Merzouga, the Sahara desert, is the highlight of not only our 2 days tour in Morocco from Fes, but of all of our Morocco desert excursions. To begin, there are two hypotheses concerning the name Merzouga. To begin, some claim that the Erg Chebbi sand dunes made it affluent, and that many travelers from all over the world come to explore it. As a result, it was given the name Merzouqa, which means “rich.” Second, some claim that the original name was derived from the family name of an Arab named Merzouq. This family is still alive and well in the heart of Merzouga.
Merzouga is a large town with various clans and roots. Arabs, Berbers, and Gnaouas (people with dark complexion) are only a few examples. The Gnaoua, on the other hand, dwell mostly in the village of Khamlia, while the Berbers and Arabs settle in Merzouga and other villages such as Hassi Labied and Takojt.
Merzouga is famed for Erg Chebbi, large golden sand dunes that reach up to 150 meters in height, are 22 kilometers long, and 5 kilometers broad. Furthermore, the hue of these dunes changes depending on the environment. In the winter, it becomes yellow to white, and in the summer, it turns reddish to orange. Not to add that the forms of the dunes alter dramatically during the summer due to the wind.
Merzouga is located in southeast Morocco, around 50 kilometers from the Algerian border. Erfoud and Rissani, Tafilalet are the two closest cities. Merzouga attracts a large number of people from all over the globe who come to enjoy its unique activities.
Top things to do:
- Camel trekking: You should not visit Merzouga without taking a camel ride in the Erg Chebbi dunes. There are several approaches. To begin, you may reserve simply a camel for the sunset; camels will be ready and waiting for you close to the dunes once you reserve them with locals. Second, you may reserve camels for the dawn; this option is generally available to people staying in Erfoud or Rissani hotels. Third, the greatest way is to totally immerse yourself in them. That is, you reserve the camels for a night in Berber tents. Then, for the sunset and daybreak, you’ll have camels with you. Not to mention that our two-day excursion from Fes encompasses the entire experience.
- Camping in Berber tents: Many visitors visit Merzouga to experience the nomadic life. In other words, they wish to live like the Berber nomads who dwell in the highlands, with tents and herds and migrate from place to place in search of better living circumstances. This event is also included in our two-day Fes desert trip. You can, however, spend the night in basic or luxury tents or bivouacs.
- Erg Chebbi at night: It’s awe-inspiring to watch the stars, the Milky Way, and shooting stars from the Erg Chebbi dunes at night. In addition, for spiritual purposes, the peaceful dunes are an ideal location for Yoga practice.
- Erg Chebbi at night: It’s awe-inspiring to watch the stars, the Milky Way, and shooting stars from the Erg Chebbi dunes at night. In addition, for spiritual purposes, the peaceful dunes are an ideal location for Yoga practice.
Other activities not included in the trip:
- Nomads visit: if you have more than two days from Fes, we recommend staying in Merzouga for two days to get the whole experience. As a consequence, you will be able to take a Berber nomad trip through the dunes. There, you will observe how the Berbers manage to survive despite their difficult circumstances. You will also stay with this family, and they will show us how they cook, sleep in the tent, and manage their herd. Furthermore, we could stay with them and they would cook for us so that we could eat and live like them.
- Srij Lake: Hopefully it is full; another intriguing site to see in Merzouga is the lake where camels go herding. During the day, you may see almost all of the area’s camels and immigrant flamingo birds.
- Oasis of Hassi Labied: To round off your Merzouga experience, we would love to take you to learn about the villagers’ agriculture, what they cultivate, and where they obtain their water.
- Gnawa Khmalia: the inhabitants of Khamlia, the Gnawa are originally from Sahelian, and it is believed that Berbers transported them there to produce slaves. Most of our 3 days tour in Morocco from Fes include a visit to this village, Khamlia. We’ll take you to one of the families, where they’ll perform music for you using Krakebs and unique drums. Depending on the time, we could also arrange for one of the old men to give us stories about them.
- Mifis mine: During the French Empire’s reign, this Mifis mine was used to extract slat and mascara. It is now a popular tourist destination for those looking to unravel its mysteries.
Conclusion:
Several other places will be visited during our two-day Fes desert excursion. However, if you have more than two days to see the Sahara desert, we recommend staying longer because the trip from Fes to Merzouga takes around 7 hours. As a result, the vacation will be focused on driving rather than sightseeing.
