Morocco October 2015

[ratrace]

i wish i could go, but have to book holiday time off one year in advance

working on next year trip already

 

[MarkW]

I don't like getting into Morocco in the evening and always get an early morning ferry. I suspect therefore I'll be a day ahead and meet up at the first stop in Morocco.

I've done the morning twice and evening twice now and customs is a little easier imho. We can meet anywhere tbh we'll all be heading the same way. Just had a look on the interwebs are there is a campsite at El Jadida although its long past it's best. As I've said most towns will have a choice of hotels or camping depending on what we want. After Essaouira it'll be camping every night until Spain on the return leg I expect

 

[Bat21]

.... I don't like getting into Morocco in the evening and always get an early morning ferry.

Same for me Gary. I much prefer an early morning sail from Algeciras and have been lucky enough to see the sun rising over 'The Rock' as we sailed out on one occasion.

My trip this year sees us leaving Portsmouth on the 4th Sept and returning on the 25th. 15 nights in Morocco and I normally try to factor in 3 hotels during that time.

 

[MarkW]

Shame you're a bit earlier than me, are you going on your own or with a group?

 

[MarkW]

I've done a rough route so far, I was going to attach the file but I can't attach .kmz filetypes

If anyone wants to see these pm me. I have the file as a .gpx for satnav software or as a .kmz for Google Earth. The GE version is nice as you can play the track as a fly over

 

[Garfieldus]

I've done a rough route so far, I was going to attach the file but I can't attach .kmz filetypes

If anyone wants to see these pm me. I have the file as a .gpx for satnav software or as a .kmz for Google Earth. The GE version is nice as you can play the track as a fly over

PM sent....

 

[isle of man]

I've done a rough route so far, I was going to attach the file but I can't attach .kmz filetypes

If anyone wants to see these pm me. I have the file as a .gpx for satnav software or as a .kmz for Google Earth. The GE version is nice as you can play the track as a fly over

Ditto...

 

[MarkW]

crikey, don't you lot sleep? I'll email later today when I get back from work

 

[Bat21]

Shame you're a bit earlier than me, are you going on your own or with a group?

I normally like to take at least one other vehicle just in case something goes wrong. But, it looks like this years trip will be just the two of us in the 80.

This will be my 8th trip to Morocco, the first back in 2003 on two wheels. Since then I have returned 7 times in either my Patrol which is no longer with us or the Land Cruiser 80. I have only ever done one solo trip which I have to say was probably the most enjoyable until disaster struck in Spain on the way home. Travelling solo (a couple) means you can stop when you want, where you want etc and not have to consider if others are okay with this.... being a bit of a loner I have to say I like it this way.

No doubt your trip in Oct will be a huge success and free guided tours are always a good way to get folk down there.

 

[mussy]

PM sent.

 

[MarkW]

email sent to everyone who wanted the file

 

[mussy]

This looks good, as long as it stays in the early part of Oct. I would meet you guys at the Spanish port as I would drive down from Swizterland.

Have been on some of these routes before and they are incredible. I have RTT or hotel either is good for me.

Mussy

 

[MarkW]

Be good to have you along

I've done some of the route before as well but as I develop more detailed I'll try to avoid the regular pistes. My aim with this route was to get as long an offroad stretch as possible with wildcamping, but avoiding the need to get into the WS. This should get us 5 nights of wild camps and will make it feel more like an expedition than a holiday. If we carried on east we could get another 2 nights in a straight run but would miss the mountains

 

[mussy]

And if I may suggest not too much rock desert.....

 

[MarkW]

Not sure that'll be possible but I know what you mean

 

[mussy]

Not sure that'll be possible but I know what you mean

To to avoid completely is impossible, it also depends how much km we do in a day...for me the rock desert is the ultimate test of a cars strength and the owners prep.....

 

[MarkW]

The longest single day on the outline route is 250km on piste but may vary in reality depending on previous days distance. For a section this length I plan on it being a 10hour day with breaks.

These long sections are definitely a test of preparation but not necessarily resulting in a need for uprated suspension. My 95 is on standard Toyota springs and dampers with additional springs on the rear. On my first trip I snapped both rear shocks and sheared the upper rear trailing arm mount. Everything else has covered 180k km and 4 Morocco Trips. A well maintained truck will easily cope with these routes. If things do get broken there are good mechanics in Zagora, about half way and parts fairly easy to source

 

[Chris]

P'raps best if I just follow you guys, eh? I'll be the one at the back with the 1000 yard stare

 

[MarkW]

I hear some ladies prefer the rocky section at about 27.5mph something about vibrations

I'll take rocky desert over corrugations, particularly the ones that suddenly appear after you get up to some decent speed on flat desert before you can slow down again.

 

[Chas]

...for me the rock desert is the ultimate test of a cars strength and the owners prep.....

I would add the owners strength as well, it's very uncomfortable, I thought the truck was going to shake it's self to bits I was amazed that my 80 came through unscathed, it's something I won't be doing again. I would do Morocco again but not the rocky bits.
The rocks seemed to range in size from tennis ball to football, OK you could drive slower but the party I was with drove faster than I would have liked and obviously I had to keep up.