Trip overview
What lies around the dunes: Gnawa music in Khamlia, a nomad family, the Rissani market, old mines and the seasonal Merzouga lake, by 4x4 with a driver.
- Duration1 day
- Starts inMerzouga
- GroupPrivate or shared · 1–6 people
- DifficultyEasy
- LanguageEspañol
- DeparturesDaily departures all year round
Highlights
- Live Gnawa music in Khamlia
- Visit to a nomad family, asking permission before photos
- The market and ksour of Rissani
- The seasonal Merzouga lake, with flamingos if there's water
- Loop around the Erg Chebbi on hamada tracks
- Air-conditioned 4x4 with a local driver
- No physical effort, a good choice with children
What you see
A 4x4 loop around Erg Chebbi with a local driver, with no physical effort.
Timings
You leave mid-morning and return mid-afternoon, in time for sunset in the dunes. In summer we leave earlier and stop during the hottest hours. The 4x4 has air conditioning and the tracks are driven slowly. It fits with any route around Merzouga and the Sahara Desert.
Before you book
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Morning: Khamlia, nomads and the hamada
We pick you up at your accommodation in Merzouga after breakfast. We go round the south side of the Erg Chebbi to Khamlia, where a group of Gnawa musicians offer you tea and play their rhythms, which go back to the caravans that crossed the Sahara.
Then we head into the hamada to visit a nomad family in their tent; ask before taking photos. We carry on along tracks through black rock and old mines, with stops. On the way, the driver tells you how life in the region has changed, from the caravans to tourism and oasis farming.
Day 1: Midday: Rissani and the Tafilalet
We reach Rissani, the old capital of the Tafilalet. We walk through the market, where local people buy spices, dates and livestock, and see from outside the mausoleum of Moulay Ali Cherif and the mud-brick ksour around it.
It's lunchtime. On the option with lunch we take you to a local home or a restaurant to try medfouna, the so-called Berber pizza, stuffed with meat and spices. Rissani is the cradle of the Alaouite dynasty, which still reigns in Morocco, and close by are the ruins of Sijilmasa, where the caravans used to arrive.
Day 1: Afternoon: Merzouga lake and return
On the way back to Merzouga, if there's water, we stop at the seasonal lake of Dayet Srji, Lake Yasmina, where there are sometimes flamingos and other birds. If it's dry, we swap it for a viewpoint over the dunes or a nearby palm grove.
Before arriving we stop at a viewpoint where you see the Erg Chebbi from the outside, the dunes outlined against the hamada. We get to your accommodation mid-afternoon, with time to rest and go out to watch the sunset in the dunes, on foot or by camel.
What's included
Included (5)
- Air-conditioned 4x4 with a Spanish- or French-speaking local driver
- Pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation in Merzouga or Hassi Labied
- Tea in Khamlia and with the nomad family
- Bottled water
- Lunch (private option with lunch only)
Not included (5)
- Lunch on the options without a meal
- Voluntary contribution to the Khamlia musicians
- Shopping at the market
- Tips (optional)
- Travel insurance
Important information (5)
- The Merzouga lake is seasonal and may be dry; we don't guarantee water or flamingos.
- The Rissani souk is livelier on certain days; we adjust the route when we can.
- Bring cash in dirhams for shopping and voluntary contributions.
- Ask permission before photographing people, especially on the nomad visit.
- Child seats are available on request; let us know when you book.
Prices per person
Shared
Full day in a 4x4 with other travellers and a local driver
Private
Full day in a 4x4 just for your group (price per person, based on 2)
Private with lunch
Private 4x4 and lunch at a local home or a restaurant in Rissani
Fixed price per person, whatever the size of your group.
Payment and cancellation
You pay a 15% deposit when you book. The rest is paid on the first day of the trip, in cash or by bank transfer. You can also pay it by PayPal or card, with a 5% surcharge.
Private: free up to 48 hours before the start. If you cancel in time, we refund the full deposit.
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Leave a reviewFrequently asked questions
Is this tour suitable for children?
Yes, it's one of the activities we recommend most with children. There's no physical effort, the 4x4 has air conditioning and the stops are very varied: music, animals, a market and scenery. With small children we can shorten the route or stop more often. Tell us their ages so we can have child seats ready.
Will we see flamingos on Lake Yasmina?
It depends on the rain. The Merzouga lake is seasonal: after a wet winter it can hold water for months and attract flamingos and other birds, but in dry years it disappears. We tell you what state it's in before the tour and, if it's dry, we replace it with another stop.
Can I combine it with the camel ride?
Yes, they go very well together. The 4x4 tour finishes mid-afternoon and from your accommodation you can head out by camel to watch the sunset or sleep at a camp. We'll help you organise both on the same day.
