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Morocco guide
ERFOUD , MERZOUGA, M'GOUNA, RISSANI, SIJILMASSA , ERG CHEBBI

Erfoud, This small town was built beside the river Ziz by the French in the 1930s as their administrative centre for the biggest oasis in Morocco. Erfoud is the starting point for excursions to Erg Chebbi where the famous sand dunes of Merzouga are located and to Tinerhir with its beautiful Todra gorges.
Climate : hot in summer, cold in winter. 

Merzouga Sand Dunes : 50 km/31 mi far.  An early wake up call for sunrise excursion to  Dunes.  An experience not to be missed is to watch the sun as it  rises from the top of the golden dunes,  a spectacular view of the Sahara which no words can describe. Back to the tent for special Breakfast with the Touargees people, then continue on to explore the holy ancient city of Rissani by your 4X4 Land Rover. ride camels over the dunes. Visit the ancient town of Rissani and the ruins of Sijilmassa, a famous capital of the old caravan routes in the 8th century

On the way, Borj Est (East Fort) overlooks the villages offering a splendid view across the date palms, the Ziz valley and the Sahara desert. Further South the Goniatite quarries where fossils are extracted. Then a succession of splendid sand dunes stretching along 40 km/25 mi. and 170 meters/558 feet high making up the Erg Chebbi and giving a foretaste of the breathtaking beauty of the desert, especially at sunset and sunrise. Nearby lake Dayet Srji, where during the wet season (February, March) you can see various species of birds such as pink flamingos. Transfer by chauffeur driven land rover. Possibility to have Berber lunch or dinner and sleep under nomad's tent.

 Rissani & Sijilmassa : a 75 km/47 mi. circuit passing through beautiful palm grove. Visit the Tinrheras ksar and Oulad Abdelhalim ksars, Ksar Akbar ruins, Moulay Ali Cherif Mausoleum, Rissani (souks on Tuesday and Thursday) and Sijelmassa ruins first Muslim city in North Africa and stating post on the Trans-Saharan caravan route.

Erg Chebbi

The dunes of Erg Chebbi is a strikingly strange natural formation. On the top of the flattest area you could imagine, suddenly a long mountain of sand rises. This mountain is surrounded by flat and desolate nature on all sides, and you could end up wondering if it really is real. But so it is, even if its existence is so weird that it has given rise to lengeds and myths among the locals
One legend tells us that the dunes of Erg Chebbi were created by God as a punishment to the locals of nearby Merzouga after they refused to give shelter to a woman and her child during a local festival. A sandstorm came, and buried the village of Merzouga is it was then.

In order to get out to Erg Chebbi, you will have to pass through one of the flattest areas you could imagine. For several kilometers there is nothing but small, black stones spread on the ground evenly.
When the sun shines, a strong reflection comes from the stones further away, so that you won't really believe your eyes when you suddenly see a camel or a man.
Even in such a remote area, where the sun always shines, there are people out to sell souvenirs. Of obvious reasons, what they sell has not been carried from a long distance, and you stand a fair chance of buying OK fossils at an OK price.
There are several stories told about these dunes. One is that they are the largest in the world, but that could very well prove not to be true. But they are the largest in Morocco!
Another one is that they can be good for patients with rheumatics — they bury themselves in the sand and stay that all the day. That is not unlikely.
Another one is that the dunes are often used in films and commercials. And that is definitely true!

 

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