As we were leaving Iche, Mohamid came to say goodbye and asked if we were going to Tendrara via the road or the piste. So obviously, once we knew there was a track, that was the way we wanted to go.
50 km of backtracking from Iche. It is a narrow and winding road. Really very nice to drive as it finds its way through the range of hills. Then we turned north off the tarmac onto a wide, easy track heading towards a jebel.
The maps and sat nav were no use at all with this route. We knew we needed to cross the ridge without straying into Algeria so we simply followed the most likely looking tracks. Before long we were heading west, the wrong way, and ended up at a nomad camp. We turned around, waved at the nomads and tried another direction. This time we ended up at a well but we were slightly closer to the ridge. We crossed a couple of dried up oueds, found some more tracks and picked one heading towards a saddle. This was clearly a road less travelled. Disused, washed out in a couple of place and narrow but eventually it crested the ridge and led us down the other side.
Briefly, we thought we had cracked the route. A nice, well-used track took us in the right direction and we made good progress. Then it just sorted of petered out and we were left looking over the edge of a plateau. The cliffs spread out in a long east west line that we were going to have to cross to get further north. More backtracking and a long diversion to the east. Then we spotted a track heading straight for the plateau edge. We arrived at the descent not long before sunset. It looked promising as a way forward and also looked like a great place to camp. We parked up right on the edge. Cent and I did a reconnaissance of the way down while Diane prepared gin & tonic for sun-downers. Such is expedition life. The view was spectacular and the sunset terrific.
Plateau edge 
Getting down next morning proved to be straightforward. Care was needed but there was nothing too steep or dangerous. The dog and I had already worked out the route so we could tackle it confidently. Picking our way north because easier now. The tracks began to coalesce into a single route. We passed a few homesteads. The buildings were a bit more substantial than the nomad camps although there were typically some tents around them. Usually a few stone built walls and huts of different types. Also some agriculture going on. Not a lot but definitely a few growing crops.
Then suddenly, we rounded a hill and popped out onto an enormous road. No tarmac but clearly built to carry substantial traffic. This took us past Chott Tigri and then a small patch of sand dunes. Finally, we were out onto a wide-open flat plain and made very good time for the last 20 km or so to Tendrara. Just before the town, we came across a rather eerily deserted settlement by a disused train track. First railway track we have seen in Morocco.
Food and fuel in Tendrara and then we pushed on. North east from Tendrara is a big blank area on my map. Turns out this is a flat and, for the most part, featureless plain. We found a small hill to park up on. Gave us a view of sorts. Next day was simply driving across a flat plain on a myriad of small tracks. Eventually we found a reservoir that made a good spot for the night. Next day we re-joined the road having made the half day drive from Iche into a three day desert trek.
A view of sorts 
Desert reservoir 