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No Man's land Morocco-Mauritania - Dangers? No Man's land Morocco-Mauritania - Dangers?
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North Africa Topics specific to North Africa and the Sahara down to the 17th parallel (excludes Morocco)
Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



Trans Sahara Routes.

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  #1  
Old 4 Jun 2010
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Read this entrie thread. It all sounds so shocking, but only when you dont follow all sensible advice. If you follow the main piste it's absolutely no worries. There is a small bit of soft sand, but a decent run up and you'll easily clear it. 2wd absolutely fine if you stick to the main route.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ish-road-25887
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  #2  
Old 4 Jun 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave The Hat View Post
Read this entrie thread. It all sounds so shocking, but only when you dont follow all sensible advice. If you follow the main piste it's absolutely no worries. There is a small bit of soft sand, but a decent run up and you'll easily clear it. 2wd absolutely fine if you stick to the main route.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ish-road-25887
From what I have read the main route has bifurcations and the one that looks easiest is the one with the most soft sand.

How long is the bit of soft sand?
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  #3  
Old 4 Jun 2010
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given the whole thing is over in 2 km or so, it's really not worth worrying about. just follow another vehicle.

if you are on your own, and you get stuck in the soft sand, then you're going to have to try and get someone else to help you out.

if you take the 'most used' stoney surface you will be fine. camper vans cross it. last time I came through there an articulated lorry (western europe style) was crossing without problems.
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  #4  
Old 4 Jun 2010
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As Dougie says, the mostly used stoney surface was the one I was on, and I'd say about a 200 meter section of softish sand (approx). Decent run up in lowish gear and we were through absolutely no worries.

Yeah, as Dougie says, for peace of mind, just follow another vehicle through (and hope they dont take a wrong turning!).
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  #5  
Old 4 Jun 2010
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I think somebody talked about that Tropic of Capricorn or Tropic of Cancer programme where he crossed no mans land, and he kinda hyped it up a bit making it out to be a life and death situation. Potentially it could be, but he was with a local guide driving the vehicle, they all know what to do.

I think its one of those things that gets blown out of proportion, it's not anywhere near as exciting and dangerous as certain travel bloggers will make out, just as long as you follow the sensible advice. People who come unstuck are usually those who don't follow the advice and stray off the main recongised path.
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Old 4 Jun 2010
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I have also read/watched that there are lot's of damaged/burned cars there, like in a MadMax movie.
Most of them seem to have been damaged because they hit a landmine. It seems that they are just few meters outside the track. Are there lot's of landmines? Are this mines marked?

I am very afraid of landmines.
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  #7  
Old 4 Jun 2010
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I've been through it three times and haven't got blown up yet! And I'll be going again in 2011. Best bet is to follow a big truck. But hang back about 100 metres and watch. The "bandits" will give you a push if you DO get stuck -- for a couple of quid! Most of the wrecks are cars that were stuffed anyway and the owners needed to get them out of Morocco to avoid import duty! (The "bandits" strip them down.)

Roger
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  #8  
Old 4 Jun 2010
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Dave The Hat,
thank you very much for the link, as I would have taken the red road (as marked by Javier Carrión) and get stuck in the sand.
Actually, it seems that all the area is mine-free for at least 2 kilometers east and west (colored map by Javier Carrión).
If it is so, why are there all this burned cars there? Or they are just cars sold for spare parts, as Roger said?

There is also another thing: on the Swiss forum
www.desert-info.ch :: Thema anzeigen - MA-RIM - Niemandsland/No man's land/Zone neutre
it seems that there are landmines on the sides of the Spanish Road, but you have to take this road for about 50-100 meters (by crossing the sides, obviously).
Are there really landmines?
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