Morocco October 2015

[MarkW]

Who's up for a trip?????????????????

I'll be heading out for my 5th trip this October for 3 weeks. Exact dates and routes TBC but I guarantee an adventure.

It looks like I'm changing jobs over the next few weeks and have told my new employer I have the trip booked but not the exact dates but I will need to tell them soon. I currently plan to leave Friday 2nd from Portsmouth and head back for the 23rd but could change these if others want to come along and can't make those dates. I will need to finalise the dates soon.

Route is TBC depending on what people want to see but the itinerary on the way out is fixed as follows

Fri - evening ferry from Portsmouth
Sat - arrive in Spain drive to Salamanca area
Sun - get into Morocco
Mon - Drive to El Jadida
Tue - Drive to Essaouira
Wed - day in Essaouira relaxing and preparing for the next 2 weeks of fun

Confirmed
MarkW - KZJ95
Chris - LC80
ByronJ - LC80
Garfieldus - LC80
Isle of Man - LC75
Gary Stockton - LC80
GeorgeG - LC80

P1080043 Panorama 1 by Trackasylum, on Flickr

 

[Gary Stockton]

Watching this one ...

 

[Garfieldus]

Watching this too. What general direction is your preference after Essaouira?

 

[MarkW]

Well some route planning will depend on if anyone else comes along and wants to see a specific part of Morocco.

My own personal plans at the moment are roughly this

Thurs - drive south to Fort Bou Jerif, stop at Agadir for any supplies from the big hypermarkets, possible off road through the Sous Massa National Park
Fri - drive the Plage Blanche (tide depending) to Tan Tan (OFF ROAD)
Sat - Start heading East across the desert towards Assa (OFF ROAD) (Wild Camp)
Sun - Assa to Erg Chegaga via Lac Iriki (OFF ROAD) (Wild Camp)
Mon - Erg Chegaga to somewhere in the desert (OFF ROAD) (Wild Camp)
Tue - Somewhere in the dersert to Erfoud/Erg Chebbi (OFF ROAD)
Wed - Rest Day around Erfoud - relax, play in the dunes at Erg Chebbi or visit the Desert Sculpture

That's 5 straight days off road but close enough to towns to avoid having to carry 5 days worth of fuel, beer, food and beer

Then its head north with about a week to fill in before return ferries, this last but could involve Jbel Sahro, High Atlas, Middle Atlas or the empty quarter depending on preferences.

 

[Gary Stockton]

Sounds interesting so far and the dates miss Ramadam

 

[isle of man]

I would like to express interest in this, I will commit finically if required.

 

[MarkW]

Sounds interesting so far and the dates miss Ramadam

Ramadan isn't too much of a problem unless you need spares like I did 2 years ago

I would like to express interest in this, I will commit finically if required.

Cool, no commitment financially I'm not organising anything Ferry's etc are up to you to book up and I'll just plan the route and navigation. People'll need to look after themselves accommodation wise.

Things I may possibly, maybe, if your nice, I feel like it, you bribe me with beer, organise

Spain to Morocco Ferry
Hotel in Essaouira

 

[iceman]

Mark what are the expected dates and what are over night temps like? In Dec we struggled under canvas and only did one night before opting for accom rather than canvas. Also how much water to take for 5/6 days off-road?

 

[MarkW]

rough dates 2nd October to the 23rd, I can move a bit but will need to finalise dates over the next month.

Temps will be in the 30's, last year was hotter than the year before maybe 35 max. Very nice in the desert plenty warm enough for camping. I use a 2 seasin sleeping bag and its often to warm.

With my proposed desert route we'd never be more than half a days drive from towns so won't need to carry much spare fuel or water. Enough for 2 days per person and some emergency supplies. I have a 25 litre jerry can we fill as emergency and don't touch then use bottled day to day. That's OTT with more than 1 vehicle but we were solo. Likewise we wouldn't need spare fuel as fuel tanks would do the whole section.

I think the route is almost as long distance offroad as you can do without heading into the WS. You could do the whole thing without going into towns but the option is there to resupply. Theres also decent mechanic at each end and the middle should we find a land rover in need of help.

 

[Garfieldus]

Well some route planning will depend on if anyone else comes along and wants to see a specific part of Morocco.

My own personal plans at the moment are roughly this

<snip>

Sounds very good. Much more interested in wild camping/camping than hotels. The odd auberge for a shower!!

We would meet up in Salamanca area as we would get a ferry from Rosslare to Cherbourg.

 

[MarkW]

Meeting on the way is easy to sort out, if people haven't been to Morocco before its worth meeting up before getting into Morocco so the customs system can be explained.

In Morocco I try to camp more than hotel. Most towns have both so the options there for those who wanted a night of more comfort.

I'll be getting the Portsmouth Santander ferry on the Friday night and the get through Spain fast. Last 2 years we've been in Morocco Sunday night on the 18:00ish ferry from Algerciras. The only trouble was both years the insurance both was closed so we stayed in a Hotel near the port.

Some facts
Fuels around 60p a litre in Morocco
Insurance is available at the port for about 90euros for a month if your insurer won't issue a green card
Formal Campsites vary in quality & cost from £2.42 to £12 a night based on my trip last year
Hotel again vary but a reasonable hotel for a night is around £25 a night on average (cheapest last year £12, top £32 in Morocco (£29 in Spain))
Algerciras to Tanger Ferry is roughly 200euro for a 4x4 and 2 people (buts varies a lot I can get a quote closer to the trip)
Rough Cost for 3 weeks £2000 per car inc everything ferries, hotels, food, beer insurance etc. (I keep a record but never add it all up but that would cover a good trip with a mix of camping and hotels, self catering and eating in restaurants)

 

[Garfieldus]

I stayed here last November and got a very early morning first ferry out of Tarifa.

 

[iceman]

Just one thing there is a little ol tournament happening (RWC 2015) that time of year and I've got a load of family coming out from SA any chance you would consider Nov Mark?

 

[MarkW]

The RWC 2015? let me think, no not sure, are engines involved?

Last October I met attractive young ladies racing land cruisers in the desert, for me this ticks more boxes than a bunch of hairy men groping each other

Seriously though I've told my work I've got 3 weeks booked in October, just not exact dates so I'm pretty tied into then.

 

[Gary Stockton]

Be advised (but not overly concerned yet) - according to a Spanish security center, there are jihadist training facilities near Fnideq, Tetouan and Tanger

Source:

Spanish center says that there are jihadist training camps in Fnideq - Maghreb Daily News

 

[MarkW]

This is most likely to be spainish spin trying to stir up things in an effort to get Morocco to do more with the illegal immigrants occupying this area trying to get into Europe. Possibly also linkied to Spains ongoing occupation of parts of Morocco (ironic isn't it spain wants Gibraltor back from us but won't return Cueta & Mellila to Morocco)

Over the last few years the numbers of potential immigrants alongside the road between Tangier Med and Fndiq have increased but so has the security presence. When I was in Fndiq in October there were 3 coach loads of illegal immigrants parked outside the police station under very heavy guard. I guess some of the potential immigrant could be extremists but in reality you are just as likely to experience terrorist acitivity in London as you are in Morocco.

Worth keeping an eye of security issue but not worried about it, Morocco has a very good track record

2013 trip was teh WS and the home office advice was high risk of terrorism, kidnapping and landmines and we had a fantastic trip with no dramas

 

[Gary Stockton]

Agreed - which is why I was going 'don't be too concerned ...' lol. They are very dependent on tourist $ so unlikely to turn a blind eye - and the king likes being a king

 

[vrecha]

Will most probably be a litle souther (WS) at that time.
Maybe we'll have a chance to meet, will be watching this thread.

No worries about terrorism in WS.

 

[MarkW]

Morocco scurity is effective (if a little brutal at times) throughout the country. I appreciate that with the way our "western" media portrays the whole islamic world can cause concerns for first time visitors bu their really is little to worry about.

With a overland trip you are less likely to be in highly touristic areas which would be at an increased risk. More likely to see kids asking for presents and throwing stones than meeting an extremist. In the 15 years I've been visting I've never felt threatened or at risk.

Vrecha, if your in the north when we're there it'd be nice to meet up even if it is breifly on your way to the WS. I might be back in the WS next year I want to get further south than my previous trips if I can ge the time away from work.

 

[Garfieldus]

<snip>I want to get further south than my previous trips if I can ge the time away from work.

I did Morocco, WS, Mauritanina, Senegal and The Gambia last Oct/Nov.

We had six weeks and in hindsight the amount of tarmac involved was just too much, it was just drive, drive, drive. Getting into Mauritania has become more difficult than the last time I did it in 2008 and wasn't very pleasant. Getting into Senegal was horrendous. Getting into The Gambia wasn't too bad.

In further hindsight, Morocco has everything I will ever want and I reckon I'll never bother going further south again.