Moroccan Atlas - The Trekking Guide

Alan Palmer first visited Morocco over 35 years ago and began trekking in the Atlas Mountains in the mid-1980s. His hiking adventures began serendipitously when he jumped aboard a shared taxi outside Bab er Robb, bound for the trailhead town of Asni, simply to escape the August heat of Marrakech. Once there he decided to climb Mt Toubkal, at 13,670 ft the highest mountain in North Africa, and made it to the top wearing nothing on his feet but a pair of flimsy lounge shoes. Since then he has travelled widely in Europe and Asia, often combining his trips with work as an archaeologist. He has trekked through some of the most spectacular mountainous regions of the Himalaya, Karakorum and Hindu Kush, and has contributed to two other guidebooks, Pakistan and The Silk Road, both by Insight Guides. Alan returns to Morocco as often as possible where he has recently been exploring new routes for inclusion in this book. In 2012 he founded Trek in Morocco, a company which specialises in organising fully personalized, tailor-made treks and tours throughout Morocco, for individuals and groups.

INTRODUCTION (1) PLANNING YOUR TRIP: With a group or on your own: Independent trekking, Group tours, Trekking agencies, Getting to Morocco: By air, By road, By rail, By ferry, Visas, Budgeting and costs: Accommodation and meals, Guides and transport, When to go: Climate, Ramadan, Route options: Planning your route, Jbel Toukbal, M'Goun Massif, Jbel Sirwa, Jbel Sahro, What to take: What to pack it all in, Sleeping bag, Footwear & foot car, Clothes, Toiletries, Medical and first-aid kits, Money, Photographic equipment, Recommended reading, Maps, Mountain safety: Trekking alone, Experience, Mountain rescue services, Health precautions: Who should avoid high-altitude treks? Pre-departure preparation, Inoculations, Insurance (2) MOROCCO Facts about Morocco and the Atlas Mountains: Geography, Historical outline, Morocco today Fauna and flora: Fauna, Birds of the Atlas Mountains, Flora Practical information for the visitor: Local transport 65 - Language 67 - Embassies and consulates, Electricity, Time and date, Opening hours, Holidays and festivals, Money, Keeping in touch, Media, Travelling in a Muslim country, Women in Islam, women travellers and sexual mores, Drugs, Food, Drink, Hammams, Toilets, Things to buy, Security, crime (3) MINIMUM IMPACT TREKKING: Environmental impact, Cultural impact, Economic impact (4) MARRAKESH: History, Arrival and departure, Local transport, Orientation, Where to stay, Where to eat, Nightlife, Services, What to see (5) OUARZAZATE: History, Arrival and departure, Local transport, Orientation, Where to stay, Where to eat, Nightlife, Services, What to see (6) ROUTE GUIDES: The Toubkal region, The M'goun region, The Sirwa region, Jbel Sahro (7) APPENDICES Arabic, French and Berber, Glossary, Health