Overwintering in Morocco.

[Destination Unknown]

You've wetted our appetite

Hi if we can get insurance on our rig we would love to go to Morroco. It looks a brilliant place.:thumb::thumb:

Really loved reading this blog and all the advice given. Anyone else interested in going back end of this year if so get in touch especially if you have been before............moral support would love to hear from you.

Regards Brian and Chris

 

[vwalan]

hi dave heres one of the blue rocks and some almond tree must be near where you are. lovely at tafraoute,cant believe you hadnt ben before.

 

[Snowbird]

The blue rocks aren't blue anymore Al, They are more of a chipped light grey.
they really need a touch up

 

[Road Runner]

Hi if we can get insurance on our rig we would love to go to Morroco. It looks a brilliant place.:thumb::thumb:

Really loved reading this blog and all the advice given. Anyone else interested in going back end of this year if so get in touch especially if you have been before............moral support would love to hear from you.

Regards Brian and Chris

Hi Brian & Chris

Your RV is going to limit you here in Morocco I think but they are about and Dave has had his here. Just the sheer size of them.......As you probably know recently sold mine...........one thing though if your diesel it about 50p a litre.............

 

[scotjimland]

Hi Brian & Chris

Your RV is going to limit you here in Morocco I think but they are about and Dave has had his here. Just the sheer size of them.......As you probably know recently sold mine...........one thing though if your diesel it about 50p a litre.............

yes, they do limit where you can go.. but I went everywhere the euro boxes went .. with a trailer.. (see photo) .. and didn't get bogged down in the Sahara .. unlike many front wheel drive vans .. some sites were a bit tight .. but so too are many UK sites..

not saying it's the best way.. but it shouldn't deter ..

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[vwalan]

you may be suprized they got repainted a couple of years ago . even the rat rock got painted . we used to parkright by the rat rock. thet were really bright last winter.
truck is the best way in maroc . but my mate got most places with his glasgow service bus .

 

[Snowbird]

To be honest I think Tafraoute would be out for an RV. Certainly the way we came from Tiznit. Even the buses are minibuses up here. I have toured Morocco with an RV in the past but was limited to where I could go. Do not be deterred by bringing an RV over here, just plan your itinerary with a little care. I am of the belief that if a bus or dustbin truck can get there so can I in an RV. Have traveled extensively over the years with an RV but have now downsized so that I can see more of the places I have visited in the past. We left Tangier and immediately went on the old road down here,most get on the motorway. Many of the roads we traveled were not surfaced and were only single track dirt roads through tiny villages with animals and chickens running around. Wealthy Moroccans had a donkey and we even saw people ploughing fields with oxen and a wooden plough.

 

[vwalan]

dave one of my mates did it all in his 66 setra bus . i do it with mine .gary did it in his MAN.
its better to do tafaroute from agadir then go to tiznit .
alex a dutchman came with us once in huge daf coach. all is possible.you just have to do it.

 

[Snowbird]

dave one of my mates did it all in his 66 setra bus . i do it with mine .gary did it in his MAN.
its better to do tafaroute from agadir then go to tiznit .
alex a dutchman came with us once in huge daf coach. all is possible.you just have to do it.

Would have been a long way round from Agadir when I was in Guelmim.
Will be going back up to Agadir via Ait-Baha then Taroudant and down the Draa to Zagora if I can drag myself away from here.

 

[vwalan]

yes i realise that . i know i should be there and guide you . at the moment i,m sort of guiding three groups through maroc .two groups in spain . its like being there in person . i,m actually having good fun this winter giving routes etc . looking at pics . i can smell, hear ,feel it all for real.i can have a sandwich and taste the sand . i would ave loved to be showing john all the places . seeing his face . etc. have took loads it gives a real good feeling inside . keep having fun .and keep the pics coming . love it. cheer alan.

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[canopus]

Free Parking in Morocco

John & Snowbird

Don't know if this is of any use to you, but you can get free parking in Essaouria.

There was a little article in the MCC mag this month from Adil Adarzane who is the owner of Broken Link Removed They also offer other services, for a charge I assume, i.e electricity, water, showers and cafe/restaurant. Might be worth a punt if you're close by.

Looks very nice on their website.:thumb:

Ken & Lynda

 

[Snowbird]

Well having spent almost a week in Tafraoute we have managed reluctantly to drag ourselves away. We took the road north via Ait-Baha back to Agadir and what a super drive it was. All the almond trees in blossom and although the road is not perfect and is narrow in places it was nowhere near as hairy as the road up from Tiznit. Some great sights on this road though. We are now back in Agadir for a couple of days having the diesel injectors reconditioned as they have started to drip overnight. Woke up this morning to find the goats all around, have never seen so many goats in one place before. The weather is still excellent and its getting a little warmer each day. Don't know how long we will be able to stick it out but if it gets unbearable we will head for the hills again. Here are a few snaps of the route over Anti Atlas and the goats.

 

[spannermanwigan]

Its a toss up whether there are more motorhomes or goats!!!!!!!!!

 

[Snowbird]

Its a toss up whether there are more motorhomes or goats!!!!!!!!!

Only 5 others and me. A bit of company is nice sometimes

 

[vwalan]

26,000 campers arrive in maroc during winter according to the maroc tourism. you really have to be there to believe it. cant all be wrong . many have been doing it for over 40yrs. i see some i camped with in 76.
thats a good road dave . i like to do that journey the other way round. did you find the well onn the ighthand side of road on a sharp bend .usually good water there. room just for two vehicles. hand pump now on the well. best views . can see it all. have fun . i know you will.
not so steep climb if you do it my way .but good free wheel down.

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[Snowbird]

picked a bolt up in one of the tyres this morning. Managed to limp into a tyre shop and get it repaired. Wheel off, tyre off, vulcanised properly, balanced and wheel back on. Total bill £1-52p. Pulled into an old friends garage and asked if they could take the injectors out and recondition them. No problem,you can park here for the night we will take them out NOW and send them for testing and reconditioning they will be back in the morning and back in before lunchtime. This was at 3pm this afternoon. True to there word at 5-30 they were out and gone to the specialist. None of the sucking of teeth and can you make an appointment for 2 weeks next Thursday nonsense.
A slight change of the original non plan now. We will be taking the N10 across the Anti Atlas to the Vallee du Draa via Taroudant, Abulouze, Taliouine, Tazenakht and Agdz. Will hopefully be staying in Taroudant for a few days as its one of the places I like most about Morocco. Will try to keep you posted as and when we have time.

 

[vwalan]

hi dave . i normally turn right not far tron taroudant down to igherm and tata. then foum-zguid and up to agdz.you have so many choices either turn right before agdz up to quarzazate and across to the gourges .all nice routes . cant do them all in one trip. i like all the routes really . its nice down near tata a real desert road .look right over the hills is east africa . a few weeks drive away .hee hee.

 

[vwalan]

hi dave i forgot to tell you theres abit of sand you have to cross.just like playing in the sand pit .hee hee

 

[Snowbird]

OK, injectors done. Four injectors taken out and pressure tested,reconditioned and put back in. Grand total parts and labour including a tip of £4 was £19-09p.
We are now back at Taghazoute for the night and have decided to take a run up the Paradise Valley to the waterfall for the weekend before setting off across country on Monday. The bus is running like new now and am very pleased with the result. It would probably cost more than what I paid to have someone diagnose the problem in the UK. I had an idea that one if not more injectors were dripping overnight but it could have been a glow plug down. These Moroccan mechanics are something else.:thumb:

 

[lesleyjean]

I wish I was with you guys.

Have great FUN

Maybe soon, I will join you.

Well, I would but can't swear for HIM

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[Snowbird]

Ah one thing I forgot to say. I was getting low on bacon,sausage etc,and was getting a little worried about my breakfast. Lamb,Goat and camel are OK and acceptable after midday but I need pig in the morning. So went to what is known as the French market in Agadir whilst the mechanics were doing there magic on the bus and stocked up with.........Wait for it..... Back bacon, Pork sausage, Pork chops, Honey roast ham, and the next best thing to Roquefort cheese I have ever had. Castelic Danablu. Am now well stocked up for another few weeks.

 

[chesterfield hooligan]

Ah one thing I forgot to say. I was getting low on bacon,sausage etc,and was getting a little worried about my breakfast. Lamb,Goat and camel are OK and acceptable after midday but I need pig in the morning. So went to what is known as the French market in Agadir whilst the mechanics were doing there magic on the bus and stocked up with.........Wait for it..... Back bacon, Pork sausage, Pork chops, Honey roast ham, and the next best thing to Roquefort cheese I have ever had. Castelic Danablu. Am now well stocked up for another few weeks.

:thumb: Hi what did it all cost :thumb:
as a mechanic the injector copper washer's are a £1 each in the UK
:thumb: we are both enjoying your storie's :thumb:

 

[Snowbird]

So we are now on the Paradise Valley tour. This place is absolutely magical. If you Google "Paradise Valley Morocco" you will understand what I mean and it will save me a lot of time one finger typing . We started at Tamrhakt and went up the valley following the small river to Imouzzer and then Cascades, returning via Issi to Amesnaz. WOW this is one of the best tours as yet. I cannot explain the scenery so its best if you Google it. From high in the mountains you descend into the valley which is so lush with palmeries and banana plantations irrigated by the river. We are now having a day back on the beach before setting off for Taroudant next week. Have put some photos on that just do not do justice, but hey ho am a truck driver not a photographeroh:.
Hope am not boring you all with this post.:Blush:

 

[vwalan]

hi dave the rock formations are really great out there .wait till you do the desert run .the rocks come out vertical .if you imagine contours . pics never really show it but i love it. was there water at the waterfall or was it dry again. still following you as if i was there . keep it up.nice narrow road as well to get down. ice truckers india eat your heart out.

 

[Snowbird]

Your right about the rock formations Al. Am more than a little sceptical about the authenticity of some of the fossils up there though. I cant imagine a snail the size of a large dinner table even if it was 200000000000 years old.
I told the guy that tried to sell me one that I didn't want an old thing like that, don't you have a new one.
On a more serious note, there wasn't much water in the waterfall,but the river was flowing OK further down the valley. Have just pulled onto the small car park just after Taghazoute were the restaurant used to be. Good pitch overlooking the ocean and Taghazoute. As its Sunday the locals are all playing football on the beach so that's keeping me amused for the day. May stay here a couple of days if it doesn't get to hot. Its 34 in the van now but with the sea breeze its comfortable.

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[Chris]

I am surprised by how beautiful Morroco is.

What are the locals like?

I went to Tunisia years ago and I can't say it inspired me to want to visit another Arab country.

 

[vwalan]

hi, yes keep your money in your pocket . you will get lots of orthoceras fossils in erfoud if you go there . they are only pence. .mind i have tables etc here that are a bit more . its a tube like fossil in black marble or brown marble with ammonites sometimes .
midelt for gypse. thats nice they make alsorts from it as well as plaster board.
look for nordines garage in erfoud near the river and fossil cutting yard .tell him alibaba sends regards.
mind you got alot to see .you get crystals near quarzazate but dont pay much just afew dirham for small about the size of a cricket ball and 50-100 for geodes about the size of footballs. barter barter barter ,and hard . most coloured ones are fake dyed (salt)clear ones but nice.have fun.

 

[Snowbird]

I am surprised by how beautiful Morroco is.

What are the locals like?

I went to Tunisia years ago and I can't say it inspired me to want to visit another Arab country.

The locals I have met not only on this trip but on past trips here have been some of the nicest people I have ever met. Generally they are very courteous but also curious. at first they may seem rude as they will stand and stare but one you speak to them they will endeavor to converse. Have met up with some of the locals that I have not seen for over 4 years but have known for over 10. One of them is the mechanic I have used for years who now has his own garage. In the past I always had an old Solex moped with me and on my last trip here I asked if there was any very old mopeds for sale. I bought one from my mechanic and he said he would look for more. That was 4 years ago,when I went to have my injectors reconditioned he said he had an old bike for me which he bought 3 years ago. Needless to say its now being restored ready for me to take home when we leave. I have been invited many times to eat at home with them even though its sometimes embarrassing for me as I know they have little or nothing themselves. Keep away from the tourist traps and you will have no problems whatsoever in Morocco. We have spent 2 of the last 31 nights on a campsite,just to get laundry done and we feel safer than in mainland Europe.

 

[vwalan]

hi treacle .i first went to maroc in 76 .been going almost every year since 98. have flown to tunisia found it very hard work. but did go back in the truck. again too much hassle . and not warm enough for me. i find maroc one of the easy arab countries . but away from tangiers thats a night mare.
having done syria and israel, egypt and once into libya . maroc is a doddle.
have driven in algeria in the desert and visited a few desert towns found that ok as well . but as we had no visa were escorted back to maroc . we told them we were lost. ha ha . unfortunately the arab world is not put across very good . its like iran . on the way to india there isnt much choice but go there but its lovely possibly the nicest country on the journey. forget what you see on telly or read in newspapers .afghanistan, pakistan what can we say, nobody wants you to go as its not quite like what they want you to believe.
the world is a lovely place . lots to see and people to meet.far better to be penniless in some of those countries than the so called civilized west.

 

[hilldweller]

I am surprised by how beautiful Morroco is.

It came as a shock to us. The north is a lush green land. The Romans went there to grow grapes.

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