29 March to 9 April 2014
hen Crosby, Stills & Nash sang about the Marrakech Express in 1966 the Citroen 2CV was Walready an iconic little car - especially with the hippies. Today the era of free love, flower power, the Beatles, Swinging London, Twiggy and Biba are largely behind us but the evergreen 2CV lives on and has become symbolic of the quirky French motoring of the period.
Its eccentric styling and ride, minimal interior and tin snail epithet have made it the personification of the long lost age of simplicity and innocence.
The hippies have wilted but the 2CV remains and we will celebrate its extraordinary appeal with a rally through the Morocco of the song - our very own Marrakech Express.
From the coast to the Atlas Mountains, from plush landscapes to desert, from tiny communities to exotic Marrakech, the rally explores it all. Here David Lean filmed Lawrence of Arabia, and Indian Jones went in search of the Lost Ark and the Temple of Doom. The Mummy and Gladiator were also block busters filmed in the deserts of Morocco.
We explore the network of roads less travelled including the fabulous Todra Gorge. We find tracks in the desert, visit Souks and watch the sunsets, try a Tagine of lamb and eat at a desert camp – all bringing you an authentic experience of this fabulous country.
The Route
Day 1 – Malaga to Tarifa Day 3 – Fes to Midelt The rally starts in the southern Spanish town of Malaga Leaving Fes we head south as we chase the peaks of the which has frequent flights from around Europe. On the Atlas Mountains. The green landscape around El day you arrive, you collect your car and familiarise your- Menzel starts to turn to yellow as the desert sands self with it. From here we drive to Tarifa to take a fast encroach. The roads through El Menzel are magnificent ferry to Tangier. with mountain passes, broken up by the respite of a flat and welcoming straight section. In Missour we are on Day 2 – Tarifa to Tangier to Fes the home straight to welcome evening halt at Midelt. The rally starts in earnest the next day in Tangier when we take the routes less travelled to Fes. The fabulous Day 4 – Midelt to Erfoud roads of Morocco beckon as we head through the A tough but fantastic day today as we head through the foothills towards this Gorge of Todra, one of the most spectacular drives in pretty town, the the rally. Once through we head to Erfoud and a couple home of the Berber of nights in a desert camp. A true Moroccan community. Here, if you experience. have time, we strongly rec- ommend a visit to the Medina – take a guide or you will never find your 2CV Included way out! Day 5 Erfoud Day 11 Meknes to Tetouan Today we head out onto the desert to test your off-road Here we head north to Ouezzane in the Rif Mountains and driving skills. Sun, sand and … more sun and sand. before dropping down to Tetouan and a night on the beach to recharge the batteries. Today is the last Day 6 Erfoud to Ouarzazate competition section. Today we follow the southern route from Erfoud to the famous city of Ouarzazate. On the way we have a lunch Day 12 Tetouan to Malaga stop in Tazzarine, site of many petroglyphs – stone Straight to the fast ferry in the morning and then to carvings – more than 10,000 year’s old on the rocks on Malaga where we drop off the cars and get ready for the the way to N’Kob. Gala1 2/ 1 6 / 1 dinner3 and prize giving. R o u t e d e l ' A b a t t o D i r e c t i o n s t o A v e n u e Y o u s s e Day 7 Ouarzazate to Marrakech L o a d Of course there is a direct route to Marrakech but that’s too easy – and busy, so we take the route via Tazenakht and Douar Loulija and from there through the Atlas Mountain to Marrakech and very welcome day off.
Day 8 Marrakech Rest Day
Day 9 Marrakech to Kasbah Tadla Following the foothills of the Atlas mountains we head North for Kasbah Tadla via Beni Mellal. The scenery has now changed to a more verdant area with agriculture and greenery!
Day 10 Kasbah Tadla to Meknes A beautiful route away from the main road that takes you through one of the prime agricultural regions of Morocco to Meknes, an ancient capital of Morocco. © 2 0 1 3 G o o g l e M a p d a t a © 2 0 1 3 G Marrakech Express 2014 Day Route Night Stop KMs Hours Mar 29 Day 1 Fly to Malaga Tarifa 178 4 Collect cars/docs Mar 30 Day 2 Tarifa to Ferry to Tangier to Fes 330 6 Stages in mountains Mar 31 Day 3 Fes to Midelt 318 5.5 Stages April 1 Day 4 Midelt to Todra Gorge to Erfoud 397 8 via Gorge of Todra April 2 Day 5 Erfoud Erfoud 100 4 Desert Camp/stages April 3 Day 6 Erfoud to Ouarzazate 372 6 Desert run April 4 Day 7 Ouarzazate to Marrakech 421 8.5 Stages April 5 Day 8 Marrakech Marrakesh 0 0 Rest Day April 6 Day 9 Marrakech to Kasbah Tadla 297 6 Atlas Mountains April 7 Day 10 Kasbah Tadla to Meknes 252 5 Stages April 8 Day 11 Meknes to Tetouan 264 5.5 Stages April 9 Day 12 Tetouan to Ferry to Tarifa to Malaga 220 6 Gala dinner April 10 Depart 2971 60.5
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