A summary of our trip this year

After my first trip in 2011 I wanted to get back down to the Western Sahara again, but not an area I felt comfortable in as a solo vehicle. So when a friend decided to join us the route planning started. None of my gps maps have a lot of detail in the WS so a lot of trawling google earth was used. Ideally I wanted to get to Dahkla bu in reality this would be too much for my annual leave entitlement so a route less far south was devised.

3 of us took the Portsmouth to Santander ferry on the 4th October, me driving the Landcruiser and friend no2 in a £1500 Isuzu Trooper, getting into Spain we drove hard stopping for the night near Caceres. The following morning was an early start trying to get into Morocco Sunday night. A quick check on the second vehicle revealed no oil which caused some concern and a debate about it turning back or carrying on. We carried on getting to Carlos for ferry tickets for about 4pm. With tickets purchased we hit the ferry and a very smooth entry into Morocco. First night was at Hotel Deamland in Fnideq. Unfortunately the insurances boothes were closed when we arrived so the following day we popped back to get cover before driving down to El Jadida. Isuzu driver was still concerned with oil consumption and had diagnosed a worn turbo oil seal. This then evolved into a wild goose chase in Casablanca trying to find an Isuzu dealers, NEVER, EVER drive through Casa unless your insane. We finall arrived at Hotel Palais Andoulous in El jadida. We had stayed here several years ago and is a real gem. The hotel is an old merchants summer palace and fantastic zellige and stucco work is everywhere you look, plus there is/was a bar. It really needs some tlc but it's cheap and central so did us for the night. From El Jadidad it was a lovely drive along the coast to Essaouira.


P1060418 by Trackasylum, on Flickr

Algerciras at night


P1060464 by Trackasylum, on Flickr
Heads, Essaouira

We've been visiting Essaouira for 13 years now and it's like a second home so we have a couple of nights here and catch up with friends. The towns still one of my favourite places in Morocco despite the tourism effects over the years.

From Essaouira we took to coast road to Agadir on our way south. A stop in Agadir for supplies at Marjane turned into a few hours when we found an Isuzu Dealers and tried to get a turbo oil seal. The staff were great but had never seen a Trooper and couldn't get parts. But they did get a Turbo specialist to pick us up and takes us back to his shop.

Aziz Aboudhak runs www.turbo-motors.net in Agadir GPS N30 25.247 W -9 34.117 gsm 06 61231904
Great guy and a fully trained and authorised Garret,KKK, IHI etc dealer well worth bookmarking if you need turbos or repairs in Morocco.

We had planned to stay the night at Fort Boujerif, but the time taking in Agadir with the Isuzu cost us a few hours so it was looking unlikely we'd get there so we decided to head to Sidi Ifni and review the situation there. Once there we decided to press on to Bou Jerif, doing 20km or so on piste in the dark. Our first off road for the trip.


P1060486 by Trackasylum, on Flickr

Street Art - Fort Bou Jerif

Many of you will have guessed our next route choice by where we stayed, having been defeated by tide times in 2011 this year I really wanted to drive the Plage Blanche (route MO1 from Morocco Overland) This year the tides were perfect with low time at 12:30. After a quick visit to the old fort we set off for the beach


P1060500 by Trackasylum, on Flickr

The drive was fantastic and I'll definately do it again. The exit at Fort Aoreora was very sandy a defeated my efforts to get through so we headed up the oued a few km to an alternative route before rejoing the route as planned.


P1060542 Panorama by Trackasylum, on Flickr


P1060552 by Trackasylum, on Flickr

That night we stayed a Ksar Tafnidilt overlooking the Draa Valley north of Tan Tan. Nice place but we got swarmed by mosquitos so camping wasn't that enjoyable