Читать книгу The High Atlas. Treks and climbs on Morocco's biggest and best mountains онлайн

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Getting there and getting around

One blessing of the last few years is the availability of cheap flights. The national line Royal Air Maroc has their own cheaper version in Atlas Blue, and firms like Easyjet, Ryanair and Thompson operate out of Gatwick, Heathrow or Luton and elsewhere in the UK. Marrakech is the main destination (and the best for the Atlas), and some flights go to Agadir. In Morocco there’s a good rail system, and where it ends railway-run express buses take over (Supratours). There are plenty of inter-town bus services, and when the tarmac (goudron) runs out there are camions (lorries) and camionettes (pick-ups), which we have often used. Hiring Land Rovers is very expensive in comparison, but may be worth paying for to make certain of a remote rendezvous.

Village transport, Atlas style

Once you learn the ropes you’ll find the travel system in Morocco surprisingly efficient. For example, you could leave Essaouira on the coast, catch the morning train from Marrakech, be in Tangier by evening and cross the Straits to sleep in Spain the same night. (I doubt if in the UK it would be possible to leave Kinlochbervie and make Calais in one day by public transport overland.)