Merzouga 4×4 Desert Excursion

On a full-day 4×4 excursion, get to see the Merzouga desert’s unique scenery and culture. Your path leads you from the dunes to see wandering Berber households, see the ancient Mifis mines, and enjoy the mystical rhythms of Gnawa music in Khamlia hamlet. You will pass the spectacular black desert, explore fossil sites, and, in season, witness the Dayet Srij lake with its migrating wildlife. Along the trip, have a classic meal and savor amazing views of the varied landscapes of the Sahara. This full-day event offers the ideal mix of action, education, and environment.

One of drivers at Desert ouzina quads will pick up you from your host in Merzouga in a comfortable 4×4 car, and start the adventure. Your today’s first stop is a visit to the Berber families living in traditional tents who are migratory. Here you will taste mint tea, get a look at their everyday lives, and discover their straightforward yet rich desert way of life. From there, we continue to Mifis mines, an interesting region previously exploited for eyeliner and other minerals. Situated atop a rocky platform with expansive views over the dunes and desert, the location we will next travel via the Black Desert (Hamada), a scene of volcanic rock and fossil-rich terrain, stopping to investigate and capture the stark beauty of the Sahara.

We will reach Khamlia village, home of the Gnawa tribe, around noon. Their spiritual live music, mint tea, and gentle introduction to their sub-Saharan background will welcome you here. Thereafter a Berber lunch will be presented in the hamlet or at a neighboring desert resort. In the afternoon we visit Dayet Srij, the seasonal lake. For migrating birds, especially flamingos a rare and exquisite sight in the midst of the desert filled with water becomes an oasis. You will make your way back over the off-road and return to Merzouga as the sun starts to drop, therefore concluding the day with lifelong memories and a closer relationship to the desert and its inhabitants.