What are the most worthwhile things to do in Sahara near Merzouga on a first visit?

Start with Erg Chebbi, Morocco's celebrated dune landscape near Merzouga. A short guided walk reveals how the terrain changes between ridges, sheltered hollows and dune-edge flats. Camel excursions, sandboarding and overnight bivouac stays are established activities in the area, although their suitability varies with the weather and the operator.

The surrounding settlements deserve their own time. Rissani lies within the historical Tafilalt region and has longstanding connections with trans-Saharan trade. The town's market and traditional commercial streets offer a different perspective from the desert camps. The Moroccan tourism authority also identifies the nearby seasonal lake Dayet Srij as part of the broader Merzouga landscape, although water and birdlife depend on conditions.

Dates belong on the itinerary as firmly as the sand does. UNESCO added date palm knowledge, skills, traditions and practices to its Representative List in 2019, in a joint file submitted by 14 states that includes Morocco, and the groves worked along the Ziz and around Rissani are the living version of that listing rather than an exhibit of it.

Khamlia, near the dunes, is associated with Gnawa musical traditions. UNESCO inscribed Gnawa on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2019. The designation recognizes a Moroccan cultural practice, not an individual attraction or village.

A route from Merzouga can pass from high sand dunes to open gravel surfaces, then to palm trees and small settlements. The change in terrain is part of what makes this corner of the Sahara distinctive.

A Gnawa performance and a desert sightseeing excursion represent different experiences. The former belongs to a living musical tradition with cultural and spiritual roots; treating it merely as camp entertainment misses much of its meaning.

First morning: Take a guided walk into Erg Chebbi.

Middle of the day: Visit Rissani's market area and local historical setting.

Late afternoon: Explore the Merzouga outskirts or attend a respectful cultural visit in Khamlia.

Motorized dune excursions can be noisy and environmentally disruptive. Use established operators, avoid driving over fragile areas and seek permission before photographing people or performances. The U.S. Department of State also keeps Morocco at Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution, citing terrorism, which is worth reading alongside any desert itinerary.

Rain is rare in this landscape but not harmless when it comes. Morocco's meteorological service logged 170 mm in 24 hours at Tagounite, in Zagora province, during the storms of 6 to 9 September 2024, and 90 mm at Mhamid El Ghizlane in the same month — enough water to cut unsurfaced tracks across the wider Moroccan Sahara and strand a vehicle well away from any village.

introduces the Tafilalt region's stuffed bread, dates and local dining traditions.