14/10/2026
Friday 26th of March 27 to Monday 12th of April 27 Easter break
Time to book your Grenadier Trip of a life time! 4 booked already.
Morocco Atlas & Sahara
Ineos Grenadier Only
Itinerary
Friday, 26th : We meet on Friday evening to catch the 23.15 cruise ferry from Portsmouth to Santander. We need to be at check-in for at least 1hr before we sail. Please fuel up before the ferry; it saves time when getting off the ferry. We are on the ferry for two nights, plenty of time to relax and enjoy the crossing. [Ferry not included. Time to book Brittany Ferries!
Meeting point: Harbour Lights Beefeater, PO64SA. I will be there from about 18.00. UK/Arabic fuel stickers. Tesco’s fuel, PO6 4SR, is about half a mile away. Only about 2 miles from the ferry. Commodore Lounge will be open for drinks and nibbles if you have ungraded; normal bar is also open.
Saturday, 27th : 1.00pm UK [ship’s time]. Meet in the Tapas bar for a get-together.
Sunday, 28th: arrive in Santander at 8.00, re-group off the ferry and hit the road for our first night in Spain. Overnight at Hotel Monesterio, Paseo de Extrmadura 2, 06260 Monesterio. 8.30hr approx from the port, 450 miles on an empty motorway, with plenty of stops along the way, this is the meeting point for everyone, either by ferry or travelling through France and Spain.
Have you booked your Hotel Monesterio?
Monday, 29th : 7.00 in the morning, and it’s on the road towards Algeciras. This is a short journey on mainly empty motorways. We should be in Algeciras for lunchtime to catch the ferry to Morocco, with boarding cards and passports at the ready! [Morocco ferry is included] It’s about 50 miles to the seaside town of Asilah for our overnight campsite just off the beach. Basic campsite, great location.
We arrive at Tangers Med Port in Morocco, and you can buy vehicle insurance, third party, approx. £90 for 10 days for those who have not got a green card in the UK. You may also draw your money at the many ATMs. You can only get currency in Morocco. [UK insurance companies, as a rule, don’t cover Morocco apart from NFU & SAGA and then third party.
Orange Travel for an eSIM: purchase before entering Morocco and activate at the Spanish port.
Tuedday, 30th : We fuel up and hit the A1 Atlantic coast road towards Marrakech. It’s a toll road, but the quickest way to get where we need to be, Le Relais du Marrakech is one of the epicentres of the Overlanding world! It’s 300 miles, but it must be done and is worth it. Time to head into town for that must-have item in the souks or just chill in the Jemaa el-Fna square, watch the sun go down as the square becomes alive. Some may just wish to hang out by the pool at the Campsite, b**r/w**e and good food available. Motorway tolls are cash only and not expensive.
Wednesday, 31st : Into town for that last shop at the Carrefour supermarket, everything but alcohol available; it is amazing. Next stop Atlas Mountains, via Tiz-n-Test, classed as one of the most dangerous roads in the world, built by the French Foreign Legion, we head over the top and drop down towards Taliouine. This is where you may even see goats climbing trees. We turn back into the Atlas Mountains to spend our first night wild camping at about 2500 m. It will be chilly, with the backdrop of the highest mountain in North Africa Mount Toubkal. In the morning, there may be a touch of frost about, but the sunrise will be magical. [4 season sleeping bags a must!] We may only get as far as Taliouine, depending on whether there are any delays on the route? In which case it will be a campsite.
Thursday, 1st : Breakfast watching the sunrise over the mountains and straight onto the track along the spine of the Atlas, passed deserted villages and through canyons over rich lush meadows for sheep/goats and horses, we drop down and head through the Tiz-n-Bachkoum pass and drop down even further towards Foum-Zguid where we will pick up fresh bread and supplies before heading into the desert towards Lac Iriki. Here we will be wild camping tonight, after setting up camp, it’s time to sit back around the fire with a glass of w**e and look at the stars.
Friday, 2nd : the real driving starts here through soft sand over dried-out lakes, and Stoney outcrops it has it all. Here we will be passed by tourist Toyotas flying along in convoy, café restaurants/auberges in the middle of nowhere. It’s alive with everything your mind has imagined. Tonight, we will be wild camping, depending on how well we have travelled, through border villages not too far from Algeria, past old Foreign Legion forts and along the Oued Draa.
Saturday, 3rd is a short day, all things permitting! We travel through sand dunes and river beds before re-joining the road to Zagora. On arriving, we check in at Garage Iriki and Aziz and his team will check our vehicles over, grease the prop shafts, blow out the air filter and generally make sure you are safe!!! Next door to Garage Iriki is a brilliant auberge Chez-Ali, which we will check into for a break from camping: B&B included, swimming pool, fabulous gardens, and a b**r or 2. Garage Iriki is worth every penny, cost about £20 for the check over. Preventive maintenance is especially important on this kind of trek. Zagora is the town with the famous sign for Timbuctoo.
[All campsite fees in Morocco and one night at Chez-Ali included, if you upgrade to an Auberge/Hotel/Bedouin tent at any point that is up to you, and you cover the cost.]
Sunday, 4th : Vehicles refreshed, and yourselves, and it’s back into the desert, today the scenery changes beyond belief, becoming more mountainous with massive plateaux in between. Here we are heading towards the Erg Chebbi sand dunes. It’s a long day and we will need another night of wild camping before we get there. Today it’s mountains/plateau’s/sand dunes/dried-out riverbeds, salt lakes, everything in one day. Night-time under the stars
Monday, 5th : On the road towards Erg Chebbi, calling in at my old friends at Porta Sahara for tea/coffee, we should arrive in Merzouga around lunchtime, where we fuel up and get the meat from the butchers for the BBQ, and then head off to wild camp at Gara Medouar, famous for the films Spectre/ The Mummy/ Rogue SAS/ The Forgiven.
Tuesday, 6th : Today we head towards the Algerian border through river beds and along cliff faces until we work our way up onto the escarpment. Here you will see massive waterfalls but doubtfully any water when we get there. Today we are heading for Rekkam Boudnib camping. This French-owned campsite is voted the best in Morocco by overlanders and is a fabulous place to eat and drink.
Wednesday 7h : Just for a change, its tarmac all day, via Ar-Rachidia to Azrou. This route takes us through the Cedar Forests, with monkeys at the side of the road, with their handlers waiting for cash for pictures. We are on route to an evening that, on arriving, looks like a version of Disney Moroccan style; it’s different to say the least. It’s also a campsite. They do a mean tagine as well!
Thursday, 8th : Today we head into the Rif mountains, heading for Chefchaouen via Ifrane and Fes. Again, on tarmac, but as we travel up through the mountains the roads go from tarmac to track and back again. Chefchaouen, more commonly called the Blue & White City, is an incredibly special place to spend your last evening in Morocco. Tonight is at the only campsite in Chefchaouen, up on the hill with a fantastic view of the city. Walk down, get a petite taxi back.
Friday, 9th : Chefchaouen to Tangers Med to catch the ferry back to Algeciras. We jump on the motorway and cover 100 miles or so back into Spain. Hotel, we book when we know how the day is panning out.
Saturday, 10th : Travel from Algeciras to Salamanca, it’s a long day but worth it to stay in one of Spain’s jewels in the crown. Hotel to be booked on the way back.
Sunday, 11th : Salamanca to Santander, 8.00 start to make sure we catch the 14.00 sailing!
Monday, 12th : Arrive in Portsmouth at 17.30 and say our goodbyes.
We provide, guide vehicle with support equipment, first aid, recovery equipment, diagnostics, and tools, an experienced guide/first aider/defibrillator, mechanical knowledge.
You need to buy a CB unless you have one, about £130 with a mag mount from thunderpole.com. We need a good range to travel in the desert.
Ineos Grenadier parts/spares, diagnostics, led by an Ineos Grenadier owner with 100,000 miles of knowledge driving Grenadiers!
You must have good all-terrain tyres or better.
We will not accept Bridgestones, Goodyear Wranglers or General Grabbers
PLEASE REMEMBER THIS IS A DRIVING HOLIDAY.
ROUTE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS AND HOW THE GROUP TRAVELS AND IF WE HAVE ANY UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.
RUSS 0044 [44] 07974356516
