Adventuring in North Africa, The Sierra Club Travel Guide to Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and the Maltese Islands

Here Is An unparalleled invitation to explore the legendary Maghreb -- "Land of the Setting Sun" -- which stretches in a crescent from Tunisia westward to Morocco. This popular region, where Arab, African and European influences blend in a rich overlay, includes such exotic ports of call as Casablanca, Tangier, Algiers, and Tunis, and is steeped in history -- from the Roman ruins of Carthage to the Saharan town of Tamanrasset in Algeria. Adventuring in North Africa guides travelers through the region's rich cultural and geographic diversity in a vivid, backroad journey to mountain villages, isolated beaches, and desert outposts. Visitors can choose from a multitude of adventures -- from skiing Morocco's Atlas mountains to trekking in Algeria's Hoggar mountains to exploring the Maltese Islands in the Mediterranean. Filled with solid information and the author's frequently amusing anecdotes about life in North Africa, this comprehensive guide features: -- A fascinating tour of the region's geography, climate, and natural history, as well as Arab and Berber history, culture, and religious practice -- Practical tips on getting there, getting around, and getting away; visas and permits; hotels, restaurants, and cafes; health precautions; special considerations for women travelers; and much, much more -- A wide range of outdoor adventures, including camel expeditions, trekking and horseback riding, snorkeling and scuba diving, hiking and biking, even snow-skiing -- Tips on everything from limbering up for a camel ride in the Sahara to haggling for a rug in Marrakesh; from deluxe excursions to bargain, do-it-yourself adventures -- Archaeological and historicalexplorations that range from prehistoric cave paintings deep in the Sahara to the medieval town of Ghardaia in Algeria