Morocco with a trailer then Mauritania !

[Dick]

I'm after some thoughts as I plan my trip to Mauritania either in the Autumn 09 or more likely Spring 10

I have a XT600e which is fully farkled and ready go with a big tank and Michelin Deserts.

Wife/2 kids/self employment means the maximum I want to spend away is 4 weeks

So I am thinking.......

1 week - UK to Southern Morocco by Diesel Estate Car with XT600 on a trailer
2 weeks - Doing a big, quite adventurous route around Mauritania, travelling very very light
1 week - Southern Morocco back to UK

By using the car to get there at 50mpg, I will only pay for diesel and can camp and cook enroute as I go (essentially living rough). The car has already done 130,000 miles so another 6 or 7000 miles won't matter. I don't see much enjoyment in riding an XT600 to the start point.

Has anybody done anything similar - I wonder how easy it will be to leave a trailer and Uk registered car in Morocco for a fortnight whilst me and the bike shoot off to Mauri.

My reason for doing it this way is to maximize time in Mauritania and minimize costs - I would literally only spend money on petrol/diesel, ferrys and food once I hit the road, camping very rough all the time - I would hope to do the whole trip for under £2k

All thought/advice gratefully received - I did a London Cape Town trip in 1995 and just skirted around Mauri and have regretted not venturing inland ever since.

And if a similarly minded person would like to share a berth on the trailer< I'd be really happy to share the adventure

cheers

Dick

[Tim Cullis]

You can't leave the car and trailer in Morocco. Well, there is a way, but it's so complex and long winded that it would take several days to organise. So why not take the car and trailer into Mauri?

Have you checked the security situation in Mauri recently?

Tim

[Toyark]

1 week - UK to Southern Morocco by Diesel Estate Car with XT600 on a trailer
2 weeks - Doing a big, quite adventurous route around Mauritania, travelling very very light
1 week - Southern Morocco back to UK

Do-able but a bit tight - it really depends what you want to do in Mauritania on your bike- it's a bit like how long is a piece of string!

Has anybody done anything similar - I wonder how easy it will be to leave a trailer and Uk registered car in Morocco for a fortnight whilst me and the bike shoot off to Mauri. As far as I know I doubt the Moroccan authorities will allow you to leave the car behind - it may be worthwhile getting in touch with them prior to your going to see if you can obtain special dispensation to leave one behind (very unlikely imho)
It would be way easier to drive to Mauritania ( NCK) and park up there.

My reason for doing it this way is to maximize time in Mauritania and minimize costs - I would literally only spend money on petrol/diesel, ferrys and food once I hit the road, camping very rough all the time - I would hope to do the whole trip for under £2k
Scraching my head with your costing- depending on what mileage you'll end up doing need to allow about £700 for your fuel -
Add two ferry crossing (plymouth-Santander) then Algeciras to Ceuta or Tarifa-Tangers) + insurance, water food , it's going to leave you with not a lot
and you miss out on Mali...the best bit!
IMHO..... If going alone, cut costs by leaving the car behind- take the XT all the way

[Peter Girling]

Hi Dick,

You could travel really light. Leave the car & trailer in southern Spain - on a campsite is OK especially if it's not high season. Then you'd pay much lees for the med ferry.

Leaving the car & trailer in Morocco's not possible. They'll be linked to your passport on entry so if you try to exit to Mauri without them you'll be nabbed.

Jojo

[Dick]

All good points, cheers chaps

Car and trailer through France to Southern Spain it is, I think - Northern Europe can be a bit crap in Autumn and early spring and it would negate the need to carry much warm/wet weather gear.

I'll do a search on the Hubb, I'm sure there has been discussions on here before about bike friendly places in southern Spain.

Thanks again - anybody wanta berth on a trailer

[TT-Kira]

Leave the trailer etc in southern France, get the ferry to Tangiers as foot passenger with the bike. Ride it off the ferry at Tangiers & off you go!

Depends exactly when you will go but the ferry from Port Vendres is good but only seasonal sailing. Otherwise it's from Sete. Low season is far more 'appealing' on board than high season!

Link to a campsite below you could leave your gear at - 3 regular users on here know it well & I stored their bikes for them for a few months.

PM me if you want more details

Kira

[Eric DN]

Hi
At Algeciras you can leave your car and trailer at camping : La casita ( English owner in 2006)
At Almeria camping La Garofa, (scotish owner)

Price between 5 and 6 € per day

[rbno]

An idea for the future along this theme, i live a couple of miles from Algeciras.

How much would you guys be prepaired for someone to come and collect you in a van / trailer from Bilbao sea port and take you down to Algeciras. Would you guys who do organised tours be up for this?

This way you would only need to worry about getting down to Portsmouth and avoid all of France and Spain. This'll save you time, money, wear & tear on tyres / tramission plus you won't be knackered from the ride.

Let me know your thoughts could turn out to be something interesting in the long run. Should I have enough interest i could work something out quickly.

Richard

[rbno]

An idea for the future along this theme, I live a couple of miles from Algeciras.

How much would you guys be prepaired for someone to come and collect you in a van / trailer from Bilbao sea port or northern Spain and take you down to Algeciras. Would you guys who do organised tours be up for this?

This way you would only need to worry about getting down to Portsmouth and avoid all of France and Spain. This'll save you time, money, wear & tear on tyres / tramission plus you won't be knackered from the ride.

Let me know your thoughts could turn out to be something interesting in the long run.

Richard

[Sam Rutherford]

I once put my bike on a train from Calais to Toulouse - great, not expensive, service.

Safe travels, Sam.

[Toby2]

Don't forget tolls and visas in your costing - if you are needing to keep to your budget then they can easily knock another £100+ out of it.

[Richard K]

Originally Posted by Dick

I'm after some thoughts as I plan my trip to Mauritania either in the Autumn 09 or more likely Spring 10
.......
1 week - UK to Southern Morocco by Diesel Estate Car with XT600 on a trailer
2 weeks - Doing a big, quite adventurous route around Mauritania, travelling very very light
1 week - Southern Morocco back to UK

The phrases 'Solo bike', 'big and adventurous route' and 'in Mauritania' DO NOT go together at all. Be careful to be realistic with your plans, what might look straightforward in a book or map is not always so. This is Big Desert and deserves a lot of respect.

In terms of timing, your schedule is tight but manageable using a car. Avoid Spring or early Autumn.

I don't see much enjoyment in riding an XT600 to the start point.

Yes, TBH I can't think of anything worse. Your car will soak up the tar marathon much more easily and both you and the Yam will arrive in a far better state. It is not just the Euro roads to consider. Moroccan highways in Winter can be grim and then there is the Western Saharan...stretching into the horizon. (just noticed you did a transAf so you know all of this.)

As others have said, not possible to leave your vehicle in Maroc. But it is easy enough to drive into Mauri with your car and park up there. If your target is Mauri I would go that route.

Perhaps consider the Northern Spain ferries, more costly but it makes your drive target more realistic.

My reason for doing it this way is to maximize time in Mauritania and minimize costs - I would literally only spend money on petrol/diesel, ferrys and food once I hit the road, camping very rough all the time - I would hope to do the whole trip for under £2k

Good reasons, but that budget looks tight!

All thought/advice gratefully received - I did a London Cape Town trip in 1995 and just skirted around Mauri and have regretted not venturing inland ever since.

Yes, get in there while you can. Good luck.

[Chris Scott]

The phrases 'Solo bike', 'big and adventurous route' and 'in Mauritania' DO NOT go together at all.

I must say I agree.
As I know well, it is easy to over plan adventurously while back home and bored at work, but it would be a shame to go all that way (2 weeks travel there and back I'd guess) and do much less because the isolation or exposure freaks you out. We had 35° on the navigationally easy railway piste one November and I've heard of similar temps in the very middle of the Mori winter (unusual).

Unless you are very experienced, IMO if you really want to get out there in Mori, it would be much safer and more fun (+ reduced transit costs) to not do so alone.

Ch

[Dick]

Cheers guys, I love this site and the gathered wisdom

So much to think about :confused1:

I love the idea that the XTZ Super Tenere that rests in my garage is the one that took me down to Cape Town years ago.

Equally, I think I would find much comfort and happiness in using the boring family Estate car that takes my children on the village school run in rural Worcestershire. Too see it in Nouadibou this winter would make the whole venture worthwhile. Love the idea of Saharan sand in the footwell of such a boring car, then doing such a mudane journey as the school run.

On a more serious note, I worked in the Middle East for 5 years where I motorbiked extensively, so I have plenty of experience of sand and heat and I do not underestimate the challenge.

I have scoured the Mauritanian section of Sahara Overland to the extent that it is falling apart and whilst reading isn't the same as riding, I am still drawn to the idea of an unsupported trip - firstly on the railway route, then through Atar to Chinguetti and on to Oudane and Guelb Er Richit.

The Atar to Tidjika would perhaps be too much, travelling completely solo but we'll see

I really am obliged to meet a budget (see bit about wife/2 kids) - having taken in all the advice, I am minded to drive to Nouadibou if it is doable by 2WD and a trailer. And then launching myself into the desert from there.............

As Chris S says, I think a major (and the best) addition to the trip might be a second person - half the travel costs, half the driving, more driving time between stops, more safety in the desert, and so on and so on.

I'll start the ball rolling looking for a travelling partner

All the advice is gratefully received, thanks again, more advice always sought

[Chris Scott]

Although I've never ridden it, I would say your route to Ouadane and Guelb is a fairly standard run and manageable, even on a Super Ten (which itself will be much nicer to ride all the way down than an XT-E I imagine). Like you say the sands on the way to Tidjikja may be a piste too far. Fuel on R2* will be the only problem, especially on the 750 but you can ride between the rail tracks if the sand cordons prove too much.

The easiest saving would be to forget your car and trailer element. Spain can be done in one long day, even at 60mph. All you need is some luck with the weather or a philosophical attitude to low-key misery.

The transportation offer from Algeciras sounds just what is needed.

Ch

* Updated R2: http://www.morocco-overland.com/rout...a-Route-R2.jpg

I've always thought going cross-country from the the NDB-NKT highway to KM486 on R2 could be fun (ie: a parallel transit south of R2). Has anyone ever done this? The dune cordons look like they go on a bit.