Erfoud, where to stay and what to do

The city of Erfoud is located in the south of Morocco, in the valley of the Ziz River, which rises in the Middle Atlas Mountains and flows into the Merzouga desert, creating the Tafilalet palm groves. These same palm groves are bordered by a wide hamada dotted with dunes.

About Erfoud

It is surrounded by arid and impressive nature, with lush oases that mix with rocky outcrops and stony mountains in the distance. Because the setting closely resembles Mars, it has attracted the attention of scientists doing research there. The Hollywood movies The Mummy and The Prince of Persia were filmed in this dry region.

It was established as a military fort within the French Protectorate. It was built to keep the area under control, but on multiple occasions its inhabitants clashed with the soldiers. On the hills of Borj-Est and Borj-Sud, which dominate the city and offer impressive views of the palm grove, two smaller forts from this time that were built still remain.

Erfoud is the administrative center of the province of Errachidia, a major tourist destination and a starting point for excursions into the desert, which explains the abundance of first-class accommodation.

Off-road vehicles driving on its sandy roads also need many amenities such as garages and gas stations.

Where to stay in Erfoud?

Below we offer you a list of the best and most recommended accommodations in the region where you can spend the night:

The city of Erfoud, land of authentic fossils

The rare and priceless Erfoud fossils are well known. The many fossils found in the region date back to a time when it was covered in water, approximately 500 million years ago. Spectacular fossil workshops on the outskirts of Erfoud can be explored and rare specimens found there. There are ammonites, nautiloids, crinoids, trilobites and others. In addition, there are fish, crocodiles and even remains of dinosaurs.

What to see in the city of Erfoud?

The Royal Palace

The only royal palace in the region. It is worth visiting even if you cannot enter to see the exterior and its illuminated door at night.

The ksar of Maadid

The largest ksar in southern Morocco is that of Madid, in Erfoud. The old fortified cities or castles are known as ksars or kasbahs. Its narrow lanes are open to exploration, and you can go to the neighboring oases. It has a colossal gate and high walls.

eastern borj

On this hill, which overlooks Erfoud, is an old military station. With views of the river, the city and the nearby mountains and sands, it is the ideal place to watch the sun set over Erfoud. A truly magical setting.

Built works of land art

These strange constructions are about 25 kilometers away. The golden spiral, the stairway to heaven and the city of orion are the three best known. They are modern art constructions created by the German architect Hannsjönrg Voth with local resources.

The city of Rissani

Important oasis town located in the center of Tafilalet, 17 kilometers south of Erfoud. It is the old capital of Sijilmassa, one of the stops for the old caravans that traveled to Timbuktu through the Sahara. In addition, it is where the current Alaouite dynasty was founded.

How to get?

There are two major roads leading to Erfoud. Erfoud is connected to El Jorf, Tinjdad, Tinghir and Ouarzazate by the R702. Through this road you reach the desert of Merzouga. Errachidia is connected to Erfoud, Rissani and Merzouga in the south by the N13.

The public transport system has buses that go to Erfoud from the north (via Midelt, Meknes and Fez) and from the east (via Marrakech, Ouarzazate, Boumaln Dades and Tinghir). Daily trips are made by Supratours.