle atlas: very nice
to the south antti atlas: very nice

High Atlas: Very nice - onroad a bit difficult - there is a new road from Demnate (between Khenifra and Marakesch) to Skoura (East of Ouarzazate), no petrol on the way take it in Demnate - you will have exztrem nice views (its on no map)

Allways Very nice but you must turn back (Road ends) or go offroad, many tourists:
Dades Canyon from Boulmane Dades
Todhra Canyion from Tinerhir
(both east of Ouarzazate)

stay in middel big cities - much nicer than the big ones! Most interisting big city in my opinion is Marakesch -

If you want sahara Experience onroad: there is a new Road from Rissani to Merzouga, many nice places to stay arround Merzouga - (surely very hot in May)

The Road Ouarzazate Zagora is very nice too (in Agdz is very nice: Camping Place with rooms in an old Kasbah (Camping Palmerie, Ask for KAsbah Tamnougalte, in the middle of Agdz the road turns right, for Camping here turn left about 2 km - 2 Persons 9 euro) , - if its not to hot then go from Zagora 30 km back to Ouarzazate and then road to Tazzarine/Rissani, Tazzarine is very nice, Risanni again many people want *you* - in Efoud also -

In Zagora if Camping sinbad has frash water in pool (first check) its a good camping, if not its very bad (First Road in Zagora after the "Citydoor" (dont know the word) left))

Zagora, Mhamid: to hot im May, perhaps Anti Atlas to hot too, bether in March or Sebtember

are you able to read German? In German there are two very good books with descriptions of nearly all nice roads and many Hotels/Campings (Erika Därr Marokko and Edith Kohlbach Marokko Mobil) - in english perhaps lownly Planet is simmilar?

Tizntest - wow, i wanted to go back and drive again and again

I did about 12000 km no mostly onroad in Maroc, nearly all is nice surely, there are another nice 10000 km, i hope i can get to morocco again in March -

think about go back to spain via Nador to Almeria - its only a little more expensive - the road from Erfoud to Er Rachidia, befor Midelt to Guercif is very nice to, perhaps than to Tata and from there to Nador, its nicer than from Guercif

Nicest Hotel i did stay (we make allways low budget, 15 Eu per night double room ) was suerte Loca in Sidi Ifni, 150 km south of Agadir - if you want a view days relaxing and you are in the region - go to Sidi Ifni (At the sea)

I Did see a ferry from Morocco to Italy exists, i didnt know

exuse i can type only bad and even not write in english

[ScottWylie]

I stayed in Hotels, I can recommend BaB Mansour in Meknes, Kasbaa Asni in Zagora.

I want to go back there asap, I'm really missing it now (

[BikerT]

This my fist trip on bike to n/africa and me and my mate are paely looking forward to it. Tanks Scott and Holger for your help.I would love to go for longer but money will not stretch far enough for this trip to last more than about 5 weeks in total.
Thanks again
David (Biker T )

[Brett Dean]

Recommned hotel in chefchauen. Riff Hotel. Ask for directions when u get to town, fairly easy to find. Will proide security for bike. Stayed for a few nights in April this year (at start of war). Also Riff Mtns OK, just many people offering u drugs. Good camp site at Boulmane Dades makes a great base to explore Dades Canyon. If u are camping. Fuel is very easy to find every where but expensive (from an Australian piont of view) Great biking country, good roads, easy fuel, good time all round. if u are into guide books can recomned the Blue Guide rather than LP. Got more stuff away from main towns, written more for travellor with own wheels.

[BikerT]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Brett Dean:


Thanks Brett.
What do you call expensive fuel it costs £0.77p per litre here in uk. will give guide book a look any info is good to hear. I do want to travel away from main cities and expereance smaller towns and villages. looking forward to some minor off road riding and am making some mods to my BMW 650 Funduro ie CRASH bars! with stronger engine plate. I have a Michelin map of Morocco and it does show unleaded fuel stations but there are not many!! Is fuel sold ion side of road like Tunisia (went on hols there not bike).
BikerT

[IanC]

Hello BikerT

Can't recommend Morocco highly enough. Have a look here at some of the pictures and route (also some Italy):

http://ichapp.users.btopenworld.com/

Great people, good roads, spectacular scenery and it's different enough to be interesting, yet not too daunting. Unfortunately though, a distint lack of .

[Holger]

Of course there are many more Fuel Stations as on the Michelin Map Nearly imposible to get Problems for essence - an if (station sold out) , stay a day you will have good experience

[desert soul]

my favourite route is the one between taouz and zagora/tagounite along the alg border. its the one with a fair amount of sahara taste and not too lonely, so good for any newcomer with gps, company and guidebook. this route also provides real cheap accommodation: out in the desert, under the stars! it will cost you about nothing.
in zagora <thats where im right now>, sindibadi is a nice canping. full of experienced mobilehomers of course,
you need a tent here.

[ScottWylie]

IanC - great pictures. The ones of Midelt and Aouli are interesteing to me, I'm planning to have a peek at Aouli when I'm in Midelt. The latter looks much larger than i thought it would be. In your opinion, is Aouli worth visiting? I read there are abandoned mines there and was looking to take some pictures (from the outside )

[BikerT]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by IanC:
Thanks for pics Ian and all you other overlanders thank you for your help.
We are thinking of extending the trip through north Algeria. Need to find out if we need visas to go through to Tunisia and sort some insurance out. Any Thoughts????
BikerT