Any Recommends 3 Week Route with Kids Morrocco

We have taken great help and advice from you guys in preparation for our bigger trip next year, (2 adults, 2 kids). As part of this, we decided to do a bit of a trip this summer through France and Spain and will have 3 weeks in Morrocco. Any ideas for us for Morrocco route? Will have off road caravan (Jurgens Xplorer) in tow with 300 Tdi CSW - so we want a bit of a challenge but without putting the kids in any extreme danger. Will need a bit of coastline, sightseeing and 2 night stops with kids included also. And let's say can't do more than a day's driving at best. Vehicle will be fully kitted. Have been reading and admiring photos these past couple of months re: experiences in Morrocco and hoping for some recommends. Griff - if you are reading this - we are checking out the links from you website also as a first point of call including your kit list but just wondered with the kids (aged 8 and 4) what your's and other's thoughts are re: route.

Hi Cassie,

Feel free to email me direct using the link on my website. Dont think i would recommend the Dades gorge with trailer. Todra will be fine. cascades de Ouzad is a must. Erg chebbi is easy to get to but my money is on the dunes near Lake Iriki south of Zagora. Zagora another firm favorite. nice piste runs from there to Foum Zguid then tarmac to the atlantic coast. loads and loads of stuff to see, thousands of possible routes. If you have mapsource, download the free maroc map from the net.

GPS Vector Map Morocco

This includes all the pistes used recently, and is updated regularly. T4A are a little behind on the mapping and this free map is better! we managed to start/finish each day at a campsite too. so great for the kids, and you will prob feel safer. campsites everywhere, its actually harder to wildcamp! i should probably put a day to day route guide on the website... hmmm...

let me know your thoughts in more detail

G

Griff - A route down to Lake Iriki it is we reckon as probably our furthest point South. Looks good and we can then come back along the coast. Had a quick look at a paper map to see the places you mentioned and also the route you took in more detail. We have some ideas ourselves of points of interest so will come back to you via email with some questions and plan to see what you reckon. Thanks for that!

Cassie, I put together a day by day route with (often estimated) distances in. Piste or not and some GPS locations at end of day. All GPS points are at campsites. best google earth them to see . I didnt know where on my site to put it, so its under routes/morocco report.

Here: Website created using 350pages at www.350.com

thats easier

may help in your planning so you know realistic distances etc. for example the todra gorge and dades gorge need a day each. I have been telling the bikers over at the HUBB they cant to both gorges AND get down to Erg Chebbi in 1 day! mentalists.

if you need anything, just shout.

G

er?

Sorry G - mind has been elsewhere - plus been away. Have not been idle though - honest! but been preparing with mechanic (so can understand all this gobbly gook all you in the know already understand about (I can understand the spares lists now! well almost!). Plus, we did a towing course plus a bit of fund-raising and organising graphics for the LR etc. Vehicle just about to go into Foley's following a recent visit and discussion and caravan is about to be serviced. Interesting that you didn't fit extra fuel tank but brought jerry cans (less risk if dirty fuel issues) and didn't need much extra water as initially thought. Breakdown insurance, travel insurance, E111's other bits and pieces are being sorted so physical planning has come to a bit of a halt to Morocco. :doh:Also decided needed maps and books so have bought and can see better. Otherwise reliant on the net so can start to have a proper look at.
One question - do you recommend IDP for Morocco? - can't see one on the list on your site. Says recommended on AA site - views?

Hi Cassie, Yes jerry cans because it was cheaper and I ran out of time for other ideas. On reflection, the cans take up needed space in the 90 and i have recently sourced a TD5 90 fuel tank which i will be fitting in the coming months. fuel will be transfered to original tank via pump and filled using the existing filler. stay tuned.

Water was fine, Depends what month you go i guess. Can be bought almost anywhere out there. We filled up at campsites to. Breakdown insurance will only cover you for Europe. You may find someone for Morocco but the premium will be higher, You may be lucky, we gave up.

Did not bother applying for an IDP either, Our standard license worked fine with paper counterpart. This may change further south in mauri for example.

Good luck, anything else just holler

G

Thanks G - will come back shortly. Just want to get head around maps and books, get vehicle in etc. and will then be armed with loads of questions am sure. Have been looking at your spares list and equipment list - very useful already for us. Just one more for now though - both Saharan Rally and you mentioned a guide for around £50 - what's that for - was that ust to get through border crossing?

Not mentioned a guide anywhere for anything... I dont think. The only thing i can think of is when a friend of mine who i was travelling with at the time took a guide with another vehicle across Lac Iriki for 3 days. The guide was £50 (i think, maybe less?) split between all parties.

We paid a bloke 5euro on the way over at the Ceuta/Moroc Border even though you could manage ok by yourself. I could not be bothered to argue.

G

Thanks - will re-check my reading of where I got this info from - I probably mis-read.

From what have been reading - Morocco is a bit stony. Would under protection e.g. bash plates be recommended or would this be overkill?

I would say overkill in a Defender. It IS stony, most of the pistes are rocky, but it is not rock crawling.

One oued crossing we did on the Zagora-Foum Zguid piste had massive boulders. On walking it i thought it would be ok, but once in there i didnt think it was a good idea! should have found another way around as it was stupid really. Could have easily bent the trackrod or a steering rod. Luckily we picked a path through, it was fairly wide by oued standards there is deffinately a way around it as a Swiss couple in a 10ton truck left Zagora before us and we caught them up later on the piste, they said they avioded that crossing.

In general though I wouldnt worry too much. It would however be worth considering fitting it for your further travels. So you may aswell fit it for Moroc if your going to do it anyway. A pair of Diff guards is probably a good start (I could hear some of them boulders hitting the axles) but above this nothing else is really needed. maybe A steering guard if your worried. This would have fended off the dog we hit quite nicely nevermind ey'

G

Following some more research plus a second opinion, we decided to go for the diff guards and nothing else for now. We have already arranged to have a bull bar (in the process of being fitted for Oz) - so that should hopefully sort out any odd dog or kangaroo incidents along the way. Thanks for advice.

Cassie what bullbar/bumper are you going for?

I may be wrong but check the Regs on import vehicles to Aus. I read somewhere that aftermarket bumpers need to have indicators built in. Not sure if this is perm, temp or both imports. Worth giving Reads90 a bell see what he says.

Dont want to see you spending loads of $$$ if you cant reach your destination!

G

Thanks G - will check it out and come back.

Re: Bull bar. Check out this link 18/8/08 NAT: Bull bar confusion to end via proposed standard
Appears to be related safe citizenship (ie better design and application standards re: new build vehicles only in Oz with law coming into effect 2010). Talks about mimimising impact of killing pedestrian due to badly situated - possiby too high or too sharp edged - bullbar, winch, additional lights etc. Can't find anything else so thiunk that's it. Have pm'd Reads meantime.

Reads advised as follows:
"most of the Aussie bull bars have indicators in their bull bars but there also alot that don't. I know people who have imported trucks with bull bars with out indicators and had no problem".

ow,

how odd. I am sure it was Reads that fitted his ARB because it DID have the indicators on and was a requirement. I read it somewhere by him, positive. Maybe I interpreted it wrong.

Well thats cleared that up!

G

Finally, our route for Morocco as follows:

Fes (incl. excursions into Meknes and Volubilis if possible)
Erg Chebbi
Todra Gorge though Dades looks more scenic but take point of possible not being abale to get vehicles through (not doing Lake Iriki afterall)
Cascades D'Ouzard
Marrakesh
Tiz n'Test pass (if possible to get our vehicles through safely enough)
Agadir region en-route for Sidi Ifni
Essaouira
El Jadida, Casablanca, Rabat, Chefchaouen and home

Current estimate 22 days which is over our allowance of about 18 days currently so looking to see what we can do. G - will PM you later today to get your help with durations etc.

Hi Cassie, if you want somewhere to stay on route we live about 30 miles SW of Limoges got plenty of room for you to pitch up.LEE