Hello experts!

In less than two weeks we are on the road to Morocco. Please tell me if the plan is too optimistic for loaded GS and average experiences off road riders.

Entry to Morocco ....
Tuesday 17/3 Algeciras - Ceuta - Fez [hotel]
We - Fez - Azrou [changing tires] - Misour and then ofroad through Boudenib to Errachidia [too much for one day?]
Th - Errachidia off piste to Merzouga [or tarmac and playing in the sand in Merzouga]
Fr - Merzouga - Zagora [in one day? or two?]
Sa - circle [light mashines, luggage in hotel in Zagora] Zagora - M'Hamid - lac Iriki - Foum Zguid - Zagora
So - Zagora - Ouarzazate - Ben Aithaddou - Tizi'n Tichka - Marrakesh
Mo - Marrakesh - Ouarzazate - Tinehir - Gorge du Todra - Imilnich - Midelt - Azrou in 2 days [somehow...]

After this in Azrou we are changing tires and the trip ends and we are going home.... Ceuta - Athens

We all are in very good physical condition and on tarmac we can ride [and rode] all day, on light piste too.

Thank in advance

[too much for one day?]

I think so, unless you get up at 5am. The piste you are probably thinking of via Taoura is missing a big bridge at the Missour end (see pic - on GE but not any more). The 601 is a very nice backroad (also with a few missing bridges but easier rivers) to Beni Tajite. From BT short piste (Col) or longer road down to the N10.

Th: Playing in the sand (or trying to) is a better idea, IMO.

Fr: Can be one day. After Rheris it eases up. A great route.

Sa: A very long day, even without luggage. Can be very stony.

.. in 2 days [somehow...]

Somehow... In my experience most first timers try to pack too much into an Mk trip. Understandable of course - I'm the same - but the distance, weather and the true nature of the pistes can all mess plans up.
A plan is a good idea of course, but as long as you accept there is not much chance of it working out to the letter, that is OK. Do less, see more.

You know there is a ferry: Genoa - Barcelona - Nador or Tangier. Could be good coming from Greece?

have a great time!

Ch

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Chris is spot on in his comment about trying to pack too much in. We've all done it, and it's so easy to get suckered in. And it's a waste of time (IMHO) to stop overnight in major cities such as Fez and Marrakech unless you dedicate an afternoon or a full day to sightseeing. Far better to stop somewhere on the road.

If I understand Wed is to be road from Fez to Azrou (change tyres) and then to Misour, then piste to Talsint, then roads again to Errachidia. This is too long. We did Azrou to Errachidia on the same route with luggage and it too all day, and that's without a stop for tyre change.

Rather than come back over the Tizi n'Tichka on the return to Ouarzazate, consider heading south on the R307 from Demnate. Even better skip Marrakech totally because you have no flexibility on your return to Azrou.

Mon/Tue from Marrakech via Todra, Imilchil, Midlelt to Azrou is tight.

Tim

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"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)

Off to Morocco next week on my first visit there. Just wondering if these high passes will be open this time of year - if so .

Chriss and Tim, Thanks a lot for responding

a/ the Fez stop is necessary because of walk in medina, we want to see it, even one afternoon-night [we have already book one hotel]

b/ to spare some day, we can go simlpy on tarmac from Fez to Merzouga. But the deal was to make some light piste - "by the way" or "on fly" - for the beginning, on our heading to Erg Chebbi, before we start most heavy ofroad [Ziz, Rheris]

c/ Marrakesh - I don't believe, that I will have next opportunity to go Morocco, so I want see the square, just the same in Fez - one night stand, hehe
d/ nice your recommend Tim about another way - through Demnate


e-z/ we have reserve already another 2-3 days in case of "something", so if some route is little bit heavy or longer, we have some time plus


ferry - we use Civitavecchia - Barcelona ferry [departing at 22.00 from Italy is fine - to spare one night at motel and spare also money and time] and from Barcelona by highway to South Spain

the return from Morocco will be on road, because an other good ferry, Tanger - Barcelona is one weekly [every Monday] and is too soon [or too late] for our plan
Others ferries, like Sete or Genoa is relativelly expensive [to Sete - one man in inside 4berth cabine and one moto = together 330lbs!!!] and not saving so much time

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[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']Thanks for your request.[/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']The cost would be £170 (passenger in a 4berth inside cabin with private facilities) + £160 (motorcycle) = £330[/font]

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we will see the plan again, I hope the trip will be full of ridings, falls in sand, tajine and every possible experiences from Morocco

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Hi
Fully agree with Tim and Chris, when I planned my trip I tried to plan stages with 250 km max on tracks, (some had 300km it's a lot ), and at least 2 days free, in case of.
The maximum we did was 460 km only paved road ( Ouarzazat Midelt ) tooooo long. IMO roads are more dangerous than tracks

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Eric
http://two400xrinmorocco.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CJbEWCb_wk

hi pottsy,

i am also planning morocco this year may or june. i would be interested if you have a route plan on a map like google earth. i am still working on my route and can be seen on
Google Maps
this is only planned route and still open to any advices. i have app 10 days to complete it with a k7 dl650 v-strom.

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I've been a lot to Morocco in the Nov-April winter months. The high points on most of the passes are 2100m to 2400m.

The section of road from Ifrane to Azrou and from Azrou to Col du Zad plus the Tizi n'Tichka between Marrakech and Ouarzazate get blocked several times each winter but as they are major transport routes they will normally be cleared 24-36 hours after the snow stops falling.

The Tizi n'Test will probably take longer to clear as it's not such a priority route. The R307 isn't officially adopted which is why the Michelin 742 shows part of it as a mule track so will be low priority.

There's a big notice board in El Hajeb (between Meknes and Azrou) that shows the state of the passes for the whole of Morocco. Otherwise ask the locals whether there's been snow in the last ten days.

Tim

__________________
"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)

Excellent info, Mr Cullis! (Not wishing to hi-jack this thread, but any suggestions as to bike hire in Marrakech other than your previous suggestions - every man and his dog has hired about now, no luck at all )

If its any use, I was on the road over the mountains down to Demnate in Jan and it was lightly dusted with snow, but ridable. Not sure what the weather has been like since...

Day Jan 8th (most of the way down the page) on
Morocco by motorbike
has photos.

cheers.

Maybe grand taxi to Ouarzazate then hire one of Peter's bikes (I think he has 2?) at the Bikershome Bikershome Offroad Centre? If Marrakech doesn't work out?

Tim,
Peters Home in Ouarzazate visited by us at the end of our trip, it is true, that it was very nice evening there [Peter was missing on trip with other group, but his wife was very sympathetic]

BUT

must know, that Peter's bikes are NOT for hiring without guiding.
I was these days in contact with him to hire September 2009 some bikes for few days and his answer was NO. Just and only with guiding and that means a price about 1000Euros for each person more, than any cost for the same days. P.e. check the prices for 5-7 days trip in his website and compare with very high pricing of rent for the same days+ 50 Euros per day and tell me ...
If anyone has some experiences from Morocco and want hire some bike without guiding, he must search some other solution.
I' am searching now... some other idea?
Kostas

P.S. some videos from our trip
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ip-video-42389

Hi
When we was at Peter Bikerhome last October we met three Spanish guys who rented Yamaha 600 XT at Marrakech, don't remember the price but no too expensive I believe.
One yam stopped to run just in front of bikerhome, the front sproket lost all teeth. the owner sent a complete chain kit from Marrakech with a big taxi.
You can see a pic on my blog ( updated in french only so far)
Deux 400XR au MAROC: 28-10 Ouarzazat 0 km

Eric

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Eric
http://two400xrinmorocco.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CJbEWCb_wk