Hotel Riad Ali

Merzouga


A mod kasbah provides instant relief from the white-hot desert with 11 guest rooms in Majorelle blue and lemon arranged around a shimmering courtyard pool. Overnight dromedary trips are led by an experienced, local official tour leader and includes standard, high-end or luxury bivouac accommodation (Dh450 to Dh1100 per person), the latter two boasting en suite showers and toilets.

It's conveniently located 600m from the centre of Merzouga where the bus terminates.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Merzouga attractions

1. Erg Chebbi

4.85 MILES

Shape-shifting over 28km from north to south and reaching heights of 160m, the great sand sea of Erg Chebbi is extraordinarily scenic. The rose-gold dunes…

2. Ksar Oulad Abdelhalim

18.45 MILES

Around 2km south of the yellow shrine on your right, this ruin once called the ‘Alhambra of the Tafilalt’ was built around 1900 for Sultan Moulay Hassan’s…

3. Ksar Abbar

19.22 MILES

About a five-minute drive south-west of the centre, along a dirt track behind the yellow shrine you’ll see the fantastic crumbling towers of this 19th…

4. Zawiya of Moulay Ali Ash Sharif

19.36 MILES

About 2km to the southeast of Rissani is this cheery yellow shrine built to honour the Alaouite dynasty’s founder. The Islamic garden is open to non…

5. Ksar Tinheras

19.71 MILES

For a glimpse in to life in a living ksar (fortified village), a resident is sure to find you and offer to show you around its warren of alleyways. It's a…

6. Ksar El Fida

20.28 MILES

This enormous, restored Alaouite kasbah (1854–72) served as the palace for the local qaid (chief) right up until 1965, after which it housed a museum of…

7. Sijilmassa

21.52 MILES

Little remains of the once-great city of Sijilmassa – just two decorated gateways and a handful of semi-collapsed structures. But go back to the 8th…

8. Tahiri Museum of Fossils & Minerals

24.59 MILES

For a good introduction to Morocco's fossils head to Brahim Tahiri's private museum. Scientifically important specimens are exhibited beside their lesser…