Rissani
Rissani is where the desert does its shopping. On market days the souk fills with spices, dates, livestock and donkey parking, and the old ksour around town go back to the caravan trade.
What stands out
Why this place stays with people
- Traditional market with a donkey park
- Old ksour and mausoleum
- Dates and spices
- Medfouna, the local stuffed bread
Best time to go
Cooler months are best. Try to line it up with a market day — I'll check the week before.
From the driver's seat
It's a short hop from Merzouga, so it fits easily on the way in or out of the dunes.
Visitor guide
Your guide to Rissani
How long to stay
One or two hours.
Getting there
About 40 km from Merzouga.
Worth seeing
- The market, with its donkey “car park”
- The mausoleum of Moulay Ali Cherif
- The old ksour around the town
Good to know
- Market days are Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Go in the morning.
- Bargain with a smile. Everyone expects it.
- This is a working market for the region, not one set up for visitors.
Routes through here
Ways to make it part of the trip
3 Days · 2 Nights3-Day Merzouga Desert Tour from Marrakech
Three Days to the Dunes$390–$530 per person · accommodation included
4 Days · 3 Nights4-Day Fes to Marrakech Desert Tour via Merzouga
Fes to Marrakech, Four Days$540–$730 per person · accommodation included
5 Days · 4 Nights5-Day Sahara & Gorges Tour from Marrakech
Nomad Tracks and Golden Dunes$680–$920 per person · accommodation includedRissani, your way
Tell me when you're coming
Send your dates and who's travelling, and I'll suggest the best way to fit it into your trip.