Morocco 2020

[TerryL]

You ate the wrong stuff then Terry! Just plain roast/bbq chicken, with fresh ground pepper and a few chips 25dh and lovely

That's what we had. But if I recall now, the town was suffering a power cut at the time so maybe explains it. Perhaps I'm a bit unfair.

And by the way, the awning is fine now. Many thanks to you and Bill for helping to fix it.

 

[dabhand]

I was beginning to think I stink a bit but I’ve been showering regular and washing my bits, stayed on a few sites with palm trees lately and have just realised why the flies and why the smell, the mulch around the trees is camel shite problem solved. Left Tata went to Foum Zguid, quite a neat and tidy 1 street town, stayed at camping La Palmerie, 95dh with electricity, water on or near pitch, cassette dump a cracked toilet and one shower, a bit expensive for what you get, but I had a nice enough pitch.

left the above and revisited Ait Ben Haddou, staying at the guardian parking next to the Hotel La Kasbah, not much has changed in 5 years but there is a new ladies cooperative tea room at the end of the bridge where we had a mint tea. Did have a very good dinner in the Bagdad Café (lamb cutlets) with wine and beer, it’s right next to the guardian parking and more of a hotel really, so not far to walk home.

 

[dabhand]

Ait Ben Haddou

 

[billym]

We and other funsters are at a very hot Tafroute where they have now cancelled the Almond Festival because of you know what.

 

[PhilandMena]

Good to see very little has changed in some places. Some memories for Dazzlin, Busman

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[Dazzlin]

Andy and Denise have done a book, available on Amazon, and the front cover is the top of Tafroute where I took their picture.

How's that for a tenuous link to fame.......?

 

[canopus]

What a coincidence sat having a chat with Andy & Denise this morning and chewing the fat. Surprising how many Funsters they know. One or two off here we’re mentioned in dispatches as they say. ? Loaned us a copy of his book - it’s a hoot.

The guardian camping has been surveyed and marked out as a football pitch would be, with lime I think. We’ve heard its destined to become a hospital - another one bites the dust as they say.

 

[Dazzlin]

Like for seeing A n D.
Sad about Tafroute.... Been saying we'll enjoy it while we can, for the last few years.

 

[dabhand]

Left Ait be haddou and went to the Carrefour at Ouarzazate for some supplies ( they sell alcohol btw) and then off for a bit of wilding at the Barrage a bit further on (El Mansour) thanks to Lynda and Ken ) canopus for the heads up, took the piste to right beside the lake, no probs if your careful and left before the buildings on the main track, great place, blew a hooley from 5.15pm till 7.40pm and now warm and peaceful, ace, probably another night here and then Zagora!

 

[canopus]

Don't forget to stop at the viewing terrace/big lay-by on the left as you approach Zagora to view the forest of the 50,000 palms in the Vallee du Draa.

Nous allons à La Kasbah demain pour un repas de fête et une boisson ou deux.

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[dabhand]

Well, a first for me tonight, had a jam session with a German guy on the dulcimer and a Greek/Albanian on the bongos all around a twig bonfire, superb! Eclectic to say the least!

 

[TerryL]

Yesterday we drove from Taroudant to Marrakesh via the Tizi 'n Test pass through the High Atlas mountains - another "must do" if your van can cope with it. The road has been renumbered N7 so we were hopeful that it had been improved and indeed when we first turned onto it sure enough there was an excellent smooth two laner. But of course it didn't last and once we started to climb it became the usual rumbly tarmac-over-rubble and then single track. In other words a bit rough.
However there was hardly any traffic and none of the inclines were very steep, neither were any of the hundreds of sharp bends difficult to negotiate. It was a hard climb though, 2nd and 3rd gear all the way and the speed rarely above 20mph. The only time it got a bit iffy was around 5km from the top, at 2100m, or 7000ft, amsl when the road became little more than a potholed dirt track with passing places and few barriers, which lasted until the summit. From there it was back to "normal" and around halfway down the northern side it became two lane once again, but still with lots of twisty descents so very slow again, protecting the brakes.

But the scenery was fantastic. The dashcam threw a wobbler so I've not got much footage but we took a load of photos, some of which are on the blog (see signature) and I've added a few below.

I'd perhaps suggest that anything over 8m is going to struggle and moreover if you've any fear of heights forget it, and it took us all day. Taroudant was an excellent jumping off point and is worth a visit in itself for the town walls and the Arab souk (we stayed at the Hotel Palais Salaam parking - 20Dh no services). Also as it was Friday we thought the traffic was lighter than it could have been but anyway there is a 19t weight limit on the pass so nothing big.

 

[dabhand]

Yesterday we drove from Taroudant to Marrakesh via the Tizi 'n Test pass through the High Atlas mountains - another "must do" if your van can cope with it. The road has been renumbered N7 so we were hopeful that it had been improved and indeed when we first turned onto it sure enough there was an excellent smooth two laner. But of course it didn't last and once we started to climb it became the usual rumbly tarmac-over-rubble and then single track. In other words a bit rough.
However there was hardly any traffic and none of the inclines were very steep, neither were any of the hundreds of sharp bends difficult to negotiate. It was a hard climb though, 2nd and 3rd gear all the way and the speed rarely above 20mph. The only time it got a bit iffy was around 5km from the top, at 2100m, or 7000ft, amsl when the road became little more than a potholed dirt track with passing places and few barriers, which lasted until the summit. From there it was back to "normal" and around halfway down the northern side it became two lane once again, but still with lots of twisty descents so very slow again, protecting the brakes.

But the scenery was fantastic. The dashcam threw a wobbler so I've not got much footage but we took a load of photos, some of which are on the blog (see signature) and I've added a few below.

I'd perhaps suggest that anything over 8m is going to struggle and moreover if you've any fear of heights forget it, and it took us all day. Taroudant was an excellent jumping off point and is worth a visit in itself for the town walls and the Arab souk (we stayed at the Hotel Palais Salaam parking - 20Dh no services). Also as it was Friday we thought the traffic was lighter than it could have been but anyway there is a 19t weight limit on the pass so nothing big.


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Your Moroccan name is now Terry kurat kabira?

 

[Hotelman]

I was about to post, we did the pass the last 2 days days from north to south in our 9.2m, 7.5t Niesmann flair, the drive to the top was slow but ok, the tarmac just wide enough, we stayed overnight at the top. The next 6 miles down was scarey, definitely squeaky bum time, not an inch to spare either on the edge or the overhang cliffs. But then ok down to Taroudant.
We have done the tiki n tichna 5 times in last 4 weeks, just not fair on any motorhome, but needs must. But when, whenever , the roadworks are finished it will be ok, but credit to the King, for the impressive infrastructure works being done.

 

[TerryL]

Know it's here somewhere but can't find it
Someone posted one of the Fez campsites has closed. Will be there tomorrow can anyone enlighten me please?

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[billym]

From Tafroute we went to ait Mansour and the following day to Icht.
The journey was stunning but ait Mansour isn't really suitable for anything over about 3 metres high or for anyone precious about their paintwork due to overhanging trees

 

[billym]

Know it's here somewhere but can't find it
Someone posted one of the Fez campsites has closed. Will be there tomorrow can anyone enlighten me please?

Diamont Vert is closed ( or so I am told)

 

[dabhand]

Don’t you just love the way they load lorries in Morocco? (Unless your behind them that is!)

 

[webby1]

Somone on here had posted that Diamont Vert was closed BUT had suggested that the Camping International was a bit better than previously posted.Perhaps they upped their game after seeing off the opposition?????

But check it out Terry as they are not far apart.Last year after reading it was closed and arriving and seeing some of the bungalows had actually been bulldozed l wondered if the right palms had not been greased.
But it was open with good facilities.
Let us know how it goes.

 

[TerryL]

Thanks - I read somewhere that the touts in Fes were telling people Diamant was closed and offering to take you to International. In the absence of further evidence might just try Diamante first - as you say not far apart.

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[billym]

A kind person who followed us out of Ait Mansour gorge has given me these photos of us to explain why you can't be precious about the paintwork .
It is like this for about 2 / 3 Kms and hardly any passing places.

If you follow the gorge for about 10kms which seemed to take forever there is a road junction where you turn left to Talete n issi and Izerbi where the road opens up magnificenty .

The road is not on the maps.

After Izerbi you find the R107 which is equally stunning down to the N12 ' bottom road'

 

[TerryL]

Okay, update on Fes. Set TomTom for Diamonte Vert - which incidentally appears to have been removed from Campercontact - and it took us all around lots of back roads and eventually onto what can only be described as a huge building site even though T/T said we still had a way to go. At that point, not having four-wheel drive or mountain tyres I gave it up. From what we could see the "location" was somewhere amongst the building site - read small town under construction - so if it's still there it's all but inaccessible. My guess they've sold out for building land but I'll ask around.

Meanwhile we're now on Camping International. Had a bit of a mooch around and the sanitation blocks are all perfectly acceptable with european as well as Turkish loos and hot showers. The site appears to be clean and well-maintained although the swimming pool looks somewhat green - but it is "out of season". WC/cassette disposal seems to be a "converted" Turkish loo, read as the porcelain bit isn't there anymore! There appears to be an ACSI seasonal rally on one of the areas, the rest being quite full. Interestingly it's the first site in Morocco I've ever been asked for a Camping Carnet, but my ACSI ID card was fine - not sure what would happen without one though.

Tried quite hard to sell us a trip/guide into the medina but as we've been before we declined.

 

[webby1]

Okay, update on Fes. Set TomTom for Diamonte Vert - which incidentally appears to have been removed from Campercontact - and it took us all around lots of back roads and eventually onto what can only be described as a huge building site even though T/T said we still had a way to go. At that point, not having four-wheel drive or mountain tyres I gave it up. From what we could see the "location" was somewhere amongst the building site - read small town under construction - so if it's still there it's all but inaccessible. My guess they've sold out for building land but I'll ask around.

Meanwhile we're now on Camping International. Had a bit of a mooch around and the sanitation blocks are all perfectly acceptable with european as well as Turkish loos and hot showers. The site appears to be clean and well-maintained although the swimming pool looks somewhat green - but it is "out of season". WC/cassette disposal seems to be a "converted" Turkish loo, read as the porcelain bit isn't there anymore! There appears to be an ACSI seasonal rally on one of the areas, the rest being quite full. Interestingly it's the first site in Morocco I've ever been asked for a Camping Carnet, but my ACSI ID card was fine - not sure what would happen without one though.

Tried quite hard to sell us a trip/guide into the medina but as we've been before we declined.

Thanks for that info Terry. Attached is the route to the Diamant Vert past the Marjane and just off the 5006.But I guess TT has told you that

There was a lot of building work going on but the site was just next to a well established Park.Glad to hear that the International is passable but the Diamant Vert was a good site and well established with bungalows and a restaurant.As you say it just seems to have disappeared........................last year did see that some ot the bungalows had actually been bulldozed so I'm intrigued to know what has happened.

Also is there any more about this Carnet requirement.....we have an ACSI discount card.
I guess Fez is a popular stop over with many of us, so any more info is appreciated

Thanks for great info on the Tizi n Test but we'll leave that till next time..........just looking at the Tizi n Ticha into Marrakesh this year,which I hope is not quite so "exciting"

 

[TerryL]

We came at it from a different direction but from my TomTom route that I recorded we were definitely in the "right" place.

Can't really add any more about the carnet, guess it's just a security thing as you sometimes find in Europe. If you haven't got anything acceptable they may want to hang onto a passport - good luck with that pal - but maybe I'll ask when we leave.

Yes the Tizi n Tichka isn't quite as exciting, but it is very busy with trucks, coaches etc. and is only the standard two lanes wide. When we crossed we were held up by a minor accident - a coach pushed a little van into a ditch on a bend, nobody hurt but lots of arm waving, shouting etc! Also we encountered (the other way thank goodness) a line of some 20 trucks whose drivers had simply abandoned them as it was time for prayers! Only in Morocco. So allow plenty of time, and have your navigator ready with the camera.

 

[billym]

Has any out in Morocco thought about getting back into mainland Europe early before it possibly becomes more difficult?

We are in two minds about it.

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[TerryL]

Has any out in Morocco thought about getting back into mainland Europe early before it possibly becomes more difficult?

We are in two minds about it.

I've just posted similar thoughts on another Covid-19 thread after a mention that Spain might be considering closing its borders.

As it happens we're probably returning from Morocco within the next week but it'll be an awful faf if they do. Visa is okay but not the Green Card - would probably have to buy some 3rd party insurance. Rats!

 

[dabhand]

We went from the Barrage near Ouarzazate to Zagora to Mazouga a convoluted route now at Auberge Les Roches, I question whether it’s worth the drive to see a big sand dune, sorry but there you are! Now good people where to next?

 

[canopus]

Probably Tanger Med if you hope to get back to Spain before they impose lockdown like the WOPS have.??????

 

[dabhand]

At least we dont need toilet paper here Ken!

 

[canopus]

We have exchanged a bottle of Bacardi for 1 metric ton of toilet rolls, and jettisoned anything surplus to requirements.

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