Merzouga Travel Guide

  Erg Chebbi dunes
by karifo
 
  • Erg Chebbi dunes
      Erg Chebbi dunes
    by karifo
  • family house in Merzouga town
      family house in Merzouga town
    by karifo
  • Merzouga gate to sahara
      Merzouga gate to sahara
    by karifo
  • Hotel Nomad Palace
      Hotel Nomad Palace
    by angiebabe
  • rooms and walkways around the courtyard
      rooms and walkways around the courtyard
    by angiebabe
 

Pro

angiebabe profile photo

 beautiful sand, amazing night sky, great drumming, the local dish kalia - excellent!, camels!, out into the dunes by camel in the dark and watching the moon come up!! - wow!, driving around in the... 


Con

Venturingnow profile photo

 It's hot, plus 45 degrees Celsius with no rain or shade in sight 


In a nutshell

barryg23 profile photo

 Memorable landscapes 

 

Explore Merzouga

Things to Do  

do the overnight trip by camel out into the desert

do the overnight trip by camel out into the desert, Merzouga

 angiebabe Says:  Stayed out independently in the desert frequently for a few years but finally did the overnight camel trip for a friend. Its great. You might not necessarily get to experience meeting bedouins to have an omelette with or be given food from the border guards at the... 

as everyone knows out into the dunes is the thing

as everyone knows out into the dunes is the thing, Merzouga

 angiebabe Says:  My first trip back into the desert with my best friend instead of 'my man' - which was rather momentous but very special - after all the visits gradually from tourist to almost 'local' i was going out on an overnight camel trip for the first time!I had done the sunrise by... 

sleeping in the desert

sleeping in the desert, Merzouga

 louloune Says:  We rode a camel for two hours into the desert and waited for the sun to come down while our "camel man" cooked us the best tagine we ate in Morroco! "Camel man" woke us up by clapping his hands at 5am so we could go see the sun rise up on the sand dunes. That was the best... 

Rent-a-camel

Rent-a-camel, Merzouga

 rikuniaku97 Says:  I found Omar on the web...I emailed him...and within 2 days, I got a welcome message from him. Most surprising he even text messaged me on my cellphone. I was trying to imagine him riding his proud mehara and sending me a message across the planet from the Sahara...I wanted... 

A wonderful berber guide in Merzoouga!

A wonderful berber guide in Merzoouga!, Merzouga

 iannis2003 Says:  In Le Touareg Hotel you will find this nice versatile berber guy, Hassn Kabul, who knows english, italian, spanish, French, very funny and gentle, who will guide you in the desert or in the village, in shops, on the lake and moreover in nearby villages inhabitated by... 

Stay a night in the desert!

Stay a night in the desert!, Merzouga

 li-anne Says:  We stayed a night in the desert with Les Nomades Bivouac, a small company in Hassi Labied.They'll meet you at an internet cafe in the center, and at the end of the afternoon, the dromedary's will be packed. We did the tour with a standard tent of 30euro per person. Our 2... 

Hotels  

Riad Nezha

 155 Opinions

Auberge Camping Sahara

 2 Reviews and 35 Opinions  > Arrive before night fall > The Bourchok brothers are the very friendly inn hosts > Ask... 

Restaurants  

Kasbah Mohayut: good local dishses such as Kalia!

Kasbah Mohayut: good local dishses such as Kalia!, Merzouga

 angiebabe Says:  We had lunch at the auberge/hotel Kasbah Mohayut - you dont have to be an overnight guest at many of the hotels around the desert - give them a call if you can to let them know youd like to come for lunch or dinner is best to make sure and most places will normally be... 

Transportation  

driving to Merzouga from Risanni

driving to Merzouga from Risanni, Merzouga

 angiebabe Says:  Its definitely good tar sealed road all the way from Risanni to Merzouga - though maps still have the road as coming from Erfoud down the back way to Merzouga this road is not correct as it is really for those that know the way or for well skilled at driving in sandy... 

Take a camel out into the desert!

Take a camel out into the desert!, Merzouga

 angiebabe Says:  Amazing ships of the desert!? I keep reading of people referring to camels as being stubborn, cantankerous and agro and all that stuff - i havent seen it yet!A trip to visit the desert around Merzouga is amazing! ive been privileged and blessed to have been driven way away... 

Public transport to and from Merzouga

Public transport to and from Merzouga, Merzouga

 angiebabe Says:  I prefer travelling with my own transport, and have travelled here either with my own rental car or with Moroccan friends and recommend that for efficiency and just simply easier travelling re luggage, weather and temperature conditions and the number of places in the area... 

Bus and Desert Tour- Fes to Merzouga

Bus and Desert Tour- Fes to Merzouga, Merzouga

 FollowCrumbs Says:  Hi guys,If anyone is looking for DIY info on doing a trip to the desert, I just posted everything you'll need to know here- http://www.followourbreadcrumbs.com/2011/10/diy-booking-desert-trip-fes-to-merzouga.htmlPlease don't hesitate to email me if you have any... 

Shopping  

Merzouga Post Office/Le Poste: attractive Moroccan stamps for yr postcards

Merzouga Post Office/Le Poste: attractive Moroccan stamps for yr postcards, Merzouga

 angiebabe Says:  Like most postoffices around Morocco they are open every day except Sundays and maybe a public holidays such as Mohammads birthday but they are few - some post offices shut for a 2 hour lunch break or so and some just have a short day such as 9am til 3pm which is the hours... 

Big carpet shop at Hassi Labied

Big carpet shop at Hassi Labied, Merzouga

 angiebabe Says:  Was taken here to see the range and if anything special to take opportunity of - did see a very nice green rug of the style that is called Rabat - and a couple of others - but many carpet shops in Morocco are supplied with rugs made at Tazenakht - a production line for... 

Several carpet and craft shops in town

Several carpet and craft shops in town, Merzouga

 angiebabe Says:  A mix of stock - a lot of various types of jewellery - old and new - old wooden doors and windows - mirrors - rugs and carpets and blankets I bought a wool and cactus silk blanket here because it was a really special one of a green colour not often seen - very good quality... 

Warnings and Dangers  

No pharmacies or ATMs at Merzouga

No pharmacies or ATMs at Merzouga, Merzouga

 angiebabe Says:  In Morocco pharmacists are able to provide and prescribe many drugs over the counter and are very knowledgeable and therefore very helpful if you become unwell...problems such as gastric upsets, diarrhea, urinary infections and so on can be set on the right track with a... 

rotten rachid refaff at SableD'or now at ErgChebbi

rotten rachid refaff at SableD'or now at ErgChebbi, Merzouga

 angiebabe Says:  one of the rottenest of the faux guides in Risanni, Rachid Refaff- telling me he must drive the piste to the lahmada and nearly writing the tyres off on the rocks totally unable to drive for the conditions, another time nearly ran a guy over on his motorbike and then was... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Scarab beetles

Scarab beetles, Merzouga

 angiebabe Says:  I used to do this a lot - funnily I always seemed to wake up just in time for sunrise! - a lovely time in the morning to see the desert, desert life and just beauty of the quietness and glow and colour of the new days sun on the sand - go for a wander with the cool sand... 

lake near Merzouga

lake near Merzouga, Merzouga

 angiebabe Says:  if theres been rains there are 2 places that lakes form which are known to bring birdlife, especially flamingoes, up next to HOtel Yasmina at the far end of the dunes - which is sandy piste road following the chain of dunes along - and down near the village of Merzouga.Ive... 

Favorites  

High speed internet in the Sahara

High speed internet in the Sahara, Merzouga

 li-anne Says:  You won't believe it, but in the very tiny village there is a modern internet cafe with high speed computers!We had to wait here a couple of hours, and decided to updat our weblog about our morocco holiday.These computers were high speed and well equiped. And we didn't had... 

The Weather in the area

The Weather in the area, Merzouga

 Redang Says:  It's very important to check the weather before you visit that part of Morocco, athough, if you go in summer, you can bet it will be very very hot.Check these sites for Er Rachidia, which is very close to Merzouga:-... 

Comments

 
Map of Merzouga