Moroccan Atlas - The Trekking Guide

by Parmer, Alan

• ISBN13: 9781873756775
• ISBN10: 1873756771
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-03-01
• Publisher: Trail Blazer Pubns

Summary

Stretching 2000 km (1200 miles) from the Atlantic port of Agadir east to Tunisia the Atlas form one of the world's great trekking ranges. The High Atlas region in central Morocco is the most dramatic and beautiful section of the entire range. Towering peaks, deep gorges and huddled Berber villages enchant all who visit. Derived from Trailblazer'sTrekking in the Moroccan Atlas, this entirely rewalked and revised new title includes: 44 detailed trekking maps- showing route times, places to stay and points of interest. The best treks in:Toubkal, Sirwa, Sahro, M'goun. Practical information- planning your trip and getting to Morocco from Europe, North America and Australasia. Historical & cultural background- religion, art, cuisine and customs. Marrakech, Imlil, Taliouine, Ouarzazate, N'Kob, Boumalne du Dades, Azilal and Tabant- detailed street plans, where to stay, where to eat, what to see, and getting to the start of your trek. Green hiking & safety- how to stay healthy on your trek and minimize your impact on a fragile region.

Author Biography

Richard Knight is a former winner of the Travel South USA Young Travel Writer of the Year Award, and the author of Trailblazer's Blues Highway--A Travel and Music Guide. He writes for numerous newspapers and magazines in Britain and the United States and has written or contributed to several other travel books. He currently works for the BBC and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Table of Contents

Introduction

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

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 travelers and sexual mores, Drugs, Food, Drink, Hammams, Toilets, Things to buy, Security, crime

Minimum Impact Trekking: Environmental Impact, Cultural impact, Economic impact

Marrakesh: History, Arrival And Departure, Local transport, Orientation, Where to stay, Where to eat, Nightlife, Services, What to see

Ouarzazate: History, Arrival And Departure, Local transport, Orientation, Where to stay, Where to eat, Nightlife, Services, What to see

Route Guides: The Toubkal region, The M'goun region, The Sirwa region, Jbel Sahro

Appendices Arabic, French And Berber, Glossary, Health

Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

The Moroccan Atlas is a mountain range of exceptional beauty and cultural interest but it is still relatively little visited, a fact which makes the Atlas, to my mind, a far more exciting proposition than the European ranges. Add to that the extraordinary hospitality of the local Berber people, the rich texture of North African life and the exotic allure of Marrakesh and other Moroccan centers, and you will begin to see why a growing number of trekkers are choosing to explore this great range which the ancient Greeks thought to be the home of Atlas.

About this book
This guidebook is as practically useful and up to date as possible; it has been written with both the experienced and novice trekker in mind. The routes described are challenging but accessible. Regular hikers might find they cover ground more quickly than the route notes suggest but the book has been designed to allow readers to tackle as much or as little as they please at any one time. It also contains detailed information on Marrakesh, an exploration of which is a fascinating part of the Atlas experience, and on all other relevant towns and trailheads. There's practical information on every aspect of planning, arranging and enjoying an Atlas trek--from what to pack to what to say in French, Arabic and Berber. There are also sections on the flora and fauna of the Atlas, including a field guide to bird life and a section on minimum impact trekking to help visitors help locals to maintain the unspoiled state of the Atlas Mountains.

The routes
This book can suggest and describe only a fraction of the treks available in the Atlas Mountains, a range which spans some 1200 miles across Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. But the routes reported here form a representative and exciting selection which is sure to satisfy newcomers and past visitors alike. Each route offers some distinct or unique draw which qualifies it for inclusion in the guide: the Toubkal area is the highest in the Atlas; M'goun is arguably the most classically beautiful; Sirwa is remote and challenging; and Sahro is the Atlas at its weird and striking best.

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Excerpted from Trekking in the Moroccan Atlas: Includes New Routes and Marrakesh City Guide by Richard Knight
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.