UKC

Anyone know if there is a list of International Mountain Guides (that is professional Mountain Guides rather than books)?

I am particularly interested in finding out if there are any Morroccan IFMGA qualified Guides rather than people just calling themselves guides, working in the Atlas.

Any info - much appreciated!

In reply to Rich God 3: Morocco do not belong to the IFMGA, however, the government regulates mountain guiding, and anyone calling themselves a guide will have some sort of ID card to prove it. Obviously, the lack of glaciated terrain and technical routes don't required them to have the same training an IFGMA guide would have. At the end of the day all they'll be doing is taking people trekking and pulling donkeys.
The only countries associated i believe are (cut and paste) "Argentina, Bolivia, Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA. Additionally, Chile, Ecuador and Nepal are candidate countries"

In reply to Mr Lopez: Thanks for that.

I would advise you to be wary and definitely ask for ID. I booked my Jebl Toubkal trek with a reputable travel agency in Marrakech whose fixer set us up with a guide in Imlil. He was absolutely terrible - had no gear, spoke no english and only a tiny bit of french. On the last day he just buggered off and left us to do the whole descent on our own, which was fine with me, but my friend was really struggling. Not a good experience! Wish we'd checked him out in advance.

In reply to Rich God 3:

Nowhere in Morocoo is glaciated so why would you need an IFMGA?

I did it with an organised company and the guide was simply amazing, spoke perfect english/a good laugh etc

In reply to Rich God 3:Toubkal Mountain Guides. Google it.
All the best
Rob

In reply to Rich God 3: All they do is trying to rip you off... Don't pay them in advance. Best not to use them at all. Same with taxi drivers and helpers of all kind. Bus service is just as good as taxi and fraction of the price... (I know if was about guides...).

When you get to Imlil, ask at the french mountain hut for a good guide. They know which are bad and which are reliable. Ours were terrific, you have to haggle on price thou. Language is a bit bad you have to check that out. Some of these guys when not guiding they do porting across the hills and know them like the back of their hands.

In reply to 2pints: No glaciers, but there is an insignificant patch of permanent snow up from the Neltner Hut. Insignificant, until someone on an organised trek slipped to their death here a few years ago. Does IML cover this as an alternative to hiring a guide?

Didn't say I needed guiding up anywhere, my question is as it stands - Are there any Morroccan International Mountain Guides?

In reply to 2pints: and why would you only use an International Mountain Guide on glaciated terrain?

In reply to Rich God 3:
Try Hussain -(00212) 070611693 chajaa2@yahoo.fr
He lives in one of the last houses on the track to Toubkal from Imlil as it passes Aroumd. He's a good young qualified ski & mountain guide, has a guest room & a mum who cooks, has a mule & knows how far a mule will get!!
Speaks English & French well and most other lingos we heard. Knows the Atlas like the inside of his pocket.
Anything he can't do he can sort. Cafe Soleil at Imlil is a good rendezvous, but he'll come down to Marrakech in a big taxi & pick you up if you need the re-assurance. Brathay Exploration from the Lakes use him.