Morocco in August

[Jackson]

Hi everyone

First of all thanks to all for this fantastic website and all the resources on it.

I'm writing because the missus and I are heading off for three weeks away on the bike in early August. We're booked on the return ferry from the UK to Bilbao and will be riding two-up through Spain.

My plan has always been to take a week traveling south through Spain, have a week in Morocco, and then another week back up. I'm just as keen to spend some time in Madrid, Granada etc as in Morocco, so we're not going to tear-arse it across Spain in a day or two - plus the missus doesn't like sitting on the back of a bike for more than a few hours a day.

I've never ridden further south than Barca before, and never outside of Europe. But my main concern, frankly, is the August heat. I'm thinking that on riding days we will be aiming to get away by 8am and be off the road again by noon, but for those with experience of these kind of trips is it just the wrong time of year to be heading for Morocco?

Basically one big part of me wants to see Fez, get across the Atlas and spend a night in the Sahara at Errachidia.

But another big part of me says that after a week riding through dusty Spain in August, it might be time to hit the beach at Tarifa / Cadiz and leave Morocco for another occasion.

Any thoughts?

My other question is about bike parts. I've just had it fully serviced, new tyres etc, but what are the essential bits and bobs I should take for a trip like this (bearing in mind my mechanical skills are, um, somewhat limited)?

Any help / input very much appreciated


Cheers


Jack

 

[(RIP) drillam]

I've only been twice so am no Jack. Last time was April / May this year and down south of the Atlas heading towards the dunes it was 40 + degrees.
It'll be cooler in the mountains and there's stunning scenery there.

 

[Blue Sweeper]

Morocco in August



I'd wait until end of September, or go next spring. Do NOT underestimate the heat or you WILL die.

 

[Fanum]

Morocco in August



I'd wait until end of September, or go next spring. Do NOT underestimate the heat or you WILL die.

Errichidia, August, not been further south than Barcelona? (I presume that's what you meant)

Forget it, especially two up with someone who isn't a great pillion.

To be brutally honest, stay in Southern Spain, up in the hills behind the coast.....make your way along from Granada, all the way to Ronda then maybe up to Seville.

That in itself will be hot enough in August, but still 10+ degrees C cooler than Morocco, especially south of the Atlas.

Every Moroccan mile is the equivalent of one and a half European miles in terms of stress and attention needed......in the sort of heat and sub-atlas driving, you will both feel as if you've done AT LEAST 2 miles for every one in Europe....You can't even take your screen off to keep cool, because the wind chill reverses and the extra breeze will make you HOTTER.

Seriously......I'd recommend to ANYONE, on ANY bike that they should go to Morocco and ride.......but definitely not in August with a pillion who isn't too keen to cover miles, and definitely not below the Atlas in those circumstances, given your previous.

If you can put it back to October, or even late September, You'd be bang on the money and with a bit of a conflab here on a decent route plan, you'll both have a fantastic experience

 

[PDiddy]

Morocco in August



I'd wait until end of September, or go next spring. Do NOT underestimate the heat or you WILL die.

As Roy says, it will be hotter than hell and drier than a witches snatch -

 

[Jackson]

Nope, it 100% has to be August - for various boring reasons it's the only time of year we can get more than a week away at a time.

If the general view is that it's too hot to go beyond the Middle Atlas, then we can happily just do the Fez / mountains thing.

Or if the view on here is that even that will be too hot, then *sigh* we can stay in Spain on the beach

 

[monkeyboy]

Do it. Whats the worst that can happen? You get a bit hot, stop, wait till it cools down then carry on. Beautiful place. Atlas mountains are fantastic, as is Fez. Its Africa, it's hot, it's how it is meant to be.

I understand peoples views, especially about the pillion but you can always turn round and return if you don't like it.

Just take loads of photocopies of your travel docs and passports for the police checkpoints, in french too if you can

 

[Tim Cullis]

Fez is currently mid/high 30s, which is too hot. If you really want to go, try to stick to either the coast or the mountains (Rif or Middle Atlas).

Otherwise, read the comments in this thread which is someone going around the same time.

 

[david a hall]

Just take loads of photocopies of your travel docs and passports for the police checkpoints, in french too if you can

Really?

 

[monkeyboy]

Really?

I guess it depends how far south you go. I went right down through the disputed region to Mauritania and had to stop pretty often. I guess if you're just staying up the top it won't be a problem.

Re the heat. It's been getting into the 30's here hasn't it? Have people been dying in the streets? People the world over ride in heat a lot worse. Blimey

 

[Jackson]

Re the heat. It's been getting into the 30's here hasn't it? Have people been dying in the streets? People the world over ride in heat a lot worse. Blimey

Have to admit, that's kind of what I thought.

It's mid-30s in Madrid and Granada at the moment too. But presumably most of the millions of people who live there are surviving, like they do every summer.

All feedback much appreciated though

 

[Blue Sweeper]

Have to admit, that's kind of what I thought.

It's mid-30s in Madrid and Granada at the moment too. But presumably most of the millions of people who live there are surviving, like they do every summer.

All feedback much appreciated though

The trouble is it won't be in the 30's it will be more like well over 40 and that, believe me is not comfortable. You HAVE to drink LOTS of water continually and you cannot stop every hour or so for a swig, I mean continually, that's a swig every few minutes. You also cannot stop, or you start to boil. It's OK if you can keep moving (just about), but in the cities or large towns you will boil. Fes in August on a bike.........

One guy I went on tour with was riding in southern Spain on his own and suffered from heat exhaustion, with temps' in the mid 30's, he ended up in a ditch somewhere and fortunately the Garda found him. He was delirious, didn't even know his own name and spent the rest of his holiday in hospital, he was lucky.

A couple of years ago, two motorcycle riders died of heat exhaustion in August not much further south than your intended destination of Er-Rachidia.

Go if you like, but do NOT underestimate the heat, you have been warned.

 

[Gorilla GS]

Morocco

End Sept is still very hot but manageable with lots of water!

 

[Fanum]

I guess it depends how far south you go. I went right down through the disputed region to Mauritania and had to stop pretty often. I guess if you're just staying up the top it won't be a problem.

Re the heat. It's been getting into the 30's here hasn't it? Have people been dying in the streets? People the world over ride in heat a lot worse. Blimey

It isn't just the heat though.
As you've been through Mauri, you'll know what road conditions are like......challenging enough if you're 100%, but you only need to be a little dehydrated and your performance/alertness goes right off very quickly.

I've ridden around Erg Chebbi in September (I was there on my 40th birthday on 6th sept in fact) and the temp was WELL over 40.......the wind was extremely strong and you could barely see because of the flying, stinging dust in some places.....it was so hot that you had to stay ducked down behind your screen or the wind would actually make you HOTTER

Like Roy, we also had a guy on one trip collapse from dehydration and exhaustion........another rider had an off on the road to Ouzoud and while we sorted that out, this guy, who had shown no obvious symptoms, started getting all woozy and collapsed.

We had to get MrIfan to drive as fast as possible up to get him in the Landy and just kept on giving him small sips or rehydration salts for a few hours......he was fortunate that he got away with it 'cos he also had his wife on the back of his 100GS.....he was completely out of it for 24 hours.

I certainly would not advise Errichidia, and Fez also gets damn hot, but from there, you can meander along through Ifrane (the King's summer palace is up there) and Azrou, then Ain Leuh through the stunning high wiggly forest roads to Zaouia d'Ifrane (nice waterfalls but probably dry in August) then drop down into Khenifra

 

[Duchess]

Have to admit, that's kind of what I thought.

It's mid-30s in Madrid and Granada at the moment too. But presumably most of the millions of people who live there are surviving, like they do every summer.

All feedback much appreciated though

Listen to the guys that have years of experience travelling this part of the world under their belt.

If they say you wont enjoy the ride in the scorching heat of 40 deg. and you are risking not only your life but that as well of your pillion (especially in the month of August ) then my advice to you is please do listen to them, take on board what they are saying here.

You asked for advice and the experienced members have given it you.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Maroc is a beuatiful place but can also be a bit of a culture shock. The first time I went there I very nearly didn't return as I didn't 'get it' - I do now and I love the palce and the people

If you factor in what will be some pretty high temps, as well as the above, you may well find yourself being turned right off the place which would be a shame. I'd listen to peeps like Tim & Fanum who both have a lot of experiance of Maroc and know what they are talking about.

Personally I'd not even be riding around southern Spain in August, I'm heading down to Orgiva in October and have been looking at temps there at the moment; typically high 30's / low 40's - and that's in the foot hills of the Sierra Nevada, bung another 3 or 4 degrees onto that for where you're heading. Not my idea of fun on a bike.

Andres

 

[Paul G (BHT)]

Stay in the North or on the coast, drink plenty of water and you will be fine..... venture South of the Atlas and things will get very hot.

We are back off to Morocco again in September.... during our 2010 trip on Sept 1st it got to 52C during the day and dropped to a cool 39C 9 o'clock that evening. That was around Tata though which is further South than Errachidia.

I'm sure the locals still ride their mopeds about all year, but they know the climate

You know your limits, just make sure you are aware of those of your pillion.... stay within these limits and have fun

 

[Blue Sweeper]

If you are determined to go in August, stick to the north, my recommendation is to stay on the Mediterranean coast using the N16 to Al-hoceima and Nador. It's been recently regraded and has a new surface of Tarmac, lovely road with the mountains to your right and sea to the left. You could also take a trip on the P4105 in the Riff mountains to Chefchaouen and back as part of the route. The Atlantic coast is flat and very boring.

 

[Robbo1200ADV]

If you are determined to go in August, stick to the north, my recommendation is to stay on the Mediterranean coast using the N16 to Al-hoceima and Nador. It's been recently regraded and has a new surface of Tarmac, lovely road with the mountains to your right and sea to the left. You could also take a trip on the P4105 in the Riff mountains to Chefchaouen and back as part of the route. The Atlantic coast is flat and very boring.

+1 Only ever been to Morocco between October and March , for the very reason that their Summer is proper Hot !!! Going towards Sub - Sahara will leave you wishing you hadn't . I think I'd do Morocco at a better time of the year . Spain is a great Country to ride a bike in

 

[Fishnbiker]

I was through Zagora a couple years ago early October. Still +53c ~128f. The waiter in the cafe said they had +62c ~145f in August.

That's not sensible at all.

photos at http://fishnbiker.smugmug.com/Travel/2010-Morocco-2-Mountains/14670339_653xdg#!i=1093793448&k=HsK9qrG