Merzouga and Erg Chebbi
Merzouga and Erg Chebbi, in a few days
Golden dunes to the horizon, a camel ride at sunset and a night under the stars on the edge of the Moroccan Sahara: the map, what is worth booking and everything that costs nothing.
- Day by day
- 1 Merzouga and Erg Chebbi Day 1
- 2 A camp in the dunes Day 2
- 3 Khamlia and Rissani Day 3
- Worth sorting before you go
- Words that help
- The practical page
- Packing checklist
Day by day
Merzouga and Erg Chebbi
The gateway to the great erg: a Berber village at the foot of dunes that rise to about 150 metres, among the highest in Morocco.
- 4x4 tour of Erg ChebbiHalf day · from €40A loop round the great erg: the dunes, an oasis and the camps of nomad families.
- The dunes of Erg Chebbi
- Dayet Srji lake (after the rains)
- Merzouga village
A camp in the dunes
A camel caravan out to the camp, a Berber dinner, and a night sky with no town light to spoil it.
- Camel trek and a night in a desert camp1 night · from €70By dromedary to a camp among the dunes, then dinner and drumming under the stars.
- Sunrise over the dunes
- A night under the stars
- Sandboarding down the dunes
Khamlia and Rissani
Oasis Morocco: Gnawa music in the village of Khamlia, and Rissani, the old caravan town beside the ruins of Sijilmasa.
- Gnawa music in Khamlia2h · from €15Hypnotic rhythms of drums and iron castanets, brought here from West Africa and kept alive by the families of the village.
- Khamlia village
- The souk and ksour of Rissani
- The fossil workshops of Erfoud
Worth sorting before you go
Transfers on the spot · 4x4 trips, camels and excursions are all arranged from Merzouga itself. Reaching it from Marrakesh takes nine or ten hours by road, so break the journey on the way.
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
Compare the agencies before you land.
Compare · Booking
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
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Flavours & local habits
🍽️ Worth tasting
- Madfouna: flatbread stuffed with spiced meat, onion and egg, baked in the embers. Locals call it the Berber pizza.
- Tagine: slow-cooked in the clay pot it is named after, and the standard dinner in the desert camps.
- Couscous: traditionally a Friday dish.
- Tafilalet dates: the oases around Rissani and Erfoud grow some of the best in the country, and the Medjool variety comes from here.
- Mint tea: less a drink than the way hospitality is done.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Ignore the touts who flag down cars on the road into Merzouga to sell you a camp. Book ahead, or through your lodging.
- Agree the price of any excursion before you set off, and haggle for fossils and rugs.
- Ask before photographing people.
- Desert nights are cold from November to March: pack a warm layer.
- Do not drink the tap water. Bottled, with the seal unbroken.
Words that help
English ↔ Arabic
| English | Arabic |
|---|---|
| Hello | مرحبا (marhaba) |
| Thank you | شكرا (choukran) |
| Please | من فضلك (min fadlik) |
| Yes | نعم (na'am) |
| No | لا (la) |
| Excuse me | عفوا (afwan) |
| Goodbye | مع السلامة (ma'a salama) |
| Do you speak English? | هل تتكلم الإنجليزية؟ (tatakallam injliziya?) |
| I don't understand | لا أفهم (la afham) |
| How much is it? | بكم هذا؟ (bikam hadha?) |
| Where are the toilets? | أين الحمام؟ (ayna al-hammam?) |
| The bill, please | الحساب من فضلك (al-hisab min fadlik) |
| Help! | النجدة! (an-najda!) |
| Cheers! | في صحتك! (fi sahtak!) |
The practical page
Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/merzouga
Packing checklist
Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos via Pexels · Details are indicative, check before you leave.