Hello all,

This is my first post here, so hopefully I won't get for doing it in the wrong place or the wrong way.

First of all I have to apologise for asking a question that has probably been asked a 1000 times before, but I'm working on a ship in the North Sea with a sh.. internet connection, so I'm having huge difficulties searching the forum.

I've purchased and read Chris Scott's Morocco Overland. It is an excellent read, but a bit overwhelming, because so many of the pistes sound really good.

I'm flying in to Marrakech on November 23rd, have rented a Prado and will spend 7 full days driving around. The trick is that I've never been to Morocco before, I'm not a super experienced off-roader and I'm bringing a girl (almost on a first date) on the trip, so I have a few challenges lined up

If anyone could recommend a nice 1 week route that would be sensational

Ideally I would like to head through the High Atlas (MH) and Sahara (MS), as well as swing by Essaouira (because that's the one thing the girl wants to see) and spend at least a night in Marrakech. Besides that I'm up for anything. I'll bring a tent, but suspect the girl might want a hotel room for at least a few of the nights. Though I'm not a super experienced off-road driver these days, I did drive LR Defenders quite a bit off-road when I was in the army almost 20 years ago, but Norway is a "bit" different from Morocco.

Any input would be greatly appreciated and I will gladly buy you a if we meet (assuming we can find some).

- Andreas

Intial suggestion from me

from Marrakech take the Tizi n Test road to Taroudannt, stop at Tin Mal on the way - this is Tarmac all the way.

From Taroudannt take MH7 from Morocco Overland to Ouarazazate getting some High Atlas Piste but do able in a day

Ouarazazate head east visiting the Dades and Todra Gorges, but visit Ait Ben Haddou at some point whilst in the Area

At this point your goal is Erfoud/Rissani and Erg Chebbi. If you have time try and visit Hansjorg Voths desert sculptures on the way.

Find a desert Auberge in the shadow of Erg Chebbi for a romantic sunset

Take route MS6 from Rissani to Zagora to get some desert

From Zagora pick a MA route to Tafroute

Then its Tafroute to Essaouira on the road

That would take you around 6days picking up some good pistes an some more touristy highlights. Choice of accommodation along the route varies from 5 star hotels to camping depending on your budget.

Be aware that some Anti Atlas pistes such as MA3 may be blocked check the forum for advice on the current situation but none are particularly hard for the inexperienced

Your initial suggestion looks superb Thank you!

I need to go trace it on a map, with Morocco Overland in hand, but this trip looks like it would really hit the sweet spot.

- Andreas

Its just a quick idea tying together some classic sights and routes but in hindsite it would mean you spend all your time travelling so maybe ignore Taroudannt and head straight to Ouarazazate, this would miss out MH7 but give maybe another day to relax somewhere.

I'd recommend a day in Essaouira to relax and watch life go by in the medina

Sounds like a great adventure.

Make sure you watch some videos on how to drive on sand and navigate dunes. It's quite different to how you drive on other surfaces, took me a while to get used to soft sand in a heavy 4x4.

Good idea, it's never nice to rush it too much.

Which route would you do to Ouarzazate? I see you can drive straight there on N9, but would doing N10 from Amerzgane to Anezal and then do MS9 to Ouarzazate be a good idea, or is it starting too hard core?
We land at 14:00 in Marrakech, so I was thinking about going straight to Ouarzazate the first day, but would the detour mean that it takes too long?

Hi James,
I'll definitely look up some videos when I get home, because I can forget watching anything while I'm at sea, due to the internet connection. Are there any in particular you would recommend?

MS9 was my second ever route when I did it 3 years ago it was nice and easy, some development on the edge of Ouarazazate made that section of the route a little out of date. Theres a section along a river bed that may have had some weather damage since I went that way.

Given the timing of your flight, clearing the airport etc you've got a 4ish hour drive to Oarazazate so take the N9 straight there. Generally I'd avoid driving at night as much as possible, done it a few times and it can be alarming. Once you get down from the mountains the road into town is decent. You could look at accommodation around Ait Ben Haddou which is worth a visit although touristy. Its closer to Marakech possibly 3.5 hours drive. I've stayed at Kasbah Cigogne which is nice.

My original idea via Taroudannt wouldn't fit easily with your flight, the route is quite a bit slower.

What do you want to see/achieve during your week? Obviously some off road from your original post and as a first trip possibly some of the sights and Essaouira. It would help advise/suggest routes.

How will you be navigating? maps or gps?

Given you flight time I'm also thinking reversing the route might be better. The road is very good between Marrakech and Essaouira and you could easily be there and having dinner in the Medina on your first night

It's a small World, where that's the first route I pick.

I will do that and will follow your advice and look for Kasbah Cigogne by Ait Ben Haddou.

I'm traveling with a girl that enjoys photography and so do I, so we want to see beautiful scenery and hopefully experience a part of Morocco that the "normal" tourists never get to. I really want to see Sahara, because it's very different from Norway. I have an image in my head of being parked next to a sand dune, with a tent pitched, watching the sunset (with no one else around). I'm also looking forward to spending time in a medina, enjoying the culture.

I also have a dream of going on a "big" trip, for example driving from Norway to South Africa, so this is a small test to see how I enjoy driving in a very different landscape. Without going completely hard-core I would like to drive in slightly challenging terrain to get into it as an introduction.

I'm not sure yet. Olaf seems to be a good choice, if I can get "him" on my iPad. I haven't researched it yet, but am no stranger to using maps (I'm a navigator on the ship I'm on).

That's also a possibility if you think taking the N9 to Ait Ben Haddou will take too long and Kasbah Cigogne will be difficult to find in the dark.

http://kasbah-cigogne.com I took my parents over for a trip 4 years ago and we stayed here for a night.

I don't think anyone has fund away of putting Olaf onto an ipad, the maps kinda pre date tablets. But if you have a nav app that will run OSM maps they are pretty good, where they have pistes they are plotted more accurately than Olaf but Olaf has some which aren't in OSM mapping. Check out the navigation section of the forum for much more info on navigation apps etc.

Sticking to the south of the country will tick the boxes for photography and camping in the desert will hopefully give you a stunning sunset/sunrise. I'm sure you know by now that Morocco isn't overly blessed with the big sand seas most people picture but there are some. The 2 main ones are Erg Chebbi at Merzouga (end of MS6) and Erg Chegga near Mhamid off MS7/8.

Erg Chebbi is very popular with all types of tourists, Chegaga slightly less well visited.

Ouarazazate is doable on you arrival but you'll be getting used to a new vehicle and probably stopping for photos across the High Atlas so theres a good chance you'll lose daylight. Night driving is not ideal even you know the country, that 1 light coming towards you could be a moped or a lorry with a light out. Pedestrians, donkeys cyclist etc often have little road sense and no lights. Altogether it adds to quite a stressful time.

The more I think about the more I think if it was me I'd reverse the route. Go to Essaouira first have a couple of nights there, enjoy the medina, souks and ease into Morocco. The town is a popular tourist destination but much more laid back than some others.

I keep thinking of route suggestions but struggle to tick all the boxes inside a weeks trip. As first time visitors and photographers some things will take a little longer with soaking up the views and getting photos

Speaking of which, have a look at my flikr for some photos of my trips, they're tagged with the route reference from Morocco Overland and also geolocated to you can see where they were taken
https://www.flickr.com/photos/trackasylum/sets/

I've done some thinking on what you suggested ... and though it might be easier to go to Essaouira first, I would like to do it last, simply because then we can relax and chill out there for two nights, before heading for a last night in Marrakech. It will be a nice way to end the vacation ... If we start in super relaxed mode, I'm worried that we might never get out of town

As to driving in the dark: I have driven in strange countries in the dark, so I'll be taking it carefully, making sure we get there in one piece, without leaving anyone else in pieces behind us.

Is Marrakech worthwhile spending a night in (with our limited time), or would you focus on the other places instead and drive straight from Essaouira to the airport?

Right now, my rough plan looks like this:

Sunday: arrive and drive straight to Casbah Cigogne
Monday: Explore the area around Ouarazazate and move on.
Tuesday:
Wednesday
Thursday: Head to Essaouira
Friday: Essaouira
Saturday: Marrakech (depending on advice)
Sunday: Fly out of Marrakech at 14:55

Basically Monday afternoon, Tuesday and Wednesday will be spent exploring the south and then on Thursday we head to Essaouira (unless the consensus is to skip Marrakech, then we can head to Essaouira on Friday and have an extra day in the south).

Erg Chegaga sounds good to me (I like the sound of driving across Iriki as part of MS7).

The question is, would you still recommend doing (and do I have enough time?):
Ouarazazate - Dades - Risani - Erg Chebbi - MS6 (Merzouga - Tagounite) - MS7 (Taconite - Foum Zguid) and then on paved roads to Essaouira.

I will have a look in the nav section for some suggestions on how to get maps along.

I will check out your pictures as soon as I get on land, because the Internet here at sea...

Thank you very much for your help this far ... I hope you understand how much I appreciate it!

- Andreas

Marrakech is good the main square is certainly something to experience, but its also an easy long weekend trip so maybe save it for another trip and have another day down south.

Are picking up/returning the prado to the airport? Just thinking if you've already paid the rental then it seems a little silly to have it sat in a car park somewhere costing money.

Personally I prefer MS6 as a route but when I did MS7 this year it was in a sand storm so did really see the dunes etc.

On the nav side Bertrand has just posted today he's got Olaf working in an android app so maybe there is a way to get it onto a iPad.

Sunday: arrive and drive straight to Casbah Cigogne
Monday: Ait BenHaddou, Dades Gorge, Todra Gorge, Desert Sculptures, Erfoud (5 hour drive on road, a little piste to the sculptures, leaving time for the sights but could be a long day)
Tuesday:MS6 wild camp (MS6 can be done in a day but you won't be able to drive past Erg Chebbi without having a look )
Wednesday Ms6 finish, MS7 start (easy ish day maybe wildcamp around Erg Chegaga)
Thursday: MS7 finish Tata (can't recommend accommodation other than the municipal campsite which isn't bad but I haven't stayed anywhere else there are hotels and after 2 nights camping you may want some comfort)
Friday: Tata to Essaouira (6 hour drive on road take the coast road north from Agadir not the motorway much more scenic)
Saturday: Essaouira
Sunday: Fly out of Marrakech at 14:55

or

Sunday: arrive and drive straight to Casbah Cigogne
Monday: Ait BenHaddou, Dades Gorge, MH4 across Jbel Sahro to Nkob (you could start on MH10 and finish MH4 as they connect)
Tuesday: MS2 then onto MS7 camp at Erg Chegaga
Wednesday :MS7 to Tata easy day 50/50 road/piste
Friday: Tata to Essaouira
Saturday: Essaouira
Sunday: Fly out of Marrakech at 14:55

MS7/MS8 interconnect at get you the same places but MS8 wasn't passable a few weeks ago whether that's been sorted I don't know.

None of the pistes are difficult but as you are on your own be cautious with any dunes in case you get stuck and with any off road routes conditions change so you may need you plans as you go.

No problems on the advice, I love Morocco and if I can help others have a good trip thats even better

I suppose one unknown for me in advising is what you would consider an easy day. I'm normally up at dawn and on the road as soon as I can doing around 10 hour days. Its sounds a lot but I find being up and off early means you have time to stop take photos and drive a little slower

I really like the suggestions you've come with. I haven't decided which one of them to go for ... I'll need more time to look at them ... and like you said, conditions could change, so we need to be ready to adapt to changes.

"Plans are nothing; planning is everything" - Eisenhower

We're picking up the Prado and delivering it at the airport, but the odd thing was that it cost the same to have it 5, 6 or 7 days, so I went for the full week. So it won't matter if it gets a bit of rest in Essaouira.

I'll see if I can have a look at the navigational aspects tomorrow. If someone has gotten Olaf into an Android, then there might be a way into an iPad.

Like you, I'm up early, to take advantage of the daylight, so 10-hour days would be the norm. Of course once we get to Essaouira, we can kick back a bit

I think we got it now Between the two itineraries, the trip will be awesome. Thank you so much for your help. I'll be in touch if more questions arise. If you ever drive by Norway, I'll be more than happy to come with recommendations... and a chance for a

Hello,

I've been following the thread on the recent rainfall in Morocco and am wondering at the feasibility of doing the following itinerary starting today (I'm in the airport flying to Morocco now):

I simply don't know to be honest. Looking at Chris's and others posts the rain is causing a lot of problems across the south which has effecting main roads as well as pistes

Most of that suggested route is on tarmac so may be ok. MS7 skirts just north of Lac Iriki which could be wet and muddy. Best advice is to keep a eye on the forum and ask locally about conditions.

Enjoy your trip