Assa - Smara on Tarmac??
 

Hi,
My husband and I were hoping to get from Assa to Smara on tarmac as we are not too keen to be lugging our bikes through the piste sand.
Can we head south from Assa on the R103 through Zag, down to El-Mahbas and follow the N14 to Smara?
On page 209 of Morocco Overland (2nd edition) it shows the road closed in between Assa and Zag?
Is this still the case or can we get through?
Thanks
Laura

I'm not going to say no, because I have never driven along the road past the turn off for the piste, but I was chatting to Moroccan asking the possibility of being allowed to Zag and he informed me that Zag was even off limits to him. The road after Zag towards Smara also runs very close to The Berm for 100 miles or so.

Never say never, but I think it would be highly unlikely for you to be allowed on that road, I might try it on my next trip to see how far I get though.

I have driven the R101 from TanTan to Smara it's tarmac all the way and no problem to use.

As twenty4seven says, never say never, but given the road passes through a military zone, I think your chances of getting through are slim. When I did the Assa to Smara piste, the police officer at the checkpoint just outside Assa rather ominously said, 'whatever you do, dont go to Zag'

Cheers guys :thumbup1:
The R101 is our 2nd choice.
Thanks again

I have heard that route MW6 (Assa Smara) is being sealed and may well be completed down to Labouriyat, about half way.

Ch

In Jan 2013 there was a very nice, wide, smooth gravel road from the R103 just south of Assa to the first (only??) town on the route. Can't remember its name though. At the other end near Smara, once off the lakebed you can take asfalt for the last section too (some old and bad, most new and fine)

Much easier riding, but unfortunately the loss of a great, fun track.

I think that could be Labouriyat.

Another one goes, but I think there are quite good cross-country options in this area between the Jebel Ouarkaziz to the Zag-Smara-Tan Tan roads. Largely flat and open, unlike much of Morocco, but still short range.

Ch

If people want to go on the graded or maybe even sealed road now, it starts at N28 21.488 W9 22.803 green track, the red one is the old piste. I will take a look in December to see how far the tarmac was got now.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e4...ps588b6320.jpg

The Gendarmerie Royale won´t allow you to continue fron Zag.

The piste of Leboirat will not be sealed. It will rest as it´s now. Perhaps now it´s plenty of tolé ondulé

They have continued works abot five km beyond Leboirat

Mw6 update. New Tarmac from the Spanish road as you exit the lake bed all the way to Smara now

Yes, tarmac reachs Hausa 80 km fronm Smara

Not so flat nor open, there are many hills and little ranges. Mostly stony. This area can be dangerous, you must go only on used tracks avoiding the old militar ones unused. I like very much this area, it´s lonely with some luck you can find no one.

After Labouriat you can also continue WNW via a very nice and smooth track that will lead you to Msied where the tarmac to TanTan starts. Very smooth ride with a nice descent into the "valley" of Msied.
We discovered that track "by accident" after we realized we dont have enough fuel nor time to get to Smara

Looking forward to doing that one - or something similar - next time I'm down there.

FYI, the track departs M13 at N27° 52.570' W10° 15.017'. If u need more info let me know...

Hi Chris, others,
Does anyone have more information on the current state of this route? I'd want to do it in a 2wd car as thats all I have the coming trip.

This is a five-year-old thread but as it happens I rode to Lab in spring 2017; an easy built-up track all the way. I don't think it's due for sealing.
Don't know the ~100km from there to the crossroads (KM222).
From crossroads (a few days later, coming down MW7) I struggled in the oued at KM247 (did not cross to the S bank), but even then there was unavoidable soft sand around the KM256 narrows following floods.
A route may have developed by now.
From there down to the salt pan and the highway, easy enough.

Assuming 2WD has good clearance, I would take some planks if going alone.
send some pics ;-)

Moto trip report 2017

February 2018:
From Assa to Labouriyat more or less gravel road with lots of bypasses due to work on the route.



Assa - Smara report with 2wd, also some GPS coordinates. Reasonable ground clearance is all you need from the technical viewpoint.

April 2018
 

April 2018

Clear gravel road all the way.there was a lot of building going on in Labour at so track is probably corrugated by now.

Please note my previous comment relates to Assa to Labourirat only.From L to Smara still unmade piste.

Assa to Labouirat is asphalt the whole way (December 2018). The piste then continues smooth and fast west until roughly 40km from Mseid where it drops down into a valley. Small sections of corrugations but otherwise 40-50kmh


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for all the info!
So there is still a fair amount of piste to do. TheWarden, do you perhaps have a tracklog of this section available, did you use a 2wd as well?

Since i'll be going with family, risk avoidance is first choice this trip. The section from Labouirat to Smara is still the longest way, if that's actually all piste still it if probably a bit to long for them to enjoy still.

The ride report (good find!) I would not doubt doing with a bike, but it seems a little to remote and up for navigation to do with the car this time.

Posting the latest received on the facebook west africa overland group from Mark there:
Further info received today on the blue route and then up to Zag is a group got intercepted by the army and escorted back out of the area!! From Labouirat to the next bit of tarmac in Hawza is 153km. All possible in a 2wd but the last bit is a lake bed which can be muddy if it’s rained.


so if the wheather is with us and time allow's we'll head down this bit. Looking forward to it!