Morocco virgins advise needed

[mongo]

Im off to Morocco in 9wks with 2others and none of us have ever been there before. We're riding KTM 950 supermotos(stop larfin at the back please). Anyway we,re sailing to Santander and riding down thro the Picos and sailing from Algerciras to Ceutas.We're hoping that once south of Fez we're planning on sleeping out in the cuds,and we're wondering how safe it is to do this? Also can somebody give me some idea of the price of hotels(nothin to posh) outside of the main towns. I appreciate any advise. Thanks

 

[motoreiter]

there are many many others more qualified to respond, but since I just got back I can respond about hotel prices: It is pretty easy to find nice places for 20-25 euro (ie, 200-250 dirham). I paid I think 250 dr at CTM Hotel, right on the main square in Marrakech (but nothing fancy). In Zagora, I think about 200 dr at the Palmerie Hotel, which is decent. In Merzouga and Essaoira I stayed in fairly upscale touristy joints and paid about 650 dr.

 

[JackoUK]

Whilst not being an authority, I made the Morocco trip solo last November, and had a blast. I started sort of as you intend and left Algeciras landing in Tangier. A lasting impression of that experience! I found it very cheap to just get my ferry ticket in one of the dozens of travel shops on the front at Algeciras. My route took me south on the west coast road, the N1, and I met a couple of overlanders near Asilah. Spending the night with them, I totally revised my itinerary, based on their advice. I paid around £9 for that clean but basic hotel!. My revised route took me south to Rabat and then East on the N4 to Fes. I then made my way via Ifrane (up in the green and forested Mountains) to Midelt and Ar-Rachidia. I then took the south and west route towards Marakesh. I stayed off the piste, simply because I was travelling solo and the risks were too aparent to me.
I found the hotels cheap, the food excellent and the people were marvellous, almost too good to be true, and with not one negative experience. I took camping gear, but found it too easy to check into somewhere cheap. My impression is that wild camping would be easy, but check out Chris Scott's great read, "Morocco Overland" where he gives good advice re this kind of camping.
Finally, so good was my experience, this year I'm planning to repeat it but continue on to Gambia, via Mauritania and Senegal. Have a great trip and enjoy yourselves

 

[Fanum]

Mongo, you'll be perfectly safe, but keep small loose objects in your tent rather than on the bike....the only things that get taken would be stuff like gloves/sunglasses left on seats etc.

You will get a small crowd of kids/people around you wherever you go, even if you're way out in the middle of nowhere...they'll just be curious though, and although it can be off-putting at first, it's fine and you'll get used to it.

Hotels will always negotiate, so never take the first price or even the published price on the tariff board.....you'll find accommodation from 50dh upwards, depending on what you want...but in the very low end of the market, use your own sleeping bag or be bitten by fleas

Bike theft is practically unheard of there, but if you;re worried, most hotels will either take your bike inside, into a back room or at least provide a guardian who will fall asleep next to your bike outside overnight, though he will need paying separately from the hotel bill.

Don't be afraid to follow one of the lads on their little scoots who will buzz you at the outskirts of a city, asking you if you have a hotel.

If you don't know where you're going and it's getting late, they'll take you to any number of hotels and although again they'll want a fee (they will also get one from the hotel they take you to as well, but that's life ), a couple of quid to one of them can save a lot of hassle.....and dont worry, they won't lure you down an alley and sell your ass....not unless you're really lucky anyway

The rough guide or lonely planet books are pretty good for assistance, but they are hopelessly out of date and also extremely inaccurate, so never rely on them.

Relax and enjoy it...it's a superb country to rid in and explore

 

[Tim Cullis]

Im off to Morocco in 9wks

9 weeks time is the middle of July so it could be rather hot. If you are lucky it might only be 28-32c which is perfect biking temperatures, but it's more likely to be 35-45c. If so you should plan to spend time either in the mountains or near the sea. I'm assuming you will be on tarmac most of the time.

Asilah and Larache on the Atlantic coast near Tanger are good overnight stops.

But the mountains would be my choice and the Middle Atlas south and north east of the lovely town of Azrou (Cedars Hotel recommended at 85dh) have some lovely side roads.

The High Atlas is also great and you could do the route from El Ksiba > Imilchil > Agoudal > Ait Hani > Tinerhir which has been opened up to 2WD traffice with the new tarmac that's been laid. Much of this route is over 2000m so it will be a lot cooler up there.

Tim

 

[mongo]

Thanks for the replies and info gents. Tim your right it will be mid July as work only allows me that time off work,and tho i know its not the ideal time too go its either that or leave it another year. So we have decided sh#t or bust.We plan to ride down the cost toward Melilla then head south and see wot the trip brings. We have 3wks to soak up Morocan culture including the heat. Ive studied this forum on Morocco travel but you can never gain enough knowledge. Thanks again boyo's

 

[Peter Buitelaar]

We recently had a group of 3 Harley-Davidson riders and by the way, nobody is laughing here. In fact all motorbikes are good for a Moroco trip... just see where the locals ride with and they come everywhere!
I also ride KTM950, okay the SE, but for a road tour with some easy unpaved tracks the KTM 950 SM is a good enough bike. Just lower the tyre pressure a little and you feel the difference (not too soft ofcourse)... and tracks become a piece of cake.
Take a (tube-less?) tyre repair set and hand-pump in case you get a puncture.
In case you need breakdown service... sms your coordinates and we come for your rescue. On- and off-road.

Greetings from us,
Peter and Zineb

Oh, in summer it's 48 degrees in Ouarzazate, Zagora 50. Nice.

 

[oblertone]

I can't ...

Im off to Morocco in 9wks with 2others and none of us have ever been there before. We're riding KTM 950 supermotos(stop larfin at the back please). Anyway we,re sailing to Santander and riding down thro the Picos and sailing from Algerciras to Ceutas.We're hoping that once south of Fez we're planning on sleeping out in the cuds,and we're wondering how safe it is to do this? Also can somebody give me some idea of the price of hotels(nothin to posh) outside of the main towns. I appreciate any advise. Thanks

... be arsed to get a map out so it may be out of your way, bbut if you get a chance ride the D502 (or maybe N502) from North of Madrid heading due south. It is simply one of the finest biking roads I've ever been on. 390kms of smooth bends, plenty of fuel stops and very little traffic

 

[manxpanzer]

howdy

just got back from morroco a few weeks ago.
try sailing from tarifa to tangiers. less hastle at the port of tarifa and a nice little town. camped at "camping rio jara" just west of the town ( good campsite for ameineties before crossing the sea)
in morocco, from expericnce,
Tetouan, hotel paris, secure parking under hotel and rooms ok with showers about 300dh for a double room
Azrou, hotel de cedres, think we paid about 300dh for a double room and breakfast, park the bike over the road and the guardian will baby sit it all night for you 50dh (£5)
midelt, hotel atlas, 60dh for a double room, very basic but its a comfy bed after a day in the saddle, squat bogs and 10dh for a shower. he has a garage for the bikes but if he offers "tea with his family" dont !!!!!!! you'll end up looking at all his carpets.
merzouga. Chez Julia, cost us 666dh for 2 nights bed,breakfast and evening meals. great place and clean for a buildind made of mud (dont hang your clean washing on the walls to dry ) secure parking too
Alnif, 300dh for a double room and breakfast, not too shabby and the bikes sleep in the hotel too
zagora, we stayed in the hotoel palmeries, wasnt too expensive, fogoten what we paid but great food and rooms.
other than that just shop around and see the rooms before you check in. we took all the camping gear but didnt bother in morocco as the hotels are cheap eunough.
must do roads from or trip;
from fez to ifrane, take the back road round dayet-ifarh
agdz to ouarzazate n9 great winding twist road just dont be dissapointed by the rubbish on the way into ouazazate.
from the n8 minor road through ait attab to the cascades d'ouzoud then follow it thriugh azilal to afrourer back to the n8
an accidental route we found , todra gourge-ait hani-tiidrine-assoul-imiter-amellago-goulmima great ride and single track fot some of it, all tarmac with 4 or five fords, we were two up on a gs and managed fine
if your headind north from ouarzazate try the road from skoura to demnate better than the tiz-n-ticka pass and not as busy

Tim, we still owe you for that coffee in afourer. we were on the manx 1150gs if you make it to the island give us a shout and we'll have space for your sleeping bag. made it to moulay-bousselham the day we met you, what a dump!!! i think the lagoon died years ago along with the tourist trade. never seen a cat, a dog and a cow having breakfast out of the same bin. you said you wanted to vist, nah go somewhere else

 

[Deleted account AWRT]

... be arsed to get a map out so it may be out of your way, bbut if you get a chance ride the D502 (or maybe N502) from North of Madrid heading due south. It is simply one of the finest biking roads I've ever been on. 390kms of smooth bends, plenty of fuel stops and very little traffic

Do you mean the N-502 which is North West of Madrid starting in Avila?

 

[Hexme]

Not much traffic

 

[mongo]

We recently had a group of 3 Harley-Davidson riders and by the way, nobody is laughing here. In fact all motorbikes are good for a Moroco trip... just see where the locals ride with and they come everywhere!
I also ride KTM950, okay the SE, but for a road tour with some easy unpaved tracks the KTM 950 SM is a good enough bike. Just lower the tyre pressure a little and you feel the difference (not too soft ofcourse)... and tracks become a piece of cake.
Take a (tube-less?) tyre repair set and hand-pump in case you get a puncture.
In case you need breakdown service... sms your coordinates and we come for your rescue. On- and off-road.

Greetings from us,
Peter and Zineb

Oh, in summer it's 48 degrees in Ouarzazate, Zagora 50. Nice.

Thanks for the info Peter A1 and everyone else's input