Getting ready for the trip to Morocco
First post
Atlas mountains (Shutterstock)
This is a trip I have been thinking about for a while. But I didn’t just want to drive to an airport and fly to Morocco. I wanted to use my favourite transport mode - my beloved motorcycle. And the KTM Super Adventure is well up for the task.
I have only made a very approximate plan of my route but it would basically look something like this: ride to Folkestone, Channel Tunnel to Calais, then ride through France but not planning to stop much. Take a bit longer going through Spain and then take the ferry to Morocco.
Considering I will be riding alone I would not test my riding skills on the local roads as they can be rather potty. Instead I will go for the boring but reliable toll roads to Marrakech.
There I will get a hotel that would store my bike while I join a group of fellow hikers going to climb Mt Toubkal.
One of the tricky things I had to think about is insurance. Bike insurance within the EU - not a problem. Travel insurance while hiking is also not a problem. But the bike insurance inside Morocco - a slightly bigger problem. You used to be able to get insurance in the UK. However I read stories where the Moroccan plod would not accept it and the riders had to quickly get the local insurance sorted. Apparently this should be straightforward at the ferry port.
Also to drive in Morocco if you are British you have to get an IDP - International Driving Permit. You have to specify which type which you can find out at the Driving abroad page on GOV UK or the Post office website. There are 3 types available in general: 1926, 1949 and 1968.
For Morocco you currently need version 1968. I got it at the Post office in Kidderminster.
Will probably get the bike serviced again in the Spring to make sure it’s OK. However the ride to Marrakech is not much bigger than when I rode to Slovenia in 2021 and 2022. Surely.
OK, after looking it up on Google Maps it is just under double the trip!!
About 1,100 miles to Ljubljana and about 2k to Marrakech.
Better get my butt saddle-ready.
Me on a bike between Bromyard and Worcester (Biker Pics)
External links: