Morocco in january anyone?

[suffolkcindy]

Got time off work unpaid over winter and so aiming for somewhere inexpensive and close by. Morocco is affordable camping or hostelling. Not so keen on touring solo in north africa so wondering if anyone else is up for exploring the southern region and west coast on and off road on a budget?
Any age or gender. I average 50miles/day, enjoy rest days, like to eat n drink in evening, hate museums

 

[YahudaMoon]

Id be cautious about wanting to spend weeks with people you don't know. I mean you wouldn't (well I wouldn't) want to be spending weeks with somone you wish would just shut up or go away

I mean we have some odd ones on here including myself

Maybe you could get to know / find someone in your local CTC or a similar kind of club / org, if you already haven't ?

 

[suffolkcindy]

Thanks but i do know that.

 

[suffolkcindy]

Am in lots of cycle clubs but find they are mostly married men who are mot aloud to travel with a single woman. Finding a female who wants to cycle tour on a low budget is always difficult. So i thought i would make a general 'ask' . It would of course be subject to a rigorous police check and exhaustive psycho-emotional tests

 

[Friz]

It would of course be subject to a rigorous police check and exhaustive psycho-emotional tests

That's me out so...

But sounds like a good time, place, and way to go.

 

[Danny]

It would of course be subject to a rigorous police check and exhaustive psycho-emotional tests

You'll struggle to find anyone from here then.

 

[suffolkcindy]

Irony

 

[suffolkcindy]

Sense of humour anyone?

 

[stephenjubb]

roughly what dates/months over winter and for how long?

 

[Friz]

This one is actually intriguing me. Any loose plans for it yet or is it a plan as you go type thing? Morocco has always been on my list...

 

[suffolkcindy]

Thinking in the month of january to avoid holiday flights...thinking southern region west coast agadir region and inland across atlas mountains. Have found two routes on blogs that look rideable on a tourer and have found some lovely hostels and campsites with pools for £10. A few areas still blank where riders wild camped and i probably wouldnt on my own. Intending to use tarmac and double tracks and spend some downtime here and there. I dont surf but the west coast is good for it. I can go for the whole month but would be interested in meeting up for a smaller section if that worked out. I do intend to plan in more detail to make sure distances and climbs are ok but these things are always open to adaptation on the ground.
Any particular areas of interest?

 

[Crankarm]

I really fancied riding Morocco and especially the High Atlas mountains until I read an alarming account on CGOAB written by a couple of cyclists literally hounded by locals where ever they stopped. They were pestered for food and their possessions short of being robbed. On many occasions they had to very quickly leave and pitch camp late in the middle of nowhere where they thought they would be safer until a few locals found them and they felt very vulnerable again and had to move on yet again.Their tour turned out to be a hell rather than a holiday. I don't think wild camping is that safe which is a pity but OTOH good as you don't have to carry so much weight. However works out a bit more expensive and of course you have to stay in towns and not in spec places. From the accounts I have read I believe most of the Atlas can be ridden in 14 days.

January would be a good time to go as it is not so swelteringly hot in Morocco. Although considerably further south Michael Palin's Saharra through Mali is my favourite travel journey although I believe it is now in civil war? I might be wrong though.

Agadir would be good also a visit to Marrakesh. Riding NE to Tunis would be good through the High Atlas. I don't know how feasible this would be or safe as a large part would be through Algeria which I believe is dodgy to say the least? My knowledge of Arabic is zero so we would be at the mercy of locals not ripping us off and not leading us into danger. Cheap hotels or hostels with pools sound good.

I guess you'd need a MTB or serious expedition bike if riding in the High Atlas or a rugged touring bike with low enough gearing could work? 50-60 miles a day sounds about right. Not sure I can take a month though maybe 2-3 weeks. Your ride looks interesting and has possibilites. Before this though I am planning to ride the Sarn Helen in Wales probably in September, 270 miles all off road from Conwy to Worm's Head on the Gower Peninsula taking about 7 days.

Keep the thread updated with your thoughts and lets see if it comes to anything.

 

[slowmotion]

Visit Fez if you can. It's mind-boggling. BTW, the weather can be pretty chilly at night, even as far south as Marrakesh.

 

[suffolkcindy]

From what ive read the north is horrendous for hassle but south not so. Also read that two weeks is probably enough. Yes think fes worth a visit but hope mountains can be done without mtb. Will keep researching and get back with more details but in the meantime all experience gratefully received. Thank you

 

[Crankarm]

Cindy if you haven't seen these journals on CGOAB then they are a good read.

Ben Rowland's tour of the Atlas Morocco. Stunning pics. He went in March and it was pretty cold at night, below zero.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=1&page_id=182177&v=70

Check out his other journal cycling RTW. It's up there with the best. Again stunning pics.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=1&page_id=140257&v=Jz

Graham Finch has also done a bit of touring in Morocco. He has written a very good journal of touring in Bangladesh. This is his journey in Morocco.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=1&page_id=274499&v=qG

Jill Lundmark's rather terrifying attack, stoned by youths, in Spain.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=1&page_id=101194&v=1j


HTH.