Driving in Morocco - security

[bladerunner]

Question for Tim mainly I guess:


Jo and I will be driving* through Morocco in September in a nearly new Land Cruiser ( ) following the route I took on the GS a few years ago: Cueta, Volubis, Marakesh, over the Atlas, Oussasate, Fez and back.

We will avoid the Rif mountains.


Any credible risk of car jacking/major crime?

It is the usual desire to have "just enough" adventure without it being silly.


cheers



* I know, personally I would prefer the 1150GSA, but this will be a different type of holiday!

 

[Paul G (BHT)]

There is more chance of being car jacked in South Wales than Morocco

The only trouble I have ever had in the Rif mountains was when I had to stop att trying to run the dealers off the mountain road

This year we did over 3,000 miles in Morocco, this included straddling the border with Algeria and 3 days in the Western Sahara.

Never once felt threatened..... even the guy with the machine gun near Samara who asked me if I had any alcohol was polite

 

[Steptoe]

I drove fanums landrover to all those places and many more less salubrious locations and all on my lonesome without any hint of trouble.

 

[SkyGod]

Don`t even give it a second thought. You will encounter more help if you need it and a feeling of being welcome than anywhere in Europe in my opinion.
A couple of weeks ago I was riding through the Rif and towards the Algerian border and the same applied.

 

[bladerunner]

Thanks


As I thought.


Will post back, looking forward to it.

 

[Tim Cullis]

Try to get off the main roads for more interest and less traffic. Check out the green edging on roads on the Michelin map and take as many as possible.

Check out the wild monkeys near Azrou.

Try the tarmac traverse of the Atlas going via Imilchil.

The Rif seems a lot less problematic these days.

 

[Steptoe]

One of my most enduring memories was picking up a moroccan hitchiker and his son while driving fanums landrover, then putting on the barry manilow song copacabana on the stereo and getting them to sing along.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

One of my most enduring memories was picking up a moroccan hitchiker and his son while driving fanums landrover, then putting on the barry manilow song copacabana on the stereo and getting them to sing along.

That made me laugh, I can just picture it

I'd always been told not to stop for peeps on the road in case you were robbed............Out there on my own in the south I stopped for a guy who's car had run out of oil. Lots of pigeon French later I was in a near by village looking for his old man called Mohamed. Somehow found him, got everything sorted and then went back to theirs for tea and lovely sticky sweets.
That made the trip for me and it'd have been really sad if my western 'caution' had got in the way of something like that

Andres

 

[Paul G (BHT)]

.... I'd always been told not to stop for peeps on the road in case you were robbed....

The closest we have come to being robbed was when we were flagged down in the middle of nowhere by a guy with a broken down car.

At the time we thought it odd that he hadn't tried to flag down a local who was in front of us. He asked for a lift to his brothers place, actually I think he was called Mohammed too When he realsied we didn't have any rear seats he walked back to his car and produced a pre drawn grubby looking hand drawn map of how to get to his brothers place 10km up the road. I offered to have a look at why his car had broken down but he declined.

We agreed to go to his brothers for him but when we got there it was obvious that the place was a carpet shop and it was a cleverly designed ploy to get us through the door.... needless to say we drove on by.

We were lured into a carpet shop during our 2007 trip and seem to lose 2 hours that day

 

[Deleted account 230523001]

There is more chance of being car jacked in South Wales than Morocco

The only trouble I have ever had in the Rif mountains was when I had to stop att trying to run the dealers off the mountain road

I think they started it

 

[Greg Masters]

One of my most enduring memories was picking up a moroccan hitchiker and his son while driving fanums landrover, then putting on the barry manilow song copacabana on the stereo and getting them to sing along.

Jesus H!

The OP's worried about car-jacking but hitch-hikers are subjected to far worse.

 

[Timolgra]

Ten trips to Morocco and no security issues.

 

[Blue Sweeper]

The closest we have come to being robbed was when we were flagged down in the middle of nowhere by a guy with a broken down car.
....................

We agreed to go to his brothers for him but when we got there it was obvious that the place was a carpet shop and it was a cleverly designed ploy to get us through the door.... needless to say we drove on by.

.............

I had something similar on two occasions, when leading tours.

We were flagged down by a guy holding up an empty water bottle, with his family sitting in the car, right out in the middle of nowhere. We gave the family a 2ltr bottle of water and took him on the pillion to the next town, he really had broken down.

The other occasion was another broken down car and we were given a rough map and address of how to get help, only to find it was a carpet shop. And yes we went in...........

Don't mind though, as security is not a problem in Morocco.

 

[bladerunner]

Well it looks as if the BR trip to Morocco is well and truly OFF - DAMN IT.

I thought I'd phone Admiral to get the green card to be told they will not cover the Landcruiser in Maroc. I have tried umpteen other firms (and would have to insure with them for the year) to no avail. No one will cover a car in Maroc anymore.

I seem to remember that Marocco was usually added to EU, along with Turkey, as countries. Certainly when we went by bike getting a green card was a nicity to ease the border, and was certainly given without problem.

Has something changed over there? How does Tim get his Landie insured?


So just Spain via the Portsmouth ferry Friday week - anyone else going?

 

[BAKERMAN]

i WOULD N`T GO TO MARROCO

 

[stolzy]

i WOULD N`T GO TO MARROCO

Doubt it will be an issue for you, using that spelling, your Zumo would never find it.

 

[Paul G (BHT)]

My Land Cruiser is insured with NFU who cover Morocco 3rd party only.

You can also buy insurance at any major town city/once you are over there.

 

[Tim Cullis]

Yup, just buy border insurance from the port.

 

[Fanum]

Yup, just buy border insurance from the port.

I think it was about 35 quid (equivalent) for a fortnight at a port....that was 8 or so years ago, but even for the sake of 100 quid extra expense, don't FFS miss out on the experience......you'll save that in the difference between three night's accommodation in Europe against the same in Morocco!

As an alternative before you commit to the crossing, most of the Spanish insurance agents based along the costas will do temporary cover for Morocco on an English plated vehicle, and because of the Ex-pat community there, most of them will Habla Inglese so you'll have no problem with communication.

 

[GS_or_bust]

Yup, just buy border insurance from the port.

Of course that is just 3rd party so you are taking the risk on the vehicle. Perhaps it would be best to travel in an older vehicle.