Merzouga is a small town located in southeastern Morocco which has become a tourist place thanks to the access it has to the sub-Saharan dunes. It is a way to access a sparsely populated place and close to the point where the Sahara comes into contact with Morocco. So it can become one of those trips that become quite an experience.
Let's see how you can get to this point in Morocco, the things that are nearby and what you can see and do in the area. Merzouga, despite being a small place, has already become a tourist town prepared to receive tourists from all over the world.
How to get to Merzouga
La most common route when going to Merzouga passes through Marrakech, which is one of the most touristic points and where we arrive by plane. It must be said that the trip is long, no less than nine hours, so if we want to see this place we will have to be very patient. Also, there are several ways to get to Merzouga. One of them is to go by bus, which is very cheap but it can become a very heavy and boring trip because there are hardly any stops. Another alternative is to rent a car at the Marrakech airport to return it on the way back, since parking near places such as Jamaa el Fna Square is very difficult. This option is more expensive but in return it gives us more freedom if we handle well with the GPS. It is without a doubt the best option for adventurers. On the other hand, we have the option of going on an organized tour, in which we can stop quietly in some places like Ourzazate or enjoy a night in an open-air camp. Although this will undoubtedly be the most expensive option, but also the most comfortable.
Excursions to Merzouga
If you have chosen to choose a guided excursion, you will be able to enjoy some very interesting places for several days. A normal excursion will take us about three days to come and go, stopping at important points. One of the first stops will be at the most important fortified city or ksar in Morocco, Ait Ben Haddou. Films like 'The Kingdom of Heaven' were filmed here. The fortified town stands out for being so monochromatic, with adobe houses that are left to dry in the sun. It is 190 kilometers from Marrakech. Today it is a place declared a World Heritage Site and that lives off tourism, although most of its inhabitants have moved to the new town on the other side of the river.
In the visit to Merzouga we can also stop in Ouarzazate. It is a beautiful city to see and a great stop before venturing into the Atlas and Merzouga. In this place we can see the Kasbah of Taourirt, the Al Mouahidine Square or the curious Atlas studios where films such as 'The Jewel of the Nile' or 'Gladiator' were filmed. On the journey to Merzouga we will continue through the Dades Valley and the Todra Gorges, with their spectacular landscapes.
Erg Chebbi
Although Merzouga is the town where those who visit this desert in Morocco usually stay, the truth is that what we want to see is Erg Chebbi. An erg is a word that designates a desert formed by sand dunes and this is the most important in all of Morocco. In this we will be able to enjoy above all the impressive landscape that these thirty kilometers of dunes offer us.
The activities that can be done in this desert are many and varied, each one more fun. Walking through the dunes is essential, but it can not only be done on foot, since its extension is very large. Excursions are also organized in 4 × 4 or quad. But one of the best experiences is undoubtedly riding a dromedary to walk on these dunes.
So-called sandboarding can be great entertainment. It is about using a table that they can surely provide you in the establishments, to navigate the sand dunes. Without a doubt a great fun if we go with children. But it is also a good place to find animals, since there may even be foxes in the vicinity.
Finally, another of the best activities that we will have to do in Erg Chebbi or in Merzouga is undoubtedly to enjoy the darkness at night. We refer to the fact that in places like this, where there is hardly any light pollution, we can enjoy a starry sky that will completely amaze us. In the place they also organize to spend nights in the desert so that our experience turns out to be totally unique and we keep a very special memory of this place.