The Sahara Desert of Merzouga

Merzouga is a desert town located in southeastern Morocco. Merzouga is considered the beginning of the Sahara Desert, a vast desert area located in North Africa and occupying a huge area of 9.2 million km² of the African continent.

It is known as a gateway to the Erg Chebbi dunes. Also, it’s known for its Golden dunes.

Merzouga is home to a substantial population of Berbers/ Imazighen, an Indigenous North African ethnic group (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Sub Sub-Saharan countries). Visitors can learn about Berber culture, traditions, and music, which are frequently showcased in local shows.

Merzouga is an exceptional desert location that combines natural beauty with cultural depth.

Many tourists visit Morocco for a desert experience including crossing the dunes with camels, spending a lovely night under a starry sky in a Berber Desert Camp, visiting a Nomadic family, and uncovering how they live in the desert with their livestock.

Here are some interesting activities that you shouldn’t mess with while you are visiting Merzouga:

Camel trekking: is one of Merzouga’s primary attractions. Visitors can ride camels into the desert to see the dawn or sunset, frequently staying overnight in a traditional Berber tent.

4×4 Tours: Another popular activity is exploring the desert by 4×4, which allows visitors to reach more isolated locations (Ouzina village, Merzouga Oasis, Ancient mines of Mifis) and feel the grandeur of the Sahara.

Visiting the Nomad families: Nomad families have lived in the Sahara Desert for thousands of years, their life and income based on the livestock they own including the Dromedaries and Goats.

Sandboarding: The high dunes of Erg Chebbi provide ideal conditions for sandboarding, which is akin to snowboarding but on sand.