Morocco - is the Todra Circuit do-able in a MH?

A route to die for......

Hi Norman…..

It is an interesting route, but not one for a Motorhome I think. The Todra section, after the "Gorge" is NOT the real issue. Whenever you go there the river level and local knowledge will confirm, or not, your onward journey up the rest of the 35k or so of the gorge. Desert Detours, with a client group, were there a few weeks ago [Mid-May] and the road was still down at about 12k after the actual gorge. Turning was not easy. The Moroccans are working on the road, but don't hold your breath, it has been passable and impassable on and off many times over recent years. Bike, hike is brilliant with care.

A few points on a January crossing….. Rain, anywhere in the Atlas beyond, even hundreds of miles away, can and WILL have a dramatic and deadly effect on the Todra. There were fatalities [yet again] last winter. The year before last a French Motorhome made it to the excellent campsite at Tamtattouche, it then rained big time, road gone, Motorhome abandoned at campsite for over 3 months…….and was then damaged exiting! NOT our clients I would hasten to add. During the winter months, when [if] we take clients up the Todra, unless we are 100% sure we rarely stay overnight and even then we receive continued weather reports. The temps from and at Tamtattouche WILL drop to well below sub-zero during Jan and there is more than a chance of snow……Mountain snow i.e. very heavy, very deep and no rescue…..and bitterly cold.

But like I said it is not the lower Todra section that is the problem. After Tamtattouche the road/track deteariates dramatically and IF you make it to Agoudal the return via Dades is……Mmmmm…Take a change of underwear! I did this section last summer in our Unimog [without clients] and will not be rushing back anytime soon. It's a MBike/4x4 [or donkey] route only……rocks, narrow, slides, vanishing road etc etc…….and it took us two long days :? .

I am not being negative but it is not in my interest to have MH solo's either hurt [or worse] and/or vehicles wrecked/lost in Morocco. The Todra, from the southern approach, as far as the Gorge, is dramatic and safe at almost anytime.…and a must see…. :lol:

By coincidence I am in Morocco next week, on a "recce" for our forthcoming "Discovery" series of MHome tours [Plug-Promo] and will be doing the Imishil-Tam-Todra in a 4x4 and Quad and will post a report if there is an interest……

For up to date info on Morocco get our bi-monthly news letter……its not a sales-pitch…..its far more about Morocco, routes, events etc etc than Desert Detours :wink: .

Tina and Glen

Thanks and look forward to seeing you again next May [on part of the aforementioned route]

Dunworking

Just booked my own ferry for next week, 4x4 car + driver…….348 euro. Tarifa-Tangier is the cheapest but expect cost to rise even more [we have been told]. I would not be surprised to see crossing well into the 400 for some dates and routes next year…..and Xmas/Jan/Feb is a "High Season".

Be safe.....

Ray

Todra Gorge

Just back from Morocco (Feb 27th) and drove up through the Todra Gorge as far as Tamtatouchte. There was no difficulty as the road above the Gorge has been repaired so that you don't need to drive down on the river bed where the road had been previously been washed out.

The campsite owner at Tamtatouchte (Ahmed Abaz) and the owner of the first auberge after Todra both confirmed that the road north to Ait Hani, then eastwards to Rich (via Amellago) is now tarmac and the road north to Imilchil and beyond, north west, to the Marrekech/Khenifra road is tarmac except for 50 metres of piste. They confirmed that MHs were now using the roads. We turned back down the gorge then but we saw other (French) vans going further.

However, the weather had been fine for two weeks before we set off and the forecast was for no rain. After rain, the fords may be impassable and the roads washed out. You do indeed need to be careful about this, especially in winter.

(A week after we went up the Gorge, there was torrential rain, the mosque at Meknes fell down and I would guess that some of the above roads would now be impassable.)

The circuit around to the Dades Gorge from Todra still involves a lot of piste so still not practical for MHs.

We went to Morocco in the winter of 2005 and we drove along the dried up river bed of the Todra Gorge in our Smart car!8O Obviously that was a few years back, so maybe not do-able any longer - but we had the most amazing day ever!

I have some photos of us and our Smart at the Todra Gorge and when I get the chance, I will post a couple for those who may be interested to look at.

When we returned, I will never forget the reaction from the coach loads of tourists, mostly Japanese and Americans, who had arrived at the entrance to the Gorge in order to visit this magnificent tourist attraction! When they suddely caught sight of us driving back up the dried up river bed, they appeared to become totally gobsmacked by such a sight and instead of taking photo shots of the stunning scenery around them, they excitedly chose to fight for the best position to enable them to take photographs of us and our little Smart instead!!!!! :lol: One American tourist started running around like a whirling dervish and frantically beckoned us to wind
our window down and when we did, he announced he was a small car enthuisuast and although he had read all about the little Smart car he had NEVER seen one in the 'flesh!' He was a bit OTT but harmless enough and he was delighted when we allowed his partner to take a photograph of him stood next to our car!!!! As we dove on our merry way, we couldnt help laughing at the crazy response we had received from everyone! :lol:

We wouldn't have chanced the drive along the Gorge in our motorhome though, as it was rather bumpy to say the least! :lol:

Sue

PS. We still own the same little Smart car today and it has never, ever let us down and if it could talk, it would have some right little adventures to tell.

As always with Morocco "off the beaten track" you need the very latest info, at times even a week old info is wrong.......

Back last evening from the Feb tour........Heavy rain in the north had some roads washed and bridges down.....The Quazzazate-Agadir loop is closed as of two days ago. as are a number of other southern routes.....But that was two days ago!

The north had very heavy rain as I crossed the Riff and waited for the ferry back to Spain [that sailed 4 hours late due to conditions].......

Todra and beyond was open a week ago but is now closed......I would not risk beyond Todra Gorge [the bottom] unless you are very sure of weather in the higher Atlas......

The road to Imishil and most of the other lighter tracks are NOT open....and even when they are you will be very much alone and open to exploitation [in case of problem] if solo.......

But all in all no probs.........back over in a few days!

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