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Update 4.20 New Year 2026
The High Atlas is pretty much snowed under right now. And lots of rain in the desert and on the coast. The worst mid-winter for decades. Main roads get cleared or repaired fairly quickly. Pistes to nowhere important, less so.
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Update 4.19 November 2025
Just back from a recon of my new High Atlas Traverse – a free-to-download tracklog like the TMT, but which follows the High Atlas watershed for a few hundred kilometres.
The HAT uses some tracks including VOTs and OUTs so starting from the west I can re-verify the VOR from J6 17km east to Ait Qalla.
The start of the of H2KM15 off roading behind Anmiter village, the climb out of the oued (below) is in much worse shape than when we last did it in early 2025. Heavy bikes or cars without low range may struggle here and the track stays rough in places as far as Tiririne village where things improve. And once you get to the far end, you maybe be pleased to know they’ve finished a road from Alemdoun east to the Dades valley road.
On H4, the off road stage may start sooner, with tarmac resuming at 31.60315, -6.73870, around KM47 from Demnate. This then rises up onto a 2380-m col and drops down to Ait Bou Oulli town on the R302, before the KM93 high junction for Ait Boumengueze.
Further east, H9 via Zerkane is just about all sealed from KM57 at a second 2680-m col below hilltop twin masts, all the way to the Anergui turn off at KM89 (now completed and bridged) – an amazing mountain road. And at KM57 a new road now runs northeast all the way toi Imilchil direct. The latter stages of the HAT criss-cross the Atlas watershed hereabouts.
Finally I sent a mate on a moto to check A5 over the Jebel Tawzart down into the desert. He returned later that day weary, saying he doubted a car would get past the oued crossing around KM62 below Mzzougt and onto the shelf road. From there on, the earthquake debris mentioned in 2023 appears to have gone, but the mysterious shelf road to nowhere has much deteriorated (below). And the 4-km oued stage from KM69 is as hard as ever.
Update 4.18 October 2025; S2 Lihoudi OUT (KM12; p170), and S1/S2 link, map p172-3
The Erg Chegaga routes exert a strong draw, especially to first timers who want to ‘see/ride the Sahara’. Note then that I’m advised by a moto rider the ‘dune-free’ OUT (left) suggested as a way of getting onto S2 to avoid Mhamid Sands is doable, but not so soft-sand and dune-free after all. Avoid unless you know better, and use the Jebel Bani gap route – S1KM148 – if you want to avoid as much sand as possible.
Also, not sure the useful and short sand dodging link between S1 and S2 is clearly explained in the book, seeing as one goes east and the other goes west. Whichever direction you go, motos and 2WDs with clearance can combine the less sandy west end of S2 with the less rough east end of S1 by using this 4km link, as below. It’s on the TMT Map.
Update 4.17 April 2025; nearly all routes in High Atlas region: pp82-107
Just back Just back from a great ride and a productive week in the High Atlas, just before rains spoiled play for a few days.
Main news: the 2906-m Tizi Ouano pass on the R704 is now all sealed between Tilmi and Agoudal (Routes H2, H8), and so is the once-notorious Gorge to Gorge link between Msemrir and Tamtatoucht, Route H2.
They’ve also finished a road linking Imilchil SW to Route H9. This is now the TMT Stage N realigned as eastern H9 to Bou Azmou is likely to gradually go ‘BLV‘.
Backing up to Route H1, p83. The N23 Demnate road north of Toufrine is still in a right old state, if not worse than a year ago. The diggers are chipping away so it alternates for miles between fresh, 10-m wide tarmac and single-track rubble, but is only likely to upset campervans and sports cars.
H2KM165, p92. This link from Bou Tharar in the Rose Valley to Dades valley is quite rough at the Dades descent end following last year’s rains, and still had a few muddy patches. I won’t be rushing back but it seems popular with escorted MTB tours.
We reversed Route H3 from Skoura to the Demnate road. Despite the book’s predictions they’ve not linked Ait Hamza with Ichbaken through the Oued Tassaout gorge: it’s still part riverbed or high shelf cut into landslides for 10km, but nothing an overloaded old Merc van can’t crawl over.
So at KM126 Ait Hamza (via high track or riverbed), you ease into the riverbed as years ago, but now exit to north bank in <1km and rise above the valley, over periodic cleared rockfalls. Yhe road resumes at Ichbaken at KM136 and the westbound video below shows all.
Routes H4 (as well as H5, H6, H7). The 10km unsealed section (pictured p95 and below) is after the more northern Tizi Ait n Imi pass (H4KM122), not the higher Ait Hamad pass, as written.
Update 4.16 March 2025, p248. Route W8
No great surprise to hear the northern BLV stage of W8 at the gorge (left south of Azrar remains unrepaired following the September 2024 floods, which were severe in this area.
A friend riding the route from the north found only fat bike tyre tracks heading south at 30.1560, -7.9743 (KM105) and wasn’t inspired to push on. But he clearly made it beyond the crux as reported on p248 in early 2025, so if you get to this point from the south, you’ll make it through to Azrar and the road – until the next flood rearranges the riverbed.
Update 4.15 March 2025, p278. Tarfaya Coast Road
Sixteen years after its doomed maiden voyage to the Canaries, the wreck of the Armas ferry was removed in 2024, with talk of reinstating a new Morocco–Canary ferry link. But even without it, Tarfaya and the coast road to Laayoune are still worth it.
News that A5 / A6 are blocked at 30.19532, -7.41097 – a small oued 1km west of where A5 and A6 meet up at the Oued Anissi riverbed crossing. It’s hard to think this will last long as it’s on the flat exit piste, compared to the gnarly preceding jebel stages on both routes. Or, if it is flood damaged, then further north in the canyons will be worse. If you do get stuck southbound, consider the thin OUT just east of the A5/6 junction (Map, p209) which may lead down to El Ayn (now accessible by tarmac from ‘Acacia Drive’.
Update 4.14 Feb 2025: Possible new crossing into Mauritania
A ~200-km link from Smara through the Bern to Bir Mogrein in northern Mauritania? Not happening any time soon but read more about it here.
Update 4.13 Feb 2025: Route A5 p212 and A11 p229
Coming down A11, soon after leaving Agmour the valleyside track is blocked. You enter and cross the oued sooner, although this scenic passage south to ‘Acacia Drive’ still remains doable on any moto (below) or a car with clearance, as it was before The Floods. There are short sandy oued crossings, then once past the in-oued fork for the old way and on the far side, the track is being tarmaced to El Ayn (OUT). Later, divert around a new ford that’s being built a bit before joining Acacia Drive.
We found the A5 track towards Tanzida sandy and even thick bull dust way before KM123. Don’t know where that all came from, unless a truck rally came through. There is still loads of room to either side but big bikes on road tyres be warned: once things get sandy pick your way alongside the track until you reach the Gap to drop into the stony oued for Tanzida.
Where the road joins the N17 border highway they’re building a fuel station. I’d give it a month or three.
We also verified the 26.5-km OUT from Route A11 KM31 westwards to near Ait Semgane on the Tasla road to Agdz. Six km in at Al Fouggara village with several ruined kasbahs, new tarmac leads the remaining 20.5km towards Ait Semgane, passing Zaouia Ouzdine to join the road at 30.5968, -6.6770, 1.5km west of Ait Semgane. Along with the other OUT east of KM20.5 ‘White Sign Junction’ to Tinzouline, these two VORs open up the hills south of Agdz. See map below.
Update 4.12 – Jan 2025. Wpts errors p92–106, 148-157 and 220-221
Oh dear. I thought I had a better system for error-free waypoints this time round but it’s all pasted by hand from the map to app so repetitions and errors slipped in and weren’t spotted. I blame my Magic Mouse. Thanks to Emile B for spotting these in the High Atlas and Saghro. Roll on the reprint.
H2 KM180 should = 31.4131, 6.0029
H3 KM0 = 31.6460, -7.4727
H6 KM127 = 31.9941, -6.1444
H7 KM118 = 31.6626, -6.4271
H7 KM198 = 31.7600, -6.3173
H7 KM219 = 31.9451, -6.0880
H7 KM261 = 32.0642, -5.9353
H8 KM69 = 32.4983, -5.1754
H9 KM19 = 32.1033, -5.5253
Z5 KM123.5 = 30.6745, -6.4074
Z8 KM43 = 31.1726, -5.4178
Z9 KM133 = 30.8897, -5.3953
A7 KM60 = 30.3289, -7.1573
A9 KM0 = 30.6945, -6.4593 – Afriquia W end of Adgz
Update 4.11 – Jan 2025. p16; Insurance in Nador
Head 12km to RMA Assurance Anas here (35.1796, -2.9269), behind the Hotel Ryad. More on the link below.
Updates 4.10 – Jan 2025. p168, 170, 171 and p229 A11
Blue text says 2km from S1. Should of course say S2 as you are on S1.
Dave B also found repeated wpts on p171, Route S2 (pictured) below. And Vincent T noted KM81 on p170 should be 29.8459, -6.2040. Clearly I was not on form this day! Dave also noted the first waypoint of A11 on p229 is actually in Ouarzazate. The correct waypoint for Agdz south fuel is 30.6920, -6.4473. Thanks to all for calling these in.
137 (79) 29.7502, -6.5920 is is correct, the next three are as below in red. Mark up your book.
161 (55) 29.7203, -6.6769
A track heads NW to catch up at KM177.
170 (46) 29.7262, -6.9110
Key point. By two signs and a red-topped post, turn N. S3 carries on W. Go N then angle NW and at KM173 fork left (NW). At KM175 (29.7502, -6.5920) the track arcs N.
177 (39) 29.787, -6.9188
Junction with the KM161 short-cut. Turn left (NW) The jagged ridge of Jebel n’Ouhsour comes into view.
Update 4.9 – Dec 2024 – p106 Route H9; ‘OUT’ from Imilchil
According to recent reports anything bigger than an agile enduro bike may struggle to reach H9KM47 (32.0953, -W5.7102; purple star below) from Bou Azmou (also the TMT). And all will struggle even more to get west of that point down into the oued at H9KM59 (blocked/closed Nov ’24).
But nevertheless, at KM47 (2700m) an Unverified Other Track (‘OUT’) comes up from the northeast, 24km from the village of Oueddi (32.1210, -5.6934), the tarmac ending a few kms SW of the village (black circle). From Imilchil it’s less than 9km along a populated and cultivated valley to Oueddi. This is also part of an as-yet unverified diversion on the RoC.
The route appears clear on Google sat imagery; ESRI sources show not much at all, but all will predate the floods which wrecked H9.
Assuming access to Anergui via the full length of H9 remains difficult, you could do no worse than hack out to KM47 along H9/TMT, then take the diversion via Oueddi back to Imilchil, then tell us all about it.
Correction 4.8 – Dec 2024 – p168 – wrong photo
Don’t know how they managed that. Should look like this: stony, rim-bending hell, or as the RoC says: ‘an unbelievably rough track full of embedded stones that shake you to your core.’
Update 4.7 – Dec 2024 – Morocco 4 pre-orders sent out
Over 200 specially air-freighted copies of Morocco Overland 4 got sent out to 25 countries yesterday. The bulk is on a container ship somewhere and heading for the UK. They say it’ll be in UK shops from February.
Update 4.7 – Dec 2024 – Customs forms required again if leaving vehicle in Morocco
Implementation is random, details, instructions and floor plan for Marrakech Menara. The process might add 20 mins to your departure.
Update 4.6 – Dec 2024 – Route F2
We reversed F2 (or the westbound TMT) from Aouinet Lahna/Torkoz to the road from nowhere which rises over Jebel Rich. Road’s end at KM101.5 in the book is actually more like KM105 (28.3384, -10.3819), just before you plough into the Draa which has been carved back into shape. A good track continues to the gardens at Hassi Delouine. Hereafter grit your teeth for a thorough BLV hiding of around 14km to the stone hut at KM123 by the book where an OUT heads down to the Draa river channel. At this point the eastbound misery relents, or is replaced by sandy tracks which can require commitment on a moto. Presently you get to the heavenly and all too brief Dakar chotts (claypans, below) and then join a new track at book: KM157 28.4090, -9.9134 true: KM156 N28.4090 W9.9134. This track is probably going to Taskala, sat in a gap in the range 14km to the WNW, and not connecting with Hassi Delouine any time soon.
From here you reach the ford and tirn NNE as the book says, and parallel the new track on and off where several bridges were being finished (Dec’ 2024), before rolling into Aouinat Lahna/Torkoz. All in all, my virtual but thin description in the book was well judged.
At Khenig el Adam on Route F3, we took the more used track NW of the village which reaches the N1 highway in about 25km with a few lefts and rights you’ll need to judge carefully with a map. It comes in about 13km NE of where the F3 from Ain Kerma joins the N1, just before the Draa bridge and checkpoint. All in all, a nifty VOR, but I think sticking to the F3 may have been quicker and not much rougher to Ain Kerma. From there I hear it’s good piste over a small Draa bridge to the road.
Update 4.5 – Dec 2024 – Route W6 and around
Route W6 through the Tazegzaoute canyon is fine, as is the W5 haul road, though it’s doubtful the stony Assif n-Int canyon will be fun on a big moto. Nearby Aoukerda has been virtually abandoned and the palmeries right down the Smouguene canyon (ROI) from Igmir to Smouguene all swept away.
Update 4.4 – Nov 2024 – Routes A2, A3, A5, A6, A7
The A3 climb from Assrekis village up to the Tawzart pass is badly eroded all the way to the Anissi junction opposite Mzzougt and on to Anissi itself. From Anissi out of the canyon and west to Pen junction with A2 before the Taslemt pass is all manageable, as is the pass. More about that region (below) here or in the book.
The final piste stage of Route A6 to Akka Iguirn is a bit rougher than before with a few stony sandy creek crossings. The ford at A6KM131 by the well has been buried; a new track crosses the oued to the right by the well and trough. Fork right just before the stone hut.
Up in the hills it would be interesting to hear what shape the Haroun and Anissi canyons (A5 and A6) are in. Bad and getting worse by the year, I imagine.
By the time you get on A7 (above right) they’ll have probably finished sealing the route between Mawas (~KM49) and Amtazguine (KM65.5). From the Issil loop turn-off (KM32), up over the jebel (below) and down to Mawas is all good piste with great views.
Update 4.3 – Nov 2024 – Route A11, KM20.5; OUT to Tinzolin now a VOR
A11 is a fun route between Agdz and Bleida; as smooth as a track gets in places as it climbs and drops over the hills. At white sign junction (KM20.5) we rode the VOR east 30km to the to N9 (it’s another 10km south to Tinzolin).
It’s a straightforward run along a valley with regular farms and smallholdings, except that it’s rougher and sandier in some oueds than A11, and just before another white sign junction alongside Tazminakht, at 30.5574, -6.3071 turn south over the oued and up the hillside (below) to detour around the cut-off track and debris filled oued.
Drop down, cross the big oued and rejoin the cut-off track from Tazminakht, and carry on east, joining the N9 by a compound festooned with red flags and a red and white radio mast at 30.5766, -6.1492.
Update 4.2 – Nov 2024 – Routes A3/A5
Now verified: see 4.4 above.
Update 4.1 – November 2024 – Google Maps error
Just noticed Google Maps have finally renumbered the old N12 ‘Desert Highway’.
Except they haven’t replaced it with N17 which is what it’s called now, but ‘N21’ between Rissani and Guelmin.
I haven’t checked for other added road numbering errors on GM but I presume that’s what it is, further adding to the confusion.
Morocco revised it’s road numbering years ago. Everyone updated thbeir maps except Google. It’s unsure why. Bing Maps show the N17 running right across the country from west of Boudenib to north of Smara. It may extend further from each end.
The real N21 is Assa > Guelmim > Sidi Ifni, as listed on the first post of this thread.
Update 4.0 – October 2024 – Flood damage
Morocco 4 may not be in the shops till January 2025 but this first update addresses the severe floods of September 2024 which in places saw a year’s rainfall in two days. The province of Tata (W region on the map above) was especially badly hit, but the entire south from Tan-Tan to Figuig was affected.
February 2023 saw similar disruption in the south, except that included snow as well.
Diversions get quickly dug around missing sections of road or destroyed bridges. On the piste damage is most evident on steep inclines or in riverbeds. On the former the gravel capping which covers the rough bedrock below gets flushed away (below left; W8) and riverbeds get smothered with debris (below right; S5).
As explained in the book, the impact of run-off gets amplified at lower elevations where the mass of water and debris are greater. Expect just about every route south of the High Atlas to have been affected, right down to the Algeria border where the usually dry lake bed Iriki was flooded for the first time in 20 years (below).
The lake will dry out but pistes which see little local traffic or are BLVs may take months to have their surface capping shovelled back by local road crews. Providing no more rain falls, you can expect most southern pistes to be back in good shape by the spring of 2025. Small local motorbikes usually blaze the trail; passing cars then level-off steep banks. Until that time, big motos or 4×4 can expect longer and more effortful transits than described in the book.
Sahara Overland 