Hi,

We are going to Morocco in April this year, myself and a friend, both in Land Rovers. Its my second trip but first with me doing all the planning etc. previously we went over with Peter from Atlas Overland. We have about 20 days in Morocco and I have planned out a route based on Chris Scott's book and other ideas etc from here and the web. We want to try and stay off tarmac as much as possible with wild camping the preference. We are also keen to try and visit some of the natural landmarks and sites in the mountains and deserts.

I would welcome any thoughts / advice on our route choice below and ideas for routes or places to visit.

Many thanks

Simon

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I'll be out in April as well , looks like a good starting point for you trip.

Theres a big rally on in April which is worth watching if you have time
https://morocco-desert-challenge.com/en/home/

We're planning to see them at Plage Blanch on the first stage

Had a look at you plans, looks good but a few ideas pointers from me

1) You could be off road from Azrou to Midelt, getting another day in off road for the trip. (I can send you a tracklog of a nice route)

2) MH1 - this is a tough route. The Cirque was closed for repairs in November last year but a long detour in place (roughly KM27). From KM73 to KM110 was pretty beaten up with regular places running through the river. I missed the section from KM110 to 132 last year but in 2013 this section took us 4 hours.

I'd add a bit more time for this routes myself, realistically 1.5 days minimum imho

3) Day 5 (I don't have the latest book so not sure about MH14. But I did Dades to Erfoud on MH10 last year, took most of the day.

4) 2 days is comfortably enough for MS8. Tata has more accommodation options than Akka

5) Are you going to Agadir for a reason? (you dates coincide with the start of the rally) If not I wouldn't bother theres nicer places to see.

6) Consider Moulay Bousellham as a pre return ferry stop on the way home. Its a bit further north but a nice place to stop.

Your plans include a good variety of terrain and routes so should be an interesting trip.

As mentioned above I'm out in April, watching the rally on the 17th and then heading down to Dakhla off road.

Warden....Many thanks for taking the time to look at these, some great suggestions and thanks for the heads up on MH1. I would really appreciate the route idea from Azrou to Midelt, might rethink routes getting down to Dades rather than launching into a demanding piste on day one!

I had a look at the rally you mentioned, looks a great route so I think we will try and catch it somewhere along the way. We have to go to Agadir to drop one of our team off at the Airport so tied into that really. We are really keen to get down into Western Sahara but hear conflicting reports about access to pistes down there, apart from very close to the Berm are there any other areas that are no go at the moment?

Off-road to Dahkla sounds fun, are you following the coast or heading inland?

No problem Simon,

Saw the rally a few years ago and its great fun , we plan to camp at the south end of the beach to watch If your in the area we could have a Rally Party!

As far as I am aware no issues on restrictions in the WS except near the berm, we'll be off road from Smara heading south on a route others have done so hopefully it'll be smooth navigation.

MW6 gives you a nice couple of days off road between Assa and Smara. Great dry lake bed to drive on as well, much better than Lac Iriki or Lac Maider you cross earlier on in your trip.

That's good to hear about WS, we'll see how far we get. From the rally stages I think we'll be around the dunes at cheggaga so we'll Try and see it around there if possible.

Maybe see you on the road.

Agree with comments on MH1 - it constantly gets washed out.

Day 5 - MH14 is a great route but I very much doubt you will get beyond Dades (or maybe Iknioun) before dark.
To then drive up to Iknioun and do MH10 to Alnif and then Merzouga is another full day.

As said, I doubt MS8 will take 3 days as per the book, but it could if you continue west on the Olaf piste (as shown on p165 map) from MS8-KM110 to Tata along the Oued Draa/border (assuming patrols allow this). One clear track shown on Olaf - masses of tracks shown on the Garmin Topo and OSM.

MA3 will be a great day out - looking forward to doing that one again.
Same with MA2 (day 16), but I’d expect to skip the MA10 detour to Foum el Hasn (you won’t miss much) if you want to get to Assa in a day.

Moulay Bousellham tip looks good. Last time I stopped off at Larache on recommendations over the years but, unless I missed something, didn't feel inspired to stop.


Just spent 2 days going through the whole book route-by-route ahead of a light update.
Don't plan to redo them all so any updates/corrections welcomed.

For WS Gandini sells GPX routes (as opposed to actual tracklogs) for €20 (below) to go with their #6 guidebook (another €36).
I also plan to so Smara-Dakhla if I'm feeling brave and it's not too hot.

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Chris..... Many thanks for the thoughts, really valuable. I'll have to have a look again at the day 5 options. Thanks for the Gandini link, I had heard of the books but not the routes to purchase and download. Just had a look at the routes for WS, which look fantastic. Might have to see if we can squeeze in a loop south of Smara and then west to Boujdour alternatively there look to be a number of tracks heading North from Smara up to Msied.

On the way south from Midelt does anyone have any suggestion for an interesting route to Lac Isli if MH1 and Cirque Jaffar are very washed out?

afaik, MHI/Cirque (pink on map) is the only piste to that area.
So it's road from the north/south, or from Midelt, nice drive down to Rich then west and north as below - green.
After Rich a quiet road rising into the mtns.

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Guess what? I just so happen to have a track log for the route from Smara to Boujdour I did in 2013 and a route upto Mseid

I do know of a piste a little further south of Midelt that takes you from the N13 SW to the R106 Rich - Midelt road.

I've bought the Gandini guide now for WS so will have a search through, is your route similar? Would you allow 2 days Smara to Boujdour?

My route is probably the same as the gandini one. If you did the assa - smara - boujdour route it would 4 days in total.

Smara to Boujdour is an easy 2 days, with some nice fast smooth desert

MH3 Travelled last November, took 8hrs, no real defined route great fun and hard work at times. followed one set of very faint tyre tracks

Thanks for the update...... looking forward to this one! We're you on 2 or 4 wheels?

Sounds like it was a bit tougher than when I did in in 2015, only took us 4hrs