Erfoud

Erfoud is known by the name of "Gate of Sahara Desert" as it is near Erg Chebbi Dunes, and you can actually take direct off-road tracks to the dunes.
Many films were shot in the area, some of the most famous are: Prince of Persia - 2010 - Director Dick Richards; The Mummy - 1999 - Director Stephen Sommers; March or Die - 1977 - Director Dick Richards.
While many Ksars (fortified villages) have existed for centuries, Erfoud was built new by the French around 1920s. Arabs are the majority but as the tourist industry developed, many Berbers started coming to the city around 1990s.
Erfoud is a good place to stay and explore local destinations. Also Erfoud offers quite a good range of businesses, supermarkets, restaurants, mechanics - great for those traveling overland with their own 4x4 or cars, and wish to fill up with goods.

Erfoud is the port of entry to the Saharan dunes of Erg Chebbi, driving 13 km asphalt and 26 km desert tracks directly out of town passing the river or via Rissani and Merzouga.

By grand taxi

• Grand Taxi StationFor Rissani and Merzouga. A grand taxi from Merzouga is 25 dirham, from Rissani around 10 dirham.

• Grand Taxi to Errachidia

  address: Place des FAR
  6-7 people sharing the taxi.

By bus

Between Erfoud and Errachidia, Tinghir, Boumalne Dades, Ouarzazate or Marrakesh there is one daily Bus from Supratours company that pass all these destinations in one trip. Buses run to Erfoud from the west (via Marrakesh, Ouarzazate, Boumalne, and Tinghir) and north (via Er Rachidia, Meknes, and Fez). There is a 22:45 CTM bus from Meknes (and even Fez 21:30), arriving around 07:30, 140 dirham.
From Marrakesh there is one daily Bus from Supratours company. Departures from Supratours main station at 08:30 and arrives to Erfoud around 20:00. Ticket costs 175 dirham. This is the same bus that goes on to Rissani and Merzouga in (Erg Chebbi) Dunes.

• Supratous Ticket Office

  address: Mohamed 5 Boulevard
  Departures from Supratours main station near Erfoud's Kissaria at 21:00 and arrives to Ouarzazate (13:00) and to Marrakesh (20:00). Ticket from/to Marrakech costs 175 dirham. This is the same bus that goes by Merzouga and Rissani.

• CTM Ticket Office

  address: Mohamed 5 Boulevard
  CTM Ticket Office

• BUS Ticket Office

  address: Place des FAR
  This is the ticket office for all buses private companies passing in Erfoud. Buses departing for almost all locations important locations in Morocco. Before choosing one of these companies, try Supratours or CTM first. Just for a few dirham difference you get to your destination safer and faster.

By car

There are 2 main national roads coming in/out of Erfoud. R702 connecting Erfoud to Jorf, Tinejad, Tinghir and further more to Ouarzazate. This road also enters the desert off-road until the Erg Chebbi Dunes. Project is under study to finally complete this road reaching Merzouga village. N13 connects Errachidia to Erfoud, Rissani until Merzouga village further south.
Road distances from Erfoud to other Moroccan destinations:

• Erfoud to Rissani : 19 km
• Erfoud to Merzouga: 55 km
• Erfoud to Errachidia: 80 km
• Erfoud to Ouarzazate: 315 km
• Erfoud to Fez: 440 km
• Erfoud to Marrakech: 510 km
• Erfoud to Tangier: 665 km
• Erfoud to Casablanca: 750 km
• Erfoud to Rabat: 590 km, 8h (driving only)

By plane

• Flight from Errachidia to Casablanca

  address: Errachidia Airport
  1 hr 20 min flight from Errachidia to Casablanca.

On foot

Erfoud is quite small so you walking around town is quite OK. There are 4 taxis working day and night. Hitchhiking one passing scooter or donkey cart will be fairly easy.

Car rental

• Fox Cars

  phone: +212 678-010-570
  address: Nº1041 Kissariat al Ahbass / Avenue Mohammed 6 - Ouarzazate

• Brayouramecar

  phone: +212 535-578-957
  address: Avenue Mohamed 5, 52200 Erfoud

• Royal PalaceErfoud holds Morocco's only Royal Palace in Sahara Desert. Although you can't go inside, a quick visit to its outside illuminated gate after Sunset makes somehow worth it.

• Erfoud's SouqThis is an authentic Moroccan market (with a twist of Afghanistan look and ambiance). If you're into markets and shipping, indulge yourself into this magnificent Moroccan souq. Saturday 8AM is best.

• Maadid Ancient Ksar

  address: Maadid, Route d'Errachidia
  Maadid is supposedly the biggest ksar in south Morocco. A ksar is an ancient fortified village. You can visit Maadid's tiny streets and nearby oases.

• Carrières de fossilesErfoud is known for its precious and unique fossils. 500 million years ago, the Sahara Desert was under water. On the outskirts of Erfoud you can visit impressive fossil filled marble workshops and other type of fossil varieties such as trilobites and ammonites.

• Borj-EstThis is the hill that overlooks Erfoud. The top is occupied by military a strategic building. This is the perfect place to enjoy Sunset over Erfoud, watching the river, the town, and surrounded mountains / dunes.

• Jewish Cemetery

  address: Route de Rissani
  Interesting mix of cultures makes this part of the desert quite interesting. You can visit this ancient Jewish cemetery's graveyard and inside mausoleum.

• Annual Palm Date FestivalOnce a year (October/November) Erfoud celebrates the pick-up of the fresh new palm dates with a 3-day festival with music, local activities and tons of palm dates.

• Chill out with local men in street cafesTry to get to know local men and share a cup of tea and few talks. Try Restaurant Oasis or Chez Rachid just on the corner before the butcher. These street cafes are full of people from police officers to 4X4 drivers to English teachers. Find them out.

• Erg Chebbi DunesJust don't miss out these impressive dunes. Erg Chebbi Dunes have several villages on the edge of the sand: Merzouga, Hassilabied, Takoujt and Khamlia.

• Desert 4x4 TourMany companies in Erfoud offer different tours and packages around the region. You can visit Erg Chebbi Dunes and surrounding villages, Rissani's ancient ksars trails, nomads camps, palm groves, etc.

• Palm DatesErfoud holds the annual palm dates festival. This is supposedly to be Morocco's palm dates capital. Erfoud main market has a few vending stands with tons of tasty and sweet dates. Try Mejoul type, more pricey but wonderful taste and nutritional facts.

• Fossils from SaharaErfoud is well known by its fossils. All around town you'll find plenty of shops selling fossils and fossils products like tables and home accessories.

• Local HandicraftMany shops in town sell different types of gifts and traditional handicraft. Turbans, necklaces, Sahara Desert blue gandoras men's dress.

• OlivesErrachidia Region has tasty olives mix. Several shops inside the market offer great variety of olives and also good mixes of them all together. Try the spicy ones.

• 2nd hand clothesImagine yourself getting expensive clothes as cheap as it can gets. If you're into 2nd-hand clothes, try Erfoud souq with weekly updates on clothes coming from Spain and France. Majority of clothes are in really good shape and some are even new. All major clothes marks and labels.

• Museum Fossils

  phone: +212-661-42-59-27
  address: Ksar Ksir Siffa
  Nice museum where you can also buy things. Ask for visiting the factory.

• Restaurant Pizzeria des Dunes

  phone: +212 535-576-793
  address: Avenue Moulay Ismail BP 104
  Restaurant Pizzeria des Dunes offers different types of menus, from fresh salads, traditional Moroccan dishes and wooden oven pizzas. The restaurant is divided into several rooms, and open air terraces. Many vegetarian/vegan options.

• Soup Street Vendor

  address: Avenue Mohammed 6
  Working everyday from 07:00 until around 21:00, this small street trailer offers great traditional Bisara fava soup and Moroccan Harira soup. Egg sandwiches with olive oil and cumins are also tasty.

• Chez Rachid

  phone: +212 623-437237
  address: Mohamed 5 Boulevard
  If into some harira soup, omelet, local grilled meat and French fries, try this place out.

• Snail street vendor

  address: Rue Allal ben Abdellah
  If you are into snails you could try Erfoud snails specialty. Many people in Erfoud will come here to socialize. Snails soup with special herbal mix.

• Fava Beans and Chickpeas street vendor

  address: Rue Allal ben Abdellah
  If you want to have a quick snack full of protein try the guys selling Fava Beans and Chickpeas on the street. You can mix both and add some salt, cumins and paprika.

• Sahara Mint TeaErfoud is also called "The Desert Gate", so why not sit down in one of the dozen existing street cafes and taste a glass of Moroccan mint tea.

• Fresh orange juice

  address: Avenue Moulay el Hassan
  Sahara weather often calls for fresh fruits. Try a fresh squeezed orange juice. There a small groceries store just on the right side of the souk entrance door (taxi and bus square - called Place des FAR Square), Mr AbdelGhani, you can notice the orange stand outside, also aside the bus ticket office. Many other street cafes also serve orange juice.

• Panaché Milk ShakePanaché is a usual Moroccan milk shake blending milk, sugar, apples, avocado and banana. This can be easily be changed to a non-dairy and no sugar smoothie if asked to do it with orange juice instead of milk. Depending the fruit season peach and strawberries can also be added. Ask for panaché special for an extra taste of dried grapes and almonds.

• Avocado Milk ShakeMost cafes will prepare you a avocado milk shake. This is probably one of Moroccans favorite milk shake.

• Hotel Chergui

  phone: +212 535-578-504
  address: BP 342 Route de Erfoud à Errachidia km 5.5
  Hotel Chergui

• Kasbah Tizimi

  phone: +212 535-576-179
  address: BP 94 Route de Erfoud à Jorf
  Kasbah Tizimi

• Hotel Xaluca

  phone: +212 535-578-450
  address: BP 205 Route de Erfoud à Errachidia km 5
  Hotel Xaluca

• Ksar Assalassil

  phone: +212 535-578-227
  address: BP 210 Route de Erfoud à Errachidia km 1
  Ksar Assalassil

• Hotel Salam

  phone: +212 535-576-425
  address: Route de Erfoud à Rissani
  Hotel Salam

• Hotel el Ati

  phone: +212 535-577-373
  address: BP 188 Route de Erfoud à Rissani
  Hotel el Ati

• Hotel Belere

  phone: +212 535-578-190
  address: Route de Erfoud à Rissani
  Hotel Belere

• Hotel Palm’s

  phone: +212 535-576-144
  address: BP 70 Route de Erfoud à Rissani
  Hotel Palm’s

• Hotel Tafilalet

  phone: +212 535-576-535
  address: Avenue Moulay Ismail
  Hotel Tafilalet

• Hotel Chez Gaby

  phone: +212 535-578-111
  address: BP 63 avenue Moulay Ismail
  Hotel Chez Gaby

• Kasbah Hotel Said

  phone: +212 535-577-154

• Auberge Derkaoua

  phone: +212 535-577-140
  address: BP 64 Route de Erfoud à Merzouga

• ATM machines

  address: Avenue Moulay Ismail
  Attijariwafa Bank ATM in front of the Post Office; BMCE Bank ATM right before Total Petrol Station;

• Exchange money

  address: Avenue Moulay Ismail
  Banque Populaire near the post office offers 2 possibilities of exchanging money: inside the bank, or, easy/quick automatic machine on the street (accurate exchange - just put the money inside the machine and will automatically give you dirham.

• Medical Doctor Erfoud

  phone: +212 661-355-684 (Doctors direct cell phone), +212 535-576-520 (Clinic land line)
  address: 1 Moukawama Street
  Dr Fatiha Lemjimer is without a doubt Erfoud best doctor. She has French Doctor University so expect very professional behavior. Ultrasound equipment.

• Post Office

  address: Avenue Moulay Ismail
  Erfoud Post Office

• Police & AuthoritiesPolice attention in Erfoud should be taken by both "Commissariat Central" for any criminal aspects (Mr. Driss is the officer responsible for foreigners in town) and "Gendarmerie Royale" for vehicle and road related problems.

• Computer Repair

  address: Avenue Mohamed 5
  Nowadays most people travel with their own laptop. Having a problem is common while traveling. If anything gets to your PC, this is the place to go. Also several hardware available from USB keys to portable hard-drives.

• Internet CafésIf you need to check your email, Erfoud offers quite a few number of places where you can surf the Internet at a fast speed connection. Ask around or search for outside street signs.

• 3G Internet Device

  address: Mohamed 5 Boulevard
  You can get your own Maroc Telecom 3G USB Modem device from Maroc Telecom

• Merzouga – Clearly ... Village on the edge of Erg Chebbi Dunes, amazing orange colored dunes just 35km away from Erfoud.
• Rissani – Desert town with a museum, Alaouite King Mausoleum and impressive center market, full of old kasbahs and surrounded by palm groves and the Saghrou Mountains.
• Nkob – Small Berber town southeast of Agdz on the road Ouarzazate. Village with 45 well-preserved Kasbahs and surrounded by the Saghrou Mountains and Palm Groves.
• Errachidia – Region's capital with airport and other main government facilities. Maybe better for going to Quazazate from here.
• Zagora – Small desert town south of Ouarzazate.
• Ouarzazate - Called the capital of the south, Ouarzazate makes the transition from oases to Sahara Desert