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In any description in this book I have mentioned the local help we used, and more on this can be gleaned from Appendix E. All the best professional guides maintain a network of contacts everywhere. Naturally I’ve used the same people again and again, so don’t hesitate to mention these tried and tested guides. Through their training schemes there are now hundreds of trained, certificated guides (beware of ‘faux guides’), with offices in major places including Imlil, Ouarzazate, the Bou Guemez, Tinerhir and Boumalne des Dadès.

Local language and culture

I deeply regret not learning more Arabic or Tamazight and Tashelhait, the main Berber languages of the Atlas. I shouldn’t say ‘Berber’ really. The word is of the Roman period. The people prefer ‘Amazigh’, the free people. French is the main European language spoken/understood, with English a poor second. Some Berber and many French words are universally used for practical communication, regardless of speakers’ nationalities. These are fully listed in Appendix A. They may be translated on their first appearance in the book, but are not given italics.