What do you think about this route?

[Wheelie]

Please look at this route:
https://www.adventurebikerider.com/m...cycling-route/

Full description here: https://www.hispania-tours.de/filead...kko_mdo_en.pdf


Say you have 2 weeks, possibly as much as 3, including one day of flight in and out of spain and possible overnight in both directions on the spanish main land (bikes will be shipped and stored in Alicante awaiting our arrival, and dropped off on our return - no crating necesssary, just leave the keys and go).

If you were starting and ending in Alicante. if you were riding a Tenere 700 Rally with your girlfriend tagging along on a KTM 390 Adventure - with her having no prior offroad experience and one tear riding experience - but a ton of guts (she is a major in the military). What would you change on this itinerary?

I am conscidering entering Morocco via Melilla and Exiting via Ceuta - for both logisitsical reasons and for not having to cover the same ground twice. I am open for other options as long as the trip becomes better.

I've only been in Morocco once - and then rushed it as it was in a rally to Guinea Bissau (entered Morocco via Ceuta and headed straight for the Atlas, then down to Merzouga, offroad through the desert, rode vest on some pistes under construction, then south into western shara. All in about 4 days if I can remember correctly.

On this trip I want some easy riding, some offroad, some pistes, some cities, some romance, some relaxation, some sightseeing, some city markets, some comfort - and a ton of adventure. Atlas mountains and Merzouga again for sure.

When I was far younger, I once rode with a girl from Cape Town to Nairobi - it was her first time ever riding a motorbike besides her test. I have no worries about my GF learning on the fly in Morocco - it is as good of a place as any. I am also somewhat experienced in managing long distance adventure rides to suit beginner riders - including the hard stuff.

[TheWarden]

Its a good varied introduction to most of the highlights of Morocco. Unclear from the info how much time is spent on tarmac or piste (given the route and daily distances I suspect its more tarmac)

Are you thinking of doing this tour or using the itinerary as a start point for a DIY trip?

If it was me, I would go from Fes to Midelt then upto Imichil and down into the Dades taking 2 days and enjoying some of the back roads in the Middle Atlas.

Then from Erg Chebbi take the piste to Zagora. From Zagora head west to Tata then up to Taliouine - Taroudannt and the Tizi N Test before a stop in Marrakech.

You miss the best bits of the Atlantic coast but with 2-3 weeks you won't see everything even putting in long days

[Wheelie]

Update regarding crossing of the Gibraltar Strait
Ok, so after more research (I don't remember this being an option the last time I went)...

The Tarifa (Spain) to Tangier (Morocco) ferry (operated by FRS and Inter Shipping) takes less than one hour (fastest crossing across the Strait of Gibraltar).

There are supposedly 12 crossings per day, with the first departing at 08:00 and the last at 20:00. Because of Korona, FRS has halted all crossings. Hopefully they will return to normal.

I've also come to understand that the border crossings is far less hectic, twice as quick, and has no local fixers - as compared to Ceuta where 4 hours even with local fixers is the norm.

It makes sense then for me to cross at Tangier both directions - and drop both Melilla and Ceuta. Ride from Alicante and possibly have one stop over closer to Tarifa, or Tangier (I try not to ride after sun set).

Morebackground input on type of riding we are looking for:
I am no expert offroad rider, though I have traversed some really difficult terrain - sometimes having to carry the bike across obstacles. If following the PSSOR rating system (1-5), it is my opinion that a novice rider transitioning to levels 2 or 4, can with the assistance of at lest one other rider with a higher proficiency level than one's own - can challenge levels upwards to category 4 - as long as the most difficult levels have stretches that are; very short, few, spaced far appart, and constitute less than 1% of the entire distance covered on the trip. The rider will of course be riding far outside their skill level, but if taken slow - it can not only be manageable, but also fun, challenging and with lots of knowledge gained.



I put my girfriend at level 1 and myself at level 3.

[TheWarden]

The Spain ferries are all on hold at the moment with no news when they might resume. I usually use Algerciras to Tanger Med (Tanger Ville is in the city Tanger Med is the modern easy port east of Tangier ) the slow ferry is 90 minutes or so but the ferries often don't leave on time.

If you catch a 10am ferry you'll be in Chefchaouen early afternoon with enough time for sight seeing

[Wheelie]

I wonder if these ferry companies will survive or how long it will take to return to a full time table...

[TheWarden]

They'll survive, they operate a number of routes and the ferries to Morocco are still running for freight but not tourists

[Tim Cullis]

It makes more sense for me to comment when you know what time of year you will be going.

But yes, don't go via Ceuta. Algeciras to Tanger Med tends to be the best value crossing.