Zagora across Lake Iriki with single 4x4
 

Hi everyone,
I wanted to ask whether any of you experienced travellers knew what the conditions are currently like around Lake Iriki - and whether it would be suitable for a solo 4x4, or too risky alone. Keen to do the first part of the MS8 route in the Morocco Overland book - basically Mhamid to Mrimina - but we're on our own.

Looking to leave Zagora tomorrow if anyone happens to be going that way already :)

Thanks

Its fairly easy if you stay north of Erg Cheggaga, lot of tourist 4x4's early morning and late afternoon along the way if you have any trouble

MS8 goes south of the Erg and I think that's the point.
Unlikely to meet others there.
Not done it but sounds challenging for 30km or so over and around low dunes and eroded lake bed.
Let the tyres right down and chug on through.

In 2018 we took the route from Foum Zougid along the north of Lake Iriki. It was as real boneshaker. We were worried about getting stuck in the lake, but it was rock hard and very flat. I wish we had gone south.

We travelled by ourselves, but we had plans to call for help if it was essential, using a Garmin Inreach.

Oh, and we had plenty of time.

The 'lake' is hardly ever a lake and if soft, is easily avoided by the bone-shaking MS7 piste, as mentioned. It's more claypan than salt-crusted chott, which can be treacherous just a few metres from the edge (e.g.: Chott el Djerid in Tunisia).
Plus the route (including parallel MS77) remain very popular, with cafes installed on the lake-bed runway.

South of the erg is another matter and looks technically challenging (by Moroccan standard) at any time of year.

I wonder how the OP managed.

I thought MS8 went north fromKM224 to KM229? or did it change in the later editions?

Done the southern route a few times now, most recently with a group mid November, nothing too challenging except route finding through the small dunes. It is much better than any of the routes north imho

Spent two days and a night in the southern dunes last March.Nothing to technically difficult but very difficult to navigate in the small dunes.At one point we ended up on the border at Oued Um Soba and gave a farmer a shock to see us there.You can waste a lot of time here very nicely.Not to be done alone if you are not confident or do not have time just to bimble about a bit.bier

Hopefully the OP missed this on Iriki

https://vimeo.com/379430208/comments...tgOnHtEfZlOjgQ

Believed to be filmed on Saturday