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Voykit pocket guide · Morocco
Khamlia
Khamlia is a 30-minute stop from Merzouga for Gnawa music and a glimpse of desert village life. Skip it if you are short on time.
Khamlia is a tiny black-heritage village 7 km past Merzouga, home to about 150 people and a Gnawa music troupe. There are no museums or monuments: the reason to go is the music, the dunes and a slow walk through the village. Most visitors combine it with a Merzouga camp stay.
- Country
- Morocco
- Best months
- Oct–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (extreme heat)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MAD
- Money
- Currency is the Moroccan dirham (MAD). Hotels, larger restaurants and chain shops take cards; souks, taxis, small cafés, guides and tips are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget MAD 200–400 · Mid MAD 400–700 · High MAD 700+ (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Maroc Telecom, Orange and inwi sell tourist SIMs at airports and shops with a passport; 20–50 GB costs about MAD 100–200.
- Emergency
- Police 19 · Gendarmerie 177 · Ambulance and fire 15 · From mobiles 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 220 V · 50 Hz · European round-pin plugs; bring an adapter for UK or US devices.
- Tipping
- Café: Round up or leave MAD 2–5.; Restaurant: 5–10%.; Porter or bag carrier: MAD 10–20.; Guide, full day: MAD 100–200.; Desert camp staff and driver: MAD 100–200 per day shared.
- Water
- Tap water is treated in cities but most visitors drink bottled; carry water in the south.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; squat toilets in older cafés and on the road. Carry tissue and MAD 2–5 for attendants.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Mint tea at a café | MAD 5–10 |
| Simple tagine meal | MAD 40–70 |
| Taxi Merzouga–Khamlia | MAD 50–100 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ERH · Errachidia Airport (Moulay Ali Cherif)
- Nearest airport with scheduled flights; about 2 h by road to Merzouga/Khamlia — check current services
- RBA · Rabat–Salé Airport
- Long transfer; most travellers reach the area via Marrakech or Fes and a desert crossing — check
Typical fares
- Taxi Merzouga → Khamlia
- MAD 50–100, about 10 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The village is walkable. A taxi from Merzouga costs about MAD 50–100 one way (check).
See and do
Known for
- Gnawa music performances
- Erg Chebbi dunes
- Desert village life
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Merzouga | Taxi, about 10 min | 10 min |
| M'Fis | 4x4 only, about 30 min | 30 min |
| Taouz | Taxi, about 20 min | 20 min |
Sleep
- Dar el Khamlia
- Guest house in the village; basic rooms.
- Gnawa Berber tents
- Traditional tent accommodation near the village.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | السلام عليكمas-salamu alaykum |
| Thank you | شكراًshukran |
| How much? | بشحال؟bshhal? |
| I don't want | ما بغيتشma bghitch |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Salam alaykum' and a handshake; hand on heart after; avoid: Offering a hand to a woman first unless she does
- Eating: Right hand, bread as your spoon; avoid: Refusing all food at a home
- Bargaining: Smile, take your time, walk away kindly; avoid: Naming a price you will not pay
- Dress: Shoulders and knees covered in medinas and villages; avoid: Beachwear away from the beach
- Photos: Ask and accept no; avoid: Photographing women or children without consent
- Ramadan: Eat discreetly indoors in daytime; avoid: Snacking on the street
Scams and watch-outs
- No alcohol is available in Khamlia.
- The road from Merzouga is unpaved after the village turn-off; a 4x4 is useful for M'Fis.
- Cash only: there is no ATM in Khamlia.
Khamlia is safe. The main risk is heat and dehydration in summer. Carry water and sun protection.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Khamlia yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Gnawa music performances
- Erg Chebbi dunes
- Desert village life
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Khamlia, revision 3771178 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=3771178
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/khamlia). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.