Rekkam Plateau Morocco

[Tembo]

Hi All,
I have just joined the forum and this would be my first post. But have just completed a trip around the fairly remote Rekkam plateau in Eastern Morocco and along the Algerian border. This was the second trip to this area, the first taking place in 2013. The usual overland/4x4 corridor runs from Cueta/Tangier in the north across the Atlas mountains to Erg Chebbi and then back, possibly along the Draa river valley. But there is a massive, empty desert in the east that extends from the Atlas ranges to the Algerian border. When first planning the trip everyone said it was just boring, flat and nothing to see...but it was a big blank space on the map....of which there are not many left in the world, so it was an irresistible pull. A closer examination on Google Earth showed massive canyons, rocky hills and very few, if any settlements. Four vehicles went, departing from the UK. My open-top 1986 Land Rover 110 known as Tembo, a hand-built 300 Tdi Defender, another 200 Tdi Defender and a Vauxhall Frontera. We spent three weeks crossing the desert and along the remote areas along the Algerian border. Had a great time and now starting planning for a crossing of a sand sea in northwest Algeria.

 

[Gren_T]

Hi welcome to the forum, great photos, not been to that part of Morroco so thanks for the pointer.

regards
Gren

 

[Tembo]

Finally got around to loading up our trip video. Took about 12 hours as it is 20 min of HD. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn9tHcHNAxQ

But hopefully worth it in the end. Pondering another southern Morocco/Western Sahara trip for 2016...or possibly a crossing of the Grand Erg Occidental in NW Algeria. Going to cram in as much desert travel as I can get while still on this side of the Atlantic.
Merry Xmas all!

 

[shaggydoink]

I enjoyed the video so much I watched it twice! :smiley_drive: Thanks for sharing your adventure, it's something I aspire to do some day!

Jonathan

 

[traveldud]

so did I! need a ride along next year?

 

[v_man]

Looks like so much fun, how much much extra gas did u guys carry?

 

[jerdog53]

I spent two weeks in Morocco back in the 80s and was awestruck by how much different it is compared to every other place I had ever been, throughly loved it and would go back again in a heartbeat!

Love that Tembo truck!!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[JackW]

What beautiful scenery and a great film. Thanks for sharing - Morocco is a place I've always wanted to visit.

 

[Tembo]

Thanks for all the positive replies. It was great trip. I met with the group who went a couple of weeks ago and we decided to do one more in mid-September 2016. We wanted to pick up where we left off last time and finish the southern desert run out to the coast and then down into Western Sahara for beach run. I figure I still need more sand practice before I attempt the Grand Erg Occidental in Algeria...maybe in 2017. If anyone was interested in a ride-along (Traveldud)...John is having shoulder surgery in the spring and could probably use a co-driver for his 110.

 

[Tembo]

Hi V_Man,
We only carried one spare jerry can of diesel each. We planned the route so that every 3-4 days we would find a town and re-supply. In two trips none of us have gotten below a quarter tank. Since our speed rarely gets above 20mph we get pretty good mileage. In the dunes we burn more but like most deserts, it is more rock and gravel than endless dunes, so it didn't affect our fuel consumption too much.

 

[Tembo]

...and thanks for the compliments on Tembo jerdog53. It is a great truck and fantastic way to overland. It was featured in two articles in Land Rover Monthly in 2015. A bit unusual for a overlander it seems. I am thinking about adding a stripped down Land Rover Lightweight to the fleet for my son to drive when we do these trips. Would love a CJ-8 but impossible to come by over here in the UK.

 

[Dakar Dan]

Great report, Tembo. I backpacked around Morocco for a few weeks in the mid-'90s. This area, along with the whole desert border was only just beginning to open up again after a few years of skirmishes with Polisario. Deserts often appear stark and bleak but if you immerse yourself in them for more than a week at a time, you begin to notice their subtle beauty and flow. Maroc was a life-changing adventure for me back then and I often reflect on my experiences there.

 

[Tembo]

I do admit that deserts hold a strong attraction for me now. During my military days and after I had spent lots of time in jungles, mountains and the arctic (being Canadian)...but always seemed to miss desert travel opportunities. Now that I have done my first couple of trips I am definitely hooked. One thing that really appeals is that in the desert you aren't limited to this or that trail (where I have travelled anyway). You can just set a compass direction and go. In the mountains or jungle you can face some great challenges but are essentially limited to the tracks available. There was motto I read once: 'Many overlanders are those still attracted to the big, blank spaces on the map.' There aren't many left unfortunately, but there are a few if you look hard enough.

 

[Elbee]

Did you put a series radiator on your defender?

Also how was it crossing the border in Algeria with a military looking truck?

 

[unkamonkey]

Growing up, we either went to the mountains to be surrounded by pine trees or we went out to the grasslands and you were sitting in the middle of the prarie. As I got older, I can appreciate both of them. I go out to the Moab area and can climb to the top of a hill with a book and a beer and just enjoy the sunset or in the morning to be there to watch the sunrise. I'm not a religious sort but the closest I've ever felt to there being to a supreme being was sitting on a hill in Utah.