Geography
The Atlas Mountains provide Morocco with a rocky, 500 kilometre-long (300 miles) spine and, at the same time, add considerable geographical variety to this most interesting of North African countries. With peaks rising to over 4000 metres (13000ft.), the several ranges that comprise the Atlas are home to a wealth of excellent trekking routes. These mountains are also home to the Berber people, a fascinating race, of uncertain ancestory who have herded sheep and horses in the high valleys of the Atlas for many centuries. The Berber tribes in the mountains have traditionally been known for their ferocity and have resisted almost all attempts by invading armies intending to subdue them. Even during the period of French rule, the Berbers remained largely ungovernable. Despite their being a minority within Morocco for centuries, the Berbers have retained their own culture in many obvious ways, with their own dialects, traditional crafts and haunting music. In the rainshadow of the Atlas Mountains, towards the south and east, the landscape becomes increasingly dry. Here, there are several subsidiary ranges, on the very edge of the great Sahara Desert. The Jebel Sahro is one such range, with peaks of 2500 metres (8000ft.) and a number of well established treks, which come into their own during the winter months. A succession of outside influences have made their mark on Morocco over the last millennium. Amongst the most important, of course, is Arabic and this includes the arrival of the Muslim religion. In relatively recent times, Morocco became a French protectorate and between 1912 and 1956 was ruled by a French governor. Influences from the ‘French Period’ can be seen in the streets of Marrakech and also, most strikingly, in the widespread use of the French language. The ancient, ochre city of Marrakech remains true to its romantic image and provides endless opportunity for exploration, amongst its colourful streets and markets. Each evening in the central square of the Djemaa el-Fna, the bedazzled visitor can witness a spectacle of dancers, snake-charmers, story-tellers and assorted tradesmen, which is without equal anywhere in the world. There is more to Morocco than the Atlas and Jebel Sahro mountain ranges, however. Hundreds of miles of Atlantic coastline, with numerous (mostly very low-profile) resorts, provide the perfect opportunity to chill out after a trek in the mountains.

Time Zone
The time in Mali is GMT + 0 hours.

Climate
With a huge coastline and great geographical variety, Morocco has many distinct local climates. Marrakech is very hot during the summer months, with maximum daytime temperatures of around 35 degrees centigrade (95º F). Once in the high valleys of the Atlas, we can expect cooler conditions, with daytime maxima of around 25 degrees centigrade (77º F) and pleasantly cool evenings. At night, the temperatures in the high valleys are unlikely to fall below 5 degrees centigrade (41º F). During the summer months the Atlas region receives little rainfall. However, the winters can bring considerable amounts of snow to the mountain areas and many high passes will be blocked until early spring. The early and later summer months are arguably the best times to trek in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains. The best time of year to visit the Jebel Sahro region is during the winter months, from December to March, when the daytime temperatures will be around 20 to 25 degrees centigrade (68º – 77º F), falling to around 5 degrees centigrade (41º F) at night.

Rough guide to temperatures June to September

Currency
The unit of currency in Morocco is the Dhiram. As of February 2006, the exchange rates are:

£ 1 = DH 16.0
$ 1 = DH 9.2
€ 1 = DH 10.9

It is not normally possible (and it is certainly not necessary) to purchase Moroccan currency outside the country. Your travel money should be carried in the form of cash or travellers cheques (American Express). Sterling, euros and dollars are readily exchanged. Credit cards can be used to purchase goods and pay for hotels and meals in some places and it is a good idea to carry one in case of emergency.

Visas
No visa is required for travel to Morocco by the holders of the following passports: United Kingdom, United States or Australia. Please note that your passport must be valid for at least six months after your date of entry to Morocco and that this entitles you to stay in the country for up to three months. Holders of passports not on the above list should contact the Kingdom of Morocco visa information service to see if a visa is required. (Most people will find that no visa is required).

Vaccinations
You should attend your own GP and dentist for a check-up. A ROUGH GUIDE for an immunisation programme is as follows:

(We must stress that this is only a basic guide - and you must abide by the advice of your local GP).

(a) Polio. Normally you will just need a booster.
(b) Tetanus.
(c) Typhoid. A full course requires 2 injections separated by an interval of 4-6 weeks.
(d) Hepatitis (A) and (B).
(e) Diptheria
(f) Rabies pre-exposure vaccination. Please refer to your GP (or to one of the agencies listed below) for advice on whether you need rabies pre-exposure vaccination. This vaccination does not eliminate the need for urgent evacuation to a suitable medical facility for additional treatment, in the unlikely case of your being bitten. However, it does simplify that additional treatment and also prolongs the period that you can safely delay before receiving post-exposure treatment.

Given enough notice, your GP will be able to administer all the above.

Additional Sources of Information

Books
Lonely Planet Guide – Morocco.
The Rough Guide to Morocco.
The Atlas Mountains - Karl Smith (Cicerone Press).
Trekking in the Moroccan Atlas – Richard Knight (Trailblazer Publications)
Classic Treks – Bill Birkett (David & Charles pubs.)
The Trekkers Handbook - Tom Gilchrist.
Culture Shock – Morocco. Orin Hargraves.
Great Atlas Traverse - Michael Peyron. A two-book set, quite hard to follow and with only basic maps.
(For picture content) The Berbers of Morocco – Alan Keohane

Maps
Carte Du Maroc. 1:100,000 Series. A good map series, whjich has coverage of the whole country.

The Oukaimeden – Toubkal sheet covers the complete route of our Toubkal Circuit trek, for example.

Our trip dossiers/itineraries give details of books and maps that are specific to a particular trip. Click here for details of book and map retailers.

Web
Lonely PLanet - www.lonelyplanet.com
Rough Guides - www.roughguides.com