Rissani is the practical base for the southern edge of the Tafilalt and the dunes beyond it. The two reasons most travellers come this far south are within a short drive of town — and either makes a worthwhile day out.
Merzouga and Erg Chebbi, 45 km south, are where the proper Saharan dunes begin. Camel treks of an hour or several days run out of Merzouga itself and out of the smaller settlements between Rissani and the dunes. Erfoud, an hour north, is a slightly larger town worth a look for its fossil workshops — the local Anti-Atlas limestone is rich in Devonian fossils and Erfoud is the centre of the trade.
