Merzouga

Merzouga is a village in Errachidia province¹ in the Draa-Tafilalet region.² It lies at about 700 metres at the foot of the dunes of Erg Chebbi.³

Erg Chebbi is one of Morocco's two great dune fields, the other being Erg Chigaga near M’Hamid El Ghizlane. It is around 22 kilometres long and 5 kilometres wide.⁴ The sources differ on how high the dunes are: the French Wikipedia gives up to 150 metres⁵; according to BirdLife the highest crest reaches 922 metres, more than 200 metres above the plain and the lake at 699 metres.⁶

Next to the dunes lies a rain-fed lake called Dayet Srij or Tamezguidat. It usually holds water from November to May, in very wet years until August. Around it grows a sward of sedges; otherwise there are only scattered acacias and tamarisks.⁷ After heavy rain flamingos also appear.⁸

BirdLife International lists the dunes and lake as an Important Bird Area of 227 square kilometres. In winter 300 to 400 marbled ducks and 600 to 2,000 ruddy shelducks rest here, along with desert birds such as the desert lark, the Pharaoh eagle-owl and the crowned sandgrouse. The whole area lies within a permanent game reserve and in the biosphere reserve of the oases of southern Morocco.⁹ UNESCO recognised this reserve in 2000.¹⁰

The people of Merzouga and neighbouring villages such as Hassilabied and Tanamoust long lived from growing barley and vegetables on their oasis fields. The water came through underground channels, khettaras, from reserves that had collected beneath the dunes.¹¹ Today the guesthouses offer trips into the dunes by dromedary and off-road vehicle.¹² In summer these include sand baths, which are regarded as a healing treatment.¹³

Some seven kilometres away lies the village of Khamlia.¹⁴ Every summer it holds a three-night festival of Gnawa music, also called Sadaka.¹⁵ National road 13 continues from Merzouga for about another 25 kilometres to Taouz.¹⁶