Off piste MAROC Help

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Has anyone gone from Tagounite to Merzouga via track.

This is on the border with Algeria below Er Rachidia.

On Some maps it says this area is forbidden.

Any info would be great since they seem to have had mines is this area.


Tim

Tim....best bet might be try Horizons Unlimited and type in Merzouga or Tagounite into the search box.....quite a lot of info comes up from a lot of people who've done it.

Sorry I can't be of much more help

Bill

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/

Thanks for that

Regards


Tim

This route is well described in Chris Scott's Sahara Overland book. At it's closest runs around 10km north of the Algerian border. It's a well used track, and one I would dearly like to try next time. I understand there are areas of soft sand that a loaded GS struggles with, so it's down to rider ability etc. if you stick to the route land mines are not really considered to be an issue. (Unless you ride over one I suppose )

If you haven't already made plans I would recommend the route south from Tinerhir to Nekob, then east along the road to Alnif turning north back onto the piste to Tinerhir, fantastic.

Also if you find yourself in the southwest at Tafraoute, there is the most beautiful circular route to the south running through a tunnel of palm trees in a deep gorge I've not seen this route described elswhere, a local mountain guide suggested we try it

Can't wait to go back

Tim

M6 is one of the routes we might try in January. In places it actually crosses into Algeria. Attached zip is of Google Earth track. Download, unzip, and open the .kmz file in Google Earth.

Tim
(this is going to get complicated with three Tims on the same thread )

Algeria

I've done it....... but on an XR400, not a GS! It's a fantastic route, and I would love to do it again. There were a few VERY difficult sections... tricky even on a light xr400. Some may have been bypassable, and some definately wouldn't be. There's one section of dried out riverbed about 2 miles wide, and it was hell... I personally wouldn't be able to wrestle my GS through it. Most of the route however, is stony desert trail, and perfect GS country. I'm sure many GS's have done the whole route. We camped in the dunes.... it was fantastic.

As I understand it. the Algeria/Morocco border in that area is in permanent dispute, so both countries would claim that you were on their bit! I don't think it's much of a problem... You don't see many people anyway.

The final part of the route, when the massive (600 foot) cathedral dunes come into view near Merzouga is brilliant.

I would say it's definately do-able, and may yet have a go, but I'd want to be in a group of 3 or 4 at least so there was plenty of muscle when needed to man-handle bogged down GS's

Will

Three of us are hoping to follow that route in May, using Chris Scott's Sahara Overland book as a guide, off the top of my head I think the route is M4. The French guys whose web site is mentioned here a number of times did it last year and their diary and photos give a good idea of the terrain.

Jim