Things to see and do Merzouga

The largest pre-Saharan erg extends 13 km long and 5 km wide, with the highest dune at an altitude of 150 m. Here you can ride a camel or take a sand bath with healing properties. For which diseases? A little bit all of them! Several hostels offer "skiing" on the dunes. Be careful, here there is no lift or snow map, and the successive ascents can be challenging. But the best is the simplest: you can watch the beautiful sunsets or sunrises from the top of the dunes.

A great opportunity to discover the Gnaoua culture. Dar Gnaoua means "the house of the Gnaoua" is a pleasant stop, the ideal place to enjoy a tea. Within the establishment some photos and instruments are displayed, but the interest here is to witness a true demonstration, a dozen Gnaouis welcome you with traditional songs. They will bring you through the history of the Haratins, subsaharan slaves exported to the Maghreb during triangular slavery. A mystical experience not to be missed.

8 km north of Merzouga, the village of Hassi Labiad, quieter than Merzouga, is home to a beautiful oasis in the middle of the desert, where it's pleasant to stroll in the coolness of the water and palm trees. It's the epitome of a community oasis, with every household owning a cultivable plot. The land is irrigated by an ingenious system that communicates with all the plots. Each household has a set time for watering its plantations each week. Vegetables, fruit and herbs grow here in the middle of the desert!