New routes in Morocco

**Chris Scott** · #1 7 May 2003

I'm getting my Morocco routes updated for the next edition (I know there has been much tarmacing going on).

Does anyone have any new/alt recomendations in the area? Deserty (south of the High Atlas) only, of course.

Anyone been on the tracks in that corner of Maroc to the right of Smara - or is it all Polisario country?

Thanks

Chris S

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Author of Sahara Overland and the Adventure Motorcycling Handbook, among other things

http://www.sahara-overland.com

**bernardo feio lightweight** · #2 8 May 2003

Smara?

"or is it all Polisario country?"

it's in the north of Marrakeche? right?

**aitor** · #3 8 May 2003

No, it is south from Marrakech, going to the interior from the coast, from Laayoune. Try:

http://go.hrw.com/atlas/span_map/wsahara.gif

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**bernardo feio lightweight** · #4 8 May 2003

thanks

my encarta world atlas say it's at north of Marrakech!
:-)

I'm glad I don't plane my holidays relying only in the encarta!!

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best regards from Portugal
bernardo feio lightweight
www.AventuraS3.com

**peterkik** · #5 12 May 2003

Hi Chris,

Just returned from Morocco from a trip both north, south and IN the High Atlas. Have a few updates on your routes and a lot on the Michelin Map that turned out to be very inaccurate in what is tar and what not (some roads are tarred more then 4 years ago and still unsealed on the map) and in position of unsealed roads and villages.
I'll put them on paper/email/HUBB later this week.

Peter

**Darkenbad** · #6 13 May 2003

Hi Chris,
The 6964 (Mich 959) to Zagora gets quite exciting after a copper mine called Bleida. Does all the good stuff including crossing a Jebel, well its exciting on your own. The road is the usual pot holed tarmac up to Bleida, after which it is pist.

Route M3 is tarmac upto about km53, this was last October, probably more so now.

**Chris Scott** · #7 13 May 2003

Thanks DB, I'll get it checked out - I seem to recall good pistes there.

Anyone got any more ideas? - looks like this and Mori could be all that's left...

Ch

**Moroccan** · #8 9 Jun 2003

Smara is in Morocco and is safe for travellers as all of Morocco ...here is website with huge database of infos about most of the cities and towns in Morocco , you can find out about Smara there ..:
about Smara http://i-cias.com/morocco/smara.htm
about the rest of Morocco

http://i-cias.com/morocco/

**Moroccan** · #9 9 Jun 2003

The Smara location is shown here in the map :

**christiaensluc** · #10 26 Jun 2003

A question for Chris:
when is your new guide be available in England, Belgium, online,...
Just to know if I should wait or buy the actual edition.

**Chris Scott** · #11 27 Jun 2003

About a year - we're hoping to make it unrecognisable.

Chris

**bayonet** · #12 30 Jun 2003

A friend just returned from Morocco said that there is a road just been built to the Erg Chebbi dunes. He said it was about three months old but the local four wheel drive excursion businesses are keeping it quiet from the newly arrived tourists.