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Erfoud is a small desert town in the Tafilalet oasis of Morocco, between Errachidia and the dunes of Merzouga. It is famous for two things. The first is fossils that are hundreds of millions of years old. The second is some of the best dates in the country. Most travelers pass through on the way to the Sahara, but Erfoud deserves a stop. This guide covers the Erfoud fossils, the date festival, the best things to do in Erfoud and how to fit the town into a desert trip.
Where is Erfoud Morocco?
Erfoud sits in the Ziz Valley in southeast Morocco, close to the Algerian border. The town was once a French administrative centre and a Foreign Legion post. It still has a frontier feel, with low red buildings and wide streets (Fodor’s). Erfoud is about 50 km from the Erg Chebbi dunes. For most travelers, it is the last town before Merzouga. The market town of Rissani is a short drive further south.
If you travel from Fes to Merzouga, you pass through Erfoud after the Ziz Gorges. Read our guide to the Fes to Merzouga road for all the stops. If you fly in, Errachidia airport is the closest airport.
Erfoud fossils: Morocco’s 400 million year old sea
Hundreds of millions of years ago, this desert was the floor of a sea. Today the rocks around Erfoud are full of marine fossils, and the town is the centre of Morocco’s fossil trade. Local workshops cut and polish the stone to reveal what is inside. The most common Erfoud fossils are:
- Orthoceras: long, straight shells of ancient sea creatures related to today’s squid and octopus.
- Ammonites: coiled shells, often polished to show their chambers.
- Trilobites: ancient sea creatures with segmented bodies, sold in every size.
- Crinoids: sea lilies, relatives of sea stars and sea urchins.
The black marble of Erfoud is also famous. Quarries near the town produce dark stone packed with petrified marine fossils. Workshops turn it into tables, sinks, plates and souvenirs. A visit to a fossil workshop is one of the best things to do in Erfoud. There you see the slabs being cut and polished.
The Kess Kess mounds of Hamar Laghdad
About 16 km southeast of Erfoud, the Hamar Laghdad ridge hides one of the most unusual landscapes in the Sahara. Its 48 cone shaped hills are called Kess Kess, because they look like the pot used to cook couscous. They are ancient mud mounds that formed on the sea floor in the Early Devonian (VLIZ research project).
The Erfoud date festival: Morocco’s date capital
Erfoud is the date capital of Morocco. The Draa Tafilalet region grows about 83 percent of the country’s dates and has around 6.5 million date palms. Every autumn, the town hosts the International Date Fair, known as SIDATTES. The 15th edition opened on 28 October 2026 with more than 200 exhibitors. Organisers expected more than 100,000 visitors (Hespress).
The date harvest runs through autumn, and the markets of Erfoud and Rissani are piled high with dozens of varieties. The most famous is the Medjool, born in these oases, and you can read its story in our guide to the Medjool date history. Buy a box at the market, and taste them with mint tea at your desert camp.
Things to do in Erfoud, Morocco
- Borj Est: climb to this old fort across the Ziz river. It has the best view over the palm groves, the town and the desert.
- Fossil workshops and shops: watch marble being cut and polished, and see trilobites and ammonites up close.
- Ksar Maadid: walk through an old fortified earth village with narrow lanes and palm gardens.
- The Ziz Valley palm groves: follow the river through date gardens and kasbahs.
- Rissani market: the big souk south of Erfoud opens on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.
- Merzouga and Erg Chebbi: continue to the dunes for a camel ride at sunset. See our list of things to do in Merzouga.
Erfoud to Merzouga: fitting Erfoud into a Morocco desert trip
Many travelers stop in Erfoud for an hour or two on the way to the dunes. From Erfoud to Merzouga is about an hour by road. The road from Fes to the desert passes through the Ziz Valley and Erfoud, as on our 2 day Sahara desert tour from Fes. From Marrakech, the 4 day Marrakech Sahara tour gives you a full day in the desert region. The 7 day imperial cities and Sahara tour also links Fes and Merzouga.
Planning a full trip? Read about the 3 or 4 day desert tour from Marrakech. Also see Merzouga in December and the best time to visit Morocco. October is a great month, with the date harvest and mild desert weather.
FAQ: Erfoud Morocco
What is Erfoud known for?
Erfoud is known for fossils, black fossil marble and dates. It is the centre of Morocco’s fossil trade and hosts the International Date Fair every autumn.
How far is Erfoud from Merzouga?
Erfoud is about 50 km from the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga, roughly an hour by road.
Are the fossils in Erfoud real?
Many are real, especially the orthoceras and ammonites in polished marble. Trilobites are often restored or fake, so check carefully before you pay a high price.
When is the Erfoud date festival?
The International Date Fair in Erfoud takes place in autumn, usually in late October. In 2026 it opened on 28 October.
What are the Kess Kess mounds?
They are 48 cone shaped hills of ancient lime mud near Hamar Laghdad, about 16 km southeast of Erfoud. They formed on the sea floor in the Early Devonian.
Is Erfoud worth visiting?
Yes, as a stop on the way to the Sahara. An hour or two is enough for a fossil workshop, the palm groves and the view from Borj Est.
Want to see the fossils of Erfoud on your way to the Sahara? Tell us your dates and we will plan the stop for you.
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