ME7 is now graded from Beni Tajite to roughly Km21. 60kmh almost the whole way to the Col. very dusty though.


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Recent account of Atlantic route to Dakar (on pushbike).
Soliloquy of a Wandering Pilgrim

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

MA2 Izerbi -> Igmir and MA3 Akka -> Imitek: Both road sections mentioned have been graded and covered with black sticky stuff (tar?) as well as tons of fine gravel. Especially the MA2 section pretty much sucks at the moment on a motorcycle (like riding on marbles). Both roads do not really resemble a piste any more and look like this:



In other news: The pretty rough oued sections at the beginning of MA2 (in one of the villages before Igmir) can now be skipped via a large new piste that has been built. Naturally, I discovered this after plowing the big GS through the oueds. The new road is not yet on OSM.

I have deliberately left this post in the Landmines thread because of its relevance in terms of access.However,the moderators may decide to move it as it otherwise has nothing to do with the mines.

The R101 has/is being upgraded and is tarmac all the way from Tan Tan to Smara.

About 6k South of Abteh a tarmac road comes in from the west and this runs to the coast North of Akhfenir. There are six fuel stations at this junction but I think the three old ones will close as the new ones are commissioned!!!There is no fuel on the Akhfenir road and nothing else of interest either.However,it is a fast route to the coast if you need it.

We crossed from Khawi Nam to this road on a miriad of gravel pistes that could be done on bikes but some of the washouts may prevent 2wd and big road bikes. The terrain is usually flat gravel plain interspersed with sand hummocks.Apart from camel watching we found it not very interesting but hey,another track/munro done

Rode MS7 (among other pistes) end of April.

We actually started off road at 29.899268, -5.619037 to avoid the dunes just West of Mhamid.

We then faced the expected sand, dried lakes and stones - stones are really the benchmark of this piste.
If your suspension endures and your bones stand up, I'd say that you can consider yourself fit for Morocco.

Tarmac we only found again at 30.060358, -6.869388, after the passport control just before entering Foum Zguid





A couple of pictures can be found here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/148874658@N08/albums/

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Luis Cabrita, Honda XRV 750 Africa Twin '97
Flickr & PolarSteps

Early October 2017 - a few light bikes and a 4x4.

MA7
Southbound, it gets quite rocky and washed out for about 10km between the last hamlet at the northern end and Amtezguine [KM56] from where it's now tarmac to Tlite and FZ.

'MH19'
In good shape - see this or this.

MH4
Northbound, gets rough near the summit, as usual, but also now also a bit washed out of the northbound descent to the road. this was the only damage we saw following recent rains.
Also, they are working or a new road out of Nekob - can get confusing. Hard to know if it's going to the last villages (Bab n Ali, Tazlout?) or all the way over the top to Iknioun.

MA13
I'm told they will be sealing the middle section between Assaragh and Agadir Melloul, but I imagine that may take a while.

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

Just got home yesterday after 10 days in Morocco, on my own this time so less adventurous off-road. Thanks again for the book Chris!
- 3 hours to get out of Tanger Med port. No hassle, just very, very slow!
- Tizi-n-Tichka. Huge roadworks Marrakesh side. Soon to be all 3 lanes? Some long delays but on a bike this means you can get to the front of the queue.
- Big road-building on the Telouet road from the col down to Ait Ben Haddou. Easy, but dusty!
- MH6 seemed to be completely tarmac, so I turned round and rode MH 8 to Askaoun then Aoulouz, which was brilliant. Clearly signposted "Askaoun" from the tarmac south of Sour. The "washed out track" km61.5(71.5) is washed out but fine. The "precipitous section" is recently graded and easy.
- MH4 is soon to be tarmac all the way. Massive construction out of Nekob. You can ride the new graded track at first but then get forced onto the old track, which has been pounded by trucks. Big works in the villages of Bab-n-Ali, big new cutting across the hill by the waterfalls. Line of new pylons. The old trail seemed washed-out and rockier than I remember from 2015. Strangely there's no sign of work yet on the Iknioun side.
- I was told in Dades that the exit North to Agoudal was difficult. Instead, I rode to Tinghir,Ait-Hani, Amellago,Rich (MH13) All tarmac but a beautiful ride.

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Glad the book was useful. Sounds like you used an old edition.
I will do the first update to the new edition in a couple of days, noting some of the things you said.

3 hrs to get out of Tan Med sounds like a disaster, especially on a bike.
Good to hear MH8 is in good shape - not done that for years.
I have been up and down MH4 a few times in recent weeks - definitely on the rough side at the moment; the last group were not impressed.
They say it's for pylons coming down from Nour solar plant near Ozt, but if they are going to make 2 lanes north of Bab-n-Ali right over the Tazazert Pass to the Iknioun road, they have a whole lot of rock-blasting to do.

Just rode on to on the Santander ferry myself after 6 weeks away.
TFF heated clothing and grips!

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

September/October 2018
Mountain biking / Bikepacking





Spent the last 12 days on dirt in Morocco and rode a bit of MH8, northern piste bit to Askaoun: Stunning overnighter, fantastic views and peace and quiet (without any traffic what-so-ever). A little water in the creeks due to recent heavy rains


MH7 from Askaoun to Anzal (beautiful landscapes and mule caravans): gnarly and probably impossible for you motos unless you've got a really light bike, loose big rock in the beginning of the gorge. Tarmac starts as with update in previous statements.


Thursday is Askaoun market day



I'm going back in the spring of 2019 and riding a lot more MO routes.
I'll update you when I can

Still a lot of work on the Tichka when I drive up late November. Telouet to Ait Benhaddou had some work as you turn off the Tichka before Telouet but nothing the rest of the way.


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Still roadworks from summit South.Had to reverse the Landy twice on tight hairpins,which always gets the juices flowing and a bollocking from the Navo
Road gangs pleased to move over while you go through.

The. Roadworks are completely finished and this is now a fast, easy run bypassing a lot of the village bottlenecks.
Also,between the Nekob turn off and South side of the Draa in Zagora,extensive sealed town roads are either built or,under construction on the East side of the Palmeries.This means there is a great half day trip available criss crossing the oasis on mostly sealed roads through the villages.
Enjoy!

Has anybody done MA6 recently?

I last tried in 2014 and it was blocked, keen to give it another try given the winter conditions in the High Atlas at the moment.


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I know a motorbiker posted a video of it in February:
https://youtu.be/ec93UDdBX4Q
He seemed to manage OK.

PS:if you're going via Taliouine I have something needs collecting.

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Morocco Overland 4 (2025) • Trans Morocco Trail

That makes 2 fairly recent reports that it’s ok.

Not sure if I’ll be in Taliouine or not, sheltering from rain and more wind in Tazzarine tonight so will probably be coming from Ouarazazate to MA6

I’m guessing it’s Colin’s Saffron?


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