UKC

Love the climbing in morocco and its super cheap, seems like a good place to go for the winter. 

Does anyone have any experience with driving a van to the Anti Atlas or Atlas and living out of it during the winter ?

Do I need snowchains ?

Is van life tolerated ?

Anything else thats important to know ?

I think george_surf and Rachel had a pretty tricky time there last year. I think the rules about staying in a van have changed to make it more difficult.

Had a very tricky time just cycling round at the start of this year. They're not very keen on wild vanning in the mountains. However there is a big community of van/ RV people in Tafraoute parked up for free there - which seems very much tolerated, and is an amazing place to hang out.

Why not support the local economy and stay at one of the hotel camping car sites which have all the facilities you require.

Dossing in Tafroute will not be tolerated for much longer and takes up valuable parking.

If I was around tafroute i'd totaly use the car camping areas and contribute to the local economy (As I have done in the past),  but Taf is a fair trek from some of the mountain crags such as dragon rock and I guess my question was if I wanted to stay under a crag for an evening to avoid a 2hr round trip would it be tolerated. 

Thanks for the responses, really helpful

I’ve not been in this particular situation but a general rule of thumb as a rich person in a poor place would be that paying people money can increase their tolerance. 

And spoil it for everyone else in the future. This is the sort of selfish act that'll get climbing banned

So when people come to the lakes or snowdonia and decide to camp under scafell or cloggy is that counted as a selfish act? 

Every time I've been to Morocco I've eaten out every night and bought from local shops, I didn't come here to be ridiculed and called selfish for simply asking the question is sleeping in a layby in the middle of nowhere legal in morocco. 

Without knowing my itinerary Steve what makes you think I'll be acting selfishly ? 

Camping under Scafell crag etc is completely different to what you have asked. 1.5 hours walk with camping and climbing kit will put all but the keenest off the idea.

Staying 'under' the crag in your van could be more likened to staying in the van by the lakeshore in Wasdale (as many were last night) and yes that would be considered a selfish act that may well lead to access issues for all. Lay-by overnighting is now well out of hand in the Lakes and many other places, but that's another story.

I guess best thing you can do if going in the van is to use a camping ground and if that isn't available maybe a nearby hotel car park with an agreed nightly rate for the privilege.

Hope the trip works out and you have a good time out there

We're very lucky that Morocco is a liberal Muslim country and that the people are very welcoming. But we shouldn't take that for granted and behave as we would in the UK as what is acceptable in the UK is not necessarily acceptable in Morocco. It wouldn't take much in the way of being disrespectful to their culture for there to be a backlash against westerners.

I understand that Steve, hence why I posted on this forum to get some "constructive advice" 

I'm fairly sure if I was of a selfish nature I wouldn't have bothered and would continue to go on my travels oblivious to what customs and laws I would have been breaking 

You shouldn't need snow chains. The pass between Marakech and Ouarzazate is sometimes closed in the winter with snow, but in the grand scheme of things this shouldn't cause you any problems on a long trip. The Toubkal area should be fine, as will access to Todra from the south. We've been up to various parts of the Atlas throughout the winter and never needed chains. 

As for the Anti-Atlas... the situation has changed here in the last 2 years. Overnight stays are no longer permitted in the mountains of Jebel Taskra or Jebel el kest, and this is being enforced by local authorities. Numerous people have been moved on last season, and it is with legal basis. However - the local populations are still friendly and welcoming, and you can still have a wonderful time spending the winter in a van. Places like the Ksar Rock guest house might let you stay in your van legally for a small charge, and you may find similar in Tanalt and Idaougnidif.

The easiest solution would be to start in Tafraout or Ameln, where numerous campsites are available for only a few Euros per night. Once there you might be able to make arrangements to stay somewhere legally round on the north side. 

Remember to do your vehicle import paperwork in advance - its available online. 

I can't help you with the original questions but I would say, ignore the negative comments. Some people think that arguing on the internet is a productive way to spend their threescore years and ten.

In a nutshell, van life IS tolerated, but not universally and free camping isn't tolerated everywhere either.

Things have changed markedly following the murder of two trekkers on Toubkal in Dec 2018. 

Moroccan authorities now deem free, van camping to be potentially risky and unsafe and so is no longer tolerated. Once parked up for the night, expect a visit from the police, military or other government agents. The latter includes locally appointed officials from rural cercles (districts). You will simply be told to move on as you're not deemed to be staying in a safe location.

Guarded, urban or semi-urban parking areas and enclosed campgrounds within or on the periphery of urban areas are deemed 'safe' and you'll be told to move to one of these. Other than in Ait Baha or Tafraout, obviously there are none of these anywhere near most of the climbing areas in the Anti Atlas.

The more laissez faire free situation in Tafraout is perhaps atypical of the rest of the Anti Atlas, but only to a degree. Earlier this year I noticed no overnight parking signs at the Painted Rocks. However, there are two huge campervan/motor home parks on the south west margin of the town.

This blog is worth a read as it gives a first hand account of one van lifer's experiences:

https://theyellowsoundmachine.com/vanlife-in-morocco-free-camping/

HTH

Dave