Morocco 2025 - Thinking of venturing further south..Dakhla

[Barchetta47]

Hi, so for a change this year I’m contemplating venturing south on the newly completed N1. I realise it may be a long trip and possibly a bit boring to drive. However we just fancy a change. Looking at the map I’m thinking of visiting Tan Tan, El Ouatia, Tarfaya, Laayoune and Dakhla.

Checking on all the likely sources for places to stay S4S, P4N etc there are few recorded sites or Guardian parking.

Any advice from those that have been would be gratefully accepted. Pro, cons, must visit, best to avoid etc.

 

[ivorantony]

Possibly heading that far south next month so will watch with interest,

 

[CaptainPaul]

Go for it Steve, we did it 2 trips back and it was a great adventure, lots of places to park up and some campsites here and there, all of them had facilities some rougher than others but you know yourself how it is, admittedly there was some drives where it was nothing but rocks & deserts and pretty boring, but the coastal sections had breathtaking views and if you like fresh fish its everywhere, I personally found it hotter than the rest of Maroc but the people were very warm and friendly and seemed somewhat more genuine that some other areas, the only thing that was a pain for us was the security checks once inside the Western Sahara every mile or so, some even closer together and them looking at you like Are you mad? Lol all friendly enough and most waved us through but I think that may well have changed since the main roads have opened up, we found it quite sparse and a lot quiter than further up, you definitely won't be stuck for somewhere to park, the towns we encountered were much the same as most of the rest of the Atlantic coast, just seemed more chilled & relaxed, my advice would be go for it, better to regret what you did do than what you didn't do mate
If you go for it put the occasional post up of how your getting on...
I believe Tonks or Tonka I'm not sure of his MHF name but a group of them did it a good while back but I know they wrote quite extensively about it with lots of pics etc if you can find any of their old threads,

 

[fishplug]

It's been a while since I did that trip and it was on a motorbike but a lot of hotels will most likely let you park for a small fee, plus a cash tip to the inevitable night watchman. 20-30MAD tip is about right usually.

Once you get south of Tan Tan it all really starts to get quite sparse (just have a look on Google maps!) but you'll always find food and supplies. Fuel is a different matter though. Just because there's a fuel station, it doesn't mean it's got fuel...

Top up whenever you can and an emergency jerry can isn't a bad idea. Some places don't have a pump and will sell you fuel already in a can, great in an emergency but a lot more (2-3 times) expensive than a pump.

If you've never done the border crossing into MA then it may be wise to go through Ceuta as it's a little bit less manic than Tangier but be prepared for this to be a long, slow process (26h the first time I went through Tangier!)

You will need local insurance (not worth the paper it's printed on, but you'll need it) unless you can get a green card for Morocco from your current insurer and you also need to get a 'temporary import permit' (TIP) for the vehicle. You also get a 'flight number' stamped into your passport. For a UK licence you shouldn't need an International Driving Permit but if you've got something different then check if you need an IDP.

Red traffic lights mean stop. So do amber ones! Green ones mean 'slow down as you pass through'. Locals don't always do any of these things in rural parts so just assume they're going to do something unpredictable because they probably are!

While you can buy and consume alcohol in Morocco, the limits for driving are very low and the penalties are very high.

Cash is king. Make sure you have some. You'll need this for pretty much everything although you can pay by card in the cities and some fuel stations, the further south you go the less this will be true.

Kids will likely follow you around asking for a 'cadeau' wherever you go and while they can be quite vocal, they're not going to do you any harm and they will (eventually) give up and leave you alone if you're polite but firm in saying 'no'. Just know that if you give one of them something there will be ten more appear from nowhere wanting something too! Giving them food can be seen as shameful for the parents so if you are going to bring things for them then things like pencils or small toys is better.

You'll always be caught 'speeding' or some similar often non-specific offence by local plod. These fines are payable in cash to the officer and you don't get a receipt.... Smile and be friendly to them as getting irate will only end up costing you more in both time and money. You can sometimes even pre-empt a fine by offering the officer something to eat or drink as they approach you. The other option is to ask them to write you a ticket so you can pay it at the local police station. It's a bit of a gamble though and I've had better experiences by being friendly and offering them a small gift in lieu of the fine. I would buy a bunch of cheap £2 watches from AliExpress and wear one which can be removed and offered as a gift. It would usually work out cheaper than the fine. "Oh I have no cash officer, can I offer you my watch instead?"

Roads are normally pretty good, but be aware that as you follow the coast down past Tan Tan you'll have a fairly constant breeze come in off the sea which can lead to 'fingers' of sand that blow across the road. These can be quite dangerous so just be prepared for them. You might also see large leaves or branches placed on the road - these are the local equivalent of a warning triangle. If you see people working on a broken down vehicle (we saw a truck with its engine removed and being re-built by the side of the road!) then the local custom is to check if they have food and water. We'd stopped to do some routine maintenance and were offered water and beans from the locals. Not for sale, but because we were 'broken down'.

Avoid? For me big cities, and night driving.

Must have? Cash. Ideally stashed away in several places so if any one of them is compromised you don't lose everything. I also carry a 'fake' wallet which has expired credit cards in it as well as a modest amount of cash so if you do get 'politely asked' to hand it over you haven't lost anything important.

Toilet paper is another one that people forget. The more remotely you travel the more you'll only find the 'stand up' toilets with a hose or a bottle of water for washing. If you want paper, bring it as you're not likely to find any. This also reminds me that if you're eating or handling food in public you should only ever use your right hand to do so as your left hand is the bum washing hand... Similarly when saying 'thank you' (shukran) you place your right hand over your heart, not your left one...

If camping in the desert then you'll likely be approached by some nomadic traveller who's just curious. It's good manners to offer them water at the very least but inviting them to eat with you or giving them some food (could just be a couple of tomatoes) is also a good idea. Bottled water is inexpensive and is well worth stocking up on.

Mobile calls and data are pretty expensive in Morocco. If you have a phone that supports eSIMs then Holafly have some good deals including unlimited data. If not then there are a handful of other providers with Orange being my preferred one as they offer the most data per £. Avoid buying at the port as they'll be more expensive.

Wow, that turned into a very long answer very quickly!

Hope some of it is useful.

 

[The Boofles]

Us too are following with interest, we set off next week (from Portugal) and I’d like to get as far as Dakhla if we can.
Thanks CaptainPaul and fishplug - really useful information

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[CaptainPaul]

Barchetta47 has been to Morocco several times his thread here was referring to heading further south than he normally goes, down into the Western Sahara and Dakhla etc

 

[fishplug]

Ah! Didn't know that CaptainPaul

I'd essentially agree with you that it all gets more relaxed as you go into the more remote areas. Tan Tan is really where it all starts to tangibly change I'd say.

For an experienced Moroccan visitor I'd just say that it's no different in most regards but it's just a little more basic and in my opinion nicer than the more modern and more westernised bits. The bartering is less aggressive than in the medina in Marra (although it's still expected!)

We found a couple of remote places where they only spoke Arabic but we got by despite not having a common language with them taking money out of the till to show us the amount we needed to match to pay for stuff!

We definitely had more of a chance to connect with people more once we were in Western Sahara.

 

[WESTY66]

Wow fishplug that was a really great very useful post, great info for someone like me who is planning to do it in 2 years time, many thanks and feel free to share anymore golden nuggets of info

Is there anyone down there good with a comfortmatic gearbox?

 

[Barchetta47]

Go for it Steve, we did it 2 trips back and it was a great adventure, lots of places to park up and some campsites here and there, all of them had facilities some rougher than others but you know yourself how it is, admittedly there was some drives where it was nothing but rocks & deserts and pretty boring, but the coastal sections had breathtaking views and if you like fresh fish its everywhere, I personally found it hotter than the rest of Maroc but the people were very warm and friendly and seemed somewhat more genuine that some other areas, the only thing that was a pain for us was the security checks once inside the Western Sahara every mile or so, some even closer together and them looking at you like Are you mad? Lol all friendly enough and most waved us through but I think that may well have changed since the main roads have opened up, we found it quite sparse and a lot quiter than further up, you definitely won't be stuck for somewhere to park, the towns we encountered were much the same as most of the rest of the Atlantic coast, just seemed more chilled & relaxed, my advice would be go for it, better to regret what you did do than what you didn't do mate
If you go for it put the occasional post up of how your getting on...
I believe Tonks or Tonka I'm not sure of his MHF name but a group of them did it a good while back but I know they wrote quite extensively about it with lots of pics etc if you can find any of their old threads,

Thanks Paul for your encouragement, I sort of remembered you mentioning it the last time we met. I’m pretty sure we will be heading down to Dakhla just for the hell of it!
Just finished packing the MH and it’s sitting outside waiting for tomorrow’s ferry then off to Malaga as fast as we can. We’re spending a week there then crossing to Maroc on the 19th.
Look forward to meeting up with you at some point. Have a great trip.

 

[fishplug]

Wow fishplug that was a really great very useful post, great info for someone like me who is planning to do it in 2 years time, many thanks and feel free to share anymore golden nuggets of info

Is there anyone down there good with a comfortmatic gearbox?

Thanks WESTY66 - Having not realised that Barchetta47 already knew a lot of that when I posted it, I'm glad that it might be of help to others!

Other golden nuggets? Not much really. Haggling is the only thing I didn't really cover. It's expected that you haggle over pretty much everything. Never accept the first price, counter it with an offer that's around a quarter of what you've been asked and work your way up from there. In the medina you should really only pay around a third of the first price and you need to do your best amateur theatrics of shock when you hear the first offer. "How much! I only wanted one..." and all that stuff.

Don't show too much interest in an item as they can spot if it's something you 'simply must have' and the price will go up accordingly... Don't be afraid to walk away either. This will either trigger their final price or it will be an end to the barter.

Is there anyone with a comfortmatic gearbox? Ask the question and some small children will be sent scattering off in all directions and if there is one then they will find it for you. If not then there will be some bare footed mechanic / blacksmith that will fabricate something for you out of old drinks cans and a bit of rusty gate that will work perfectly for a short time...

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[Barchetta47]

Ah! Didn't know that CaptainPaul

I'd essentially agree with you that it all gets more relaxed as you go into the more remote areas. Tan Tan is really where it all starts to tangibly change I'd say.

For an experienced Moroccan visitor I'd just say that it's no different in most regards but it's just a little more basic and in my opinion nicer than the more modern and more westernised bits. The bartering is less aggressive than in the medina in Marra (although it's still expected!)

We found a couple of remote places where they only spoke Arabic but we got by despite not having a common language with them taking money out of the till to show us the amount we needed to match to pay for stuff!

We definitely had more of a chance to connect with people more once we were in Western Sahara.

No worries all information is good information, should have made my situation clearer!,

 

[Brains]

I believe the decent high quality tarmac now extends down to Dakar in Senegal.
(Which means Dakhla would only be half way!)

In theory, it should be possible to get down as far as Banjul in The Gambia in a normal 2 x 4 motorhome, although I'd guess the road quality for the last section may be questionable

 

[Barchetta47]

I believe the decent high quality tarmac now extends down to Dakar in Senegal.
(Which means Dakhla would only be half way!)

In theory, it should be possible to get down as far as Banjul in The Gambia in a normal 2 x 4 motorhome, although I'd guess the road quality for the last section may be questionable

Indeed. I met a couple last year who had towed a caravan into Mauritania, apparently it was quite eventful as their caravan showed!! Their plan was to get to The Gambia but had to be abandoned.

 

[billym]

We are on the Bilbao ferry on the 14th so might meet up with you on the 19th if we don't get sidetracked.

There's no way we'd bother driving a 2000km round trip from Sidi Ifni to Dhakla just for the hell of it.

As for doing something different we thought for Ramadan we'd visit Agadir and Marrakesh . They seem to be on everybody's list to visit but we've never been. We found Ramadan last time was a bit tedious.

That vineyard you went to last time in Ounahga is definitely on the list for us this time.

Safe travels

 

[Barchetta47]

We are on the Bilbao ferry on the 14th so might meet up with you on the 19th if we don't get sidetracked.

There's no way we'd bother driving a 2000km round trip from Sidi Ifni to Dhakla just for the hell of it.

As for doing something different we thought for Ramadan we'd visit Agadir and Marrakesh . They seem to be on everybody's list to visit but we've never been. We found Ramadan last time was a bit tedious.

That vineyard you went to last time in Ounahga is definitely on the list for us this time.

Safe travels

Sounds like a plan, we’ll keep in touch and hopefully can join you in the vineyard. I’m hoping to get a cheaper Algeciras to Tangier Med open ferry ticket from one of the AML ticket offices on the outskirts of Seville, €215 I believe. I’ll let you know how it goes. Otherwise we’ll be at Carlos’ like everyone else.

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[Grianan]

I hesitate to post as Morocco is at least two years away for us … but if anyone follows Itchy Boots on YouTube, she travels through Morocco down to the Western Sahara before heading east to Mauritania. Although she doesn’t always follow the tarmac it seems to give a good idea of the area. And it’s very watchable even to non-bikers.

 

[Rob Turner]

A friend of mine has been down as far as Sierra Leone.
I think it wasn’t too bad apart from the borders which were a PITA

 

[Barchetta47]

A friend of mine has been down as far as Sierra Leone.
I think it wasn’t too bad apart from the borders which were a PITA

OK my interest has been well and truly raised….

So who on this forum has driven down to The Gambia….I’m interested in finding out the potential difficulties as once we are in the south of Morocco it all seems like it might be possible!!

 

[fishplug]

Not the Gambia as such, but I did go through Mauritania and into Mali.

Border crossings are the main delay / pain and you do need to be mindful of the current threat levels as you're going into areas where you can easily get into serious trouble if you're not careful and don't know the rules. Travelling at night becomes a real risk and parking somewhere 'safe' becomes more important.

Best thing to do is find someone who has been recently and I'd also be looking at things such as travel/medical insurance that will repatriate you in the event of injury etc.

Horizons Unlimited used to be a good place to find this sort of 'recent local knowledge' from other travellers - I've got a half memory that Gambia had banned RHD vehicles at some point. Could be wrong and could be well out of date...

Entirely doable, but would need a bit of research.

 

[jongood]

It's been a while since I did that trip and it was on a motorbike but a lot of hotels will most likely let you park for a small fee, plus a cash tip to the inevitable night watchman. 20-30MAD tip is about right usually.

Once you get south of Tan Tan it all really starts to get quite sparse (just have a look on Google maps!) but you'll always find food and supplies. Fuel is a different matter though. Just because there's a fuel station, it doesn't mean it's got fuel...

Top up whenever you can and an emergency jerry can isn't a bad idea. Some places don't have a pump and will sell you fuel already in a can, great in an emergency but a lot more (2-3 times) expensive than a pump.

If you've never done the border crossing into MA then it may be wise to go through Ceuta as it's a little bit less manic than Tangier but be prepared for this to be a long, slow process (26h the first time I went through Tangier!)

You will need local insurance (not worth the paper it's printed on, but you'll need it) unless you can get a green card for Morocco from your current insurer and you also need to get a 'temporary import permit' (TIP) for the vehicle. You also get a 'flight number' stamped into your passport. For a UK licence you shouldn't need an International Driving Permit but if you've got something different then check if you need an IDP.

Red traffic lights mean stop. So do amber ones! Green ones mean 'slow down as you pass through'. Locals don't always do any of these things in rural parts so just assume they're going to do something unpredictable because they probably are!

While you can buy and consume alcohol in Morocco, the limits for driving are very low and the penalties are very high.

Cash is king. Make sure you have some. You'll need this for pretty much everything although you can pay by card in the cities and some fuel stations, the further south you go the less this will be true.

Kids will likely follow you around asking for a 'cadeau' wherever you go and while they can be quite vocal, they're not going to do you any harm and they will (eventually) give up and leave you alone if you're polite but firm in saying 'no'. Just know that if you give one of them something there will be ten more appear from nowhere wanting something too! Giving them food can be seen as shameful for the parents so if you are going to bring things for them then things like pencils or small toys is better.

You'll always be caught 'speeding' or some similar often non-specific offence by local plod. These fines are payable in cash to the officer and you don't get a receipt.... Smile and be friendly to them as getting irate will only end up costing you more in both time and money. You can sometimes even pre-empt a fine by offering the officer something to eat or drink as they approach you. The other option is to ask them to write you a ticket so you can pay it at the local police station. It's a bit of a gamble though and I've had better experiences by being friendly and offering them a small gift in lieu of the fine. I would buy a bunch of cheap £2 watches from AliExpress and wear one which can be removed and offered as a gift. It would usually work out cheaper than the fine. "Oh I have no cash officer, can I offer you my watch instead?"

Roads are normally pretty good, but be aware that as you follow the coast down past Tan Tan you'll have a fairly constant breeze come in off the sea which can lead to 'fingers' of sand that blow across the road. These can be quite dangerous so just be prepared for them. You might also see large leaves or branches placed on the road - these are the local equivalent of a warning triangle. If you see people working on a broken down vehicle (we saw a truck with its engine removed and being re-built by the side of the road!) then the local custom is to check if they have food and water. We'd stopped to do some routine maintenance and were offered water and beans from the locals. Not for sale, but because we were 'broken down'.

Avoid? For me big cities, and night driving.

Must have? Cash. Ideally stashed away in several places so if any one of them is compromised you don't lose everything. I also carry a 'fake' wallet which has expired credit cards in it as well as a modest amount of cash so if you do get 'politely asked' to hand it over you haven't lost anything important.

Toilet paper is another one that people forget. The more remotely you travel the more you'll only find the 'stand up' toilets with a hose or a bottle of water for washing. If you want paper, bring it as you're not likely to find any. This also reminds me that if you're eating or handling food in public you should only ever use your right hand to do so as your left hand is the bum washing hand... Similarly when saying 'thank you' (shukran) you place your right hand over your heart, not your left one...

If camping in the desert then you'll likely be approached by some nomadic traveller who's just curious. It's good manners to offer them water at the very least but inviting them to eat with you or giving them some food (could just be a couple of tomatoes) is also a good idea. Bottled water is inexpensive and is well worth stocking up on.

Mobile calls and data are pretty expensive in Morocco. If you have a phone that supports eSIMs then Holafly have some good deals including unlimited data. If not then there are a handful of other providers with Orange being my preferred one as they offer the most data per £. Avoid buying at the port as they'll be more expensive.

Wow, that turned into a very long answer very quickly!

Hope some of it is useful.

Lots of useful info here but Morocco is changing fast just questioning how long ago you are referring to?

Do you mean Tangiers town or Tanger Med? We ve used both several times never had to wait long to enter either way, but Tanger Med has been seriously modernised these days the vehicle(s) information goes on a computer and they no longer give you the "guard with your life" slip of paper.

We've never been asked for IDP and they dont even bother with "fiches" these days.

Imho the biggest issue for many new visitors will be whether they can get an Insurance cover they're happy with as several companies have withdrawn.

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[jongood]

OK my interest has been well and truly raised….

So who on this forum has driven down to The Gambia….I’m interested in finding out the potential difficulties as once we are in the south of Morocco it all seems like it might be possible!!

I think this one really depends what you want out of the trip; a challenge or a holiday. Its a heck of a long way even to the border of western sahara. We tend to do a circular trip one way or the other so the furthest south we have been is the area around the N21 thats already getting to be a lot of sand.

 

[fishplug]

Things have changed since I last drove there then jongood - as you say it's a country that is changing fast. I haven't done the Tanger Med crossing but it sounds a lot more civilised!

In fairness, the first time I did the crossing it was rough seas and they only had one ship that was up to the job so the backlog was huge. I don't think that was a typical experience.

I've flown a few times recently, in fact just a couple of months ago but it sounds like the driving requirements have changed. The fiche was very much a thing when I last drove and I did have IDP for some of the other countries on the trip but it wasn't a requirement for Morocco.

I think you're right about the insurance though.

 

[Helen Ariel]

Sounds like a plan, we’ll keep in touch and hopefully can join you in the vineyard. I’m hoping to get a cheaper Algeciras to Tangier Med open ferry ticket from one of the AML ticket offices on the outskirts of Seville, €215 I believe. I’ll let you know how it goes. Otherwise we’ll be at Carlos’ like everyone else.

We paid £224 (current Halifax Clarity exchange rate) from Carlos for an open return from Algeciras to Tangier Med last week. Not sure the free bottle of wine and sickly sweet cakes were worth the extra £9 but he’s in a very convenient location by the Carrefour and to overnight prior to catching the ferry.

Paul

 

[Barchetta47]

We paid £224 (current Halifax Clarity exchange rate) from Carlos for an open return from Algeciras to Tangier Med last week. Not sure the free bottle of wine and sickly sweet cakes were worth the extra £9 but he’s in a very convenient location by the Carrefour and to overnight prior to catching the ferry.

Paul

That works out at €270 against the €215 being offered by AML until June 2025. If it was only €9 difference I’d probably go to Carlos’. I’ll let everyone know how my AML experience works out. Which ferry did you use?

 

[Helen Ariel]

That works out at €270 against the €215 being offered by AML until June 2025. If it was only €9 difference I’d probably go to Carlos’. I’ll let everyone know how my AML experience works out. Which ferry did you use?

Transmeditterania (sp?)
Price was €275

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[chrisandbev]

hi,
we are setting off on the 3rd Feb and hoping to drive down through Spain meeting a few people we know then off to Agadir we did the route in 2011 so hoping we enjoy it as much as last time.

 

[jongood]

That works out at €270 against the €215 being offered by AML until June 2025. If it was only €9 difference I’d probably go to Carlos’. I’ll let everyone know how my AML experience works out. Which ferry did you use?

We used AmL via Carlos in 2023, cant remember what we paid but was more than €215. Have you got the ticket yet?

Crossing was fine, nicer boat than Acciona, usual practice of skipping crossings.

 

[Palough]

OK my interest has been well and truly raised….

So who on this forum has driven down to The Gambia….I’m interested in finding out the potential difficulties as once we are in the south of Morocco it all seems like it might be possible!!

I've just returned from 7 months in Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal down to Cabo Verde across summer and winter.

Almost no MH's in summer (49°C in the Sahara) but suddenly they all appeared as if by magic as soon as winter appeared.

I did both Tanger X-ing (3 times) and Cueta once.

I'd stick with Tænger, it's very easy to pass, whereas in Cueta the streets can be a bit tight, but it's a far more interesting place than Tanger.

Found travelling a breeze with no difficulties whatsoever but lots of corruption.

I used. Campercontact and Park4Night with no problems.

I avoided wild camping and found the majority of camping sites excellent, many old and basic, but acceptable, but remember it's Africa, not Europe so standards not the same.

The resorts were fabulous and inexpensive and scattered throughout Africa.

The majority, if not all camping grounds are essentially high walled compounds for security with locked gates.

I mostly avoided the toll roads and travelled the minor roads to see the real Africa.

There are road blocks every 20, 30, 50km by police, National Guard and Army checking documents.

It's a good idea to have 20 or so photocopies of license, car registration details (green card) passport (and page showing entry to Morocco).

It cuts down the waiting time while they write it all down, roadside check points don't have photocopies

Mostly they wave you through but occasionally stop you for a complete check.

If you travel the Toll Roads you can buy a Toll Reader (cheap) and load it with money.

It makes travelling on the Toll Roads a breeze and inexpensive compared to Europe.

If you don't get a Toll Reader (can be purchased at the Toll Gate after passing through with CASH)

Toll gates don't accept cards, only cash.

But I bought the Toll Reader in the administration office with my debit card

The officer asked how far I was traveling and loaded the Toll Reader with sufficient funds in advance and spoke good English.

If you travel the Toll roads you won't have road check points, only at some Toll gates, but I was never stopped on Toll roads in 7,400km of travel.

I got done for "fine" by a policeman on an arterial national road as he would only accept "original" insurance documents, not electronic renewals, or a printed out cooy without the official stamp and hologram, €100 straight into the pocket

I didn't need an vehicle import document for Morocco but did need a "Carnet en Passant" for entering Mauritania.

Make sure you have it BEFORE crossing the border!!!

It costs about €310 but without it you'll get scammed by the government official who'll give your papers to a "Fixer" and 5 hours later you'll have to pay €600 to retrieve your passport and car documents like me

After the Insurance fine I went to AXA and bought insurance avoiding the local dodgy insurance companies.

AXA insurance was quick to arrange and I felt reliable with breakdown recovery, not expensive.

At a lot of roadside stops I was asked if I had a "Bic" or biro.

I bought 20 or so and handed them out like confetti when asked by the police.

Always have cash!!

Many places, including petrol stations only take cash.

I always showed my card before filling up to know if I was going to be able to use my card.

diesel fuel gauges at filling stations are not reliable so expect to pay a bit extra sometimes

The MH was often half full and I'd buy much more than calculated to fill up

I only once experienced a fuel station not having diesel.

There is a massive influx of fuel companies building new fuel stations in Morocco and down to Dakar, Cepsa, Repsol, Shell, Piro, etc, many of them almost completed when I left in November 2024, and some starting up operation.

But in tiny villages, don't expect your "normal" type Europe filling station.

Gas bottle refills can be a challenge but always possible.

Places like the Dakar boat club can fill any worldwide bottle as they get yachts from all around the world, likewise other yacht clubs.

Small MH repair places can also fill by decanting from a local gas bottle , see photo which was the norm.

There are lots of stories about poor quality fuel and gas but I never had any problems with diesel or gas.

Almost without exception the gas will be Butane, not Propane.

Butane has a higher calorific value so water will boil much quicker

An 11kg gas bottle cost me on average €4 to fill

If you drive at night (to be avoided in my opinion although a couple of times I got caught out and was unavoidable) be prepared for people in black clothing, cows, goats, dogs, camels, donkey drawn carts without any lights to be on the road!!

I fitted a large LED driving light bar in Scandinavia in 2023 for deer and Moose and it was invaluable for driving at night in Africa.

One other thing, before you cross any border make sure you have tones of CAS for the other side as a lot of procedures only accept cash.

I was short of cash after all the scams in Mauritania and a kindly "Fixed" directed me to an ATM to draw money that didn't dispense any cash.

I walked to the next bank ATM and got the necessary cash.

3 days later €900 was withdrawn from my bank account.

The first bank ATM was a card reading skimmer

Luckily the Portugal bank has said they will refund the money, let's wait and see on that one

Some of the Atlas mountain roads are very steep by Europe standards and the bends very tight.

You almost think you will be able to see your own rear number plate as you turn.

Getting around the corners can be a bit of a challenge but watch out for on coming traffic as sometimes it's impossible to stay on your side of the white line, if one exists

In general, the roads are in reasonable condition and OK.

Coming back to Morocco from Mauritania I had a policeman demanding the Morocco visa fee in Euros.

Refused to give me a visa without payment in Euros.

I told him he had 5 minutes to change his mind as I was going to the MH to phone the Embassy and we'd let the Diplomats work it out.

About 5 minutes later a different policeman came out and beckoned me into the office and I got the visa paid in Morocco currency

Best advice is relax, enjoy the adventure and expect the unexpected

 

[jongood]

I tried booking online with AML and it was 288 one way

 

[PhilandMena]

Some pictures of our trip down to Dakhla with Mike and Gwen Makems. It was 2016 though time does not cgange things as quickly as other places. The only advice I would give is make sure your tyres are in very good condition and you have a spare. Our experiance was the metal road

Hi, so for a change this year I’m contemplating venturing south on the newly completed N1. I realise it may be a long trip and possibly a bit boring to drive. However we just fancy a change. Looking at the map I’m thinking of visiting Tan Tan, El Ouatia, Tarfaya, Laayoune and Dakhla.

Checking on all the likely sources for places to stay S4S, P4N etc there are few recorded sites or Guardian parking.

Any advice from those that have been would be gratefully accepted. Pro, cons, must visit, best to avoid etc.

For us 4, (Mike & Gwen Makems), Mena and myself it was a magical trip in 2016 that was unplanned and just happened on a whim when we accidently met up in a Moroccan campsite. As best as I can recall, we met up in Camping Bakanou when we were on our way down to El Quatia for a visit. It took us about 5 days to get down to Dakhla on the N1 and the journey was awesome. The road was in an absolute mess with only the centre remaining and both sides destroyed with repeated use of HGV and no maintenance. Good tyres, a spare and your ability to judge your vehicle width to the millimeter is essential. We often if not always had to move over onto the shoulder to miss oncoming vehicles. Moroccan HGV's were not an issue the drivers were brilliant at judging widths when passing. The problem we both encountered was French motorhome drivers. Useless, useless and dangerous. Gwen, who is a brilliant driver lost her wing mirror to a Frog who could not make a simple judgment. Anyhow, the journet was fantastic, some amazing stops and very scenic places. As It happened, the KIng was also visiting Dakla at around the same time so lots of flags and people making there way down there in the hope of seeing him. I wont go on. Here are a few pictures of our journey down there. An amazing adventure for us all.

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