About Merzouga
Merzouga (in Tamazight ⵎⴰⵔⵣⵓⴳⴰ, in Arabic مرزوقة) is a small Saharan village located in south-east Morocco, 35 kilometres from Moulay Ali Cherif, 50 kilometres from Erfoud, 50 kilometres from the Algerian border, 562 km from Marrakech, 602 km from Rabat (the national capital), 667 km from Casablanca, and 669 km from Agadir (Atlantic coast).
Overview
Merzouga is renowned for its dunes, the highest in Morocco. The village is situated adjacent to Morocco's largest erg, Erg Chebbi.
Merzouga has become a major tourist attraction for this region of Morocco, enabling the development of a hotel industry, both locally and in the neighbouring towns of Errachidia and Erfoud.
The activities offered to tourists include camel trekking, desert camping, quad biking, and, in summer, sand therapy (or sand baths), also known as psammotherapy.
The balance of the Merzouga site is threatened by the unregulated construction of hotels, mass tourism, and the development of "motor sports" (quad biking).
The ecological impact of this hotel-based tourism is often overlooked, specifically the overuse of water resources and the failure to comply with wastewater treatment regulations.
Climate
Merzouga has a hot desert climate (Köppen classification BWh) typical of the Sahara, with hot, dry summers and mild winters. In summer, average maximum temperatures hover around 43°C with average minimum temperatures of around 26°C. In winter, average maximum temperatures are around 21°C. The climate is arid, with average annual rainfall of less than 100 mm. Rain is rare throughout the year but intense when it does occur (thunderstorms).
The sunshine duration is approximately 3,800 hours per year, as the sky is almost always clear and cloudless throughout the year. At night, there is little to no artificial light, which allows for excellent views of the stars and the Milky Way, as well as shooting stars. 