Morocco

MOROCCO ADVENTURE SAFARI�S 2008

Welcome to the Land Rover Owner Magazine Adventure Club, the aim of the club is to encourage owners of Land Rover and other 4x4 products to take part and participate in a variety of off-road events in a controlled environment. To encourage Land Rover and 4x4 owners to utilise the true potential of their vehicle. Ensuring maximum adventure and fun, with minimum effort and hopefully no damage to their vehicle or themselves.

Membership is free to subscribers of LRO International and offers them various discounts on entry fees to certain events and discounts off of some products. But please remember the club is for you the reader of LRO and the 4x4 owner, anyone is welcome to come along and participate on any of the events. It is there for you to sample and experience off-road driving under the watchful eye of the countries leading off-road instructors in and over a variety of differing terrain.

This year in addition to our already successful driving and training weekends at various locations around the country, and as well as the enormously popular Wild Adventure safaris in Wales and Wiltshire we are offering sanitised adventures in Europe and North Africa. Utilising Vince Cobley�s knowledge of exciting locations in France, Spain, Croatia/Bosnia, Austria and Morocco the club is co-ordinating various events overseas, from 2-5 day adventures in France to the 17 day tour through the awesome mountains and deserts of Morocco. The trips will be aimed to accommodate people from all walks of life whatever their experience and whatever their vehicle with or without the family! For those who wish to stay closer to home but would like to taste the spirit of adventure in a unique environment we are in the process of organising family fun days with an off-road and cultural theme at previously unused and historic venues.
Please find a brief explanation and schedule for a variety of adventure trips to be planned or all ready in place for this year. Some of these events will have a minimum and maximum number and subject to numbers the club reserves the right to change schedules or cancel events. Visit the club website for more info at WWW.lroac.com

Co-ordinated by: Pro-Trax Off Road Adventures, Cromwell House, 2 Debdale, Stoke Albany, Leic�s, LE16 8NX. Website: www.lroac.com, E-Mail: lroevents@aol.com Phone: 01858 535552 Fax: 08701604729

MOROCCO ADVENTURE SAFARI�S 2008

Morocco is certainly Europe�s nearest African neighbour with glimpses of settlements and traffic clearly visible across the Straits of Gibraltar. Yet Morocco is a very different world. In its 700,000 sq. km there are long sandy beaches for the fun loving watersport enthusiasts, towering snow capped mountains with ski resorts, expanses of barren desert for the intrepid traveller, ancient cave drawings and striking Roman ruins for the historian. Along with crowded weekly markets, ancient dwellings, primitive agriculture and quaint mud built houses (ksour). There is the pink Morocco of the spring almond blossom, the green Morocco of the olive tree plantations and fertile valleys, the creamy white dwellings and the deep black Morocco of a Saharan night. The senses record the mixed
spices of the souq, the smell of mint tea and donkeys linger in the air, the taste of tagine and the sound of the mosques calling the faithful to prayer.

Morocco is not a place to look at; it is a country to be absorbed!

From its agricultural land in between Fez and Tangier, to the Atlas Mountains, which carve the country in two and then down to the Sahara desert, Morocco�s terrain is one of the most diversified and adventurous in the world.

Our adventure starts in Estopona, which is on the coast road between Malaga and Algiciras from where we board the ferry for Ceuta to start our amazing adventure. Our first overnight stop will in Meknes, this will have been a long day so I am sure you will eat and go to bed!. Moving on down from Ifrane and Michliffen where the huge cedar forest begin, this is the ski capital of Morocco and the tracks and trails through the forests in the foothills of the Atlas are amazing. Down to Kinifra and Imichil before starting our journey through the Todra Gorge (if you have seen pictures of the Grand Canyon then this Gorge is similar)

And onto Nkob where incredible views and fantastic mountain roads await you!

Before we reach Zagora you see a noticeable change in the environment and terrain as palm trees start to emerge and the obvious sign of sand replaces the stone and dust of the mountain trails. Zagora as been a trading town for thousands of years, on the edge of the Sahara it is home to nomads, Berbers and travellers from many nations who use it as a staging post for the Sahara.

Into the desert for the first time you will be amazed by its bareness and lack of sand as the ground seems black from the sunburnt pebbles.
From Zagora we start crossing dry riverbeds, take mountain trails, follow in the path of the Paris-Dakar rally as we follow closely the Algerian border through dry salt lakes, small dunes along the route to Mazouga. And all of a sudden in the shimmering distance you can make out the blurred vision of mountains of sand. This is Erg Chebbi, which we approach from Zagora, Erg Chebbi are Morocco�s highest dunes where you will have a chance to follow in the footsteps of the Paris-Dakar rally that used this as a stage for many years. On the perimeter of the dunes are scattered many small desert oasis with small hotels and cafes where you can take a well deserved rest while sipping mint tea in the sun drenched courtyards. For the more adventurous of you, the camels await to make you feel sea sick as you go with these ships of the desert on a few hour camel train journey into the dunes.

With a day or two to explore this region before we head back across the desert towards Errachidia, Rich and Fez on the journey home, sadness already in your heart as you leave this wonderful country behind, winding down a few clicks from normal life and promising to come back again. Our last 2 night�s are spent at the 5 star Merindes hotel in Fes (�44 pp B&B) here you have one whole day where you will be free to absorb the medinas and the culture of this magnificent city.

You have the choice of camping or using a mixture of budget hotels, it is possible to spend a few nights under the stars in the mountains and desert where we will cook food purchased on route or brought with us.
This is a moment to enjoy where around a campfire tales are told and lifetime friendships forged.

But please remember this is a driving trip, in order to see the magnificence of the Atlas mountains and Sahara desert in 10 days means we have to cover a lot of miles on 3 of or 4 our days.

The entry payable to us will be �985 per vehicle based on two people in one vehicle this also includes 1 night at the Nomad Palace Berber camp in Mazouga on a D,B&B basis, your entry fee, all camp site fees in Morocco, the Algiciras to Ceuta ferry , this way you also live the event! We will of course try and find campsites close to hotels for those wish a little hospitality and comfort. The remaining hotels and campsites are at your own expense. Additional passengers are charged at �150 each which includes all of the above

The fee payable to us is based on having 8-vehicles minimum for the trip, we will also negotiate special discount deals for you with P&O for the ferry from Portsmouth to Bilboa, I expect this again to be around �545 return next year based on one vehicle with a berth for 2 people. Please note that the August trip will have an additional cost of �100 on the entry fee to cover the higher ferry crossing and the Portsmouth-Bilboa ferry will cost approx �770 in August?

Our 2008 Moroccan Adventure�s will leave Portsmouth on April 4th-22nd, June: 6th-24th, August 8th-26th, October: 10th-28th

Al dates may vary by a day either way as and when P&O confirm sailings

All of our safaris are designed to be achieved with well-prepared and unmodified vehicles, we are there to assist and help you achieve this at a sensible cost. The LRO Adventure Club support vehicles and guides will be on hand to assist and recover should any situation require it. We will carry basic medical equipment, recovery equipment tools and some spares but only for 200 & 300Tdi Land Rovers, we require you to carry certain items, see equipment and parts list later.

Before leaving get all oils changed, a good service and have a good visual inspection of the vehicle done, make sure brakes are good enough for the whole trip, and the clutch is up to desert driving.

The terrain and driving conditions will vary as we get further south, from fast motorways to winding coast roads, once in Morocco tarmac and gravel prevail in the north, with shale and gravel tracks becoming more predominant as we get into the Atlas mountains. Once into the desert we get sand, volcanic rock, and the dreaded desert thorns, if you are unlucky!

Momentum is the key with most off-road driving and certainly is a technique that will need to be mastered once in the sand of Erg Chebbi. Most days our average speed across tracks and desert will be between 15 & 30 mph but once onto main roads we should sustain 45-60 mph depending on the type of road and traffic conditions.

All terrain or even road tyre patterns are suitable for the Moroccan safari, but please ensure your tyres are in good condition with at least 80% wear left, the desert and barren surrounds are infamous for causing damage and excessive wear to tyres.

You must be able to cover 250 miles in Morocco without refuelling so please if you think you require it bring along one Jerry can, and check the seals! We work on 22 mpg for petrol and 24 mpg for diesel engines in Morocco.

LRO�s Adventures staff on these trips are all experienced off-road drivers with a good knowledge of vehicle mechanics and possible problems.
But careful checking and sympathetic driving will minimise wear and tear on the vehicle and tyres.

Vehicle documentation is very important, as are passports, driving licences, MOT�s as well as a green card for Morocco.
Please bring original paperwork along and 2 photo copies of all documents just in case, it is worth while bringing along 2-3 passport sized photo�s as well, again just in case. If the vehicle is a company vehicle please make sure you have a letter giving you permission to use and drive the vehicle during the dates we are away. Insurance can be bought at the Moroccan border. We also ask all entrants to take out travel insurance and vehicle breakdown cover, you will not get breakdown cover for Morocco but we will do our hardest to get any broken down vehicle back to Spain.

Camping equipment is down to personnel preference but make sure your tents and sleeping bag are up to cold or even freezing nights in the desert? Camp beds or insulation sleeping mats are good, but of utmost importance is to ensure you take some tent pegs that are extra long and of a type that can grip in soft sand as well as pegs for rocky stony ground!!, I have seen standard ones come out and the tents have blown away on a windy night! Cooking and eating utensils are a must and make sure you bring or stock up with food in Spain (Estopona supermarket) before we arrive in Morocco. A 20-25 litre water container is recommended as a minimum requirement.

A good first aid kit with aspirin if you are not allergic to it, diarrhoea tablets/powder, sun cream and a sterile emergency medical kit. Torch and flashing light, flares, high-energy survival food (Kendal mint cake), and binoculars. Some of our staff have basic expedition medical training and we will carry a comprehensive first aid kit.

For maps, the best you can get locally to you is the Michelin map of Morocco but Stanfords in London do better and higher detail maps. CB radios are a must and very helpful but are illegal in Morocco so if fitted please make sure they can be taken out and hidden along with the aerials and cable when we cross the border into Morocco.
Vehicle equipment:
1 Good spare wheel
D or Bow shackles, 2 at least and 4 � tonnes tested
Kinetic or a good long recovery rope, at least 5- 10 metres long
A tree strop to act as a bridle for certain vehicles
Front (if possible) and rear recovery points
High lift jack (not a necessity)
Gloves
Shovel suitable for sand digging!
Tyre inflation system, pressure gauge, inner tube, puncture repair kits, Small basic tool kit
Fire extinguisher
Boxes or similar to put your equipment in
Straps and tie downs to secure kit
Table and chairs, ground sheet

Spares:

Try and get a sale or return deal from a local garage/dealer
Spark plugs, distributor cap, points, condenser, rotor arm and leads
Drive belts and hoses
Oil seals and one wheel bearing
Air and fuel filter
Grease and grease gun (the desert plays havoc with propshaft UJ�s)
Oils for engine, power steering, brakes, diffs
Various sealant and repair glues, hose bandages etc.
Various nuts, bolts and fuses etc.

Each evening we will check our vehicles over and grease them occasionally, if you suspect a problem on route stop and check. The group as a responsibility for all its members, we can help each other.

We recommend that if this type of adventure is new to you then you should join us on one of our 4x4 driving courses which Pro-Trax run weekly and which we will give you 20% discount. Also approx. 5-6 weeks before we leave I will arrange a meeting for each safari somewhere in the midlands so we get to know one another and possible introduce ourselves to travelling companions.

This safari is not and will not be allowed to turn into a drunken romp across the desert; anybody not sticking to the rules and regulations of the trip could endanger themselves and other travelling companions.
We reserve the right at anytime if necessary to eject anyone from the event who is causing a nuisance or intentionally upsetting the smooth running and happiness of the safari.

Please bring suitable outdoor clothing and boots for a varied climate and terrain!, you can never tell what the weather will do these days!

ADDITIONAL MOROCCO SAFARI ADVENTURE
INFORMATION 2008

THOSE WHO JOIN US WILL RECIEVE COMPREHENSIVE INSTRUCTIONS AND A LIST OF ALL REQUIREMENTS.

�	The estimated return fare with P&O Portsmouth-Bilboa for Land Rover 110 with roofrack carrying two passengers and a berth both ways is approx. �545 (we get you the tickets, August will be more expensive).

�	To work fuel costs, expect to travel around 1600 miles in Spain & 1600 miles in Morocco�..remember fuel is � Uk price in Morocco!

�	Day 4: 6.30am start and catch the ferry from Algiciras to Ceuta and heading Meknes for our first night of adventure in Morocco

�	DOCUMENTS; Make sure you bring along all vehicle documents (duplicated) If a company vehicle is being used then you need a letter of permission for you to use the vehicle in Morocco. A valid green card can be difficult to obtain for Morocco but can be purchased on the dock at Ceuta for around �50.

�	Before leaving ensure your vehicle has a thorough service and check over, tyres should have at least 70% wear left as desert and mountain driving is hard on them.

�	Spares and tools , we will carry some for Land Rover 2/300tdi/TD5

�	Fuel is readily available but bring one Jerry can

�	CB radio, very useful but illegal in Morocco so we take a chance! GPS can be useful but not an essential

�	Recovery items: rope, shovel, shackles, tyre inflation systems, tyre pressure gauge, inner tubes and repair kits, fire extinguisher

�	Food & water: carry some from England but you can fill up with meat, cheese, bread etc. in Estopona or Malaga. Some food and drink can be purchased in Morocco and the freshly baked bread is a must! Bring one five-litre water carrier and a compact one.

�	Hotels in Spain are from �30 per person, while in Morocco they vary from �11 -�44 per person, camping works out around �4 per night pp

OFF-ROAD DRIVING & 4X4 DRIVER TRAINING DAYS

As many of you are aware for many years Vince as been involved in the off-road training field, starting in the early 80�s competing on events eventually being one of the first competitors to compete on tough off-road events world wide.

Vince�s expertise and techniques are second to none, being gained from working and operating in a variety of terrain and weather conditions around the globe. This knowledge as helped Vince and Pro-Trax become one of Europe�s leading off-road schools gaining contracts with the Red Cross, VSO, NGO�s various Charities, Raleigh International, Conrico (Land Rovers overseas export dept�). The list includes many more companies and individuals who require training to drive in some of the worlds most inhospitable terrain. This knowledge alongside Vince�s well proven training skills ensures that you the LRO reader and club member have access to some of the best 4x4 driver training available at present in the country.

Warn Industries, the winch manufacturers hold Vince in high esteem and regularly use Pro-Trax and Vince to test and evaluate new equipment. Our knowledge of winching skills and practices provides support to our bi-monthly winching and recovery courses.

The 4x4 driver training days are designed to be budget price introductory course to off-road driving techniques and practices. Using your own vehicle under the watchful eye of Vince and the team, throughout the day you will undertake failed hill climbs, learn about momentum and wading techniques, try steep descents and tackle hazards like ditch crossings and ramp breakovers, hone your ground reading skills and much more. All of this is preceded by a theory lesson in the classroom to give you an insight into the 4x4 mechanics designed to help you understand what a diff does and exactly what transmission wind up really is.

�Pro-Trax
Vince Cobley
Managing Director
Pro-Trax Off-Road Adventures.