Morocco October 2015

[Gary Stockton]

You still have the spreadsheet? The costs are pretty accurate still. I can send you an updated one if you like

 

[Chris]

I don't seem to have that Gary, nor can I actually recall it. I have all sorts saved on file but that's not in there.

 

[mussy]

I can see the Dihrams stacking up here having read the book. I didn't know how much the crossing would be or the insurance. It's not going to be a cheap trip. Not that this matters at all, but I need to factor in just how much local wonga is needed. An estimate from you experienced guys would be good.

I know we're going to take the odd hotel here and there although I'd really rather not, but I'll go with the flow, food, fuel, insurance, crossing etc will all be cash payments it seems. Cool. Forget gifts and trinkets that's up to the individual, as would be major bills for breakdowns and such but a ball park for the getting there and back would be really useful.

Hi Chris,

crossing costs you can get online. Normally your green card insurance will should not have MA crossed out so you don't need extra insurance.

mussy

 

[MarkW]

Every year I keep a track of cost but then forget to add it up

If you factored on £2000 total I doubt you'd need more and that's including the ferry to Spain and fuel for Spain. Insurance is about £90 for a month in Morocco and the ferry in about £200 as we have a group I may be able to negiotiate a better rate for us. Fuel is about 50-60p a litre (fill your tanks for the return home).

We'll camp as much as possible, previous trips I've stayed in Hotels until after Essaouira, so nigh in spain, night near the port on Sunday night, night at El Jadida and 2 nights in Essaouira. This year we can camp at El Jadida so maybe a hote the first night and then 2 nights in Essaouira. If the insurance booth is on Sunday night when we get into Morocco we head to Asilah and camp, if not hotel close by so we can get insurance first thing in the Morning.

Essaouira has a camp site if people want (I've not tried it). The hotel we used to use right on the sea front has closed down or it was shut last year which is a shame as it is only £10 a night. The Hotel I stayed at last year is currently £45 for 2 nights in a single or £54 for a twin if 2 share. I'd recommend a hotel here personally so we're nice and rested for the off road section

http://www.onhotels.com/search-view...OZPXIRF&cache=0&booking_type_code=BOOKING&ref=

Once we leave Spain everything will be cash but you can use ATM and they are pretty much in every town.

If someone wanted to research some options for the night in Spain that would be great, I normally just drive until I've had enough and then stop at the first place I find. At a push we could camp in a layby or service station if its allowed. We have to get at least as far as Salamanca on the Saturday night but any further makes Sunday a bit easier which could easily be a 12 hour+ day

 

[Gary Stockton]

Ok will send it again then ... Shortly

 

[Chris]

Mark, that's close enough for me. Ta. Ball park is all I wanted.

I don't have UK insurance that covers me Mussy. So I do need to buy it there. We've actually been through this already. Morocco is not the EU and my cover is EU only.

 

[MarkW]

Unless Monaco has been relocated

Worth remembering coming home with full tanks and a truck full of duty free can offset some of the costs, I think my truck was still on Spanish diesel until Easter, which might explain why it wouldn't work before 10 am and needed a rest in the afternoon

 

[Chris]

Meh, it's all part of the cost of having a great time away. If you can't afford it then don't go is my motto. It's already cost me over a grand just to have an extra week's holiday so a couple of hotels and a bit of diesel ain't going to make any difference. I'm just spinning my wheels here raring to go.

 

[MarkW]

This is my trip ready reckoner giving rough routes, travel time, costs and mileage (cost are ferrys and accommodation only)
Gray is Spain, Blue Tarmac, Yellow off road and red a rest day

	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday
Date	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Day	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Start/Finish	Portsmouth to Santander	Santander to Palencia	PPalencias to Fndiq	Fndiq to El Jadida	El Jadida to Essaouira	Essaouira	Essaouira to Bou Jerif
Route
Distance		370km	660km	480km	278km	210km	380km	2378km
Drive Time	24	4	8	6	5	8	8	63
Accomodation	£600.00	£30.00	£230.00	£10.00	£25.00	£25.00	£10.00	£930.00
Date	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
Day	8	9	10	11	12	13	14
Start/Finish	Bou Jerif to Tan Tan (Wildcamp)	Tan Tan to Assa (Wildcamp)	Assa to Tata (Wildcamp)	Tata to Erg Chegagga (Wildcamp)	Erg Cheggaga to wildcamp	Wildcamp to Erfoud	Sculptures/Erg Chebbi
Route
Distance	161km	240km	200km	200km	255km	223km		1279km
Drive Time	8	10	10	10	10	10		58
Accomodation	£0.00	£0.00	£0.00	£0.00	£0.00	£10.00	£10.00	£20.00
Date	16	17	18	19	20	21	22
Day	15	16	17	18	19	20	21
Start/Finish			High Atlas	High Atlas	?? To Asilah	Asilah to Caceres	Caceres to Bilboa
Route
Distance					600km	956km	150km	1706km
Drive Time	10	10	10	10	8	10	8	66
Accomodation	£3.00	£3.00	£4.00	£10.00	£10.00	£25.00	£0.00	£55.00
Date	23
Day	22
Start/Finish
Route
Distance								0km
Drive Time								0
Accomodation								£0.00
							Distance	5363km
							Drive Time	187
							Accomodation	£1,005.00

 

[GeorgeG]

I can't wait to get into the colours!

 

[MarkW]

Still got a couple of blank days in there to find routes for before crossing the Atlas, getting back east and then up through the Jbel Sahro mountains is an option for one of those days.

The rest of the route is pretty much done. I need a 2nd route from Fort Bou Jerif in case the tide is wrong for the beach and then look more at the section between Assa and Tata. The route I have currently looks like it goes through some army bases

https://goo.gl/maps/TGxSu

and 2 big ones

https://goo.gl/maps/1N6ra

https://goo.gl/maps/tNG6h

 

[moggy1968]

which route did you use to go into senegal? We did Rosso in 2004. It lived up to it's reputation as the worst border in Africa! Senegal, and St Louis Especially, were lovely though. When we went in 2006 though we went through the barage crossing , which was miles better, but Senegal, and St Louis especially was horrendous!! As with you, unless I was heading somewhere else, I probably wouldn't do it again. Morocco is great for exploring and whats further down doesn't really justify the long drag through WS. having said that, Mauritania is a place I would love to explore more, We had to turn south last time just before Chinguetti. I would like to go back and explore that area more, but at the moment I don't think it's safe enough for a familly trip.

Sorry to butt in, as I'm not on this trip, but have you considered the Tiz N Test from Marakesh. I have driven the transfag, Stelvio, etc etc but they are all mere pretenders to the Tiz n Test in the crown for the greatest mountain road. N-S is best

Also, if you haven't already check out www.horizonsunlimited.com for the latest country information from people that are actually there or recently been there. it's usually a lot more accurate than the official version.

 

[MarkW]

I've not been to Senegal Moggy? Tizi n Test is great but doesn't fit with our route plan. I'm trying to find a piste I haven't done over the Atlas the Todra Gorge area

BTW I'm TheWarden over on the hub but I think you know that .Actually for everyone else though the Hubb Morocco forum is a good source if information

 

[moggy1968]

Ah, hello chap!! I hadn't put 2+2 together!

something a bit weird happened there, I was replying to a topic that appeared to be the last but actually wasn't!!

I presume you've looked in Chris Scotts book for pistes then?

 

[MarkW]

Yeah got the book, done a lot of the routes now though so finding something new takes a bit more planning

 

[moggy1968]

Yeah got the book, done a lot of the routes now though so finding something new takes a bit more planning

have you tried speaking to Roaming Yak. he's spent a lot of time out there

 

[Firewout]

@Markw
There are a lot of army bases between plage blanche and tata. We were there 3 years ago and after a flyby from an american apache helicopter, we were stopped by a Maroccan patrol in a 78. As we were heading into a training area where they were shooting with live ammo (not rifle but the big ship guns from a US warship, which we saw from plage blanche), we were kindly requested to follow them to their command post. After an exchange of belgian beer for local sausages, we were shown the right piste to follow.
At that time, the soldiers were very kind and were happy to point you in the right direction. So personally, I wouldn't care too much about the army bases. Since you're very close to the border, you can't avoid them.
btw, we could actually see the explosions a few km's ahead of us and were quite happy to follow their advice.

 

[MarkW]

Thanks Firewout, don't suppose you have a track log of the route you took we could use?

I had a couple of chats with the army last year they are always friendly and polite so I'm not too concerned. If they don't want us in the area they'll stop us, we'll get to look at their landcruisers and then they'll tell us where to go.


Not to sure about swapping too much beer for suasages though

 

[Gary Stockton]

Ahh. Warden. Hello then - I too have a different name over on HUBB lol

I'll look tonight on the tracking I have from Reinhardt (Spindrift) to see where he went a couple of years ago.

 

[moggy1968]

whats your name on the Hubb gary?