The Anti-Atlas Mountains

and therefore careful consideration is needed to drive on the tracks and minor roads here. The car routes in this book are therefore on tarmac roads, unless specifically stated otherwise.

Grand and Petit Taxis

Despite their name, Grand Taxis, (or G-Taxis for short) are not really taxis in a European model. As is typical across the whole of Africa they are shared transportation that supplements bus network in more remote areas. Grand Taxis used to be almost exclusively of old E-class Mercedes saloons, but nearly all have been replaced except in the far south. Dacia Lodgy seems to be the most popular make and model being adopted now and they are a familiar sight everywhere. They do not run to a fixed timetable but will leave when sufficient people want to go to the destination, linking towns and places along the route. These are often by far the most economical way of getting from place to place but is not for the faint hearted as they will not leave until they are stuffed full of people and goods, even livestock As Grand Taxis will not go at regular intervals and may even stop running if there is no perceived demand, they are not best suited to reach the remote sites described in this guide. However, they will be prepared to set down along their normal route and will also pick up if there is space. You can simply ask to be dropped off close to the needed location but note that fares are fixed for the whole route and this flat fare does not allow for discounts if you are going part way. Most Grand Taxi routes are from town to town via villages, which means that you need to ask if they go to where you want to before getting in. Once there, there is no guarantee when another Grand Taxi will be along to pick you up. Some Grand Taxis will agree to do an exclusive trip for you alone, but you must negotiate the fee in advance. Also, if you want to be picked up from your drop off point later, ask the driver if there are limits on timings and if you can confirm when any others will be running that way. You may need to wait, or try to ‘pre-book’ you return trip. Petit taxis are small hatchbacks and are exclusive to the hirer and usually reserved for travel within the town or host district, i.e. short journeys. Therefore, they are like ‘real’ taxis. They are often but not always metered and it is simplest to agree a charge for a journey. Expect them to be relatively expensive (but still cheap in European terms). They are limited by licence to 3 passengers. Both Petit Taxis and older style Grand Taxis sport a distinctive colour or two-tone colour scheme. The colours used denote their host location and differ from district to district. Most of the colour schemes are chosen so they stand out and would not be selected by a normal car buyer – at least not in Morocco, making it is simple enough to tell the difference from normal cars. Petit Taxis will often use the same stands in the towns, so it is best to ask for the taxi stand if you want to hire one.