Morocco - ride from Boumalne to Tinerhir via the Gorges
 

Hello,

Is it possible to ride from Boumalne to Tinerhir via the Gorges (Dades and then Todra)?

Bike is a GSA 1150 with panniers and pillion. The travel is schedule for September/October.

What kind of terrain can one encounter?

Have the the roads been washed recently by the rain? Michelin 742 states that higher altitude roads might be closed from November to April.

Feedback will be welcomed! ?c?

Best Regards,
Luis CaBRita

I was told last week the western entry at Msemrir was closed due to track repairs - though with local help they found a way in from the north.

More news here.

After that, it all depends on the recent weather; washed-out tracks currently and hard work on an 1150 I imagine, even in the dry but easier west to east.

Ch

The route is basically a series of three river valleys, mostly riding in (hopefully) dry river beds. Piste conditions will therefore vary according to weather conditions over the previous few months. You need to keep a look out for alternatives to wallowing around in the river beds--often there are side pistes slightly higher up.

http://www.infar.co.uk/tim/P1010047e.jpg

I designate this as a technical route but in good conditions it could be tackled by novices, accompanied by more experienced riders, so long as they are not carrying luggage. If you have offroad experience you might well be OK but there will be spots where it will be a good idea for your pillion to get off and walk.

I never have used the entry point Chris describes in MH3 at km 2.3, I've always gone in further north at N31 43.039 W5 48.208

I last did this a couple of months ago--met a Swiss couple on an Africa Twin sidecar combo halfway along, then a small group of Landy owners (ProTrax) that I knew--and and it took just 2.5 hours. But this is a real Jekyll and Hyde piste, on another occasion it took more than 12 hours, the last six by moonlight. :helpsmilie:

Tim

Hi,

This request was made for me by my friend CaBRita.

By the comment "Jekyll and Hyde piste" and "more than 12 hours, the last six by moonlight":eek3: I think I should go and visit both Todra and Dades by the tarmac road!

My idea is to have a 10 days vacation with my wife and my lover (1150GSA) :mchappy:

I wanted to do a bit of offroad near the "Gorges" and Ait Ben Haddou...

...:confused1:

Thanks,

Forget Gorge to Gorge, all you'll do is break something.

In my opinion a much more spectacular ride - weather permitting of course - is up from Dades beyond Msemrir as far as you can, like or dare - all the way to Agoudal even. And if the sun is still shining, come back via Ait Hani and down via Tamtatouche to Tinerhir. About 30-40% piste or less.

A long day out and a real adventure. Gorge to Gorge can be an MX track and for what? There are so many better pistes in Mk.

Sat image here

For a fantastic road ride with the Mrs, head down from Ouarzazate to Foum Zquid via Tazenacht.

Ch

This is it... "For a fantastic road ride with the Mrs" :thumbup1:

Please Give me your advise!:thumbup:

Thanks!

The piste that goes from 6km north of Ait Benhaddou to Anmiter (and then tarmac via Telouet to the Tizi n'Tichka) will probably be OK for you.

I've done it twice this year. It's in the process of being graded and balasted. There might still be some rough points but it's a better bet than the gorge link piste.

The Glaoui Kasbah at Telouet is well worth a visit especially if you are interested in the Lords of the Atlas history.

Hi,

It's done (I hope...)!!!

Day 1
Lisbon-Chefchouen
Day 2
Chefchouen-Meknes-Fez
Day 3
Fez-Azrou-Eroud-Merzouga
Day 4
Merzouga Erg Chebbi
Day 5
Merzouga-Tinghir-Imilchil-Boumalne (Chris Scott track in reverse)
Day 6
Boumalne-Ouarzazate
Day 7
Ouarzazate-Ait Benhaddou-Anmiter...(Tim Cullis tip)

Thanks a lot!

If any of you as a new recommendation...I would appreciate!

Kind Regards,

Imilchil to Msemrir is much easier than the gorge link piste.

Some notes on the route: in good conditions it is suitable for riders/drivers with no technical expertise, however be aware that in poor conditions, particularly after strong rains, this may no longer be the case. There are four specific area that can become more difficult—a lateral ford 800m long at km43, a potentially muddy uphill stretch at km49, a boggy area at km54, and a sometimes deep ford at km76.

There's also a long uphill climb across an exposed slope starting at km 58 to the Tizi n'Ouano (2919m) that at one time had a lot of loose stones but this was fairly clear in June.

All distances measured from the Inov fuel station in Imilchil. Generally keep to the left in the long lateral ford. If it's been dry weather there won't be much water.

Hi,

Justo to finish the route...

Day 7
Ouarzazate-Ait Benhaddou-Anmiter...(Tim Cullis tip)-Marrakech
Day 8
Marrakech
Day 9
Marrakech-Casablanca-Rabat-Tangier-Tarifa
Day 10
Tarifa-Back HOME!!!

I would like to ask "one final" thing...In this route I would like to know wich are the best places to sleep, price versus quality!? :confused1:

Thanks a Lot!!!

I wish I was allready in the ferry...:rolleyes2:

Cheers!

Landy Group
 

Hi Tim

After leaving you we had a great trip through Dades, some interesting driving and very glad the river was dry. Hope to do it again in October with a larger group, conditions permitting. Have another thread out there looking for information about camping at Assa. Hope to travel from Tata to Assa, camp overnight and then head for the coast near Tantan. Any info on Assa area much appreciated.

Oh well, some pics then...

http://www.infar.co.uk/tim/P1010059e.jpg

http://www.infar.co.uk/tim/P1010060e.jpg

And the Africa Twin combo

http://www.infar.co.uk/tim/P1010050e.jpg

Hi all

You also can start with a piste from Hamza/Emza to Chaouen. It starts after Tetouan, at km 20,6 on the road to Oued Laou and goes straight to the old spanish dam. Nice spots for bivouac.
Thanks to Tim for your pictures!

Rui.
Portugal

Hi,

Rui do you think is a ride for the Mrs?

With a 1150GSA panniers and pilion?

How many kms is this track?

Thanks,

Hi TTAlmeida,

if you send me an e-mail I will send you the road-book ("work in progress" version)
It´s +/- 50 km Tetouan - Caiat and 90 km Caiat - Chefchaouen.
I will do it next October on GSA 1200 with panniers.

Inch' Allah
"Prognósticos só no final."
Rui.

Hi,
im planning to do the Ceuta to Marrakech loop the first two weeks of november, im riding a Strom 1000 so staying to tarmac as much as poss, how wet and how cold does it get around that time of year?
Only going then as thats the only window i have avaliable to get away, is this a bad idea weather wise? Cheers Jim

Impossible to predict, it can be lovely sunny and warm in the middle of the day but chilly in the mornings/evenings. It can also be fecking miserable--Morocco has some extreme weather.

I normally tour Morocco in winter time with heated grips, handlebar muffs, gauchos and a heated jacket. Though often these aren't needed.

I'm not trying to put you off--just making sure you're prepared, and hopefully it will be lovely and warm.

Thanks for the advice Tim, i will definitly be prepared may even nick Mrs Jims tights and take what comes rain or shine.
I have a fair bit of research to do as im on a fairly tight budget (excuse the pun) I will maybe leave the tent at home carry extra tights and seek out some cheap hotels etc.

Hi,

It's done!!!

Almost 4000kms in ten days!!!It was great!!!

Thank you all for the tips!!!

Places visited in Morocco:
Tanger
Tetouan
Chefchaouen
Volubilis
Meknes
Fez
Ifrane
"Foret du Cedre"
Midelt
Errachidia
Erfoud
Merzouga
Erg Chebbi
Tinghir
Todra Gorges
Imilchil
Lac Tizlit
Agoudal
Tilmi
Msemrir
Dades Gorges (by night)
Boumalne
Ouarzazate
Atlas Studios
Ait Benhaddou
Marrakech
El Jadida
Cite Portugaise
Citern Portugaise
Casablanca
Rabat
....

And the end back home to work!

Tim and Chris,
The Agoudal-Msemrir route was very hard...http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/2962/dsc01504g.jpg[


It reminded me the Cold Play song...


The first 5kms where ok...After that I learnd the translations of:
"lateral ford"
"muddy uphill stretch"
"boggy area"
"deep ford"
Generally keep to the left in the long lateral ford. If it's been dry weather there won't be much water.
We started to late and didn't want to back Tinghir....What a stupid thing to do!!!
We passed Agoudal at 17H and arrived Boumalne at 22H...

(To be continued...)

TTAlmieda, sounds great more info please, im off to Morocco on the 1st nov i would be interested to learn more about your trip, Budget, fuel avaliability etc. Regards Jim

Hi Jim,
I wish I could join you...:mchappy:

The main "problem" at the time you are going is the weather:stormy:...
Like Tim wrote...
The only nice dry and warm place should be the south (Erfoud, Rissani, Merzouga) the rest of the trip should be wet!

You wont have fuel problems there are lot´s of fuel pumps and you have the Tim Cullis file!I don't now where it is...some where in this forum...:confused1:
We had one problem in Zeida with pertol...
Petrol was sold out and we where completely empty...
I stopped in two fuel stations and it was the same speech...No petrol!:nono:
When we where at the end of the village there was another Ziz Station I kindly asked for some petrol and the man told me "No petrol!:nono:" next village 40kms (+/-) this station has at lest four petrol pumps...
I turn to the man again and told him that he should have 4 or 5 liters in the bottom of the tank:cursing:...It worked!!!:clap::clap::clap:
We didn't had petrol to do more than 15kms!:innocent:

As I where with my wife we slep in Hotels...
Atlas Chaouen in Chefchaouen, Ibis Fez, Xaluca Tomboctou in Merzouga, Perle du Dades in Boumalne Dades (:thumbdown:don´t recommend:thumbdown:), Ibis Ouarzazate, Kenzi Fahar in Marrakech, Ibis Rabat...I don't remember the prices but they are all in Booking.com we made the reservations along the way with my mobile phone (in the Accor Hotels you can use wi-fi to book your next night!)

Maps and Navigation, normal, the Michelin Morocco map and the Morocco Top in my Garmin!

Really the only thing that can give you some worries is the rain in few minutes the road can change into a dramatic scenery, mud and rivers on the tarmac!!!

For the ferry I always use FRS boats http://www.frs.es but you can also use:
http://www.comanav.co.ma/ferry/destinations/index.htm
http://www.comarit.com/lineamaritima_g.html
Trasmediterranea

For the importation of you vehicle to Morocco you can fill this form in advanced or fill the papers with the help of a Moroccan new friend!

Sorry for any bad english!

I hope it helps!

Cheers,