The Merzouga desert is undoubtedly the highlight of our 5 days in Morocco journey from Fes to the red city of Marrakech. To begin, let’s speak about the name. There are two opinions as to why it was given that name. To begin, the majority of people, particularly locals, believe that Merzouga is derived from the Arabic term Merzouq, which means “rich,” in reference to the Erg Chebbi dunes, which draw many visitors. Second, some claim that Merzouga is a family name of an Arab who has lived in Merzouga for a long time.
Merzouga would not be famous if it did not have the Erg Chebbi dunes, its people’s hospitality, and the intriguing activities available. The Erg Chebbi dunes are the tallest in Morocco, rising up to 500 feet ( 150 meters). They are also roughly 25km (15 miles) long and 5km (3 miles) broad, and are bordered by many Berber tents for visitors who wish to experience Berber nomadic life. Not to mention the phrase Lala Merzouga, which refers to the name of the largest and highest dunes in the area.
You may be wondering why the dunes are located there and not elsewhere. There are two hypotheses concerning the existence of the sand there. To begin, there is a tale going around that individuals were fighting using couscous as a weapon. As a result, God sent the wind to chastise them. Second, the more logical narrative is that there was a lake, and because Merzouga gets a lot of wind, it congregated here. Overall, there is no consistent fact that speaks of the presence of these dunes. Anyway, Merzouga is worth a visit for its daring activities, which we have listed below:
Camel rides:
You can’t go to Merzouga without riding the desert’s ship, the camels. Actually, these creatures are named Dromedaries rather than camels since they only have one hump, whereas camels have two, and they are found in Asia rather than Africa. We will give you the opportunity to ride the camels twice, once in the afternoon and once in the morning, arriving and departing from the camp.
Camping:
The other excellent thing to do in Merzouga is to spend the night camping in Berber tents. This excursion allows you to experience the lifestyle of Morocco’s indigenous inhabitants, the Berbers.
These are the two activities included in the 5-day tour from Fes. We may, however, design a different schedule that allows you to thoroughly enjoy Merzouga. That is, we take you to see the nomads and observe how they live, as well as to the Srij lake, where the camels go herding throughout the day. In addition, we will not only take you to see the Gnaoua people, who have black complexion, but also to the tiny oasis of Hassi Labied.
