Solo route suggestions (1190 Adv)

[Wanted]

I only just discovered this Moroccan only section of the forum and unfortunately haven't really done my homework for Morocco. I am taking my 1190 Adventure R down West Africa and get into Tangier on Tuesday morning. I was planning to just take a boring route down to Mauritania, but as I've got 2 days of pouring over this forums I can probably make the trip a bit more interesting.

Can anyone make any suggestions for a slightly more interesting route? I will be alone, will be using road tyres until maybe Senegal. I was in Merzouga 9 months ago but not on bike. I need to stop in Rabat for visas, but thats my only plan. Keen to see the gorges at least... Would be cool on some gravel roads and less highway down to Mauri? Hopefully someone has some recommendations, I apologies for not doing more research earlier.

[Chris Scott]

First thing - download Olaf map if you are running a satnav and have no mapping. More here.

Have a quick read of this if its your first time at Tan Med.

Then I would suggest heading to Marrakech (motorway all the way from Tan Med - easy in a day on a 1190 - about 20 quid tolls) and then either take the main High Atlas pass - Tichka - southeast of M, or the Test pass south of town - much less busy.

(If you decide to take the direct N1 coast road, watch out for speed traps).

Bit pricy IMO but for an easy place to stay/camp outside M, try Relais de Marrakech, by the stadium coming in from the north. Get a waypoint or study maps. I saw no signs a few months ago, but just off the main road along a dirt track.

South of the Atlas it all opens up. From Ouarzazate great road over to Agdz - another even better one south down via Gas Haven to Tazenacht and Foum Zguid. There's an easy wide piste MA9 heading west just after the Afriquia fuel before FZ heading to Akka Igh then Tata. Good shakedown with no dramas and great scenery.
Or carry on down past Agdz along 'Valley of th Kasbahs' N9 to Zagora then the new backroad west to FZ.
Or from OZT head for your gorges - up the Dades and depending on snows/mud and your tyres/confidence, over the top to Agoudal from where it's tarmac all the way back south to Todra gorge.
Or ride up Dades but come back (worth it) then go up Todra instead and turn northeast at Ait Hani and at the small roundabout of Amellago head back south to Goulmima along a little known gorge (P7101 on Google Maps). All quiet roads. (Nice auberge at Ait Youb before Amellago).
Then Goulmima > Tinghir and take the wide track (soon road?) or east of Dades on the N10 take the road up. Both go towards Iknioun. From near here do the classic MH4 Jebel Sarhro piste over and down to Nekob - doable on big advs and amazing scenery.
From Nekob head for Zagora, FZ, Tata, Akka, Assa.
From here I hear the MW3 piste to Tan Tan is newly sealed and will be a great ride.

South Tan Tan lots of fiches (click to download template) help speed up checkpoints.

Personally I would miss Rabat and get your Mori visa at the border and your Mali? in Nouakchott. You will have seen the recent Mori border posts on the North Africa forum.
Not much scope for gravel road paralleling on the way to Mori - just excursions onto the sands here and there unless you go way inland.

Have a great ride. You'll miss all those cool mountains in West Africa!

[Wanted]

Thanks Chris for the great information. I went to Tangier Med last year also backpacking, it seems like a pretty risky place to leave a bike outside overnight so wanted to pass straight through Tangier this time! It seems like the Ghana visa is in Rabat, and it is one of the more annoying ones for me so will be stopping there. I remember taking a bus from Errachidia to Marrakech over some amazing roads, don't know which one though.

I was really interested in climbing Toubkal as I missed that last time, and I fear this time there will be no safe place to leave the bike for a couple of days. I'm not sure what other mountains there are in West Africa if I'm honest.

Thanks again for taking the time to reply to me - I will take a look at all of those routes and find something great. Cheers!
(p.s that Tangier Med page you linked was great, thank you)

[Chris Scott]

Glad to help. Not done Toubkal but I'm pretty sure you could leave it in a village or a compound or agency at the start (are summit guides from an agency compulsory?) or even hire a room somewhere and wheel it in.