Tarfaya or Notarfaya

[Shadwell]

Two questions, Is it possible to get down to Tarfaya and back in 2 weeks from Gib.

And secondly is it worth the trip, ie what is there to see on the way?

 

[fartoofastforme]

trip

yes,easy.

 

[Fanum]

Two questions, Is it possible to get down to Tarfaya and back in 2 weeks from Gib.

And secondly is it worth the trip, ie what is there to see on the way?

Yes.

No.

Once you get past Tan Tan, it becomes flat, open, boring and boring and boring.

Unless you like flat open boring roads, in which case, it's fantastic.

Nope, it's still boring.



I'd go down to Merzouga via the Gorges du Ziz- a far nicer ride IMO.

 

[Tim Cullis]

Yes, it's worth going that far, in fact I'd go another 60km further as far as Camping Bedouin between Tarfaya and Laayoune. You need to allow two days from Tan Tan and back again.

Starting from Tan Tan, the first place worth stopping at is El Outia, the port town of Tan Tan. I've stopped at Villa Ocean a couple of times (N28 29.888 W11 20.041).

Over the next 80 km, the road runs alongside the ocean on top of low flaking cliffs broken by three river estuaries. The desert wasteland inland has high levels of salt in the soil and few plants are able to survive.

Immediately after a naval building on the right and before the town of Sidi Akhfenir, pull over at N28 06.420 W12 02.280 to see the spectacular Gouffre d'Akhfenir, a large sea cave with a collapsed roof.

After another 30km you reach the Sebkha Tarzgha (N27 56.479 W12 17.457), a smooth, flat plain only 5m above sea level that gets flooded after rain.

The salt that is leached out of the soil by the rain is a valuable commodity in the Sahara and is extracted for sale. As you climb out of the depression you can stop overlooking the saltworks.

Another 60km then you reach the port town of Tarfaya, originally built by a British adventurer and named Port Victoria. The original fort lies just offshore at Cape Juby, overlooked at N27 56.704 W12 55.532 by a memorial to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the pioneer pilot between the World Wars of the French airmail service (there’s also a Saint-Exupéry museum in Tarfaya). Cape Juby, only 12m above sea level, is known as the graveyard of sailors and many wrecks litter the beach to the north.

South of Tarfaya the road moves away from the coast running alongside the Sebkha Tah, one of the many salt depressions below sea level. After 30km you reach Tah (N27 40.284 W12 57.361) at one time the frontier between Spanish Morocco to the north and Spanish Sahara to the south.

8km after Tah you reach the northern rim of Sebjet Um Ed Deboaa (N27 35.633 W12 57.089), a massive salt depression some 30m below sea level. The piste that leaves the road here heading west then south along the rim of the depression eventually leads you to campsite mentioned below.

If you carry straight on for 20km you then follow the track heading west at N27 26.429 W13 01.380 to Camping Le Roi Bedouin, a popular stop for 4x4 and bike travellers situated next to a calcified waterfall on the southern edge of Sebjet Um Ed Deboaa. Luc and Marine provide tents and ‘bungalows’ to rent and Martine does a mean camel and date tajine–highly recommended. Any leftovers are fed to the goats, who return the favour by producing goats cheese.

Tim

 

[Shadwell]

Thanks Tim,

As you probobly know there are a few of us going own at the beginning of September and we are looking for ideas as to what the must sees are.

I want to See Casablanca and the mid atlas.

I was thinking about getting as close to the South border as possible but did not know whether it would be worth it. I want to get away from the hustle and Bustle of the UK and get somewhere quite remote and this sounds like just the place.

We are all first time in Morocco so any advice is appreciated.

 

[Fanum]

Yes, it's worth going that far,

Tim

Tim, sorry, but I still think this is a complete waste of a first trip to Morocco.

Sure there are some 'interesting' places that far down, but seriously, for a first trip, woould you rather go there or go to Merzouga via the Cedar forests and the Gorges Du Ziz

Thanks Tim,

As you probobly know there are a few of us going own at the beginning of September and we are looking for ideas as to what the must sees are.

I want to See Casablanca and the mid atlas.

I was thinking about getting as close to the South border as possible but did not know whether it would be worth it. I want to get away from the hustle and Bustle of the UK and get somewhere quite remote and this sounds like just the place.

We are all first time in Morocco so any advice is appreciated.

I'd seriously say don't bother with Casablanca- the only thing it's got going for it is its name.
It's a nasty, smelly, expensive, depressing and industrial dump- it's also chaotic and busier than central London at rush-hour, so doesn't fit with getting away from hustle and bustle or 'somewhere remote'.

I think if you went to Casablanca as part of a first trip to Morocco, you'd come back with a poor impression of the country and certainly wouldn't have made good use of your trip

 

[Blue Sweeper]

.......... but seriously, for a first trip, would you rather.... go to Merzouga via the Cedar forests and the Gorges Du Ziz

Oh yes!


I'd seriously say don't bother with Casablanca- the only thing it's got going for it is its name.
It's a nasty, smelly, expensive, depressing and industrial dump- it's also chaotic and busier than central London at rush-hour, so doesn't fit with getting away from hustle and bustle or 'somewhere remote'

Have to agree with Bill, it's an industrial dump for sure. Had to endure two weeks there once when I worked in IT.

Atlas for me every time.

 

[Tim Cullis]

Tim, sorry, but I still think this is a complete waste of a first trip to Morocco.

Agreed, but that wasn't the question, it was 'is it worth the trip'; there was no mention of it being their first visit to Morocco.

For a first trip to Morocco I really wouldn't bother going that far south, there are so many other fabulously interesting places to see.

And yes, Casablanca doesn't do it for me either. Keep to the Middle Atlas, High Atlas, Anti Atlas and the semi-arid regions to the south and east of the mountain ranges.

To get away from things and piles of other bikers consider the eastern Middle Atlas south of Taza which doesn't get many visitors.

 

[Fanum]

You're right, I guess I just took that as inferred

 

[smaytum]

This is all in the western sahara disputed territory right?

What are the rules down there? Must you really not go offroad? What areas have all the land mines. Is it obvious where not to go?

I will be in morocco for a month in May and thought of exporing the same area (second time in morocco).

 

[Shadwell]

OK, my apologies i did not really make myself clear.

A group of us are off to Morocco in Sep this year. At the moment there are 3 of us and it will be first time down there for all of us.

Casablanca is on my life tick list to see before i die so even though you all think it is a shithole and even if the group does not go i will probobly zip off to see it myself.

i do not want anyone going to the trouble of suggesting a route for us to take but if there are any must sees/do's that you think we might want to visit to make the trip truelly memorable then i would be very grateful.

I must remember to explain exactly what information i want first time sorry - I actually do fancy getting right down south but as you all suggest that may be better suited to a future trip.

Merzouga via the Cedar forests and the Gorges Du Ziz Got it

eastern Middle Atlas south of Taza Got it

 

[Tim Cullis]

This is all in the western sahara disputed territory right? What are the rules down there? Must you really not go offroad? What areas have all the land mines. Is it obvious where not to go?

Tarfaya is in Morocco, Laayoune is in Western Sahara. Check Morocco Overland for info in that area.