The Saturday market (souk el-had) is the largest weekly market in the Sous-Massa-Draa region and one of the most authentic in southern Morocco. Hundreds of traders arrive from surrounding villages and from deep in the Western Sahara, setting up stalls that sell everything from dates and argan oil to second-hand clothing and livestock.
The Saharan nomads in their blue robes are the market's most striking feature. These are working traders, not performers — they arrive with goods, conduct business, and leave. The atmosphere is serious and commercial rather than theatrical, which is exactly what makes it worth seeing. The market begins at dawn and winds down by midday; arrive early for the best light and the most activity.
Come on a day other than Saturday and Guelmim is an ordinary provincial town. Come on Saturday, and it briefly becomes one of the most interesting places in southern Morocco.