Hidden Morocco trip: Sep/Oct 2007

[Tim Cullis]

There's a lot of out-of-the-way places I would like to visit in Morocco (hence the trip name), and I'm planning an extended trip on my 1200 GS Adventure, entering via the Almería-Melilla overnight ferry around Sep 25-26 and travelling around Morocco until Oct 18, then on to the Moto Andalucia meet in Spain Oct 19-21.

Many of the places can only be reached by pistes and I am planning to wild camp for about half the time. Ramadan will be on most of the trip (finishes Oct 11).

If anyone will be in Morocco at the same time and is interested in meeting up for a couple of days please PM me.

Some of my other trip reports:
Stairway to Heaven and other innovative desert structures
Sleeping beside the bike in a Moroccan river bed
'A piste too far' trip
Carry on Dakar
Marrakech Express

Tim

 

[snoopy]

I'm hoping to be there again, but will be on the DRZ so you wont be able to keep up . What POI's you going to visit?

 

[Tim Cullis]

I've sketched out a few possible routes. The first, in the north-east, covers Mililla, Saidia, Oujda, the Gorges of Zegzel, the Grottes du Chiker and across to the Middle Atlas.

Then possibly Mousa de Salah, the Rekkam Plateau, across country to visit some Foreign Legion forts, Jbel Marzimine, then up to Midelt.

Another rough plan is Midelt, Cirque du Jaffar, Lake Tislit, the Granaries of Aoujgal, Gorge du Dades, Valley of the Roses, then cross country to Ouarzazate.

I haven't sketched the stage from Ouarzazate to Guelmim.

After that there's a lot further south in the Draa Valley and Saguia el Hamra, some close to the coast, and some to the far east of Layoune (e.g. Tbeila).

Tim

 

[BOB UK]

Hi Tim

I will be there from about 14th sept to about the 25th so just the wrong dates
but have a good trip and thanks for all the info that you have posted on this site and the talk at the HU meet I have found it all a great help


Bob

 

[bladerunner]

hi Tim

Ditto thanks for the info you have posted.

I'll be
Cuerta 18th Sept
Mid atlas 19/20
Marra 21-24
Bikershome 25th
Erg Chebbi 26th
Fez 27th

so may just catch you

cheers (or not as it's Ramadan!)
Simon

 

[sycomoto]

which way down you going

There's a lot of out-of-the-way places I would like to visit in Morocco (hence the trip name), and I'm planning an extended trip on my 1200 GS Adventure, entering via the Almería-Melilla overnight ferry around Sep 25-26 and travelling around Morocco until Oct 18, then on to the Moto Andalucia meet in Spain Oct 19-21.

Many of the places can only be reached by pistes and I am planning to wild camp for about half the time. Ramadan will be on most of the trip (finishes Oct 11).

If anyone will be in Morocco at the same time and is interested in meeting up for a couple of days please PM me.

Some of my other trip reports:
Stairway to Heaven and other innovative desert structures
Sleeping beside the bike in a Moroccan river bed
'A piste too far' trip
Carry on Dakar
Marrakech Express

Tim

the reason i'm asking is we leave for Almeria on fri 21st sep and plan to ride down through france. maybe we could all meet up.

 

[Tim Cullis]

It won't be possible to meet up before Almería, I shall be in the Alps with friends the week before, then staying with friends in France and Spain on the way down.

However if you are crossing from Almería at the same time you are welcome to join me for a few days in north east Morocco. I'm planning to spend a day looking at the house building developments around Saidia, then visit Oujda which used to be a busy crossing point for Algeria. Then go via the Gorges of Zegzel, the Grottes du Chiker and across to Azrou to meet up with Devon (Andy).

Tim

 

[sycomoto]

i was thinking

It won't be possible to meet up before Almería, I shall be in the Alps with friends the week before, then staying with friends in France and Spain on the way down.

However if you are crossing from Almería at the same time you are welcome to join me for a few days in north east Morocco. I'm planning to spend a day looking at the house building developments around Saidia, then visit Oujda which used to be a busy crossing point for Algeria. Then go via the Gorges of Zegzel, the Grottes du Chiker and across to Azrou to meet up with Devon (Andy).

Tim

a quick meet up fer a beer and tapas in almeria on the 25th if we get down on time. yer ferry isn't until late evening is it.

 

[Tim Cullis]

I was thinking a quick meet up fer a beer and tapas in almeria on the 25th if we get down on time. yer ferry isn't until late evening is it.

Sounds like a plan. Text me on 0044 7976 683999 closer to the date.

Tim

 

[sycomoto]

sorry dude

i forgot to take yer number but i did hang around at the ferry port until 10pm waiting to see if you guys turned up. had a good chat with the two guys on drz's who were heading out for 3 weeks. anyway i'm back home now, it's been fun with a fair few ups and downs. due to pastymans old air head going sick i rode to Almeria on my own and they followed down a few days later. did 1400miles in one hit only stopping for the breakdown and to have couple of hours kipp. off the ferry at 8am on saturday in almeria at 12noon sunday. ADV ran like a dream all the way. best moment was coming over the mountain north of Madrid, not a car for as far as the eye could see and born to be wild came on the mp3. awsome ride

 

[Voyager]

Good to meet you at Santander on 22nd Oct, Tim, I hope your trip went well.

17 of us (15 bikes) were returning from a "Wildcat Adventures" 18-day tour.

Bob.
(Black/yellow 2004 1150 GSA).