The only way to get around Merzouga village is on foot. It’s fairly small and easily walkable, but you’ll likely want to avoid the midday heat during the unbearably hot summer months. The things worth seeing are either the dunes next to the village, or require transportation (car, 4WD, quad, or motorbike) outside the village.

Sunrise/sunset over the dunes. Folk dances and black G’naui music. Visits to villages near Merzouga inhabited by Senegalese musicians and dancers such as Khamlia can be arranged with some guides, ask at your hotel.

• Animals – see the ducks, and in early spring, flamingos, on the Dayet Srji salt lake, just west of Merzouga. There are many other species of birds (ruddy sheldrack and Kittllitz’s plover during the spring migration, Tristram’s desert warbler, the Egyptian nightjar, the arabian buzzard and falcons), and the desert sparrows are unique to this region and can be seen all year round. There are also reptiles (Algerian sand lizards, Berber skinks and snakes), mammals such as gerbils, desert hedgehogs, field mice and desert foxes, and scarab beetles. In the morning, you can often see their tracks in the sand. Brown scorpions can occasionally be seen, but they come out at night and tend to avoid humans.

Best activity is walking on the dunes on foot. Other activities include off-road driving with 4×4, motorbike, or camels. Camel safaris include overnight stays on permanent “nomad” settlements in the middle or the other side of the dunes (as visible on aerial photos of Merzouga). Birding is possible in spring when the lake next to Merzouga village fills with water, with migrating birds stopping by.

Most people eat meals at their lodge, but a few basic restaurants are scattered around the town if you are in need.

• Mac Adil, (Just opposite the Supratours office).Great food, cheap prices (20-30dh for a main). Good place to try the Berber Tajine if you haven’t already, though expect a long wait (typical for a tajine) as meals are made fresh. Vegetarian tajine is also excellent with a tasty sauce that the owner is very proud of.
• Haven La Chance, Hassi Labaid, ☎ +212.66859.9340. Arrange lunches at Haven La Chance Desert Hotel. Either by the hotel or in the desert itself. Popular is pizza cooked in the sand as the nomads do.
• Ali Mouni, Hotel Nomad Palace, Merzouga (2 kms south of Merzouga), ☎ 00212661563611. 4×4 excursions around to behind the dunes, see the mines, fossil farms, visit nomad families; excursions to dinosaur prints, ancient rock, ruined Portuguese fortress, desert villages; overnight camel trips.

• Ksar Bicha, ☎ +212.5355.77113 ([email protected], fax: +212.5355.73410). A traditional, family-run kasbah with views of the dunes from the roof terrace. En suite rooms arranged around two plant-filled courtyards. English, French, Spanish, German and Italian are spoken.
• Complexe touristique de Merzouga, B.pn 49 merzouga centre taouz cercle rissani (500 m from the centre of merzouga), ☎ +212.535576322 ([email protected]). it is the nearest hotel to the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi, Mr Sadoq and his qualified staff will make sure that your experience is unique, and put under your disposition all our services: Hotel, Restaurant, Snack, Bar, Terrasse, Piscine, Bivouac, and Excurtion with 4×4 or Camel.42 rooms including suites and a royal suite are under your disposition. €30 per person, breakfast and dinner included.
• Les pyramides hotel, Ksar Merzouga 52202 BP 41 Errachidia MAROC, ☎ +212.67013.7673 ([email protected]). Located right on the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi, Ali and his staff will host you night and day, 24 / day to give you the best service €20 per person, breakfast and dinner included.
  Auberge Berberes, ☎ +212.6810.3178 ([email protected]). Located right on the edge of the dunes, offering single, double and triple rooms. €20-30 per person, breakfast and dinner included.
• Auberge du Sud, ☎ +212.66121.6166 ([email protected], fax: +212.3557.8631). On the edge of the dunes, all rooms come with private bathroom. Swimming pool, camel safaris. €15-40 per person, breakfast and dinner included.
• Auberge Les Dunes D’or, ☎ +212.6135.0665 ([email protected], fax: +212.3557.7146).
• Auberge Sahara Hotel, Ksar Hassi Labiad, ☎ +212.3557.7039, Mobile:+212.6676.6355 ([email protected], fax: +212.3557.7303). Clean hotel in a oasis at the edge of erg chebbi sand dunes run by flexible staff. Swimming pool, restaurant, free parking, and a variety of accommodation options including camping under palm trees. Camel safaris and various trips around the area can be arranged.
• Chez Julia, ☎ +212.3557.3182, Mobile +212.7018.1360. Spotless clean, very friendly French/English/German speaking staff, great meals (tajines can be shared). From 130dh.
• Dar el Khamlia, Ksar Khamlia, ☎ +212.7091.4351 ([email protected]). Dar el Khamlia is just outside of Merzouga, offering lodging for those who like to be more near the local people. Comfortable rooms, meals included. Camel trekking into dunes, excursions by 4×4, pick up at airport Errachidia, Ouarzazate or Marrakesh.
• Desert Fish, ☎ +212.7208.5113. Right next to the sand dunes. A bivouac with a space to eat and relax and very nice, comfortable Berber tents. The place is managed by some very friendly, young boys. The Berber tents are nice and clean, there are three good showers, the food is good, they play live Gnaoua music after dinner.
• Haven La Chance Desert Hotel, Hassi Lybed, ☎ +212.53557.7269 +212.66859.9340 ([email protected]). Modern, comfortable hotel right next to the sand dunes and palm trees. A new swimming pool (11 meters by 6 meters) has been added. Most rooms are en-suite, 12 Berber tents next to the hotel for the more adventurous. Singles / doubles with en-suite toilet and shower. Home made local food for dinner as well as breakfast is included in the price, The owners also run a tour company, www.bluemenofmorocco.com, that can organize tours around Morocco for individuals, families and small groups. Caravan parking with showers also located by the hotel. N31.08’031″ W004.01’128″ €17-30 per person with half board.
• Hotel Yasmina, ☎ +212.3557.6783 ([email protected], fax: +212.3577.4071). Yasmina is located right on the bottom of the dunes of Erg Chebbi, on a hill with great views of the dunes. Pool, on site restaurant and camel safaris. from €20-45 per person, breakfast and dinner included.
• Les Portes du Desert, ☎ +212.7369.4601 ([email protected], fax: +212.3557.7930). A comfortable hotel decorated in a mix of Arabesque, Andalusian and European styles. Pool, on site restaurant, and camel safaris. €26-50 per person, breakfast and dinner included.
• Nasser Palace, Ksar Hassilabied, ☎ +212.7078.0028 ([email protected], fax: +212.3557.8010). Nasser Palace is a hotel with swimming pool and spa located on the dunes of Merzouga. 20 rooms with private toilets, bivouac and camel trekkings on Sahara dunes. €25-45 per person including breakfast and dinner.
• Hotel Nomad Palace, Ksar Merzouga 52202 ([email protected]), ☎ +212662191244. Hotel Nomad Palace is located outside Merzouga, on the way to Taouz, before Khamlia. Comfortable, quiet, with terraces, swimming pool, restaurant, all rooms with private bathrooms,suite with king size beds. Half board included. Camel treks, 4×4 tours and pick up form any airport. Other tours can be arranged.
• Ali & Sara’s Desert Palace ([email protected]), erg Chebbi dunes, Merzouga, ☎ +212 (0) 668 95 01 44. Ali & Sara’s Desert Palace, nestled in a secluded setting within the erg Chebbi dunes, Merzouga, a place where you can unwind and relax. large, private traditional style desert tents, clean, comfortable beds with duvets and pillows; shower and western style toilet rooms. Food is freshly prepared using local produce and and catered to individual preference. Service is on hand, but unobtrusive.
• Kasbah Ramlia (Kasbah Ramlia), [email protected] (sahara desert), ☎ 212 671 562 521. Kasbah Ramlia is a small cozy hotel in the middle of the desert! It is very simple, the decoration is very special, every room has a theme, you can find the typical Morocco tapestry, hand craft and furniture. If you are looking for a place to rest, to be calm where the only sound you hear is the wind from.
• Hotel And Restaurant Yasmina (Hotel the Gorges todra), Tinghir (Gorges todra), ☎ +212524895118. Hotel and Restaurant Yasmina a tourist complex in the village of Ouarzazate in Morocco tinghir region a great tourist area at the bottom of the Gorges todra. 30.

Supra Tour Buses now travel from the centre of Merzouga village north to Meknes, Fes and also over to Ouarzazate and then Marrakech. The bus has many stops on the way so if you wish to visit Todra Gorge, Dades valley, Ait Ben Haddaou or Ourzazate, it is possible, but the bus won’t wait for you and as it runs only once a day you will have to arrange an accomodation for a night. You can check the timetable at ONCF webpage http://www.oncf.ma/Pages/Accueil.aspx. There might be also public buses running between the towns, you need to check the schedule at the local bus station. Beware these ones might not be as comfortable and safe! The bus for Fes leaves Merzouga at 19:00 and arrives around 4-5 in the morning in front of the train station in Fes (MAD190). The bus for Marrakech via Er-Rachidia and Ouarzazate leaves at 08:00.