Morocco - January and February 2018

[elektraglide]

I'm going to be heading down to Morocco via Western France, Northern Spain (Picos de Europa), and through Portugal. I'm planning to set off in early January and travelling through into February. I'm riding a V Strom 650. I'll be sticking to paved roads for the most part, so it's not going to be an off-roading trip. I've already been through the Pyrenees and the French Alps (Grand Route) this year but I need some winter sunshine so Morocco seems the obvious choice. I'll be going down as far as the Atlas Mountains. Anyone who wants to join the trip please get in touch.

[Cambelt]

Sounds like it will be cold, wet and maybe snowy. Hope you have heated grips. Good on you!

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by Cambelt

Sounds like it will be cold, wet and maybe snowy. Hope you have heated grips. Good on you!

These are reasonable concerns, especially for the higher ground such as the Picos.
On the other hand, the MC Piston club runs a rally within the Picos during the winter, or they did in 2017 (no details are showing on their website, so far, for 2018):-
Wild Boar Meeting

For such a proposed trip I would be more concerned about a few other factors:-

Overall lack of hours of daylight - what to do during the far more than 1/2 of each day that is in darkness?

Accommodation - most campsites will be closed. One can assume that hotels/hostels would be used?

Duration - is this a total of two months (all of both months mentioned) or a matter of a few weeks either side of the end of January?
Related to which - a "run to the sun" of Morocco, which may not be all that sunny during the early months of the year, or spending some time within the countries passed by en route?

[backofbeyond]

Originally Posted by Walkabout

For such a proposed trip I would be more concerned about a few other factors:-

Overall lack of hours of daylight - what to do during the far more than 1/2 of each day that is in darkness?

Accommodation - most campsites will be closed. One can assume that hotels/hostels would be used?

... Morocco, which may not be all that sunny during the early months of the year,

Tim Cullis will probably (certainly) know more about what Morocco is like in January than me but from the few times I've been there in the winter my rule of thumb is that it doesn't get to be what I'd regard as warm (say similar to an average British summer) until you're south of the Atlas mountains - roughly Agadir onwards if you're on the coast route. And it can be pretty rough if you get some kind of storm system over the mountains.

I'm planning on going down there at a roughly similar time to Elektraglide and while I'm taking camping stuff I'm probably not going to be using it until south of somewhere like Tan Tan. It'll be hotels / hostels before that.

The short days of mid winter are a real problem, particularly if you're on your own. It cuts down how far you can ride each day and unless you're a life and soul of the party sort of person it leaves you with a lot of time to kill. There's only so many books you want to read in hotel rooms.

If it has to be a winter trip going in March is a lot better than January but of course you often don't have a choice. The daylight issue, rather than cold or rain, is what has had me planning winter trips in summer and then having second thoughts when winter actually arrives.

[TheWarden]

6 Centigrade in Boudnib last night, but 25 during the day today is quite pleasant. camping up in the mountains over the last week has been too cool for my liking. Still 10 hours of day light though, you just have to be up and stop a little earlier than Summer Time.

Jan/Feb will be cool in most places even more so north of the Atlas, but then that's the boring part of Morocco

[Tim Cullis]

Agree with backofbeyond, Jan/Feb is normally the coldest, especially riding through Spain, and when snow is most likely in Morocco—the highest snow risk area is Middle Atlas around Ifrane/Azrou.

I'm planning to be in Morocco from mid-Jan probably on the KTM 690, or maybe the campervan. Certainly won't be tent camping. When on the bike in winter I always go with handlebar muffs and an electrically heated jacket with dial-yourself temperature controller. Plus a MacBook stuffed with films for night time entertainment.

Dawn 0700, sunrise 0730, sunset 1730, dusk 1800.

[elektraglide]

Yes, I agree with all that, but I'm not planning on camping. It's too cold for that and I can't face carrying all that camping stuff anyway. The proposed route is just a scenic route down through northern Spain which will include the Picos de Europa area if the roads are open and the weather is clear, and then down through Portugal. I'm not planning on hanging around in these places either. The further south I get the better. I've been to southern Spain and Morocco in winter and it's always warmer than the UK in January so it's got to be better than sitting it out here in the wind and rain. I'm hopefully setting off to Greece and Turkey in March and April so Jan/Feb seems a reasonable time to get down to Morocco for a jaunt.

[john rastrick]

Hi heading that way in dec , straight through spain and not planning on camping til near agadir.
Will use coast road on way down if weather not too good the atlas very chilly in winter.
How far south were you thinking of going?

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by elektraglide

. I'm not planning on hanging around in these places either.

Therefore, this means about 5-6 weeks within Morocco itself ........... riding asphalt?

I have had somewhat related ideas but based on renting a place somewhere near to a coast of, say, Spain (for the warmer temperatures) and riding from there, having dumped the luggage at the rented place.
Spain has a shed load of places for rent:-
https://www.longtermlettings.com/find/rentals/Spain/
Morocco rather less, but still a decent amount of choice:-
https://www.longtermlettings.com/find/rentals/Morocco/

[elektraglide]

Yes, riding asphalt or paved roads or dirt roads or whatever you call them, just not doing sand dunes and all that off road stuff. The point of it is to get away to somewhere where it's warmer, more interesting, and have more fun than I would have drudging my way around wet British roads in the winter. The information on the Spanish home lets is useful. Andalucia is always a good bet in the winter for decent weather so it might be an idea to spend a bit of time there. I don't know, nothing is set in stone. I'm just putting the idea out there. If anyone feels like joining in, fair enough.

[jonnymac]

Leaving Ireland on the 16th Dec. Ferry to Cherbourg then down through France & Spain until New Year and collecting my pillion Jan 10th and awards to Morocco for approx 3 weeks.. hope to catch up with other Adventurers along the way..

[tekt]

hey. I'm from Austria but already in Spain. Drove down here in September also via France, Portugal. I want to go to Morocco in February as well. my plan consists traveling to Fez ,Marakech and the Sahara Desert. Overall I'll traveling for about 12-14 days. Then back with the Ferry to Italy.

Maybe we can ride together.
cheers dom

[bordo55]

Hi I am in Asilah and heading south to essaouira /marrakech,no set route probably via Zamora mhamid later. Maybe catch up for chat en route

[elektraglide]

Tekt, I've sent you a private message.
I'm planning to set off at the end of Jan, or at latest, the first week in February, riding down through France and central Spain to Tarifa. Anyone else going to Morocco in Feb?

[chris gale]

Yup I'm there mid Feb till mid March but will b in a hire car