Overlander's Handbook
Trip Reports
Morocco - 200Tdi Range Rover
| Who | Fraser Wenseth ~ email ~ website |
| Profession | Supermarket manager |
| Born 1971 | Nationality Scot |
| Previous travel experience | None overlanding, but plenty of 4x4 experience in UK |
| This trip | Tour of Morocco, down the south via the Atlas to W.Sahara and back up the Atlantic coast |
| Departure date | March 2007 |
| Number in group | 11, then down to 6 and back to 11 at the end |
| Trip duration | 27 days |
| Distance covered | 5200 miles |
| Cost of trip (not incl. vehicle) | Too scared to check - but it was worth it |
| Best day | Charging flat out across the smooth white surface of Lac Iriqi, soon after leaving the magical dunes of Erg Chigaga |
| Worst/ hardest day | Same day, driving the worst ever stony piste from Tagounite to Foum Zguid and getting a puncture. |
| Favourite place | The auberge just on the eastern outskirts of Nekob, what a view and real friendly owners. |
| Biggest headache | having a 3 door car means taking everything out to get to what's loaded at the front. |
| Wish I hadn't | packed so many clothes and food from the UK. |
| Most pleasant surprise | Getting the car back in one piece and covering the planned route in the planned time. |
| Any illness | Seasick en route to Bilbao, Deli Belly on the way home |
| Other trips planned | Libya would be nice in a couple of years |
| One overlanding tip | Put a large blanket over your luggage in the boot - it really keeps the dust off |
| Type of Vehicle | 200Tdi Range Rover 3 door |
| Age/ mileage on departure | 35 years old |
| Modifications | Turreted rear axle, so same shocks all round. 200 Tdi engine conversion, full size intercooler, variable turbo boost valve, back seats removed, bulkhead & dog guard behind front seats, internal roll cage. |
| Most useful accessory | plastic siphon for water transfer |
| Mods you wish you'd done | I did too many! |
| Tyres used | Greenway Machos 235 70 x 16 |
| Number of punctures |
| Vehicle's weak point | Transfer box leak |
| Vehicle's strong point | Comfort v's a 110 |
| Vehicle problems | Blew a pro-comp shock south of Merzouga and fan viscous coupling gave up (spares carried for both) |
| Same vehicle again? | Yes, although 5 door is better for access to your stuff |
| One driving tip | On really poor and rocky pistes, driving at 40mph isn't any rougher than driving at 5mph, just remember your wheels ain't touching the ground much so steering and brakes don't work so well. Stop now and again to let the dampers (and yourself) cool down |